A Tale of a Boy and His Flower

The Reaping

Part 1: the games

"Amaryllis!" My mother called from inside the house. "You need to get ready!" I groaned. I had been cleaning the pens of the livestock that we owned. I lived in District 10, we supplied meat and goods to the capital. 

"Hurry up Ama!" My brother Jase said walking behind me. "Mom even bought you a new dress." I rolled my eyes and followed him inside of our house. Jase is my twin brother. 

Today was our first reaping. Our names would only be entered once unless we decided to add extra. Meaning the chance of getting chosen wasn't likely. But you never know, there are always twelve year olds getting chosen each year. But I didn't think it was likely that I would get chosen. 

I headed inside with my brother and we began getting ready. I took a quick bath to rinse the dirt and sweat off from the morning chores. When I returned to my room my mother had placed a light green dress on my bed. Green was my favorite color and she knew it. 

Once I put my dress on and combed my hair, I headed downstairs. My brother was waiting for me with our dad.

 District 10 was one of the poorest. But for some reason the capital liked us. I assumed it was because we supplied them with food. District 10 operated a lot of factories producing meat. But my family was lucky enough to raise the animals sent to those factories, though lately we had been short on money so I had to get a part time job at a slaughter house. My job there was simple, I just had to slice dead cows and pigs, while trying not to gag from the smell. 

"Ready to go Flower?" My dad asked and I nodded. My dad called my Flower as a reference to my name. 

We made our way together to where the reaping took place. Before I got in line with everyone else my mom stopped me. She leaned down eye level to me. 

"Amaryllis, how many times did you enter?" She asked me seriously. I rolled my eyes and mumbled one. A few days ago I had argued with my parents how I should enter my name more because of the benefits. But they said it wasn't worth the risk, I somehow listened to them and didn't enter more than was required. "Okay," she said relieved. "Now don't be scared okay? You and your brother are only 12 so the chances are very slim to get chosen." 

"I know mom." I said getting impatient with her. She nodded getting emotional. 

"Remember it's family game night so finish your chores after this okay?" I nodded. She gave me and my brother a big hug before we joined the line. I walk hand in hand with Jase. 

"Come on, don't be nervous. We'll be fine." Jase said as we moved through the line. I gave him a look. I never paid much attention to the games as I knew no one participating. But now I realized maybe I should've. Before I knew it we had reached the front of the line. 

"Hand." they demanded. I reluctantly held it out and they pricked it. I stifled a wince trying not to show weakness to them, and followed with the rest of the line to our age groups. 

As I settle into the group I notice all the cameras. They were broadcasting the reaping to Panem. My hatred for those in the capital thinking this was just some game. 

Soon, a woman with pure black hair and yellow highlights walked up in front of our district. Her hair reminded me of a bumble bee. The woman's name was Salus Vera. 

"Hello, hello, my darlings of district 10!!" Salus exclaimed with a big sized smile on her face. "Today is a lovely day for a reaping, wouldn't you say?"

The birds had completely stopped chirping now and there was no breeze whistling through the empty factories. Instead, it seemed that fear, or another form of anticipation, had created a huge bolder in every throat in your district. "Well," Salus continued, her smile not fading even slightly, "I sure know that I'm excited!"