IN THE EMBERS ━━ the hunger games

CHAPTER 5

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the 68th annual
hunger games
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Growing up, Juniper Mullgrove was in short, a menace. She didn't get along with a lot of kids, only having one friend due to her fathers' restrictive nature before he mysteriously went missing during the games last year. It left her on her own, taking up a job as a seamstress in the factories at fifteen years old so she could keep buying food. Sometimes she didn't have enough money for both food and all the other things she needed so she would either go without new clothes, using scraps from the factory to make some, or she'd be forced to put her name in for the reaping for food.

This reaping she felt like everyone was holding their breath more than usual, a horrible presence that hadn't left the district in five years. Twyla Tecida had lost her husband six years ago to a brutal misunderstanding with peacekeepers late one night. Since then, in what feels like the worst luck one woman can hold, five of her children had been reaped one year after the other right up until now. Her youngest, Kelsi Tecida, only twelve years old was at her first reaping this year, with a group of older girls helping get to her place and easing her nerves. Juniper, like the rest of the district at this point, prayed that this poor girl wouldn't be reaped this year, so her mother could at least have some peace.

"Lee Summer!" The boy was escorted on stage, his head down and his shoulders hunched.

Juniper noticed there were quite a few more peacekeepers this year, swivelling her head around before the districts escort brought her attention to the stage. Domatii was an older one, having gone to a few of the districts before staying with eight due to getting discounted prices on fabrics to make her own clothes. She was a lot nicer than what she'd seen from some of the other districts, most of them so high strung that she wondered how they could put up with themselves.

"Kelsi Tecida!"

Domatii's face fell as soon as she read the name, looking up again to the crowd and trying to regain her smile but failing as soon as Twyla let out a heartbreaking, throat scratching wail. Juniper turned around, like most, and watched as she ran forward, the peacekeepers taking her arms and roughly bring her to her knees, she yelled for them not to take her child away from her and some of the girls around Juniper started to cry as well. Juniper turned to where she saw little Kelsi straightening her shoulders out, raising her chin, and started to walk towards the stage.

Before Juniper could stop herself, she rushed out.

"Wait!"

The only thing that could be heard was her stomping footsteps, all eyes on her and Domatii's pleading with her not to do anything stupid. As she got closer, peacekeepers had taken a hold of Kelsi and tried taking her to the stage, but Juniper caught up, pushing them off her.

"Get the fuck off her! Get off!" She brought Kelsi into a hug, the younger girl burying her head into Junipers neck while she eyed the peacekeepers with a glare before pulling Kelsi back to look at her. "Go back to your mom."

"What?" Kelsi's eyes held unshed tears and her hands were shaking.

"Go back to your mom, Kelsi." Juniper straightened up again, turning to the stage and walking towards it with a confident stride. "I volunteer as tribute."

Twyla let out a relieved cry, the peacekeepers dropping her, letting her fall to the ground for Kelsi to run to and pick up. Juniper watched as she held Kelsi close to her, probably nearly suffocating the poor girl but she seemed just as happy to be back in her mother's arms.