The 150th Annual Hunger Games

The Reapings (District Eleven and Twelve)

District Eleven's Reaping

Wendy Watz's P.O.V.

I nervously shift my weight as our Escort, Brianna Bronze, rushes onto the stage. The Reapings started a little later than usual for some unknown reason, and it's obvious she is pressured to get it done quickly.

"Welcome to the Reapings, kids," she says, already selecting a card from the bowl, "sorry for being late. I'm trying to make this quick, so here's the name...Jeff Watz! Yay! Hurry on up!"

My brother...that's my brother's name. But this is only his first Reapings. I glance at the section behind me, where my older sister is staring at Jeff in horror as he walks up to the stage. I want to volunteer for him so badly, but I can't.

"Why hello, how old are you, Jeff?" Brianna asks sweetly, making me feel like he's safe for a second.

"T-twelve," he mutters, looking at me. Brianna notices him looking over at me and I swear I saw her smirk for a second.

"Jeff, why don't we make this easy and just pick a sibling of yours. Do you have any?" she asks, "She would probably love to go to the Capitol with you, right? Think of all the fun you two will have together. Just think, you wouldn't feel very comfortable if you were there without somebody you knew, right?"

I want to go up there and slap Brianna across the face. She's making it seem like a good thing to choose your own sibling. That's just sick. But Jeff doesn't know any better, so he'll probably do as she says. The question is, which one of us will he choose? Me or our older sister?

"I-I want Wendy to be there with me. She's a lot of fun," Jeff says timidly and I exhale, realizing that I had been holding my breath.

"Lovely! Come on up, Wendy! You heard your brother! He wants you to be there," Brianna says, "You wouldn't want to disappoint him, now would you?"

I purse my lips and shake my head, walking to the stage steadily. I can't believe it. What kind of an escort is she?

I snatch the mic and say my full name and age loud and clear, "Wendy Watz, thirteen."

"District Eleven, your tributes, Jeff and Wendy Watz! Have a Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

I barely have enough time to shake Jeff's hand before I am shoved into the Justice Building by Brianna, who still appears to be in a hurry.

District Twelve's Reaping

Sabrina Lopez's P.O.V.

I close my eyes and inwardly order myself to relax. It's just the Reapings. I go to it every year, so it's not a big deal. Although, every year, I get more of a chance of getting reaped, because my name is put in there more than the year before. Yay me.

Then I have to worry about my siblings. What if one of them gets called? I would probably lose it and volunteer before I can think about it. But then, there's nothing I can do if one of my brothers gets called. I would have to rely on Lucas for that. He's my oldest brother, and the stronger one, so he would be the best choice to go into the Games above my two younger brothers. If one of my younger sisters gets called, I'm sure Lucas would want me to volunteer, because I would at least have more of a chance than them.

I can't help rolling my eyes to the sky when Alyssa Arnold waltzes onto the stage in her frilly dress. She squeals with bundled-up excitement as her eyes sweep over the sea of people. She smiles happily, but nobody smiles back.

"District Twelvey, I missed you so much!" she exclaims, causing me to wince at her squeaky voice, "It's so exciting that this is a Quell this year, isn't it? Oh, I remember my first year as an Escort, it was a Quarter Quell. I was so young then, but it was the greatest experience I've ever encountered. I was so very proud of those two tributes for making it as far as they did, and it was such a shame when they perished. I was so sure of them. Oh well... It's time to move on from that. Perhaps one of the next tributes will win? Anyways, let's get this started..."

Alyssa moves towards the bowl as fast as her six-inch heels allow her. After a careful examination of the cards, Alyssa finds one that must've stood out to her in some way. She returns to the microphone, weaving the card through her fingers thoughtfully.

"Sabrina Lopez!"

I almost feel strangely relieved, because it was my name, not one of my sisters.

I walk out of my pen, and a Peacekeeper immediately grabs my arm harshly and starts walking me towards the stage. I don't understand why he's holding on to me, especially so tightly. The Peacekeepers usually just walk behind you, that is, if you're actually cooperating. Which I am.

Then his helmet comes very close to my ear and I hear him whisper in a deep voice, "Wesley Carter."

"What?" I whisper back, confused. That name belongs to the mayor's son.

We are halfway to the stage by now. Since I was in the back section, I have a longer walk to the stage than most.

"You will choose Wesley Carter," the Peacekeeper demands.

"But why?"

"No questions. You will do as I say, or I will make your family pay for it," he growls.

My eyes go wide in shock, but I say nothing else. Why would this Peacekeeper want me to choose the mayor's son? What did he do? It's too late to ask, because we are already on the stage.

"Age?" Alyssa asks.

I reply, "Eighteen."

I still feel confused and I frown as I look at the crowd. I turn around and the Peacekeeper nods his head once from a few feet away.

"U-umm...I choose...Wesley Carter?" I say, but it almost sounded more like a question, because I still don't know why I'm picking him.

Then I see Wesley emerge from the same section Lucas is in, the seventeen-year-old section. I even spot Lucas, who has an eyebrow raised when he realizes who I picked. I wonder if he thought I'd pick himself, and he is surprised that I picked someone else.

Wesley is on the stage now, saying his age glumly. He doesn't even know that I was forced to say his name. If I didn't, who knows what that Peacekeeper would've done.

"Seventeen," Wesley announces quietly and turns to meet me, his hand already extended for me to shake it. He only gives me a quick glance, but then stares at the ground.

"Happy Hunger Games, Panem! And may the odds be ever in your favor! This concludes the Reapings of the sixty Quarter Quell!"

~~~~~

Hi! Yayyyy! The Reapings are FINALLY over! You have no idea how much I hate writing the Reapings. I just want to get into the action already, amiright?

So anyways, don't forget to slam that star in the corner, but be careful, you don't want to crack your screen. :p

Love you!

~MK