Parrow Hosira – District 10
People in the Capitol, District One, District 2, and District Four don't understand what abject poverty is. If you live in the lower districts, say Districts Ten through Twelve, you'd know what it's like to go hungry for days on end. Some days, the dead lay on the side of the street having starved or gone without clean water for days. My mother nearly died once because we ran out of food. She gave her share to my sister and me when she should have kept it herself. My father works hard, but he doesn't make much. Each year, my sister, Fleese, takes a lot tesserae each year to try and sustain us. It's her last year to be reaped and after that, she'll go to work almost immediately. I, on the other hand, will keep signing up for extra tesserae for the next four years.
I keep thinking that if I go to the Games, how will I die? I can survive longer without food than the Career Districts. I'm thin and just barely five foot four inches, so I could hide in the trees. No one will see me. I've learned how to camouflage myself with leaves and dirt, something my father taught me. If there aren't any trees, I'm sure I can think of something. My father has helped my hone my abilities so I can be as sharp as a knife if I go into the arena. With all the extra slips of paper with my name on it, there's a high possibility I'll be reaped. If not today, then next year. Especially since my sister won't be able to sign up for tesserae.
I've taken up hunting since I turned twelve. Since then, I've gotten better, although I'm still not the best at it. Weapons aren't my area of strength. I usually revert to traps and snares that quickly end a critter's life. I carry a knife with me at all times in the woods and I'm pretty decent with a bow and arrow. The Peacekeepers have never caught me, and they never will. I make sure to keep everything discreet.
My father knocks gently on my bedroom door. I jump, my musings dissolving into the air. I slap the book shut, so he won't see that I've been wasting my time. He smiles, stepping into the small room I share with my sister. "You're going to be late, Parrow," he says softly. He pulls the book from my hands as I clutch it to my chest.
Books and learning are a passion for me. I'm always reading something, always learning. My father has taught me how to survive and little tricks that I think will be useful in the future. My mother teaches me about staying positive, even if we're poorer than the dirt in District Thirteen. Even my sister teaches me; it's usually about boys, but I appreciate her attempt at teaching me to be ladylike.
"But I'm at a really good part! Please, let me read a little more," I cry. I reach for the book, but he holds it high above his head. Seeing how short I am, I doubt I inherited his height gene like my sister has. I jump onto my bed, and leap, in attempt to fetch my book.
"You're reading a book about the evolution of plants," my father says, reading the title on my book. "How interesting can it be?" He laughs lightly, handing the book back. "You have five minutes." He walks out, leaving the door open.
"Parrow! Parrow!" Fleese sprints into our room, almost slipping on some dirty clothes on the floor. She gains her balance and throws my book out of my hands. It lands on her bed with a soft thump.
"Hey," I say harshly, "I was reading that."
"I'm sorry, Parrow, but this is really important!" Fleese sends me a smile and I know it must be important. With a sigh, I nod, telling her to tell me the news. "Okay, since it's our last Reaping, Castor asked me a question. And you know what question it is?" Her grin gets wider. She flashes her hand out in front of me. There's a sparkle as a gem hits the light.
I lean forward, eyes open wide. "No! Are you serious? He asked you to—"
Fleese let out a little squeal. "Yes! He asked me to marry him and I said yes!" She hugs me tightly. "With Castor, we could have more money. He can get a job and I can get a job. There'll be twice as much income for us."
"But, won't you be living with him?" I ask her, picking up my ratty book. I set the bookmark in so it fits perfectly. Then, I straighten the creases in my light brown dress. I wiggle my toes in my too small shoes.
"Well, until we can afford a house, he'll be living here."
"Where? Our house is crowded enough as it is," I remark.
"We'll figure something out. I just have to not be reaped and then I'll be Mrs. Vir! I want you to be a bridesmaid."
"Wait, what?"
"Yes! I'm also going to ask my friends, Nadie and Jaime, but I also want you to be up there with me. You're my sister! You have to be there, so don't you dare get reaped. And if you do, you better come back alive and not missing arms, legs, fingers, or toes." Fleese grins at me and takes me hand, squeezing it tightly.
"Have you told mom and dad?"
"Not yet. I wanted you to be the first to know." She walks down the hallway with me. We can't afford a two story house, so we live in a small one story shack. "Come on, it's time for the Reapings."
My father almost runs into us as we make it towards the door. "Ah, Parrow, I was about to come and get you. Enjoying the science of plants aren't you?" He winks at me. "And congrats, Fleese." He nods to her ring and goes back to his room to be with mom.
Fleese beams at my father and skips with me. "I can't believe he noticed!" She grabs my arm, jumping up and down excitedly. My cousin, Khessi, meanders to us as we exit our home. She combs through her tangled auburn hair. It's damp, making the shoulders on her lavender dress wet.
"What did who notice?" Khessi asks, tying her hair up into a bun.
"Nothing," Fleese says, trying to contain herself. "Except that Castor proposed!"
Khessi smiles politely. "I'm so happy for you, Fleese." Yreina and Soris join us halfway to the District Square.
Fleese spots her now fiancée. "I'll see you soon, Parrow!" She kisses my forehead. "Don't get reaped. After this, we can start looking for wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses and even pick out a date." She sprints over to Castor, a burly young man that is very attractive. I don't know how she can run in the worn out shoes she has.
"I think your sister is excited," Yreina says sarcastically.
"Yeah," Soris says, "What's up with that?"
"Her boyfriend proposed this morning," I say to Soris, who is standing next to me. He smiles to me, a hint of mischievousness in his eye.
"What do you think will happen when we get married?" Soris asks. He looks at me the entire time, not even glancing at Yreina and Khessi.
"I think we'll still be friends," Khessi says. "We'll all have kids of our own!"
"But what about the Games?" Yreina points out.
"Then we'll pray they won't get picked."
Yreina and Soris break off, heading to the thirteen year old section. Khessi and I move for the fourteen year old section. "I think Soris likes you," Khessi whispers.
"I don't think so," I reply. He wouldn't, couldn't like me. Why would he like me? It doesn't matter because we're never going to be anything but friends. Being something more could jeopardize that and I don't want to ruin our relationship.
"Okay," Khessi shrugs. "Suit yourself!" We stand in the middle of a crowd, waiting for our escort to bounce across the stage. The mayor finishes his speech and then Lana Vacca, in her pink high heels and extravagant hair do, bounds across the stage as she does every year.
"Good day, District Ten!" She shouts into the microphone. Her voice could wake a sleeping cow it's so loud and annoying. "I do believe it's that time of the year again. It's time to select one boy and one girl as tributes for this year's annual Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor." She winks at the crowd, then glances at the camera. Her hand swims through a list of names. She pulls out the girl's name first.
Don't be me. Don't be me. Don't be me. Don't be me.
"Fleese Hosira!"
I open my eyes, realizing the name that's been called. My heart stops and my stomach suddenly drops. My forehead is covered in cold sweat. She should have been safe. Even though her name's in there more times, she's never been picked. I have to do something. What can I do? I'm just fourteen! All I'm ever going to do is keep getting more tesserae and read. I'll end up being picked sooner or later. Fleese was just picked and she's eighteen. At least by sixteen I'll be reaped since I'll be taking even more tesserae for my now growing family.
"I VOLUNTEER!" I shriek. Fleese is safe now. The crowd gasps and Khessi immediately has tears cascading down her face. As I climb the stairs, I look at Fleese. She has her head buried in Castor's shoulder. I slowly come to stop in front of our District Victor, Mabilis Redimo. She's a middle aged woman, but she looks much older than that. She won her Games when she was fifteen.
"Very well!" Before I realize it, Lana has picked the boy tribute's name. "Let's see, let's see. Trenton Cedar!" She giggles, beckoning the boy to come up. I stand on my toes to see who it is. A boy with short brown hair limps to the stage. Limps! The brutality of the Games hits me and the Games haven't even started yet. How cruel is it to send a crippled boy into an arena to fight to the death? Why does the Capitol do this? They don't know what the meaning of ethics is.
Trenton finally makes it to the top of the stairs. He leans heavily on his left, so I figure he must've had an accident, permanently injuring his right leg, or he was just born that way. He smiles nervously at me, but I see through his façade. There are streak marks across his face from where he tried to wipe away the tears. I might be crying too because I feel a faint wetness on my cheeks. Lana closes the Reaping ceremony and I'm still looking at Trenton. I understand how he feels. He understands how I feel.
The Capitol will never know how I feel.
