Chapter Four.
Pre-Reapings Part 1.
Niamh Gregora; 16 years old.
District Nine Female.
The sunset was beautiful.
Niamh closed her eyes, leaning against the trunk of her favorite tree in the Nevaario's house, breathing in the last of the long day. She lit up a cigarette and as she inhaled, the glow from the other end of it matched the sunset before her. For other people, sunsets might not be a big things, but for Niamh, they were everything. They meant that another day was done, and that she had survived. In District Nine, people should take a day from granted. No one knew when it could end, but frankly, no one really wanted to talk about it.
Considering the events of the past few days, or even the past few years, Niamh started to relax. The end of the day was the only time that she could truly be at peace, and be herself. Just be Niamh, for once, the girl who fought hard to keep everything single promise that she made.
She knew that when a time came that everyone had to choose between protecting those that you love and yourself, there were no boundaries. Humans were naturally selfish, when it came down to them and someone else, they would always wanted to save their own skin. Self-preservation is something that most people can't fight against.
Niamh closed her eyes, enjoying the last of the sunset, but she knew it was time to leave. With a sigh, the girl got up, walking down the grassy garden and ducking underneath the thick pine branches, towards the big mansion. She needed to remember to ask Mr. Nevaario's permission to visit her siblings before the reaping. To see if they were okay. To see if their father hadn't destroyed them yet, like he did to Niamh.
Niamh shaked her head. This wasn't the time to think of that man, no, she refused to even waste another second of her time with him. There was only one person worth fighting for, and she was currently inside this house. Niamh just had to find her, and everything would be better.
She only had time to walk past the front door before she was face to face with Toria. The brunette looked confused at seeing her, her hair messy and only wearing a few of her night clothes.
"Tori? You okay?" Niamh asked immediately, checking her to see if anything was wrong. If she had any bruises, any cuts. To know who did that to her, however, would be the last part. And then, of course, her revenge would come later in a most private way. It was Niamh's job to protect Toria since they were children, and that wasn't about to change now. She is so beautiful, though...
"I am, just was in a bit of a rush. Pax is up there, and I heard the door open, so I thought it was my parents but turns out it was you." Toria winked, and in a second, stole Niamh's cigarette pack from her bag. Ah. Niamh understood it all know,from Tori's messy hair to her night clothes. And she couldn't stop the jealousy that hit her right after that.
"Tori, c'mon, you know that isn't good for you. You're not supposed to be smoking around me, anyway. Your parents would fire me if they knew I let you smoke on my watch. I'm supposed to be protecting you, after all. Always and forever."
Toria laughed, and punched Niamh lightly on the shoulder. Just the feeling of her hand made Niamh's skin twice hotter than that the temperature outside. And it was always pretty hot in District Nine. "C'mon, Nim, you know you don't have to take care of me. I'm a big now. You're here because I love your company, and your my best friend too. Don't think you can tell me what to do, Miss Gregora."
She laughed. God, why did Niamh loved her laugh so much? When Tori laughed, it was like the whole world around Niamh light up. It didn't matter if it was raining, and it didn't matter if Niamh was happy or sad, Tori could always make her smile.
It was her kidness. Her smile. Her eyes. There was nothing in this district that could make Niamh happier than the woman in front of her. Niamh wanted so badly to wrap her arms around her, and kiss her like the world would end in a few minutes. It had already happened once, so why couldn't it happen again?
Niamh was sure that Tori didn't remember, because she was drunk and passed out a few minutes later, but Niamh did remember it with everything she had. That kiss, that night was everything that she had to hold on to when she watched Tori with Pax. When she was forced to sit at the dinner table with both of them, the perfect couple. Knowing that Tori's parents would never accept a relationship between the two of them.
That they would never accept the fact that Niamh was madly in love with Toria and that everyday, when she was a little girl, she prayed to every God that existed that no one would take Toria away from her. Loving Toria made her a better person, made her forget everything that her bastard of a father did to her.
And suddenly, it was like some kind of freakish God had been listening to her. Toria was staring at her, those blue eyes starting her with such... curiosity? Niamh allowed herself to dream that maybe there was a bit of love in there, too. Suddenly, they were getting closer and closer.
Niamh was about to grab Tori's waist and bring her closer to her, to kiss her, when Pax came downstairs, hair ruffled and calling out for Toria. When he reached them, the two girls were forced to get away from her each other. That brought Niamh back to reality. She was just the maid, Toria's bodyguard and hopeful best friend, but she was nothing else. Not a girlfriend. Not a lover.
Pax reached for Tori, and brought her in for a big kiss. Niamh forced herself to look away. She wouldn't force herself to watch that, no, there were other times when she would have no way out, but this wasn't one.
She would never have the courage to kiss her like that. To tell her how she really felt, because Niamh was just a maid and nothing special while Tori was gorgeous and funny and endlessly fascinating, while Niamh was endlessly boring.
So, she would have to do what she did best and bury her feelings deep down. And be by Tori's side, and protect her, like she always did. That was the only way that Niamh could be close to her and she wasn't giving that up for anything.
But in the end, she would always be the second choice.
Tiena Pensiere; 18 years old.
District Four Female.
"Hello, Tiena."
"Hello, Jasko."
She heard him coming, of course, but Tiena tried to ignore it. Jasko Quinn wasn't know for being the most quiet person around the Academy, of course. She had never met him in person, not even yesterday when they were both chosen as the male and female volunteer. Today was her special day, and she wouldn't let anyone take it away from her. Not even the famous Jasko Quinn, with his soft words and good looks.
She turned around, looking straight into Jasko's eyes. She might be smaller, but that didn't mean that she was weaker than him. That was Tiena's number one rule. She refused to show fear to anyone, no matter who they were and if they thought that they were stronger than her or not. She refused to show them what she was truly feeling on the inside, because that's when they would know her true weakness.
Tiena refused to give people like Jasko the satisfaction. She didn't need a man to get where she was now,and she certantly wouldn't need a man to get her Victory. She had done it all on her own, all the nights training after everyone had left and of hard work, it was all her. When she won, people would have to recognize her hard-work.
That was all she ever wanted. To be recognized. To stand taller than everyone else that had ever looked down on her, like she was some kind of freak that didn't belong in a Career District. Jasko included. Even now, that he was here, he still kept that playful look on his face. Oh, how Tiena would love to wip that smug look of his face one day.
"Aw," Jasko placed a hand on her shoulder, and seemed to ignore it when Tiena backed away. "Nice work you have there." He pointed to the targets in front of them, a weird look on his face. "Maybe you would like to stop that for a while and come with us?"
Tiena arched an eyebrow. "Us?"
"Me and a few of our peers are going to party down at the docks, y'know, to celebrate the fact that we were chosen. It seems only fitting that you would come too. Party a bit and maybe something else?" That wink that he gave her was disgusting.
He really did think that his good looks would solve everything? Hard-work and training were the solution for everything, not good looks. Looks wouldn't get no one anywhere in the arena, when someone was chasing you with an axe. "No, thanks. I think I would prefer training for a little bit longer. The arena is so close too. Better make the most of our time."
Jasko laughed, but Tiena could see that the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'll see you around, I suppose." Well, fuck him. She didn't need him, or anyone else for that matter. Or did she?
You're useless, Tiena. You'll be the first to die.
Tiena shaked her head. No, no, no. Those thoughts had to be kept buried deep inside, right where they belonged. They didn't belong in her head, where they could ruin this perfect day. She couldn't let her insecurities, those dark dark thoughts, ruin what she had work so hard for. This was her chance to die, her chance to show them who she really was.
Before she had the chance to pick up another spear, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She was about to turn around and tell Jasko that if he touched her again, it would be the last time he had hands, even she felt the familiar scent and let herself relax in his arms.
Tiena wasn't someone too open to moments of weakness like right now, but there was something about Damian that was good. It made her feel something that she had never felt before and it felt so good, so impossibly good, that she never wanted to let go.
There was a moment when she just wanted to give up everything, to stay like this for the rest of her life. In the arms of someone that loved her. Damian loved her, and that was it. There were no doubts with it, no what ifs. For once in her life, there was someone that trusted her with their whole heart and was happy to let her decide what to do. Where to go. Who to see.
That is, until you screw everything up. Like always.
That thought made her jump for Damian's arms, all of a sudden. He turned his attention to her, preparing to fix anything that was wrong with her. That was Damian. Always worrying about her, always preparing to put her needs before his own. It was always like that, and Tiena doubted that it would ever change.
"Wow, beautiful, are you okay?" He put a bit of hair behind her ear, and Tiena couldn't help but wonder if she deserved this. She was selfish, yes, but she knew that she would kill anyone that dared to even think of taking this from her.
Let them try, she thought. Let them try and fail, over and over again.
But instead, she put on a smile and brought Damian in for a kiss. Let them how happy we are together. Let them see that for once, Tiena Pensiere was someone's first choice.
"What did Jasko Quinn want?" Damian asked, after broke the kiss. Damian put her needs before his own, but that didn't mean that he couldn't be a bit jealous, from time to time. Even when people like Jasko Quinn were involved.
Tiena laughed. "He was wondering if I wanted to sleep with him." That made Damian burst out laughing.
"Well, he needs to get in line." She wanted to laugh at him, to mad at him, but she couldn't. All that she felt was happiness, happiness that she had someone like Damian on her side. Someone that understood her, someone that would always put her needs before his own.
Instead, Tiena wrapped her hand around his, and lead him back into the spear training station. If Tiena Pensiere managed to have someone like Damian, all on her own, then she would do the same thing with the games. She just needed to bury those feeling deep inside her, where they could never hurt her in the Games.
And believe in herself.
Nikolai Faustus; 18 years old.
District Two Male.
Nikolai almost fell off the roof when he felt someone shaking him awake. He should be used to it by now, since it wasn't very unusual for him to fall asleep on a roof either. Of course, he had his reasons. His job wasn't the easiest one around and paired with five hours of training every day, any rational human would fall asleep in the first thing that they got, either a counch or a bed, it didn't matter.
It didn't stop him from jumping when Julian's head appeared next to his. His best friend, with his quiet mind and books, was the only one that knew why Nikolai came here in the middle of night, when there were thousands of other places that he could be. Hanging out with a nice girl. Drinking. But still, the boy choose the stars and the calm of his own thoughts, and in the end, he would never say that he regreted it.
He didn't. He wasn't very well-liked in District Two, but still, he could say that the feeling was mutual. The people didn't look at him like they looked at the Careers, no, they only looked at him like he didn't belong in there. They never made him feel wanted. It was funny, though, how they hated his family but wouldn't be considered a Career District if it wasn't for me. They forged the Academy's weapons and gave them all the supplies that they needed to make proper Careers. It didn't stop the Careers from looking down at them, though.
But still, Nikolai couldn't help but laugh when Julian sat down next to him. "Damn it, I did it again, didn't I?"
Julian sighed. "Yeah, man. You disappoined District Two, I hope you're happy now. I bet there's no way now that you'll ever win the Games. Seriously, though, Nik. You're the laziest person that I know. You would probably fall off a tree in the Games while you were sleeping."
The two boys started at each other, serious for a second, but then burst out laughing in the other. "Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about it when I win the Hunger Games and ask your girlfriend out in a date. You know she won't say no, man. Oh wait. You don't have one."
Julian turned red in that second, which made Nik smile. "Relax, man, I'm just messing with you. You know I don't mean it." His best friend was always there when needed to have a good laugh, or when he needed to talk about something. Like what would happen in a few weeks.
After a while, Julian turned to him. "You know, they picked Sadie Ariste to volunteer this year." Nik couldn't say that he was suprised.
"Wow, the scary hot girl? Maybe I should reconsider volunteering this year. I suppose I don't have many chances of winning the Games if I'm in there with her. After all, if you're the Capitol, who would you pick to sponsor? The scary hot girl or the lazy guy?" Julian laughed, but Nik couldn't tell that there was something that his best friend hadn't told him yet.
"They also picked a male to volunteer.""Julian said, but Nik quickly put that aside. Of course they would, after all, he wasn't even training in there. If they didn't know him, how could they pick him?
"Of course they did," Nik said. "Just wait until I volunteer at the reaping. They'll all be wondering where I came from and that, my friend, will be my biggest strenght. Someting that our scary hot girl won't have."
"Nik, you know what they do to the people that go against the Academy's orders." In Nik's opinion, Julian worried too much. There was nothing to worry about. He would be fine because as soon as he became a tribute, no one could warm him. And when he came back a Victor, he would show them how well h could use weapons. That he wasn't just the boy who created them.
"Jul, c'mon, you know I don't give a fuck about what they think. I'll volunteer, and that's it. When I come back, they'll be begging for me to teach them how do you forge a weapon." That seemed to make Julian more calm. Good. Nik never liked having nervous people around him, because that would make him nervous too. God knows that being nervous wouldn't get him anywhere in the Games.
He was supposed to be calm. And make his way to Victory even calmer, like his father always said. But how was he supposed to be calm, when he just watched 23 other people die? Nik supposed that after watching so many people die, he would have changed a bit. For the better, he hoped.
He was going into the Games because he wanted the prove the Careers wrong, to prove them that he wasn't just the weapon smith's son. That besides forging weapons, he also knew how to use them. That he would do as well as they would in the Games. But there was a part of him, deep inside, that also hoped that he could change for the better if he did manage to make it out. That he could become someone braver, someone stronger. Someone that wouldn't be afraid to do whatever needed to be done.
He wouldn't let anyone stand in his way to Victory, not even scary Sadie Ariste with her Career training and good looks. He would prove them that even if he wasn't a Career, he could be as great as they were and even more capable of leading an alliance. The only thing that they would know was that, weapon smith or not, he could lead them to Victory. Well, not all of them. He could lead himself to Victory, and the others would only means to an end.
Nik didn't like it, though. He hated when he had to manipulate people, because it reminded him of how the younger Careers were manipulated to do whatever the trainers and Victors wanted when they first entered the Academy.
He would do it, though. If it mean the difference between his life and death, between staying as the weapon smith's son and being something more, there was nothing that he wouldn't.
And no one that could stop him.
Hex Fillian; 13 years old.
District Seven Male.
The silence was unnerving.
Hex used to like the silence when he was younger, but not anymore. The silence scared him, it made him feel like things were about to change. When there was noise, Hex was happy. He felt like there were so many possibilities in the noise, so many things that he could learn and so many things that could happen. In the silence, he was left with his insecurities. With his fears. It was like being stuck in a nightmare for the rest of his days, forced to face his worst fears over and over again.
Like that day when he almost lost his hearing. He was exploring his father's work place, as happy as he could ever be when it happened. An industrial cutter clamped down while Hex was playing on the conveyer belt, trapping him in a confined space within the machine though safe from the blades. He didn't remember what happened after. Only that they rushed him home. Nothing after that. Silence.
But for now, he could live with it. It was this time of the day, the lazy afternoon with Wyla on his side, that made it worth living. Hex was someone that wasn't used to having much so for him, this was alright. He had all that a teenage boy could ask for right now. In here, next to the river, he could forget all about the world outside. He could enjoy all the simple things, like the way the sun turned Wyla's hair to a light brown, or how her smile seemed to light up the whole worl around him.
It was a strange feeling for Hex. He had never felt anything like that before, the way that his mood could change if he was or wasn't around Wyla. It seemedlike the more he was around her, the better he felt. Around her, he could forget everything that happened in his home. But when he was away from her, that was when things got worst.
He remembered everything that happened. He remembered the pain on his mother's face when the midwife told them that his sister hadn't make it. When they buried her in their backyard. That's what most families in the District did, when they didn't have money for a proper funeral. They buried their children on the backyard, usually with a small tree growing next to it. It was a way to make sure that their spirit never died, his father had said.
Hex remembered asking him why people had to die in the first place. Why did his little sister have to die? His father said that it was because she was too innocent, too pure to ever live on this cruel world, ruled by the Capitol. And that she had no way of defending herself when Death came for her.
Not today. Those were the words that Hex had craved into a tree next to the river. He had no idea of what those words meant by then, but now, he had started to learn more. They meant that the only thing that someone could say to death was not today. Because they had earned another day. They deserved to live, right?
From what Hex had learned since he was a little kid, he thought the answer was yes. He would hold on into that answer until he couldn't, because that was the only hope that he had that life would always be this way. Plain. Simple. Beautiful.
A rock throw into the river into a bit of too much strenght distracted Hex from his thoughs. "Hey, little guy, what are you thinking?"
Hux chuckled. "Just wondering if my ma would worry if we stayed on here for a little longer. You know, until the sunset."
"I'm sure she wouldn't. You're only her little boy, after all."
I wouldn't be her only child if my sister was alive..
"Ah, Hex, you know she wouldn't. She knows that you feel better around here and besides, she knows where you are and who you are with. She loves me, you know."
That brought a smile to Hex's face. Wyla did always have a way of making him feel better, no matter what. "Yes, you are absolutely her favorite person in the world. Bet she even loves you more than me."
Wyla burst out laughing and a few minutes later, Hex did the same."You know, you shouldn't worry. Our District has a chance. Johanna made it home last year. Maybe she can help bringing someone this year."
He sighed. He never really liked Johanna in the first place, so why should he believed that she could help bringing someone home? She was wicked, cruel, the right kind of person that belonged in this cruel world, like his father said.
She murdered children. That was something that Hex wasn't sure if he could ever do. Murder innocent children that could be exactly like him, that had family and friends and people that depended on him. He could never do it, kill people and change into something worse. If Hex was ever reaped for the Games, he wanted to stay like he was right now. To be himself. Curious, fun-loving Hex. That was who he was, and no one would ever be able to change that. Not even the Capitol.
No one would change him, no matter how hard they would try.
It was nice to enjoy an afternoon like this. They were children, not even teenagers yet, that only wanted to enjoy the time together. Hex would do anything, give anything to make sure that Wyla always stayed like this. Young. Hopeful. Safe. Beautiful. He never wanted much for him, no, he only wanted to make sure that his best friend would be safe and sound for the rest of her life.
He had prayed like this, the day his sister died, but nothing had happened. She was still dead. Surely this time, his prayers would be answered, right? It was what his mother always told him. God couldn't always help the same person. One time for one, another time for other. Hex was sure that there would come a time when God would turn to him and answer his prayers. He had done everything that his mother told him, everything in the right way. There would come a time for him, he knew it.
It would be his chance.
He believed.
Here it is! The first chapter of the pre-reapings, with our first 4 tributes! Thank you to Jake (jakey121) for letting me use his format! A great friend, as always.
Let me know what you think and I'll see you soon! XD