The Seventh District

Today was the day everybody hated to be a human-being. The reaping day. Nobody looked forward to this day. It was like no other day. Everybody was in doors and the mood was depressing. Not a soul was in the Hob, nobody was making money or buying anything. They were all getting ready to be shipped off to the capitol. But of course not everyone would be. Two unlucky children would have the "honor" of representing district 7 in this years Hunger games.

One male and one female will be,chosen to take forth this duty as apart of the districts "punishment" from the uprising that occured a few years back. My name is Luna Chance. I am from district 7, lumber. I am 15 years old with long, straight, hair that I wear in a braid that falls on my right shoulder. I am built like a runner with muscles with long dark legs. I have blue eyes, which is odd considering I have Brown hair. I have 5 siblings, 3 sisters and 2 brothers. When I'm not in school I am usually in the valley picking things for my family and killing animals to sell to the butcher in the hob. My mother is a seamstress, she repairs and mends clothes. We don't have alot of money which really doesn't matter because I love to hunt and gather, you could say its my passion. Its kind of life threatening being out here because if you get caught they take you to the towns square and beat you, which you have no control to how far they go. My mother doesn't like that I do it but we really have no choice. I begin to get ready to go out in the valley by the Hob. I slip on my Brown leather boots and put on my leather coat that my mother scraped up some Money and traded things in the hob for my birthday. My weapon of choice would be a spear. When I kill my prey I usually aim square between the eyes, it serves as an insta-kill. I head out the door, its about five in the morning according to the rising sun. I made my way through the Hob saying my hello's and good morning's. I found the slit in the fence where I usually enter into the valley. I found my spear under some leaves where I usually hide it. its sorta like my weapon hiding spot. I feel safe out here, its like my special place to get away. Its abandoned except for the small creatures I snare up and feast on. I come out here and think about how my life isn't much but its better than Bently's. Bently is a boy that goes to my school. His mother and father were put into the games in the same year and were killed. I have been in love with him for as long as I can remember. The first day I saw him I was picking berries out behind the hob and I felt someone staring at me and I glanced over my right shoulder and he was just staring. He saw me looking at him and he blushed and turned away. His beautiful blue eyes and his dark hair was what made me notice him. He's tall and dark with pale soft cheeks. I usually see him out in the lumber yard chopping up trees to ship off to the capitol. I see him around school a lot, but we don't really talk, which suits me because I like to be alone. "okay" I think to myself "time to do some hunting." I climb up a tree and think to myself, "Your a Hunter. Animals fear you. You are the predator they are the prey." I sit quietly in my tree and wait ancedly. I hear the sound of a squirrel near by. I look around and spot my dinner. I take a deep breath and throw my spear. "slllt" right between the eyes, a perfect shot. I climbed out of my tree and claimed my prize. I thought to myself "well this outa keep my family from starving one more night." I shot a few more and went back to the hob to start trading. I traded a rabbit for some corn and some squirrel pelt for some apples. This will make a nice hearty stew. Tonight we feast. On my walk home I saw Bentley out in the lumber yard, he waved awkwardly and I waved back shyish. I got home and gave the delacasies to my mother. "You did good today Luna." "Thanks mom, I figured that they would make a nice stew." "I'll start it, it should be done in about two hours, while you wait I ran you a bath." "Thanks." When my mother does these things for me it reminds me of how close we are. I went to the bathroom and took off my clothes and got in. The warmth from the water sent chills up my spine. As I sit in here it gives me time to think. Today is reaping day. I might get picked but I might not. My siblings could get picked, but of course I would volunteer. Our district doesn't get much volunteers. Were not like 1 and 2. We have more humanity than that. I step out of the tub and wrap a warm towel around my body. I look at the small mirror hanging in front of me. I look at myself and think "You will not get picked today, you are safe. They will not get picked. They are safe." How am I supposed to stop it? I can't and I won't try. There's no way around it. If we don't go, they will hunt us down and take us to jail, or worse. I find a nice warm sweater and some pants. I throw them on and brush out my hair. I run the thick brush through my golden brown hair and get the tangles out. After I brush it out I ask my mother to braid it like I would normally wear it. "Mom", "Yes, Luna?" " Would if one of us get picked today?" "Honey don't sorry about it, none of us will. I promise." I didn't say anything, I just sat there thinking what would happen to Bentley, would he get picked? Would he survive, or die? I need to be strong, don't show you're nervous or scared for your brother and sisters sake. My mother gets done braiding my hair. "Thanks mom." "You're welcome sweety, now finish getting ready and then we can eat." I go through my closet and find nothing. I go through my mothers and find a soft pink dress. It was beautiful, the color was of a flower petal, soft and suttle. I slip it on carefully over my freshly braided hair. I slip on some pink ballet slippers that also belongs to my mother. I walk into the kitchen and see my family sitting at the table waiting on me. "Mm mom, this smells great!" "Thank you, I poured you a bowl on top of a piece of toasted bread." "Thanks." I take a sip of the warm liquid. It's salty and the meat is nice and tender. We're only allowed one bowl apiece, considering that we don't have much and need to save it for tomorrow. I finish my bowl, put it in the sink and wash it. I look at my family, "I believe it's time to go." "Yes, it is." my mother says with a saddened look on her face. We walk out the door and begin the short walk to our possible death. "Luna?" asks my thirteen year old sister, Cassie. "Yes Cassie?" "Are you nervous?, like would if one of us gets picked?" "Don't worry, we're going to be safe." "Promise?" "Promise." We arrive at the square, there's a long line to count roll. I look at all my siblings "Okay, now everyone go to there age group and check in." I walk to the 15-18 line. I look around at everyone, they all look so sad and worried. I understand how they feel, I've had this burden on my shoulder for three years now. "Give me your finger." Says the skinny lady taking roll. To check-in they take your finger and prick it with a needle and take your blood to determine who you are. I finish and go find my friend Ethan. Ethan is a tall dark haired boy who I've known since the day in the woods. That was a wonderful day, I think of it today. It was a rainy, cold day. I was walking through the woods picking strawberries when I came up to a little man made cave. I didn't think anyone would be living there since it's in the woods. I walked in the cave and peeked into it. I saw a boy skinning a rabbit. "Hh..hi." He jumped up and pulled out his knife. "Who are you!" " I'm.. um. Luna." "What are you doing here, trying to get yourself killed?!" "No..I was just... looking for berries." "How'd you get here?" "I came in through the slit in the fence." "That's where I come in at, what's your name?" "I'm Luna, and you?" "I'm Ethan." "How long have you been out here?" "A couple of hours." He said while slicing his knife through the rabbit pelt. He pointed at me, "You?" "I've been out here about an hour or two." I said kind of nervous. "Well, want some water?" "Yes please." I gulped down the water, my throat was so dry. I handed the canteen back to him. "So I don't think I've seen you around school before." I said awkwardly. "I don't go to school, I work in the lumber yard all day and hunt for my family." We looked at each other and from then on I knew we would be best friends. I watch Effie Trincket walk across the stage. "Welcome district 7, welcome." "Now, before we begin I've got a video for you, brought to you all the way from the capitol." The video begins: "War, Terrible war. The war that brought you all to this. After the uprising we had to find a solution to the problem. Twelve districts battling in a fight to the death, one lone victor remaining out of twenty-four tributes. blah blah blah. This is how you pay the price. This is how we learn from our mistakes." We see the same boring video every year, telling us of how we had to "pay the price" of the uprising. "Very inspirational." Said a very cheery Effie "Now the time has come, to choose one courageous young man and woman, in the honor of representing district 7 in this years hunger games, as usual, ladies first." I glanced over at all my uneasy nervous siblings. I watched Effie walk over the the girls bowl, she moved her hand around in the bowl. She grabbed a slip of paper and I saw the name slide off of her tongue. "Luna chance!" Me, why me! Why now! It can't be me! I tried to convince myself it wasn't me, until one of the guards dragged me to the stage. Effie looked at me: "What's your name dear?" I just stared at her trying to find the words to say. "Lu..Luna." "Well, congratulations Luna." Congratulations? What is she congratulating me on? My death? "Now, for the boys." She walked over the the boys bowl, she shuffled her hand around the bowl and grabbed the first slip of paper she touched. She read the name, I was in shock. "Bentley Matthews." No, it can't be! Not him! Not now! He walked up to the stage and looked at me. "Congratulations you two." After the reaping we shuffled into the city hall. "Come on you two, the car is waiting." I looked around the old, decaying building. The walls were a dark grey marble. Cracks lined the walls. We walked to the double doors leading to the two rooms where we will have thirty minutes to be with our familys. I looked at the door, it was a tall wooden work of art. There were flowers carved in to the oaky wood. I grabbed the knob and opened the door. I looked around the room and saw three chairs and one sofa. The sofa was a dark brown leather with black buttons running down the arms. There were brown and blue patterned pillows lined along the cushions. I sat down in one of the chairs and rubbed my hand along the velvet cushion. I thought to myself about my family; how would they survive without me. How would they get by knowing that I died a painful death. The door opened and Ethan ran to me and hugged me. I remember the first time we hugged, it was during the summer about two years ago. The sun beated down on us as we came across a creek. We sat down to enjoy our lunch. When we were finished we went swimming in the creek. The cold water indulging my warm body. We swam for about thirty minutes, got out and sat on the bank while our clothes dried. He looked at me and smiled. "Why can't life be like this?" I looked at him confused. "What do you mean?" "Carefree, worth living, I mean wouldn't you like to just come out here and forget your worries?" I looked at him and replied, "It's not like this, wish it would be, but at least we have each other." I looked at him and blushed. He stood up and helped me up. His cold arms wrapped around me, I felt safe there, like nobody could hurt me. I knew he would always protect me. As I stand here hugging him I think about that day, wishing life was different than it is. "Luna, you're going to win this thing, you have to. You're stronger than they are." "But they're bigger than me, they train for this." "That doesn't matter." He pointed to his head. "Use this, they use their abilities, use your brain, you're smarter than they are Luna, remember that."