District 3 reaping

Bugg Li 14 D3F

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Ready or not here I come!" my best friend Chip yells from the upstairs bedroom. We love playing hide and go seek. It's our favorite game to play since we are both kinda awkward around other people. Also, he's my first crush so that's also a plus. I haven't told him yet; every time I think about I start giggling and it gets bad. Chip just laughs along with me, so it makes it ok.

"Bugg come out! You win again, we have to get ready for the reaping!" Chip says he walks downstairs in defeat. I come out from on top of the fridge,

"You need to get better at this, I win almost every time," I say as giggle. "Even with a bad eye".

He smiles at me and says, "You're just too good at this, I'll get you soon, I guarantee that".

"We'll talk about it on the way to the reaping". I say as I walk him to the door.

"Ok bye, Bugg I'll see you in a bit. I'll bring you a cookie from the shop as a reaping day treat". He says as he gives me a side hug. I wave at him as he walks next door. Jeez, I need to make a move.

As I go upstairs to get ready my mom comes out of her and asks me if I am ready yet. "Not yet ээж" That's how you say mother in this language my mom taught me.

She says her parents taught her it. My dad used to talk to me in it until I was 13 when he left. My mom says he was worried about the quotas getting bumped up in 3 and he left.

I don't blame him the uppers in 3 wanted me to code a lot more in the last year since I am one of the best ones in my class. I dunno why I just learn things a little faster than others in class.

I lack in some things though that's for sure. One is strength. I'm not very strong and I'm kinda oblivious sometimes. That's how I hurt my eye. There was an accident at school and I blinded myself in my left eye. One is blue the other is glossy. I don't let it hold me back though and It has become a part of me now.

Anyway, I don't worry about my dad though. I'm almost positive that he is somewhere in Panem with a nice life. It'll be very soon when he comes back and gets my mom and me and brings us with him. My mom gets upset when I think like that, but I know he'll return. He must.

After I get ready in my outfit for the reaping. I look at my battery collection with pride as I put my shoes on. I know it's kind of weird, but this is my own thing and it doesn't require me to explain it to anyone.

I leave my room and meet my mom in the living room. "Aww my little mouse, you look beautiful," My mom tells me as she squeezes my cheeks. She calls me that because of my pointy nose and somewhat small frame. I've gotten taller so I'm growing out of the name, but she loves it, so I allow it.

"Come on Mom," I say as I smile. "Chip is going to walk with us on the way there". I say. My face turns red as I say that and giggle. My mom gives me a smirk and she just nods. She knows about my crush, but she keeps quiet.

I'm grateful for that because he doesn't need any more hints than what I already give him because I never know what to say.

Pascal Clarence 15 D3M

This clock is one of the harder things I've taken apart, but I got it. I took all the pieces together and made it into this device that when I press what was once the snooze button, it opens and brings out this little button from on my shirt. Once I hit the button again it closes.

I'm proud of this one. I do this a lot. I take things apart and try to turn them into different contraptions. What I love most about messing with are wires. There are so many different things that I can do with wires it's amazing.

"Pascal! The bread is almost ready! Get ready and come down." My uncle yells at me from across our little apartment. "Ok, I'll be down in a few, Sir!" I yell back.

He's technically my uncle, but he is essentially my dad, I can never bring myself to call him that. Him or my Aunt. My father was killed by peacekeepers when he insulted the capitol and my mother died from grief shortly after. I should be more upset about it but they both were killed before I turned 3 so I wasn't entirely close to them, but I still do get upset about it.

Anyway, I start to get ready and my nerves start acting up. I hate the capitol for what they did to my parents and I hate these stupid games. I can't say that aloud of course but my family can tell. I always get nervous around this time and my family has been so kind to me and they always help me get to and from the reaping with ease despite my hyperventilating.

I put on my brown shirt and black pants. I start to walk towards my door when I trip on the edge of my bed. I'm so freaking clumsy it's a wonder how I survived for this long.

I come to the small living room to see my two cousins and my Aunt and Uncle. They slice me off a piece of bread and I munch on it.

" Thank you, ma'am," I tell my aunt and she smiles. I like to be polite because I owe them everything, so despite them saying I don't have to call them ma'am and sir I still do.

It's made from the grain we receive from tesserae. I don't play this dumb lottery the capitol has set up, but I've taken from them once in my 3 years of eligibility simply because my family needs help and I'm not going to let them starve because of my fear.

I'd call it more than a fear, it controls me.

I can't even walk with my best friend to the reaping because I just freeze. Mera understands though, she's been a great friend through all of this. I am just so grateful to everyone around me who supports me. It means the world to me.

Bugg Li

Mom and I met Chip at his house. His parents were still closing the bakery, so it was just us 3 who went together.

I saw this group of girls I hung out with at school as they walked by us. I don't like them, but I hang out with them, so I won't seem like such an outcast as I am. So, I am obligated to deal with them and they pretend I am not so awkward when we talk.

I walk by them with Chip by my side and they giggle cause it's pretty obvious how I feel about him, but I play it off and avoid eye contact, so I won't get all awkward.

"Ok Bugg after this I'll see you for the rematch you promised," He says as he walks towards the 14-year-old section, I go to the section myself.

People always seem to notice me since my eyes are noticeable, but I ignore the stares for the most part.

I see the weird-looking female escort go up front. She makes us watch the same video again we watched last year as we wait for the reaping. She picks the girls first of course and then I hear it.

"Bugg Li!" she yells. People turn and glance towards me. I realize it's me.

I have no words or reactions. I hunch over because I feel like I might get sick and I walk towards the stage thinking.

I have so much to do still. I can't go into the arena, I'm not supposed to.

Since my eyes already have a disadvantage, maybe people will overlook me. I'm terrified. I can't show it though.

All these different strategies go through my head as I stand there and wait. '

That's all I can do. Is wait.

Pascal Clarence

I can't stop shaking. As my uncle and Aunt are walking with me closely I can't stop thinking about if I get reaped and what I'll do. What if the capital wipes out our whole family?

I try to calm myself down, so I don't make a scene before the reaping like last year, but I can't, I'm just breathing so hard. "In and out, in and out," I tell myself as I calm down by the time I check-in.

I say bye to my uncle as he says "I'll come to you afterward" I nod and head towards the 15-year-old section. I'm just browsing everyone's face in my section when the video continues.

Everyone looks terrified or smug. Kids who have enough money to know they'll never be reaped and people who don't have the luxury. I'm caught in all my thoughts when I hear

"Bugg Li!" I recognize the name but can't put a face on it. Then I realize who she is when she walks towards the stage. She is the girl who lost her vision in one of her eyes. She is very smart but kind of awkward. I've seen her and never interacted with her before.

I start thinking that I want her to win when I hear "Pascal Clarence!" I want to faint.

The capital is going to kill me. I start robotically walking to the stage, but I can't hold it in. On the way up to the stage, I start heavy breathing.

This is going to be a long process that will almost certainly end in my death.