Secrets

Chapter Eleven

Light bounced across her dress, sending reflections of gold shimmer across the room as she stood in front of the mirror. The black heels adding an extra two inches to her height; she looked older than usual. Clove's bright green eyes were full of excitement and only a hint of terror. As she smoothed out her dress and made her way towards her bedroom door, a wave of emotion fell through her.

Today was the reaping.

The second most watch televised event right next to The Hunger Games itself.

Clove had been waiting her whole life for this moment. The moment to prove herself to District Two that she was more than what her parents believed her to be. When the crown is placed on her head, everyone would have wished they hadn't doubted her and she wouldn't forget the ones that did.

Her mother was seated on the couch next to father. They still had no idea that Clove was about to volunteer, so when the time came they'd be angry.

Clove left without saying goodbye.

District Two's justice building is beautiful to say the least. Today in particular, it is decorated with bundles of red and white roses. The marble pillars are laced in white ribbons and the floor adorned with a black carpet. Ten living victors remain in District Two; Jay, Ace, Grant, Jango, Octavia, Brutus, Shiloh, Murphy, Lyme, and Enobaria. The eldest being Jay, who won the 24th games. Their empty chairs line up the walls behind the main post where the Mayor will give a short presentation.

It's the same every year.

In each district, children ages 12-18 will arrive to their town squares. One-by-one they will get their fingers pricked by a machine that will scan their blood, accessing them the right to participate in the event.

Particularly in Districts One, Two, and Four, children will dress in sometimes provocative outfits to get a higher chance of being seen by the stage when or if they volunteer. These districts raise their kids to be accustomed to the games. Training them all at young ages to be extremely gifted in a weapon or weapons of their choice. Almost every year, however, it's always an older child that gets picked or reaped as they are in the front of the crowd and have more names in the bowl. And almost once agian, every year, those childern come out as victors.

Once the clock strikes two in every district, each mayor will step up to their podiums and begin to read the story of the history of Panem. A country that rose up out of the ashes, that people once called North America. All the disasters, the droughts, the storms, fires, the pieces of land lost when it was swallowed up by monstrous seas, horrible war over what remained. In the end, we got what we now call, Panem. A Capitol surrounded by thirteen districts, bringing peace and prosperity to its people.

However, there were also the Dark Days. Uprisings of the districts against the Capitol brought wars to the land, famines and death. All twelve were defeated, but the thirteenth was abolished. Rested under rubble and rock, to never inhabit again.

The Dark Days brought we call The Treaty of Treason. It gave new ways to guarantee peace and, as a yearly reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated, it created The Hunger Games.

Clove glanced around her area as she stood next to the other girls in her age group. Still being only seventeen, she was behind the higher contenders. Girls dressed in bright ruby dresses-- skin-tight and low-cut-- casted a mere shadow over Clove's petite frame. By this, however, she was not discouraged.

Although her stomach twisted every time the little hand on the center clock moved a centimeter, the closer she was to stepping onto the stage.

Five minutes before two, the past victors begin to take their seats. The surrounding area around the children has become overpacked. By-standers are now climbing onto roofs, poles, cars, anything they can to get a better view of the stage. When the Mayor walks out, all the victors rise.