Callie Hadley: District 2

The Reaping

     "Hurry up!" My brother calls to me. "Got to get some protein into you, it's reaping day! And that too, your first!"
     I jumbled down the long spiral steps and slid across the living room into my large kitchen.
     Cato had made omelets and fruit ambrosia. The smell filled the air like spring roses.
     We sat in silence as we gobbled down our wonderful breakfast.
     "Listen, I know this is your first year, but how cool would it be if we both got picked!" Cato exclaimed.
     But the thing is, I absolutely despise the Hunger Games with my whole heart. If we both got picked, then only one of us would come home. And it is no lie that that would be Cato. He has more training experience, knows how to get sponsors, and is generally stronger.
     I banged my fork on my plate.
"How can you say that!" I screamed at him. "You know only one of us would come home then! And if I could possibly win, there would be nothing more for me here!"
He looked down at the counter, looking like he was giving it plenty of thoughts. Just as I thought he was about to give me a counter argument, he looked up, and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't think about that."
"'Course you didn't," I pushed my empty plate toward him, jumped off the high stool, and slid across the ground and raced up my large spiral staircase.
To get to my room, you have to pass my mothers room, and my other brothers room. His name is Carter, and he's 19. He won the 72nd Hunger Games. My mother won the 58th Hunger Games. Unlike any of the other victors, my mom and brother got driven insane, and suffer from ptsd. But the weird thing about it is it started only last year. They are fine in general, but they look like they are insane, refuse to eat properly, and are very sensitive about specific things and topics from their Games. And the Hunger Games in general.
     I pass my mom's room, and stop at my brothers.
     I can hear him groaning inside.
     I take a deep breath, and open the door.
     My brothers head immediately jolted to the opening door. There were bags under his bright blue eyes. His blond hair was in a mangy mess. He was sitting at the foot of his bed and staring at me.
     "Hi Carter," I whisper to him. I came forward slowly and kneeled in front of him.
     "Callie," he whispered back.
     I put my hand on his knee.
     "Listen, today's the reaping-"
     But Carter was already starting to cover his ears.
     "This is my first year, Carter, so I have to go. I'll be back, ok-"
     By now he was closing his eyes and screaming, "MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP!" So I grabbed his hands, put them to his side, made him open my eyes, and said, "Listen to me, I love you, and you need to eat, ok? Go downstairs. Cato has omelet's."
     I grabbed his hand, led him to the steps, and watched him go until he was sitting peacefully and eating.
     I sighed, and stared at my mothers door. She probably already has breakfast. My mother is in a worse condition than my brother. I can't even talk to her. My dad is the only one that can deal with her, but he has already left for his job. Of course, he'll show up for the reaping.
     Since my mother and brother have both won the Games, my family lives in the victors village already. And we have two houses that belong to us. We live in Carter's house, and my mother's family lives in the house she won.
     I walk into my large room, and step into my giant walk in closet. There are an assortment of dresses, shirts, shorts, shoes, jackets, sweaters, and basically every piece of clothing there is.
I went over to my dresses section, and stared. Then I turned and saw a pale yellow, frilly, dress with a little daisy on the upper right side.
I took it off the hanger, and just stared.
Then I suddenly snapped back into reality and changed into it.
I came out of my closet to look at myself in the mirror. The dress was beautiful. Nothing too fancy, nothing too simple.
Once I had showered, I put my dress back on, sat in front of my vanity, and let my short blackish blonde hair down. I was the only person in my family that has hair like this. My dad has dark hair, skin, and eyes, while my mom has light hair, skin, and eyes. My brothers take after my mother more, and I take after my father more in looks. My dad's father was from District 11. My grandmother was from District 2. Since she was a career, she got to visit him, and they fell in love, yada yada yada. Which is probably why I feel so out of place in an environment full of blonde haired blue eyes people, or brown haired blue eyed people. My dad and I are some of the only people with brown eyes.
I combed my hair, and decided to braid some pieces, and pin it to the side of my head.
Once I had finished, I got up, and did a small twirl.
I took some black leather boots out of my closet, and walked downstairs to keep them there.
When I went down, I saw my brother Cato, sitting on the couch, watching some random Hunger Games. His hair was slicked back, and he was wearing a white, lightly striped button down, with dress pants. I could see the black shiny shoes he chose out for himself.
He turned and saw me.
"Oh, look at you! You little daisy! So pretty!"
He walks and stands in front of me, gripping my shoulders tight. He touches the two braids I've pinned to each side of my head, then my hair, flowing at the exact height of my shoulders.
Then surprisingly, he hugs me, and strokes my hair.
"You'll be alright here, right? There will always be food in the fridge, you know how to use the stove and oven-"
But I already knew where he was going with this, and my voice broke.
"Your-your volunteering?" I said in the highest pitch possible.
"Callie, it's a done deal. They've decided this year, I get to volunteer."
"You're only 16!"
"Callie listen-"
"No. You listen. If you are going to volunteer, then you need to do whatever it takes. I don't care WHAT you do. You need to promise you will come back. I don't care if you wipe out everyone. Just promise me you will win. PROMISE ME YOU WILL COME BACK!"
"Alright. Whatever it takes, Callie. Whatever it takes."
We look at the clock and realize it's time.
Side by side, we walk down the victors village, and into the town square.
     The stage was set up and the screens were everywhere, showing the excited, hopeful kids that made up District 2. District 2 is built on multiple mountains. So you can imagine how cold it is in the winter. From the town square, I can see the giant mountain that was established after the Dark Days that holds most of Two's military supply. There are also a bunch of mines everywhere, but most retired to train peacekeepers.
I said goodbye to my brother, and took my place in the back of the roped off lines in the girls section.        There were 3 seats on the stage. One was taken up by Mayor Heights, another taken up the District 2 escort Fifi Epsom, and the last by the District 2 mentor, Brutus Gunn.
Then me and the girl next to me made I contact, and she said, "First year! I'm probably not going to get picked, but still!"
I just smiled at her and turned away. What was wrong with these people?
     More people began to pour in, and soon enough, it was 2:00.
The mayor stood up.
     He began to read the history of Panem. About how our ancestors rose through the ashes of a place once called North America. And how through the disaster we still stayed strong as a country. And how the result of this was a shining Capitol rung by 13 districts, that brought peace to the land. Then the Dark Days came, the uprising of the 13 districts against the Capitol. 12 were defeated and the 13th completely obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave us new laws that guaranteed peace, but peace comes with a price. A reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated, and that gave us the Hunger Games. Each district must give a boy and a girl from the ages 12-18 called tributes to participate. All of that.
     Then he reads the long list of victors from the past seventy-four years. I hear my mom and brother's name, but there has got to be about 15 names on that list.
     He introduces the escort Fifi, which I'm pretty sure is related to the District 12 escort Effie, because of how similar their names sound.
"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor! As usual, ladies first!"
     She bounces over to the girls bowl.
     She sticks her hand in, ruffles the box, and pulls out a neatly folded slip.
     She unravels it while walking back to center stage, and says in a clear, loud voice,  "Callista Hadley."

     I freeze.

     Only after a path has cleared for me, have I really realized that it has been my name that was drawn.

     I slowly walk up to the stage, waiting for a hopeful girl to yell, "I volunteer!"

     But nothing happens.

     Fifi seems confused as well, and asks, "Any volunteer?"

     Dead silence.

     "Oh! Oh well then. This is the youngest tribute of District 2 we've had in ages! Now on for the boys."

     She bounces over for the boys bowl, and picks a slip from deep within.

     Clearing her throat, she says, "Darrin Spikelar."

     Darrin isn't really my friend, but we are mutual friends. His company is just fine for me. He had the typical District 2 brown hair and blue eyes. But once, he took a trip to the Capitol, and died his hair partially fire red.

     Barely after the name is finished being said, Cato jumps up, and yells, "I volunteer!"

     Only when he looks at my horrified face does he realize the absolutely terrible mistake he made.