Reaping of District One
Riana stared out the window as her mother pulled her black hair into a neat, clean ponytail. Her mother was shaking, scared for her little girl. In all honesty Riana was just as scared. They had never heard of such a game, and in all of history there was nothing like it. A fight to the death? No one was prepared.
"Mother?" She whispered, as she took in a deep breath.
"Yes?" She replied, just staring on the first braid in Riana's ponytail. "What is it?"
"Do…do you think I will die?" The girl asked, trying to hold in her emotion. She was only sixteen. If this situation had happened in three more year this would not be a problem, but that isn't the case. Here she is now, getting ready for the reaping.
Her mother stopped braiding for a moment. There was just silence. Maybe that wasn't the best question to ask? After about thirty seconds past her mother continued with her work. "My dearest Riana, you haven't even been selected yet."
"Well what if I am selected?"
"Then I believe you will try your best to be the victor. You are strong, and wise. If your father was here he would say the same thing." Riana blinked. That was her way of nodding when she couldn't move her head. After her hair was finished she was given a beautiful black dress. The dress had a silver ribbon wrapped around the torso, the sleeves of the dress ended at her elbows, and the bottom of the dress was three layers of fine material that came down to just over her knees.
It was an hour before the reaping when she ran outside. The sun was shadowed by the clouds, and a soft, warm wind blew carrying the sweet scent of flowers. Riana would have considered this a perfect day if it wasn't such a tragic time. She walked over the paved road, scanning the area for her friend. It was urgent that she finds him, knowing full well she couldn't live without saying goodbye if one of them were to be called.
After five minutes of walking she found him by a flower shop talking to his older brother, and his brothers friend. "Fang!" Riana called out, as she ran over to the group.
"Hey Riana!" He greeted cheerfully. She almost hated him for that, being so calm. No one should be calm!
"Riana…" Razor snarled. That was his way of saying hello. He never liked her when she came into his life, but the reason for that is unknown to even him. Day one: Hatred, and from then on the same old feelings.
Razor's friend, Blade, did not speak at all. He was quiet, and emotionless. His black hair was just as scruffy as usually, but with him being all dressed up he didn't look like himself. She did note though that the black trench coat he was wearing was something he never went without.
"You scared about today?" Fang asked, grabbing Riana's attention once again. The girl nodded.
"Yeah." She answered. "You seem fine though."
"That is how I cope with a bad situation: act like it isn't there." Razor laughed.
"You are my brother. If you get called I will run up and rip out their throats." It was easy for him to joke about that matter, he was twenty, he was safe. He was the only safe one of the four. If Riana remembered correctly Blade was a week and a half from his nineteenth birthday. That didn't save him from the events that will be taking place.
"I have to go." Blade grumbled. "Scarlet might need help getting ready." With that he walked away. The way he acts you can never guess if he was scared or not, but it was obvious he didn't want to hear about it. Was he worried about his younger sister or himself?
"The peacekeepers will shoot you down, and they would still take Fang. The odds will not be in his favor at that point."
"How can they do this? Take twenty-four kids, and send them to be slaughtered. If they want to kill us take the same amount of kids, line them up, and shoot them down. It's like the same thing." Fang murmured, as he looked up into the sky.
"But one lives." Razor added.
"And they want a show." Riana finished.
~The Reaping~
They were rounded up like animals, all of kids. The adults stood behind them waiting, and watching. The crowd was silent as the capital representative walked up to the podium.
"Welcome, we will be selecting one courageous man and woman between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in the first ever annual hunger games!" Fang… Please be safe, what ever happens be safe. Riana thought as she closed her eyes. Time passed as the wretched woman's speech went on, and then the first name was drawn. The girl's name.
All the girls averted their eyes to Riana. There she stood frozen. What had the name been? "Riana, Riana Roland?" The capital woman called out. That is what she thought… Riana started to walked, avoiding the eyes that stared at her. The heart inside her chest sounded like the beating wings of a humming bird. Oh how she want to run, run to Fang and hide.
She walked onto the makeshift stage which stood before the train that would transport her to the capital. Riana kept her head down as the boy's name was called.
"Blade Kazan." The boy didn't change his emotionless look as he walked up and stood talk next to the girl tribute. Out in the crowd she saw the look on Fang and Razor's face. They were horrified. Then looking to Scarlet's face…well Riana has never seen the girl cry before.
"District one, here are your tributes!" A quite applause covered the hushed silence. No one was excited to see them go. "Family and friends, each of you will have three minutes to say your goodbyes before they leave." With that the two tributes were pushed into the train.
~Blade's Goodbyes~
Razor walked into Blade's room and smiled weakly. "Bad luck." Blade sighed, as he ran his hand through his own hair.
"No kidding."
"You are strong. Heck if you wanted to you could throw me over this capital train." Both boys smiled. They were like brothers. This was the hardest thing for Razor, watching his friend go off to die.
"You're dumb."
"So are you. Win the games, come back, and we celebrate." Blade nodded. That is a good plan, but only if he could make it out alive. "We can also celebrate no longer having to see Riana." With a sigh Blade stood up, and stretched.
"I plan on helping her. Not saying I will let her live, but I believe she could help me fight. She will be like my shield." Razor smiled, and shook his head. It was almost too good of a plan. Cruel, but a wonderful thought.
"Your three minutes are up." The peacekeeper informed Razor, as he grabbed onto the boy's arm.
As he was being pulled away Razor shouted one last thing to Blade. "I will be watching the entire time. Try not to die because I am going to start planning your welcome home party!" And with that he was gone.
The next person to walk into the Room was Blade's younger sister, Scarlet. Black tears streaked down her pale face. "I don't want you to die." She choked. Blade walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her.
"What happened to your strong personality where you didn't care about anything?" He laughed, brushing out her black hair with his hand.
"It's still there." She responded, burring her face into his shoulder. "It's just I cannot bear to be alone. I hate everyone else." Blade held her tighter, and thought about what would happen to her. Without him she was completely alone. Their parents had died in a fire five years ago, and since then Blade had watched over her. Now she won't know what to do.
"I know Razor isn't your favorite, but he will watch over you." The young girl nodded, and pulled away. She wiped away her tears, and stood up tall.
"Now listen to me. You will kill everyone, and win this game. Come home. You will come home whether you like it or not." Blade nodded, as Scarlet was pulled out of the room by the peacekeepers. There he stood home alone. Next to come were the games.
~Riana's Goodbyes~
"Riana!" She looked up from her lap to see Fang in the doorway. Her heart seemed to stop, as she got up and ran to him.
"Fang! I am so scared. Help me, please, just help me…" He held the girl for a long moment without saying anything. What could he say? This could be the last three minutes that he could spend with her. She will come back to him dead if she didn't win, and if she did win Blade would come back dead.
"I would help you if I could, but this is out of my control." He whispered. "Stay calm, and fight with every ounce of strength you have. Okay? Just don't kill Blade." Riana nodded into his shoulder. She had no intention of killing Blade. That was something that she could never live with. Coming home a traitor. She was going to get him to fight with her. If anything get him home alive.
"I don't think I could kill anyone, but I can fight them off." She closed her eyes, and could practically smell the rotting flesh of the tributes. How horrid… The pictures in her head just would not go away, and if that was bad she was afraid to see what the real thing was like.
"Do whatever it takes to come back." Suddenly Fang was ripped away from her, and the door slammed in her face. Riana's heart sank as she walked back to her chair. Suddenly the door opened, and her mother walked in. It looked like she had been crying, but now she had stopped but the redness around her eyes stayed.
"Mom I will be safe. Do not cry." Riana said, as she walked to her mother.
"I know you will be safe." She whispered, as she touched Riana's braids. It had taken her twenty minutes to get it like that, and it was worth the time. "I just had to say goodbye, and see your beautiful face again. Come home." She pulled Riana into a hug, and she started to cry just a little bit.
"I will, mom. And if I don't just know I tried." And with that her mother walked out of the room, and left the girl in the emptiness.
After ten minutes passed, and they realized no one else was coming to see the tributes the train took off for the capital. It was about a half days trip before they reached the capital. Just enough time to let reality sink in.
