The 500th Annual Hunger Games

District 3 Reaping

Arlo Elder's POV:

"EVERYBODY UP, BREAKFAST IN 5 MINUTES," Yells Mrs. Morris, the mean lady in charge of the orphanage in district 3.

"Abbie, wake up," I say and shake my little sister awake. She yawns then smiles when she sees me.

4 years ago, our parents got caught selling stolen goods to peacekeepers. Our dad got shot and our mom got taken to the capitol, I'm guessing to be an avox. I was 11 at the time. Abbie was 3.

Abbie gets up and I help her get dressed. I brush her dirty blonde curls out and pull her hair up. I then get myself dressed and head downstairs with Abbie. We take our bags with our breakfast and sit down at a table in the dining hall. I look around the dining hall and wait for my best friend Gavin, who is actually two years older than me. I spot he girl I have a crush on, Ayla. She notices me and smiles a bit.

"Hey bro, what's up," Gavin says, sitting down. His younger sister Grace sits next to Abbie.

"Just thinking, and I'm worried about the reaping," I say.

I take out my bread and apple and start eating.

Suddenly I hear footsteps come up behind me. I turn and see Mrs. Morris standing over Abbie.

"Abbie Elizabeth Elder, explain to me why exactly your bed wasn't made this morning," Mrs Morris says to Abbie. Abbie looks terrified. Her eyes are wide with fear and shes shaking.

"I-I don't..." Abbie starts.

"No stuttering, tell me, NOW," Mrs. Morris says.

"I don't know," Abbie says then she starts crying.

"You don't know. Well, stop crying you baby and go make your bed," Mrs Morris says. Abbie doesn't move. Suddenly Mrs. Morris reaches down and slaps Abbie.

"Stop!! Don't slap my little sister!!" I yell and stand up. Abbie moves behind me and cries.

"Do you want one too!?" Mrs. Morris yells.

"Go ahead. Just don't yell at my little sister again. And don't call her a baby!!" I yell. Mrs. Morris slaps me across the face. I fall against the table. Mrs. Morris walks away.

"Arlo!!" Abbie cries. I wrap my arms around her, ignoring the pain in my cheek and everybody staring.

"I'm fine, let's go put something on your cheek," I say and stand up from the table. I pick Abbie up and take her to the bathroom by our bedroom. I wet a washcloth in cold water then put it on her cheek.

"Arlo, please don't get picked today," Abbie says.

"I won't," I say.

"But what if you do?" Abbie asks.

"Then Gavin will take care of you," I say. Suddenly a bell rings signaling we have to go to the reaping. I help Abbie down from the sink and we leave.

____

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the reaping for the 500th Annual Hunger Games, let's pick our female tributes," our escort, Alexandra Applebottom says. She walks over to the bowl and picks two slips.

"Mirabel Grigg."

A girl with dark brown hair walks up to the stage from one of the front sections.

"I'm 13," she says then sits down in the chairs that were prepared for the tributes.

"Hanalei Balker."

A girl from the very front with light brown hair walks up to the stage. Her legs are shaking.

"I'm 12," she says and then sits down next to Mirabel.

"Wonderful, now for the male tributes," Alexandra says. She walks over to the girls bowl and picks two slips.

"Arlo Elder."

I look around for a second, then I realize she called my name.

She actually called my name.

I make my way to the stage. I hear Abbie yell my name.

"I'm 15," I say then I sit down next to Hanalei.

I zone out, I don't really care who gets reaped. I'm going to die anyways.

"Gavin Freud."

Wait, that's my best friends name. I need him to take care of Abbie!! Who will take care of her now. Suddenly, I feel dizzy. Then I feel myself fall then everything goes black.

____

I wake up still on the stage. Most of the crowd is walking away. The reaping is over. Alexandra and Gavin are standing over me.

"Are you ok dear?" Alexandra asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say and stand up. A peacekeeper leads me to a room in the Justice building. I sit down on the couch and wait.

Suddenly the door bursts open and Abbie walks in.

"Arlo!!" She cries. I wrap her in a hug.

"Who let you in?" I ask. Then I look at the door and see Ayla.

"I thought you'd want to see her," Ayla says and walks further in the room.

"Thank you," I say.

"No problem," Ayla answers.

"It's time to go. Gavin is done saying his goodbyes," the peacekeeper says then drags Abbie out of the room. She breaks free and hugs me one last time.

"I love you," I say and kiss her on the forehead. The peacekeeper takes her out. He tries to take Ayla too.

"Wait, I need one more minute. I didn't get to say goodbye. He was talking to his sister," Ayla says. The peacekeeper nods then takes Abbie.

"What else do you want to say?" I ask her.

"I was going to offer to take care of Abbie for you," Ayla says.

"Thank you," I say.

"Also, since you're leaving, I wanted to tell you that I like you Arlo," Ayla then says and blushes a bit then looks down.

"Ayla, I like you too," I say. I walk over and put my hand under her chin so she's looking at me. She's crying.

I wipe away the tear, then I kiss her.

After a few seconds, we stop kissing then she looks at me.

"I don't want to lose you," She says.

"Don't worry. I'll try to win, and if I don't, you'll have my sister," I say.

Suddenly the peacekeeper opens the door and grabs Ayla's arm.

"Goodbye!!" She yells as she gets dragged out, "I love you!!"

"I love you too!!" I call.

I then fall to the floor and cry until I get led to the train.