A smile creeps on my face. Today’s the day, the day I’ll volunteer. I wash my face and put on my flowing rosy dress. I frown and see the color has faded. Well soon I'll be in the glitz and glamour of the Capital. I slip on some white flats and leave my bedroom. I eat my breakfast and start going over my sure fire way to get in the games. I signed up for tesserae since I was twelve, so they would probably pull my name, if I don’t get time to volunteer. My mother comes to kiss me good luck and slips me a piece of metal. In my hand is a ring, my mother’s ring. A green emerald is inlaid in the middle of a golden ring. It is Mom’s part of the family collection. It matches my necklace. I tear up and the one thought slips into my mind. What if I don’t make it back home? No, it’s easy I’ll win. For my family, my mother, my district, and……and Marvel. Overall the boys who I went out with, who fell for me. He’s the one, winning the games would surely win his heart. “Come on Glimmer, it’s time for the reaping.” my mom tells me.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glimmer, the day she will finally notice me. I put on my blue button down shirt and a pair of pants my Ma made for me. I grab Miracle who is in a cream dress. I flip get and she lands on the chair, her light brown hair falling out of its braid. I settle her down and help feed her some broth. I give her some medicine but we have to go to the reaping, she can fall asleep after I volunteer, this is the only way she could handle it. With Dad gone, Miracle sick, and Mom having to support the family. I have to do my share. With Miracle on my shoulder and Ma at my hand we walk to the reaping.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, the refreshing prick of the finger. I go to my age group and I’m psyched. Soon the reaping starts. Everybody is jumpy waiting to hear who gets called before they start volunteering. “Ladies first!” Tuscan calls some weird name; I think the name is charcoal? Marcel? I sweep the the square and I figure out who is it. Ugh, that sick, little twelve-year old huff. She looks so confused. She wouldn’t last the bloodbath. She wouldn’t bring pride, she’ll bring humiliation. Wait, do I hear a scream? I shoot my hand up and step forward gleaming . “I volunteer!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I jump up on the stage, ahead of the peacekeepers. I’m lost in thought. Now Marvel will finally ask me out. If our children are in the Games, they’ll surely win. I hear a name being called. The very word snaps me back to reality. Marvel, I have to kill him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Come on Miracle just a prick it barely hurts.” Miracle jumps back in agony. I lift her up and press her finger on the paper. The man does the same for me. I guide Miracle to her age group and take my place. Tuscan starts the reaping and calls out a name. Miracles name!! The words slip out of my mouth before I know it. “Nooooooooooo!!!” I scream. Do I hear Glimmer? “I volunteer!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Noooooooo, Glimmer volunteered!!! My plan is ruined! What about my plan? Someone pushes me forward. Wait what…… I’ve been called?
I’m in the Justice building when the door opens. Quartz, Glamour Steel, Lush Biotite, Fair Mica, and Luster come in. They start congratulating me. They leave and Miracle runs to me and Ma is crying. “Marvel you have to win!” says Miracle. “Don’t worry Miracle, Everything will be okay.” “I know you're going into the games.. Stop treating me like a baby, I’m just sick.” . She starts coughing so Ma sends her out. “Marvel, my baby, will I ever see you again?” pleads my mother. “Don’t worry, I’ll come back.” “What if you don’t?” sobs Ma. I slip off my father’s ring and put it on Ma’s palm. “Mom take the ring.” “No, Marvel, I can’t.” “No, Ma take it.” “Keep it as your token.” She slips the ring back on me and kisses me good bye.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
All the boys who had ever wanted me come to wish me good luck. They each present me with a gift and they ask me to keep it as my token. I already decided what it would be. After my line of admirers my Mom comes in. “Oh!!! Darling, you're living a dream!! You’ve been training for this day. Mommy loves you sweetie, now go and bring back the gold!!” says my mom.
YOU ARE READING
ON HOLD-Kill or Be Killed
Научная фантастика"This is the story of the children who died. Who were too innocent to die, well most of them........" -Joanna S. Kelin
