This chapter goes to littleperson1832 and PiedPiper11. I hope I portrayed your characters to your liking. Hope you all have a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, or a great Kwanzaa. No matter what you celebrate I hope you have a happy New Year! I heart you.
The Reaping of District Seven (Enter Sloan Rowark POV)
"Checkmate!" My grandfather chuckled as he beat me at chess for the 5th time in a row.
"No fair you have to have cheated." I replied. I was laughing as hard as he was though. My grandfather was my favorite person in the world. Having no mother, when I was younger my father often left me with my grandparents when he went to chop lumber 10 hours a day. Now that I was 15 I often joined him. We would work side by side along with the others which included one of my two best friends, Garen.
Today was an exception because it was the day of the reaping. My father slept in; trying to gain sleep he'd lost during the rest of the week. My grandmother was rocking in her cedar rocking chair knitting as we played game after game of chess.
"Sloan! How you doin' kid!" a voice called from down the lane. My grandfather and I turned to see who it was. Strolling down the dusty road were Garen and Jace. Jace lived next door so I guess he'd walked into town to get Garen before making his way back here. They both said hello to my grandparents and my father, who'd came outside moments after Jace had shouted his greeting.
"Hey guys. Ready for the reaping?"
"Ready as we'll ever be really."
Both of them were dressed in neat clothes. Jace was too small and scrawny to be a lumberjack so he worked in town at the small store. Garen was 6'3 like me and built like a bear. Both of them were outgoing and loud, a trait shared by them alone in our trio. I rarely talked, preferring to listen instead. The only person that really got me talking was my grandfather.
My grandmother coughed a little before saying, "We'd better get going soon if we want to make it on time. Sloan, I laid out a clean pair of pants and a flannel for you."
"Alright. I'll be ready in a minute."
I went inside and changed quickly. I tried to fix my mop of brown hair in some order before heading back outside. The others were ready so our group of six moved at a brisk pace so we wouldn't miss anything. It wouldn't do to be late for the reaping.
We got there just in time. The Mayor had just begun his speech which we'd all heard a million times. Hawkins, our escort takes the mike soon. He's a weirdo; nothing he says ever truly makes sense but he's sort of funny and looks even funnier with stars tatted all over his face and his dollop of blue hair on his head. He finally gets down to pulling names and you can feel the tension in the crowd. He grasps a slip of paper.
"Olive Liveane."
A tall masculine looking girl hugs and kisses a smaller girl beside her. She then waves at a boy somewhere in the crowd. She walked to the stage and smirks at the assembly of people in front of her. Hawkins is excited to pull a male name, so he rushes back to the reaping ball. The entire population of District 7 draws in a breath.
"Sloan Rowark."
I don't let any emotion show up on my face. If I'm going to the games I can't be marked weak. I make my way up to the stage making eye contact with no one. I climb the stairs to my place before looking to those who matter most.
My father looks stunned as does my grandmother and my friends. I look then to my grandfather, who stares back at me with sad eyes. I know then that I have to come back, if only just for my grandfather. I'm going to come back.
_Flashback 2 Hours_
(Enter Olive Liveane POV)
I was doing my best to make sure that my sister looked semi presentable for the reaping when the shouting started. I simply rolled my eyes. This was my parents' 27th fight this month. I hated my father with a passion. He was a simply awful person. He ran a notorious gang and cares nothing for us. He beats on my mother and sometimes sells me to members of his gang. He frequently has my sister sending in letter for charity. I have signed up for tessarae for the four of us since I was 12. My brother, Javie, who is only 9, left our house saying he wouldn't ever come back. He hasn't. I see him often as does our sister Laurie Grace. He loves us and we him but we both understand his loathing of our parents. I'd walk out on them myself but then I wouldn't have a roof over Laurie or my head. I wish we could move in with my only friend, Karnen, but with his huge family it isn't possible.
Karnen. He is the beacon of light in my dismal world in which everything is gray. I loved him but he sees me as only a friend. Besides him, my brother and my sister, I don't care strongly for other people. I deem my sister and myself presentable. Laurie Grace really is beautiful with her long dark curls and big blue eyes. She's quiet around everyone but me and always keeps to herself. Looking at her fragile expression I can't help but want better for her. After I get out of school, I hope I can make enough money to support both of us.
Our mother has set out a small lunch for us. Her face is still red from cussing our father out. I don't like her but I do feel a bit sorry for the lot she's been given in her life. Her parents were awful too. My father knocked her up and married her out of the slim bit of respect he has in his body. She also went through 2 miscarriages after Javie was born because of our father beating on her. Plus were so poor we don't have much worth having.
After our dismal, depressing meal the four of us walk the distance to the square. It becomes more and more claustrophobic as people file into the space. The mayor is not one to waste his words. He gives his mandatory speeches quickly and then hands over the mike to Hawkins, our district escort. The man is so funny looking and is completely off his rocker. His baby blue swirl of hair and his star implanted cheeks are ridiculous looking. At least he's not rude or demeaning to us as some of the other escorts are to their districts. He pulls a female name.
"Olive Liveane."
I look at Laurie Grace. Sadness is plastered all over her face and I feel terrible knowing I will have to leave her. I kiss her face and hug her as tight as I can. I turn and find Javie in the crowd. Our eyes lock and I wave to him. I throw my parents a dismissive look before making my way to the stage. They don't care for me anyways.
I'm nervous but I am a survivor. This is just another challenge that I'll have to face. And if I win the rewards are great. I'll be rich enough to support Javie and Laurie Grace. With that in my mind I listen in to see which male will be accompanying me to the capitol. I hope it's not Karnen . I'd never be able to kill him. Ever. Hawkins pulls out a name. You can see the crowd draw in a nervous breath together.
"Sloan Rowark."
A tall, muscular boy begins the journey to the stage. He reaches the makeshift platform. I see the mutterings that ripple through the crowd. This boy, Sloan Rowark, is in the dreams of every girl in District 7. He is handsome. The strong and silent type, but I have eyes for only Karnen.
I come back from the land of my thoughts just in time to hear the words, "Our tributes, Olive Liveane and Sloan Rowark."
Tell me, as always, what you think.