The 200th Annual Hunger Games - The Ultimate Games

District 9 Reaping

Skye Wesley POV

"Kids, calm down! Come sit down."

Tatiana looked over to Mrs Baxlor then glanced back over to me, a grin on her face. Her shoulder length brown curls hung around her face, framing her thin eyebrows and brown eyes. She bit her lip with a smile on her face.

"What say we go over there, Skye?" She grinned. I nodded vigorously.

"Secret wave first." I insisted. Tatiana sighed deeply, but still had a smile. She raised her right hand and opened and shut it 5 times. I returned it and Tatiana chuckled, shuffling forward and picking me up, hoisting me up onto her hip. I giggled as Tatiana grunted with the effort.

"Wow, Skye, you're getting big!" She exclaimed.

"I'm a big kid now," I insisted, holding up four fingers, "I'm this many now!"

Tatiana laughed and shook her head, beginning to walk over to Mrs Baxlor. "Honey, that's four fingers. You're five. This is five," she held up five of her fingers, smiling at me. She walked over to Mrs Baxlor, still holding me on her hip.

"I really can't thank you enough, Tatiana," Mrs Baxlor smiled at Tatiana, "With all of your studies it'd probably a bit of a nuisance to come here, but I'm really glad you do. The kids love you."

"It's no trouble," Tatiana replied breezily, "I love it here."

"I'm glad you do," Mrs Baxlor smiled. Her gaze wandered over to me and a smile spread across her face. "Hello, Miss Skye. How are you today?"

"Good!" I responded brightly. Mrs Baxlor smiled, then turned back to Tatiana.

"We'll have to get the kids dressed up, the reaping's in about an hour and the walk is half an hour."

Tatiana nodded. "Yep, I'll help out if you want. Mum isn't expecting me home for a while."

Mrs Baxlor smiled and put her hand on Tatiana's shoulder. "Gosh, you're a legend."

Tatiana chuckled and turned away from Mrs Baxlor. She reached the crowd of kids with Mrs Baxlor sitting at the front and put me down gently, shushing me as Mrs Baxlor began to speak.

"Now kids, have you had fun today?"

"YES!" came the reply.

"Great!" Mrs Baxlor smiled, "Now, the reaping is today, so you'll have to get all dressed up in your special clothes. They're in the cupboard, and remember kids, no shoving!"

~

Tatiana smoothed out the wrinkles in my dress, fanning out the skirt and adjusting the collar slightly. She herself had gotten dressed and was wearing a navy blue skater dress, with white patterns on the bodice.

"Alright, Skye, you're all ready to go!"

"Tatiana?" I asked.

"Yea?" she replied, glancing up to meet my gaze.

"What are the reapings? And why does everyone seem so sad about it?"

Tatiana froze up for a moment, her expression somber. Then she snapped out of it and shot me a half-hearted smile.

"Well, people get chosen to go into a big event that the Capitol controls. If you win you get lots of money and other stuff."

"Do you get lots of pretty dresses?"

Tatiana laughed and nodded slightly, "All the pretty dresses you want."

"I want to be chosen!" I said confidently. I wanted all those pretty dresses and that money! To my surprise, Tatiana's happy expression died immediately.