CHAPTER 3 NEW DISTRICT 1 REAPING

District 1 Reaping's

Brielle Storm D1F 18

Oh boy, these sunflowers are beautiful. This garden has come a long way since I started it a few months ago. It's hard to keep up a garden with all the training I have been doing before the reaping. Plus, the weather here in 1 isn't all peachy keen for gardening so I try my best.

Meadow the girl from down the street helps sometimes, she is running towards me holding a piece of paper and smiling. I know it's weird having my only friend here in the district being 6 years old but I'm a loner at school because I guess I don't fit in. Probably because I'm shy and don't talk to many people.

Meadow reaches me out of breath. "Brielle guess what?" She says as she stops between words to catch her breath.

"Calm down Meadow, what do you have there?" I ask her as she hands me the paper to look at.

"It's my drawing of your sunflower garden! My teacher loved it and said to bring it back tomorrow, so she can hang it up!" She says happily, and she runs into my arms for a hug.

"I'm so happy for you! I told you it looked amazing." I say as she steps back from my arms.

"Brielle, are you leaving me today?" She says. I stopped for a second because it was so quick, I wasn't expecting the question.

"Maybe Meadow, depends if they choose me or not," I tell her as I brush the hair away from her face.

"Oh, well you will come back, though right?" She says as her face lights up. If I get chosen there is no guarantee, but I can't tell her that.

"I'll try my best, hey go get ready and we will walk together so you can see me off if I leave, is that ok?" I ask her.

"Of course! Come pick me up when you ready!" She says as she starts running back towards her house. I love that kid, so I want her to keep good memories of me before I leave.

I go into the house and hurry to my room to get ready. I try to go quickly to avoid my deadbeat father. He's been an alcoholic since I was little and he's the reason why my mom isn't her anymore. He was drunk one day and got into a fight with a peacekeeper because he was drunk of course, and my mom went to step between them and stop the fight. The peacekeeper I guess didn't mean to hit her, but he swung at my dad hard when my mom stepped between the peacekeeper hit her right in the temple. She died instantly from the blow.

I don't know what happened to the peacekeeper but from then on it was just me and the drunk. He is the reason I train also, I train so I can escape from this forsaken household. I figure if I win I get to live on my own if I die I'm still not here, so it's a win I guess.

I go to my room and start to get dressed and fixed up. I look at the outfit I laid out. It's A black long-sleeve shirt with a scoop neck and is covered by a thin green cargo jacket. Deep blue skinny jeans are concealed by calve-high, light-brown lace-up combat boots. It's perfect not too much but just enough. I look into the mirror. My medium brown hair is kept down right past my shoulders, mainly to hide the burn from my father on my neck. My green eyes complement the "natural beauty" on my face as Meadow calls it.

I guess I am ready to go. I am ready to go.

Ready to get out of this damn household one way or another.

Concord Radiance D1M 18

I laugh as his face hits the pavement. This kid at the academy was talking badly behind my back so I wasn't about to let it slide. He's puny and easy to throw down. I grab his shirt pick him up and dangle him again

"So what we're saying about me again?" he looks terrified, good.

"Nothing Concord, I didn't say anything at all, why would I? Everyone loves you." He says as he is shaking, and it looks like he might lose it at any second. Jazz and I just laugh at his response. Jazz is one of my best friends and we love picking on the younger kids, it's so easy and it's funny to see them beg for mercy. I'm 6'4 and I am muscular so not many people mess with me.

"Ok, I'll let it slide this once, only because I don't want to bruise my knuckles before the arena," I say as I throw him back on the floor making sure he gets some cuts when he falls. He thanks me and takes off running towards what I presume is home. We laugh and fist bump as we start heading towards my house.

"So, do you think you'll be chosen this year?" Jazz asks me as we are walking. I scoff at this stupid question but she's just trying to small talk I get it so I humor her.

"Well my other two siblings were chosen so I think I have a good chance this year," I say as I smile, and she realizes the question is a little dumb, so we don't say much for the rest of the walk.

"I'll see you at the reaping Jazz," I say as I head up to my door. I open it and I see my parents in the kitchen with my sister. I walk to them and grab some bread as I listen in on the conversation.

"So, we think Brielle will be chosen this year, but some say Ondiola will be chosen instead." My father says.

"Ondiola doesn't have what it takes, trust me I know, Brielle is the obvious choice," My mother says and that's the end of that conversation.

My mother sure does know, she won the games before my sister Paris was born. She had 9 kills which is one of the highest ever from a District 1 tribute. My whole family is Victor's, My mother and my sister. Paris won her games 3 years ago and my brother almost won 2 years ago. His name was Tokyo and he is kinda of a sore subject in the Radiance household. I was close to him and Paris was too, but oddly enough Paris and I aren't close. Anyway, Tokyo almost won but then the girl from 2 tricked him and managed to decapitate him before he knew what had happened. It was rough watching, but it only made me train harder.

"Hey Concord, you better head out, you don't want to be late," my father tells me as he shoos me off. I nod and start to walk out the door. I wasn't worried about saying goodbye now or tidying up my room or anything.

I'll be home soon enough. I was coming home, and I was not disappointing my family and my district like my brother did.

I am determined to win and with all my strengths and skills I'm coming home.

Brielle Storm

I managed to leave my house in a hurry and avoid my father. I walk down the street where Meadow is waiting there for me in an adorable dress with flowers on it. My heart stops. She is so sweet and pure. I want to make sure she stays that way.

"You ready to go?" I ask her. She smiles and locks her hand with mine as we walk towards the square. I see Ondiola on the way and she sneers.

"You know I'm the chosen volunteer now, I guess you just have to settle for being second best," she says as she laughs as she walks away. I'm shy but I do not take bulls**t from people. If Meadow wasn't there I would have ripped her a new one, but I let it slide.

It's true I guess. I did get the call when I was getting ready, but I guess I have other plans in the works.

I make it to check in a kiss Meadow on the forehead goodbye since she doesn't have to go through this part. I get to the 18-year-old section and wait patiently for my chance. I wait past the video and to the part where the male escort starts to draw the female name for this year.

Before he can say the name, I yell "I volunteer!" I smile when I see Ondiola's face. I realize what I've done when I reach the stage.

I don't care I'm not staying here without a chance to escape.

This is my chance and I am going to escape that house one way or another.

Concord Radiance

I walk with Jazz to the reaping without saying much. I need to stay focused to the best of my ability. I'm so focused I ignore everyone staring at me when I am going through check-in.

They all know they are looking at the next Victor from District One and they want to soak it all in so I'll let them. I just make my way towards the 18-year-old section and I see Brielle. I heard she wasn't the chosen volunteer which I was shocked to hear but I guess that means my job is a whole lot easier. I wait patiently for this stupid video to end when the escort walks over to the girl's bowl.

He pulls out a name and then I hear "I Volunteer!" from the crowd. It was Brielle because I saw her walking towards the stage.

I can't help but laugh.

How is she going to draw a target on her back already?

Huh beats me. I just let the whole ordeal unfold in front of me. He goes to the boy's bowl and draws a name.

I don't let anyone beat me to the punch. I quickly yell out "I volunteer!" And the escort looks pleased. I just smile as I walk towards the stage. I realize.

This is going to be a walk in the park,

I hope everyone is used to seeing my face, cause this is going to be the face of the next Victor and of all District 1.