*Me crawling to the finish line* "Almost…. there!"

Thanks to Kkstar47, FrostyShadow, Very New To This, Dani H. Danvers, AlexFalTon, SnowSymphony, LC-it-gets-better-alt-account, and Paradigm of Writing for the reviews! Also if I missed responding to anyone reviews form the last chapter or two I apologize! My computer issues messed up with me keeping track of responses. Sorry!

Enjoy!

Chapter VI The Reapings Part 6

District 11

The Day of the Reapings

There were few reasons to celebrate in District 11, the District where the Capitol's fist was tightest. But Reaping Day, or at least the Festival afterwards, was a moment of levity.

For those children who hadn't been Reaped and their parents, they could breath easier for a year. But for everyone else, it was a good excuse just to let loose for a day, if only because it was the one day the Capitol did not require District 11's citizens to work the seemingly endless fields of food that the District grew.

Unless of course, you were working the Festival.

Not that Ruddy Clemson minded working today. His family were a family of merchants, and at eighteen years old, Ruddy was expected to start taking a more managerial role soon. Either that, or take over his dad's roofing company. As part of trying to figure it out, his grandma had tasked him with running their business' stands at the Festival by himself that day. Typically his parents would help, but Ruddy's mom's back was acting up and she wanted to risk it. His dad elected to stay with her, trusting in Ruddy to pull it off alone.

Or almost alone.

"Are you sure people are going to want to buy these?" Bloom Pickett asked. She looked quizzically at him, lifting up a cookie for his inspection.

"Of course, babe. People love that stuff." Ruddy replied.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "It's stale."

"But it has sugar in it." He replied with a shrug.

"But it's stale."

"Grandma says they'll still buy them. So, let's sell them."

"Selling stale goods? Such a bad boy."

Ruddy's ears went red, which made Bloom laugh. She was typically a shy girl, but very bold in private with him. Not that Ruddy was complaining. He often wondered just how much bolder she would be when they were alone in the bedroom after their marriage.

They packed up the last of the goods, loading the boxes and material for the stall in a heavy pull cart and then set off for the Festival. The streets of District 11's main city were already starting to fill up for the Reapings as citizens from all over the District streamed in. They made way for Ruddy and Bloom as they passed, eyeing the supplies they carried and thinking whether it would be worth it to spend what little money they had on the items.

As they walked, Bloom waved to a few people she knew from work. Unlike Ruddy, Bloom worked the fields like most of the populace of District 11. She and Ruddy had met at school thing two years ago and had quickly fallen in love. Now they were set to be married, which they had promised to do shortly after their final Reaping, as was the norm in the District.

Ruddy, meanwhile, knew far fewer people. He preferred it that way. Quiet by nature, Ruddy preferred sitting and thinking silently to small talk. He wasn't one to make a fuss, which his friends Simmon and Kale liked to tease him about.

"I think Simmon and I are going to hang out after the Festival if you want to join." Ruddy asked Bloom.

"It's ok. I've got to get back to the group home early for work tomorrow." Ruddy gave her a look, which Bloom brushed off. "I know I can just stay with you. But we're not married yet. It wouldn't be proper to stay there full time."

"If you say so." Ruddy said. There wasn't much point in pushing the issue. Bloom spent more time than not living with Ruddy in his grandparents home then not. His grandma had already promised the home to them after Ruddy was married. She'd never told him that Bloom wasn't allowed over, so Bloom would spend more nights there than not.

And Ruddy really hoped Bloom would stay that night. For the Reaping, she was wearing the red lipstick that Ruddy has scrapped together enough money to buy. Red was his favorite color and damn did it look good on his fiancé.

There was a brief line to get into the Festival Square as other vendors wanted to enter. Most stores in District 11 were a family business, so everyone knew each other on some level. Bloom had once commented that the District was divided into three category's, the government officials, the merchants, and the field hands. Ruddy had never thought of the District like that. They were all District 11. He wasn't sure why anyone would think differently.

Peacekeepers waited at the edge of the Festival Square to let them in. They checked each vendor license, making sure the government approved them, and then allowed access. When it was Ruddy and Bloom's turn, they learned there was an extra step.

"And the toll?" The Peacekeeper asked, face obscured behind the dark face shield all Peacekeepers wore.

"What toll?" Ruddy asked, caught off guard.

"'What toll?'" The Peacekeeper repeated back. Behind him, the three other Peacekeepers sitting down playing cards laughed. "You gotta pay to set up in the Festival."

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I thought my family already did so with the license." Ruddy said.

"This is the extra toll." The Peacekeeper said, annoyance in his voice now.

"Kid's really dense huh?" One of the other Peacekeepers muttered. Ruddy was utterly lost. Behind him, an angry woman with two children hanging from her cart shouted at him the hard truth.

"He wants his bribe, you brat! Give it to him!" She demanded.

The Peacekeepers made no attempt to correct her.

Flustered, Ruddy opened the stall's money box and pulled out some money. He put some into the Peacekeeper's outstretched palm, hoping it was enough. "And an extra fifty for the hassle." The Peacekeeper demanded. Underneath the dark mask, Ruddy thought he could see the Peacekeeper smiling. "I just lost a hand at cards and need to buy back in." he clarified.

Ruddy sheepishly handed over the money, having learned a valuable lesson. Bloom and him picked up the cart and pulled it into the square, while the woman and her two bony children came up next. "You're not going to try and play me like you did that kid, are you? Standard price, right?" Ruddy heard the harried woman ask the Peacekeepers.

They left the Peacekeepers behind and went to their designated area, though hadn't made it five steps before seeing the latest "decoration" that surrounded the Festival Square. Ruddy looked away though Bloom's eyes lingered on the display, dismayed at the sight.

"It isn't right." She muttered as they started to set up.

"What isn't?" Ruddy asked.

"Those pillars. And that bribe. The Peacekeepers are such bullies."

Ruddy shrugged. "It's like that sometimes." He said, though he honestly couldn't know. He had spent most of his life in District 11 main city, helping behind the safety of his grandmas store or his dad's roofing company. Interactions with Peacekeepers were minimal.

"It's like that all the time." Bloom said, voice sad. "I see it all the times in the fields. The worst the Peacekeepers can do in town is take your money. But in the fields… it's hell. There aren't any cameras out there so they don't even have to pretend to be good."

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that." Ruddy said, earnestly. "But when we're married and you're living full time with me, you won't have to anymore."

Bloom looked upset with him, though not visibly so. She wasn't the type to blow up, but would show her displeasure with lack of eye contact or by looking down. "But other people still will." She said. "They'll keep getting beat in the fields, bullied, and worse. Did you know that if you're pretty, a girl or a boy, they… well they have their 'fun' with you. Why do you think all the field workers cover up so much? It's only partly because of the left over Tracker Jacks nests. The other part is to dissuade Peacekeepers from… you know.."

Ruddy really did not want to hear this. "Make sure to keep the fruits stay in the shade as much as possible" Ruddy said, back turned to Bloom as he began setting up. "We don't want the fruit going bad fast."

Behind him, he heard a resigned sigh and then movement as Bloom began setting up. Like Ruddy said, she wouldn't have to worry about such things soon. They'd be married after the Reaping, they'd take ownership of his grandma's house soon, and before long they'd both be parents, raising kids to eventually take over for them.

And everything would be fine.

Like always.

There was shouting coming from the other room, but that wasn't terribly unusual for the Mayfield home. Their place was small and it's family large, and everyone was constantly tripping over each other. That Daisy got to sleep in this late was fairly surprising.

Half awake, fifteen year old Daisy Mayfield lifted her head from her pillow and tried to listen to the tone. The walls were thin in their home, so it was easy to pick up what people were saying. There was shouting from her younger siblings, the tone light and happy. Her older siblings were shouting as well, but their voices were too jumbled to make out. And through the cacophony of voices, Daisy could make her her sister Jenna's voice, the angriest of the bunch.

Knowing she had to get involved now, Daisy flung the threadbare blanket off of her and forced herself from the bed. She threw on a pair of overalls and her well worn boots before tying up her light brown hair into pigtails. The last part of her outfit was her bandana. She never went anywhere without it on her head.

Sure enough, in the family's kitchen was Jenna looking a bit feral. The other siblings were around, ignoring her and lost in their own worlds, leaving their parents to deal with their most rambunctious child alone. Daisy approached and cut through the noise. "Jenna, what is going on?"

Jenna spun immediately to met her twin, eyes looking wild. "Daisy they've gone too far! They really have this time!"

"Who is they?" Daisy asked. Already her parents were drifting away, leaving Daisy to leave with her more wild half.

"The Capitol! Who else?! 'Them'!"

"Ok… what did they do?" Daisy asked cautiously. She really hated when her sister went on one of these rants.

"I was walking to the Festival Square to help set up and- do you know about this already?"

"No."

"Of course not! What am I saying? They just set them up last night, just in time for the Reaping! They set up pillars!"

Daisy was throughly confused. "What pillars?"

"The freaking pillars, Daisy! The ones they have up in other parts of the District that you hear about!"

"Jenna, please calm down." Their dad asked, closing another book and adding it to a pile on the table. Their family owned a rather large store in District 11's main city and the Festival was a time for the Mayfield's to make some money. Naturally, they were a bit more concerned about that then whatever Jenna was on about.

"Daisy, can you please help your sister set up the Festival stand?" Her mom asked, playing the diplomat. "It's what we sent Jenna to do already but evidently that's not happening."

"Of course, mom." Daisy replied, ever the helper. Jenna gave her a look of annoyance.

"Fine! Come on and see for yourself! You'll all see soon enough anyways!"

They left their home into the packed streets of District 11, heading over to the family store across the street. As they crossed, men and women and other children waived to Daisy who waived happily back. Jenna they were far more cool towards. Of the two of them, Daisy was well known for her bubbly personality and ability to make anyone smile. Jenna was more likely to illicit a frown.

Entering the store, Daisy and Jenna worked in silence and quickly loaded the items onto a cart before setting of to the Festival Square. Jenna fumed the entire way, which Daisy did nothing to dissuade. Most people Daisy could charm out of a glum mood, but Jenna knew all her tricks. It was best to just let Jenna come out of her moods herself. As they walked, Jenna took the time to notice the flowers in bloom, the bees drifting between them, the beautiful Panem Flags waving in the air, and even how beautiful and cloudless the sky was above them. It wasn't even that hot today!

And then they made it to the Festival Square.

And Daisy shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Jenna, face red with rage, angrily hissed to her sister. "Look what they did! Look what they're doing to us!"

All around the Festival Square were pillars, surrounding the space like a gate or – more aptly – a pen. Each pillar was made from sort of wood no doubt from the depth of District 7. They were buried deep in to the earth but still towered above the festival so that everyone would be able to see them. Each had a silver color metal to top them off, with a chain that fell down the side.

And at the end of the chains were naked men, women, and even children. Bloodied, bruised, and mutilated. Across each of their chest, one word.

Traitor.

Daisy instantly looked away. She though of the flowers from earlier, of the bees and deep blue sky above. She thought of the pretty things in life, of a world without the Games or Capitol or suffering or the many different things that Daisy could force herself to forget each and everyday while Jenna couldn't.

But then, one person, on the pillar closest to them, began to moan. Low, gasping, and in utter pain.

And Daisy began to cry. Her fantasy was broken.

"They say their traitors or criminals but they're not!" Jenna whispered harshly, her hot angry breath in Daisy's ear. Even in her furor she was mindful of the Peacekeepers, always watching. "That's Berthem, he's just a field hand! And Ms. Gromery, a criminal! She never made trouble for anyone ever!"

"Stop it! I don't want to look!" Daisy insisted, voice shaky.

"You need to, Daisy! You need to see what they're doing to us! Our entire family needs to so we can stop pretending that everything is fine and the world is fine and everything is going to be fine! They can do this to anyone, it doesn't matter who, don't you get that's what their doing with sick display?"

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it, please!" Daisy cried, tears coming down her cheeks. Why were they moaning so loud? Why was the Capitol doing this?

Next to her, Daisy felt Jenna's angry melt away. Her voice changed quickly, comforting. "I-I'm sorry, Daisy. I didn't mean to make you cry." She hugged Daisy, letting her twin cry into her shoulder. "But… I just wanted… I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry."

Daisy kept crying. She just had to calm down. She thought of the flowers again. She thought of her friends at school, who always laughed at everything she said. She thought of the Babish's, the elderly couple down the street who always smiled when she passed and had a nice thing to say about her. She though of Jenna and her when they were younger, laughing and playing in the mud behind their parent's store without a care in the world.

Slowly she calmed down and she tuned out the suffering. Tuned out the horribleness around her. She simply focused on one thing, and one thing only.

"We need to set up the stand. Mom and dad will have a cow if it's not done right."

She took the cart and pushed it into the square, keeping her eyes down so she wouldn't have to look up and see the suffering people on the pillars.

District 11's Escort was a throughly unpleasant man, even by Capitolite standards.

Overweight and overdressed, the man was sweating up a storm under the District 11 sun without a single cloud to give him cover. His face, pudgy and red from drink or heat or both, was squinched up and beady black eyes looked out over the crowd. Everyone knew he had always thought working in District 11 would be a quick job with a quick promotion to the cushier Inner District position of Escort, but year after year that failed to materialize and in response he grew bitter and hostile to the District's Tributes and offered them little help in the Games.

Not that the Capitol cared. It was only District 11 after all.

"Let's get this over with." The Escort huffed, voice slurred. He stumbled over to the boy's bowl first, pulling out a handful of paper slips with his meaty, jeweled fingers. He dropped a bunch on the ground until only one remained. He read the name without ceremony.

"Ruddy Clemson." He said, and then immediately went to the girl's bowl.

Daisy had no idea who that was, which wasn't too surprising. She had heard once that District 11 had the largest population of the Districts and second largest number of people who took out tessare, second only to District 12. Eventually, the cameras found the unlucky boy. He was tall at six foot with lean muscle on him. His blonde hair was perfectly combed and went down to his shoulders, but his greenish-brown eyes were two pools of utter despair.

And… his pants were soaked.

He had wet himself.

"Oh give me a break!" The Escort shouted upon seeing the boys' pants. "What is he, a child?"

The Peacekeepers had to bring him up to the stage. The Escort wasn't waiting though. He read off the girl's name.

"Daisy Mayfield!"

There was a tap on Daisy's shoulder, but she ignored it. Then another that she brushed off angrily. She was dreaming. She had to be. She was going to wake up in bed and Jenna would be bouncing on it. Mom would be downstairs preparing a breakfast, and the house would be full of the sounds of her screaming siblings and everything would be ok.

And then a pair of rough hands grabbed her and yanked her out of her fantasy.

"Get her up here!" The Escort screamed impatiently. Ruddy was next to him now, sobbing. Daisy, too stunned to do anything else, began walking with the Peacekeepers. She thought she could hear screaming somewhere far off, maybe her parents and younger siblings? Behind her, Jenna was clearly screaming .

"Get off of her! Get off of her!" She pleaded, tears in her eyes. Jenna charged, mouth open as if to scream something, but a Peacekeeper stepped in. He drew his baton and smashed it into her face with a sickening crack that immediately put Jenna down.

"Is this the right girl?" One Peacekeeper asked, looking between Daisy and her knocked out twin.

"Who cares." Another replied, pushing Daisy towards the stage.

'Was she going to volunteer for me?' Daisy wondered. Would Jenna have done that?

She was on the stage now, next to the Escort, who brusquely ordered her and Ruddy to shake hands and end the ceremony. Both Tributes did so and the cameras cut. As soon as they did, Daisy began to cry, body trembling with fear. Ruddy only looked back at her with an open mouth, still in shock. This close to him, Daisy could smell the drying urine on his pants.

"Freaking Bloodbaths." The Escort hissed angrily before storming off the stage.

DISTRICT 12

When Marianna was young, she remembered hearing a story about a little girl who lived in the Seam. She had been downtrodden and poor, mistreated by wicked step parents and step siblings until one day she learned from a visiting Capitolite that she was actually a Capitol citizen. She was whisked away, far from District 12 and its dirty streets and dusty air from the mines which never stopped running and lived in the Capitol. She had a mansion all to herself with Avoxes to tend to her every need, among which were had her wicked step family, as punishment for the horrible way they treated a citizen of the Capitol.

Marianna didn't have a mansion or money or Avoxes or even evil family members, but in it's own way, her family's new life and home felt like a fairytale.

It was by no means a mansion, but the home was comfortable. It was a basement really, built underneath the shop that her mom now owned. Marianna loved everything about. The cozy fireplace, the individual rooms, even the five lightbulbs that dotted each room. Each of these things were novelties for her and her family, who were all Seam born and raised until a remarkable stroke of good luck had gifted them their very own mansion.

'Good luck has nothing to do with it.' Her mom had warned fifteen year old Marianna and her brothers. 'Hard work got us here, and hard work will keep us here.'

Marianna still thought luck still played into it. For eleven years, her family had lived in the Seam, District 12's poorest area. Her dad worked the mines and her mom worked odd jobs to support Marianna and her two younger siblings, Zaddicus and Fae. When Marianna was eleven years old, her mom stumbled into an odd job working for a clothing store in the upper scale, wealthier Merchant Section of the District. Her mom had impressed the aged owner, who passed on ownership of the store to Marianna's family before shortly passing. He left a business and a home for the Gristle's, who quickly moved in and didn't look back, though her father kept his job in the mines.

'Don't take anything for granted.' Her dad had instructed them. 'It's why I still work the mines. You never know what can happen.'

Four years later though, things were going well. Still, Marianna was still terrified that one day, all that good luck would have to be paid. She just hoped her siblings didn't have to pay for it.

"Mari, can you help Zeddicus and Fae with the bath water?" her mother asked, interrupting Marianna's thoughts. Zeddicus, eleven years old and feeling older than he was, looked put out.

"I don't need her help with the bath!" he whined. Everyone said that her and Zed looked the same. Seam features of dark hair, grey eyes, and olive skin, both with the skinnier bodies and same stern look on their faces.

"You do with the water, Zed." Their mom cautioned, giving him a kiss on the head before leaving the room.

"No worries, mom." Marianna said, getting up to go out back. There was a water pump out there that they used for the bath water, and she filled a bucket with it before coming back inside and putting the water on the heater. Zed waited, feeling put out, and watching carefully to see just how long Marianna let the water heat up. Once it was ready, Marianna pulled it off the heater and brought it to bathroom. The room was tiny, but compared to the outhouse and outdoor tub they had in the Seam, this was the height of luxury.

"It's warm, so pour it on yourself slowly." Marianna warned.

"I know how water works, mom." Zed teased.

From the other room, thirteen year old Fae giggled. "But he still complains about it hurting his skin every time." She laughed. Zed angrily shut the door, leaving both his sisters to laugh at him.

"What's so funny?" Their mom asked as she came back into the room, some mended clothes in hand.

"Oh nothing at all." Marianna said with a smile. "Do you need help with the clothes?"

"Oh please, that'd be great, Mari. Everyone decided to wait to the last minute to have their Reaping clothes mended."

Their home was just underneath the store and connected by some stairs. Customers were already waiting in the store and Marianna immediately began handing out clothes. Everyone looked sullen, with worried parents and numb children taking the clothes and paying. Nobody said anything to them, though that wasn't unusual with their Merchant Class clientele. Many of them still looked down on them.

When they got a break, her mom looked her hopefully. "Do you have any friends you're going to the Reapings with?" She asked. "It's a terrible event, but at least I had my girlfriends I could be with when I was younger."

Marianna shook her head and said nothing else. She knew it pained her mom and dad that she didn't have many friends like Zeddicus and Fae did, but Marianna just found it so difficult to connect with kids her age, even when she lived in the Seam. Now in the Merchant section, it seemed impossible.

There were many times that Marianna felt she was stuck between worlds. She was Seam born living in a Merchant class world now. To the people who knew her and her family from the Seam, she was a traitor or thought they were too good for them now. To the other Merchant class families, they were upstarts on the tip of going feral. It was an uncomfortable place to be. That she had all the typical features of a Seam girl only made her stand out more to the blonde haired girls of the Merchant class.

A bunch of boys and girls passed the storefront. No laughing or joking amongst them due to the Day, but they at least had each other. Marianna envied them.

"What about that nice girl, Tabasa?" Her mom asked. "She's so nice to everyone."

"Yeah, I might see her at the Reapings." Marianna said. She wasn't sure why she was being so dismissive of Tabasa. She was Marianna's best friend, really only friend. Popular, effervescent, and everything someone wanted in a daughter. Why Tabasa hung out with someone as shy as her, Marianna had no idea.

"I hope you do, sweetie. Your dad and I just want you to feel good about living here." Her mom said, giving her daughter a hug. Marianna appreciated that. She knew a lot of parents in the Seam who weren't like that. But before she could say anything, the door opened and another customers was here and Marianna was working again, all while hoping the day would be over soon.

The Harlow home, while poor and stuck in the mire that was the Seam, was a content home, as it had been in the five years since patriarch John Harlow had perished in a mine collapse.

It was an odd thing to feel, and even five years later, sixteen year old Pan Harlow knew it was macabre to feel like that. But after everything, he felt it was plenty justified. For the remaining Harlow's, life was tough, but not because of anyone in the home. Not anymore. His mom worked part time jobs across the District, his younger sister Lucy got to live life as normally as one could in a place like the Seam, and Pan got a chance to make a life for himself without the shadow of his dad hanging over him.

It also meant that Pan was more or less the man of the house with some of the responsibility of earning money for the family. And since he was Seam born, there were only a few ways he could do that.

Thankfully, Jack was there to help.

"I don't really think this is trash, do you?" Pan asked his best friend. Both him and Jack were sitting in his tiny bedroom, sorting through what the Peacekeepers had labeled "junk."

Jack, blonde haired and Merchant born, looked at the item in his hand. " I don't even know what that is."

Pan puzzled over it. "Well, it's some kind of technology. Maybe a flashlight?"

"I don't think it's that." Jack replied, tossing aside some discarded food items. "Maybe it's for, you know…."

Pan rolled his eyes. "You think all this stuff is for sex."

"Well maybe it is! You know the Peacekeepers are depraved!"

"No, I think you're depraved." Pan replied, deadpan. "I say it's trash. We can't sell something if we don't know what it is."

"We could lie." Jack offered.

"How about no?" Pan said, tossing the items in their trash pile. This was more or less the two boy's business, started on a whim. A couple months ago, Pan and Jack had been looting the trash bins outside the Peacekeeper compound, looking for anything to sell at the Hub, and stumbled across actual items of value in District 12. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, flash lights, every day items that normally would cost a fortune. Now, Pan and Jack were able to put together bundles and sell at the Seam.

There was a pull on the curtain that acted as the door to Pan's bedroom. His mom stuck her head in, giving both boys a smile. "Pan, I thought you'd be dressed already."

"I'm getting to it, I promise." Pan said.

His mom gave him an understanding look. "Now, Pan. We have to leave soon." She said, closing the curtain.

"We can finish this after the Reaping." Jack said. "Go get your suit. I'll wait here."

"I've got to come back in here and change." Pan commented.

"That's ok. I don't mind." Jack said, looking through their items. Pan didn't reply to that, heart beating fast as he left the room and entered his mom's. The only clothes of value someone in District 12 had were their Reapings clothes. For Pan, those were his dad's former Reaping clothes, which had been passed down through three generations of men.

The suit was kept in a trunk, buried behind other things. Pan pulled it out and laid it on his mom's bed, heart pounding as he flicked the locks open and looked through it. There were only a few items in it so it wasn't a tough search. The only things in it were the Reaping clothes, a portrait of his dad, mom, sister, and him when they were younger, and a medal. Put silver with gold engraving in it, the seal of Panem was stamped on the front with his dad's name engraved into the metal. This kind of medal was given whenever someone died in the mines. It wasn't cheap either. The Capitol did not spare expense on it.

It meant absolutely nothing to Pan, or his sister, but his mom refused to get rid of it. Most families would proudly display such a medal as a centerpiece of their home. The Harlow's instead kept it hidden away in a trunk. Now, only Pan had to think about it every year when he opened the trunk for his dad's old Reaping clothes.

He wasn't sure when exactly he realized what a brute his dad was. For the longest time, Pan just thought it was normal behavior of a dad. He thought most dad's were violent towards their wife or daughter. He thought all boys his age got spanked as much as he did. It took years for him to realize, usually through listening to how other boys his age described their dads, that he did not have a normal paternal figure.

So when that mine collapsed, and Pan thought about how horrible it must have been for his dad, dying underneath the weight of all that earth, slowly suffocating, all he felt was peace.

Pan snatched the clothes from the trunk and closed it quickly behind him. He began to pop each of his fingers, a nervous tick of his, and didn't even bother to put the trunk back in the closet.

"Over here!" A voice shouted out over the throngs of children gathered for the Reaping. Marianna knew instantly who it was.

She gave a wave, which caused Tabesa to tilt her head in mock confusion. "Why are you pretending we're strangers? Get over here, girl!"

Marianna wasn't doing that intentionally, but she was hesitant. Tabesa's other friends, girls Marianna knew from school, surrounded her and she really didn't want to deal with them. Nonetheless, Marianna entered the fifteen year old section and got next to Tabesa, who looked delighted.

The other Merchant girls were less so. They looked at her curiously, annoyed to be associating with her. None of them verbalized it though. Tabesa was top dog in this pack and liked Marianna. At first Marianna thought she was going to be played or part of an elaborate prank, but Tabesa seemed like a genuinely good person who, for whatever reason, liked hanging out with Marianna.

"I'm so glad this is almost started." Tabesa said. "Is it just me or is it really hot today?"

"So hot, Tabby." One of the girls said.

"Really hot." Another echoed, each eyeing the other critically. Tabesa seemed blind to it though, but Marianna never missed the unsaid tensions in a room.

Tabesa was right though, and the Reapings started shortly. The Mayor was on the Reaping Stage, looking prim and proper and every bit a Mayor should. Other officials sat behind him along with the Escort and Head Peacekeeper and, for the first time in years, and actual Victor.

"Doesn't Haymitch look awful?" One girl commented to Tabesa.

"You'd think living in Victor Village he'd at least look presentable."

It was true. Haymitch Abernathy, Victor of the 50th Game and District 12 second and only living Victor, looked as though he had aged decades. Only twenty-four, his blonde hair was turning grey in parts, and lines ran across his face showing the stress in his life.

That, or the drink.

"He's definitely drunk." Tabesa commented, sounding sad for the Victor.

"I don't even know where you'd find alcohol." One of the girls whispered.

'The Hub, of course.', Marianna thought dully. Everyone in the Seam knew that's where the black market was. It was an open secret, but none of these merchant class kids would know.

Tabesa gave her a look. "Do you know, Mari?" She asked.

Marianna felt her face go red as all the girl started to look at her. "Oh, no, not really.

Tabesa, again ignoring the other girl's glares, gave a comforting smile. "Really?" She asked.

Marianna broke, feeling foolish for even trying to hide it. Why would she do that? "You can find it in the Hub. It's a place in the Seam."

"Really?" Tabesa asked, actually interested. "I've never heard of that place. It's cool you know stuff like that. You should speak up when you do!"

The others girls cutting looks told Marianna she absolutely should not do that.

The Escort was now at the microphone. It was time for the Reapings.

"Ladies first, as always. It's only proper, don't you all think? And polite!" She coo'd. She waddled over to the girl's bowl, her ankle length dress so tight and heels so high, Marianna was stunned she could even walk in them. A name was pulled and watching the Escorts slow waddle back to the microphone was excruciating for every girl of Reaping age.

"Marianna Gristle!" She announced happily.

A lump instantly formed in her throat. It had happened. The Gristle family's luck had run out.

Next to her, she felt Tabesa tense up. "No!" She hissed angrily. Somewhere ahead of Marianna, she heard a scream of rage. Fae, no doubt.

She didn't know how she managed it, but Marianna exited the girl's section and walked to the stage. Tears threatened to spill over, but she bit the inside of her cheek to stop that. For some reason, all she could think about on that walk was how embarrassing it would be for the whole District to see her cry like a baby.

The Escort pulled her up on stage quickly, almost tripping over her as she tried to walk. "Ms. Gristle I presume?" She asked in confirmation.

"Yes." Marianna replied, barely a whisper. Everyone in the District, no Panem, was looking at her now. She wanted to crawl under a rock an hide. How could this happen to her?

"Lovely! Don't forget to speak up next time, love!"

With that, she was off to the boy's bowl. Another name was pulled, another long waddle back to the microphone was had, and all of Panem learned who her partner would be.

"Pan Harlow!"

Somewhere in the parents section, there was a heartbroken shriek. Silence followed as the whole District waited for Pan to appear. Marianna wracked her brain, remembering that name from school. He was a year older, Seam born, with a large number of freckles across his body. His dad, who she remembered vaguely as being unpleasant one time or another, had died in a mine accident a couple years ago. Peacekeepers were called in and they found the boy, nudging him out of the sixteen year old section. He looked utterly dazed for a moment but suddenly came to life, as if realizing where he was, and started strutting to stage, popping each of his fingers as he walked.

"Pan! What a name!" The Escort said when Pan got on stage and took his spot next to her. "Is that in honor of our beloved Panem?"

He was clearly didn't know how to response. "Um… no… maybe… I don't know. I'd have to ask my mom." He replied, voice quiet. He looked as uncomfortable as Marianna felt.

"I'm sure that's what she had in mind." The Escort said with a wink before turning to the silent audience. "Ladies and Gentlemen of District 12, your Tributes for the 58th Hunger Games! May the odd be ever in their favor this year!"

And with that, the Reapings concluded and both Tributes were pulled in the Justice Building to await their goodbyes. A silent District watched them go.

Their hopes were not high.

F-ING YES! Reapings are done! I always found these to be the "filter" for SYOTs. If an author can get through them, you're guaranteed to see a story written completely. I've provided an outline of the story until we get to the Games below so you all have an idea of where things are going. Also NO I do not have a Victor yet. The last two SYOTs I did didn't have their Victors until the end of the Training Days. All of that is to say that if it feels like certain Tributes got or will get more or less attention then others, don't read too much int it. I haven't even decided on the Bloodbath Tributes yet!

Next Chapter: The Goodbyes Districts 1-6

The Goodbyes Part II, Districts 7 - 12

Train Ride to the Capitol/District Partners Meet

Arrival in the Capitol & Tribute Parade

Training Day 1

Training Day 2

Training Day 3 + Scoring

Score Reveal

Tribute Interviews - Three Chapters: Districts 1-4, then 5-8, then 9 -12

Night Before the Games/Final Thoughts with Tributes

Bloodbath