Reaper ~ THG AU

Ch. 1: Cucumber Salade

"Azalea! Wake up!"

I roll over, groaning as I wipe my eyes. My baby sister pulls the covers closer to her as I look up towards the interruption of the only good part of my day. Atlas stands in the doorway, ready to go to work with his normal scrawl.

"I'm coming. Go wake sleeping beauty."

He cracks a small smile, it only staying for a split second before being covered up with his stone cold face. He nods, moving onto the next room. Fighting back another yawn, I lean over and gently shake awake the sleeping child too pure for this cruel world.

"Buttercup....it's time to get up and go to school..."

Aurelia yawns as she sits up, wiping away her sleep. The old mattress we share shifts as I stand, stretching before moving towards the old chest of drawers. I pull out a set of work clothes for myself before pulling out a nice dress for her. It's one that used to be mine some time ago.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. Unless you want to work all day in the fields with Acacius and I..."

"No."

"Good. Go learn while you can."

I shove the dress into her arms before grabbing my own pile of clothes and heading towards the wash room. The tub is filled with clean water, no doubt prepared by the never resting man down the hall.

I set everything down before moving towards the kitchen. The stove is hot, a large pot of water already boiling away as I step into the dimly lit room. The sun has yet to rise, the stars still present outside the dingy window.

"Wash fast so Aurelia and Acacius can wash up before we leave. The reaping is in less than a week and we don't need anymore write ups from being late."

"Tell them that."

I sigh, grabbing the hot pot and moving towards the bathroom. I dump it in before immediately moving to strip out of my old nightgown. Even with the water being scolding hot, I wash my body as fast as possible before hopping out and dressing for the day. Aurelia is waiting outside the door with a glass of apple cider and fruit slices.

"Thank you, Buttercup..."

"I already ate and both of the boys are done..."

"Okay. I'll make lunches while you're in the bath. What do you want?"

"Tomato sandwiches?"

"With cucumber salad?"

"Please!"

"Get ready fast and we'll see."

I smile, turning with my breakfast now in hand as she jumps excitedly. She rushes off into our bedroom as I watch her with a smile. Her ten year old self is beyond what this world could ever put her through. She has yet to experience the horrors of the reaping. Of having her name being in a large bowl with thousands of others. The unknown thought of being sent to her death looming over her as she stand in the hot sun.

Atlas is thankfully past the reaping age. With him being the oldest, he really had to step up after Mama and Pops-

"Are you going to stand there all day?"

My head snaps towards the smirking bystander, my still dry curls bouncing as I turn my head. Acacius stands there in his sleep shirt and shorts, his own glass of apple cider in his hands as he takes a sip.

"Why? You scared I won't make you lunch?"

"If you don't then that means Aurelia or I will and...I'd rather not die today."