Jaemin jolted up from his bed with a start, beads of sweat dripping down his face. He stayed upright panting trying to calm down before looking at the electric clock on the table. 4:20am it read. The reaping was in less than 6 hours.
He sighed deeply before laying back down again. Another nightmare of the games still fresh in his mind. Flipping onto his side he observed the face of his sister who was lying peacefully next to him. Minjae was 4 years younger so did not have to suffer from the nightmares that came with the reaping. Not yet any way. Next year she would. He shook his head. No. He would not think of next year. Only today. He wasn't too worried he'd only entered his name 20 times this year, unlike last years 60, so being selected to represent his district was less likely than before. That didn't mean he didn't have to worry. 20 times was still a lot for some one of his age, but not so much if you considered the wealth of his family. He was the son of a widowed launder, shared a bed with his younger sister in their 2 room bungalow in the outskirts of the poorest district in Panem - District 12. He considered himself lucky that he had a bed to sleep on and a roof over his head (even if it did leak when it rained).
Jaemin continued to lie there with his eyes closed, midway between consciousness and sleep until the alarm rang. The time read 8:30. Sitting up he gently shook his sister muttering to her that they needed to get up. She groaned a bit but began to get up despite complaints. He smiled at the 11 year olds grumbles before properly getting out of bed himself and beginning to wash his face. Usually he wouldn't bother with the chore of being clean but since today was the reaping, he would follow the crowd and keep up the pretence the Capitol wanted to show- that all the districts were treated fairly, and that district 12 definitely had constant running water. After washing, he walked over to the cupboard that held his clothes, along with his sisters and mothers. Jaemin pulled out his best trousers and cleanest shirt, dusting them off a little and coming to the conclusion that they'd be a tight fit after his growth spurts since the last Reaping. He changed in silence before going to check on his mother.
She occupied the only other room in the house, with Jaemin and Minjae's bedroom also serving as a kitchen, washroom and dining room. He silently pushed open the door and smiled softly at the sight before him. Minjae was curled up- fully dressed- next to their mother, both fast asleep. He banged on the door twice and grinned mischievously when they both began to sleepily yell at him for making too much noise. The joy was short lived however when the clock struck 9 and the family of three began to make the hour long trek to the District center, where the Reaping was to take place. On the way they passed by the poverty that was their neighbourhood before entering the wealthier part of town. Well, if it could be called that. In District 12 the term wealthier meant that you had a non-leaking roof over your head, your own bed and no daily worries of where your food came from. The gap between the districts rich and poor was small but still noticeable. The children who joined to crowd of families had cleaner clothes, better hair, some even wore ties (extra material that cost too much for most families to afford). Jaemin sighed. It had always been like this. He was born at least 35 years after the hunger games began, when poverty in the outer districts had plummeted to its lowest and people were dying from starvation and malnutrition on their way to work. His dad had been one of the thousands who lost their lives due to the food crisis. Things were better in 12, people weren't dying left right and center like before. Which meant anything could happen in this years games.
Previously the Capitol went a little easy on the tributes from districts 9,10,11 and 12 since they were suffering the most, but since they were 'recovered' from the disastrous hunger of the past years, anything could happen. To add to that, this year marked the 50th year of the Hunger Games. That meant it was the Quarter Quell. An event every child prayed they would live past. He wondered what the catch would be this year. Less tributes? More tributes? Who knew. There had only been one Quarter Quell 25 years ago where the Capitol issued that only female participants would be picked from each district. Many of his friends from school had guessed that now they would issue that only male tributes would participate in the games, and Jaemin agreed, but when it came to the minds of the Capitol, it was anyone's game. Soon enough Jaemin could see the familiar concrete structure of the town hall, and before it the stage that was only ever erected for the Reaping's. He turned to his mum and sister to bid them goodbye. Before he could speak Minjae had flung herself onto him.
"Promise you won't get picked." She whispered into his neck. Jaemin sighed. It was an impossible promise and Minjae knew that.
"We'll have to wait and see," he responded, "my name isn't in that many times, I should be fine." He attempted to reassure. He looked up at his mum, who was looking at the interaction with glossy eyes.
Jaemin smiled at his mum, and she smiled back, both knowing that was all they could do without upsetting Minjae further. Giving his sister one last squeeze, Jaemin stood and began to make his way over to the registery tables waving goodbye to his family one last time. The Peacekeeper at the desk pricked his finger, took his finger print and then ushered him on and moving to the next child. Jaemin joined the throng of children making their way into their lines which were arranged by age.
