Sunset on the Reaping

The Reaping: Eleanor's POV

I knew this day would come, once the rebellion took over the Capitol it was never a question. 12 girls and 12 boys, all pulled from the Capitol to go into their own Hunger Games as punishment. I stand looking up at the stage as names are called knowing good and well mine will be the last. I wasn't even a Capitol child, I lived in 8 and only visited the Capitol on weekends. But I am President Snow's granddaughter, no matter how disgusted I am with the fact, the people wanted me to suffer for his crimes.

"Good morning, Miss Fallie." I looked up at the older woman. "Hello, my dear girl, find anything today?" I held up a bouquet of Camellia. "Oh my, how beautiful." Miss Fallie always had a way of making me smile in the darkest times. Miss Fallie was assigned to take care of me after my mother passed away. I loved District 8 because the people didn't know who I was nor did they care, I was treated like any other girl. Grandfather might have hired her, but he didn't pay her, nor did he give us any money. I was more like an assignment, take care of me or die. She worked multiple shifts at the factories to put food on our plates and a roof over our heads. "Miss Fallie?" She rolled over from her place on the picnic blanket. "Yes?" We were in a meadow a few minutes away from town, it was a beautiful place filled with flowers of all kinds. "Why are the Hunger Games a thing?" I only had two more years until my name was put in the reaping. "Well, it's a way the Capitol punishes the districts for standing up against them." "Oh, that doesn't sound very nice." Miss Fallie laughed a little bit. "No it's not, but it's not our decision to make. Keep your heart, Elle, don't let them take it from you." I carried that piece of advice for the rest of my life.

Effie Trinket, the announcer from 12, was calling out the names of the tributes. She started with the boys, probably because they wanted to save my name for last. All the boys either looked scared or numb with disappointment in their past government. I would be the only district tribute to compete which gave me some advantage, but it didn't matter, everyone would do whatever they could to kill me. "And now for the girls." Effie walked over to the girl names and started calling everyone names. Some were crying others, actually most were crying, the others stayed quiet maybe letting a tear or two slip from their eyes. 12 boys and 11 girls, it was my name now. A rebel with brunette hair took the bowl away and placed a new one. Effie looked confused at first but brushed it off quickly because she was on live TV. She reached her hand into the jar and finally grabbed hold of a card, making sure to take her sweet time in pulling it out. She walked back to the microphone with her television smile. "The last female tribute is..." She paused when she read the name and looked back up into the crowd with worried eyes. "E...Eleanor Abernathy." I made sure to show no fear in my eyes as I walked up to the stage. All eyes were on me, every camera was on me, and I kept my composure as I walked up those steps. Effie's eyes were blazing with shock and sadness, but she eventually had to get back to the TV screens and end the program. I looked back at the cameras and the crowd as the tributes were ushered away so I could have one last look at everything before I died.

The tributes were ushered into different rooms for their goodbyes. No one was coming to see me so what did it matter? I sat down on the couch in the room and opened the bottle of whiskey. There was a knock on my door as I was pouring my drink. "Come in." The door slowly opened, and Effie Trinket walked in, her high heels clinking as she entered the room. She stood quiet, not knowing what to say. "I know what you're thinking, 'I thought she was a Snow, not an Abernathy'. That's everyone's first reaction, but it doesn't matter I have his blood so I will die either way. I've already accepted it." I took a sip of my whiskey.

"My dear, you are so much like your father." I looked up at her in shock at what she'd said. Snow had told me my father died years ago along with his family. Mom always told me stories about how smart and brave he was, until she got sick and died. "I wouldn't know, he died before I was born."