Lentil's Tears (234th Hunger Games)

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Chapter 1, The Reaping

My eyes jolt open from my sleep. Rye, my little brother, is shaking me with tears flooding his eyes.

“Rye!” I shove my brother off of me, “What the hell are you doing!?”

“I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna go!” he screams.

I notice my mom walk over and drag Rye away. She then looks at me with a gentle expression. “How about you go to the market? See if you can find anything nice.”

I begin to object, but my mother interrupts me. “We have some cash, don’t worry, my sweet Lentil. Now go get your reaping dress on. Come back here at one forty-five.”

Oh right, I think, It’s the reaping. I bite my lip as I push myself off of the couch and throw on my reaping dress in the bathroom. When I come out of the lavatory, I’m greeted by my brother wearing a striped sky blue and snow white shirt with black shorts. I narrow my eyes. The shirt Rye’s wearing right now is my favourite piece of clothing! Why does Rye have to always get everything he wants? And more importantly, get the things that I want?

My mom places a purse sewn out of wheat into my hand. I then snatch Rye’s arm with my other hand and drag him out of the door.

Outside, the wind blows on my face, as well on the fields of wheat surrounding me. Good morning District 9! I take a big breath in and then walk towards the market section of the district.

It takes Rye and me thirty minutes to arrive at the market, otherwise known as the wealthiest section in District 9. Here, you can find homes made out of bricks, stands made out of wood, and lights that are powered by the Capitol and District 5. Basically, it’s one of the only representable places you can find here.

I shove my brother towards the market and take some coins before I slap the purse into his hands. “Go find something you like and buy it. Come back at one fifteen.” He nods his head and runs away. Finally! I have some time to myself!

I wander through the market, glancing at the goods each stand has to offer. My mouth waters at cakes with vivid colours that look like they come from the Capitol. And I have to plug my nose at a bunch of dead and rotting animals. Soon, something catches my eye. It’s a necklace with a yellow and orange sun as a charm. I decide to buy it, thinking it would go nicely on my yellow outfit and my mom would approve of it. After all, the sun is a symbol of my mom’s religion.

As I was looking at a couple of meat skewers, somebody grapples behind me. I look behind, and I see my best friend Barely who has a smile that reaches ear from ear.

“Barely!” I turn around and hug Barely as if it was the end of the world.

“Hey Lentil!”

Soon, Barely lets go of me and grabs me by the hand. We begin to walk down the market. “How’s life?” she asks.

“Everything’s fine,” I reply, “Except for my bro.”

“Annoying you again?” My best friend asks.

“Yeah.”

Barely chuckles. “I have it worse. My mom just had her baby. Now I have three siblings!”

“WHAT!? NO WAY!”

The two of us gossip and giggle for who knows how long. Barley then dares me to look at the sun. I roll my eyes and do it. Suddenly, I panic.

“I need to go back! It’s like almost one fifteen!” I take off, leaving a confused Barely behind.

When I arrive at my brother’s and my meeting spot, Rye is crouching on the ground clutching something white and furry in his hand. “What is that?” I ask as I approach him, “Is it a dead rabbit?”

Rye shakes his head. “Teddy bear,” he answers in a hurried voice. He stands up and grabs my arm with the power that could crush metal into a ball.

“Everything alright?” I ask as we begin to head back home.

“Reaping…” He mutters, “I don’t wanna die.”

“Your name is only in four time. You should be fine!” I sheepishly smile at him, hoping it’ll brighten up the mood. Because let’s face it, I can’t bear the tension any longer.

I notice Rye bite his lip. He then looks at me right into my eyes. “What about you? Your name is in 24 times!”

“People have their names in much more times. You know the neighbour’s oldest kid? He has his name in 68 times!”

My brother shakes his head. He doesn’t say a word when we arrive back home.

My mom is waiting for us outside. I notice my dad just arriving from tending the crops. We all exchange polite greetings and hugs, and then we head for the town square.

It takes my whole family fifteen minutes when we reach the square. In the square, a platinum and black stage has been set up. I wave goodbye to my mom, dad, and Rye before I head near to the front and join the crowd of seventeen-year-olds.

In five minutes, a bald man with a gray beard that almost touches the ground arrives onto the stage. That’s Mayor Pitchfork. He recites the whole history of Panem, including all three rebellions. He also throws in some Capitol propoganda while he talks, such as when he says that the Capitol has taken care of each district like children.

When Mayor Pitchfork finishes his speech, a man with fiery orange and red hair and wearing a sunshine yellow suit steps onto his stage. This man’s name is Pontius. His light purple skin seem to shimmer in the sunlight as he announces, “Hello District 9! May I welcome you the 234th Hunger Games! And may the odds ever be in your favour!” He flashes his pearly whites before shouting, “Girls first!” He then quite leaps over to a glass ball and snatches a white piece of paper.

I feel sweat pour down my face as I grit my teeth. The slip Pontius is holding doesn’t have my name on it, right? My whole body clenches as Pontius approaches the microphone.

“And the female tribute for District 9 is....” The whole world around me goes silent except for the sound for my heart beat thumping louder and louder by the seconds.

“Lentil Dal!”

Everyone turns to face me. I force myself to keep the tears in as I step out of my place. I approach the stage. Behind me, I can hear my father waiting for me as my mom attempts to comfort him.

When I come onto the stage, Pontius pats me on the back. “May everyone give an applause to Miss Dal!” The whole district stays silent, with a sullen silence falling upon the crowd.

Soon, Pontius says with an awkward tone in his voice, “Time for the male tribute!” He hops towards the other glass ball. He lowers his hand into the ball until something stops him.

“I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER!” A boy with dirty blond hair runs into the middle of the crowd. Peacekeepers run towards him as the child struggles against them. It’s Rye.

“NO! RYE! NO!” I begin to rush off of the stage, but Peacekeepers restrain me. “YOU IDIOT! YOU GODDAMN IDIOT!”

The tears begin to stream down my face as Pontius talks into the mic. “What a turn of events…” He says in a quivering voice. Pontius has no clue what to do in this situation.

Suddenly, a radio turns on, and muffled voices come out. The peacekeepers haul me away from the stage and into the backstage area. I scream and kick, and even bite, but to no avail.

Soon, the peacekeepers heave me to a place full of podiums, concrete, and cameras. It’s the train station.

“I GET TO SAY GOODBYE!” I shout after realizing where I am, “LET ME SAY GOODBYE!” The peacekeepers say nothing but keep dragging me towards a train. The doors of the vehicle open and they shove me inside.

I soon see Rye being hauled to the train by peacekeepers as well. The peacekeepers toss my brother into the train.

“YOU IDIOT!” I grab Rye by the shoulders. “WHY DID YOU DO IT!? WHY!?”

Rye stays silent.

“DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?! HUH?”

Pointius walks into the train. “That’s enough, children. Settle down, settle down.” He says in his Capitol accent.

“SHUT UP, YOU MUTT!” I glare at my district’s escort and then return screaming at my brother.

Soon, I feel hands wrap around my arms. “GET AWAY FROM ME!” I screech as two peacekeepers drag me away from my brother. As I get hauled away, I notice cameras peeking in through the train’s door. I grit my teeth. How can the Capitol watch children’s emotions get toyed with before they’re sent to their deaths?

The peacekeepers throw me into my bedroom and lock the door. I walk up to my bed and begin to scratch and pull on it, ripping holes everywhere. I shout swears and insults towards my brother and at the Capitol.

And I keep at my destruction before I get tired and slip into my bed. I then cry myself to sleep.