(Universal POV)
Almost everyone in Panem watches the recaps of the reaping a with a sense of relief. Most families remained untouched, safe and intact for another hard year. Everyone is relatively content to watch the Games. No, they hate the Games, but they're content that they are spared, for another year, the tragedy of watching their sister, brother, daughter, or son compete.
Everyone, that is, except 24 families. And this year, those 24 families are short two people. And there can only be one winner.
The screen flickers on to Caesar Flickerman, Jr.'s makeup-caked face. He does his signature laugh, inherited from his father, wearing his father's flickering blue suit. His hair is a bizarre shade of green this year. He looks like a younger version of the late Caesar Flickerman, Sr.
"What an exciting day!" his loud voice booms. "Today held the Reapings for the Fourth Quarter Quell!" The studio audience cheers, a deafening roar.
"Let's start with District 1, shall we?" Clips are played of each reaping. For some, they must be heavily edited.
In District 1, little Julian Carter volunteered for Gracelyn Porter, who hugged and kissed him. Greyson, his brother, seemed surprised and relieved as he walked to the stage. The next volunteers, Rocco and Han Balla, were incredibly eager to volunteer, and looked bloodthirsty. Han literally lunged to the steps.
In District 2, Jackson Wells eagerly volunteered for the Games. His reluctant sister, Liliana, had to be dragged to the stage by Peacekeepers. Trilia Stell also eagerly volunteered. Her adorable little sister Eden acted happy, but it was obviously just that: an act.
In District 3, Sibyl and Thomas Philips seemed unresistant, but also unenthusiastic as they mounted the stairs. Claire and Lissy Stonewall had several people in the crowd crying for them, most of them children.
District 4 had a bit of a stir with Tyne Newton. Her brother, Marcus, volunteered, but she stubbornly refused to move. Once the Peacekeepers had dragged her onstage, as she kicked and screamed, she seemed to calm down momentarily. The escort offered her the mic, and she yelled something about mockingjays. One peacekeeper dragged her away and another slapped her. A minute later, Alyssa and Derek Tassiello were reaped. Alyssa and Tyne started sobbing into each other's arms on stage.
District 5's reaping was no more tame than the last one. Miles and Matthew Whittaker, identical twins, were reaped. Then Leo and Brenna Truman. Before the tributes could be led offstage, a woman jumped over the barrier and ran to the stage, screaming. Peacekeepers quickly shot her when she wouldn't calm down. One of the twins broke done in tears, and the other looked pretty close.
In District 6, tiny Carson Henson volunteered himself and his brother Hayden for the Games. Hayden had to be pulled away from his brother by peacekeepers to stop the boy from clobbering Carson. Dominic and Destiny Chard were the next tributes. Destiny cried and hugged another girl before flitting up to the stage.
In District 7, Willow Haynes walked up to the stage proudly. Her brother, Cedar, seemed dazed. Edison and Ayala Watt were next. The murderous glint in Ayala's eyes was Capitol-worthy.
District 8's first tributes, Cayden and Lyra Alton, both seemed to be in a daze. They need to step up their game if they want sponsors. The next pair, young twins Sadie and Chandler Wheeler, are actually the mayor's children. It's rare that a mayor's child is reaped, so this is doubly interesting.
In District 9, Storm and Tornado (Tori) Windell were the first two tributes. Storm kept reassuring his little sister that they would be ok. Aryanna Toplit and her brother Elliot were next.
District 10 had the most unruly reaping. Emma and Ava Smith were reaped. Emma came with no resistance, but Ava had to be dragged on stage by a peacekeeper. Once she had the microphone, she yelled about how evil the Capitol was. She was dragged off stage, but a riot ensued. The escort finally gained control by having the peacekeepers pull a boy from the crowd and shoot him. Twins Evergreen and Lark Mock ran to the boy as he died, his sister next to him. The escort took them as the two volunteering.
District 11 had a touching, heartbreaking moment. After Eve and Zoe Alonzo were reaped, Glade and Bella Rose were chosen. As Bella was mounting the steps, her boyfriend ran after her. Taking her hand, he dropped to one knee and proposed, right there. A true proposal? Or just trying to make her a Capitol favorite? Who knows?
District 12's reaping was very small. Few children live in District 12, and even fewer have siblings. Trey and Jared Petroski were reaped first, then Ivy and Rose Cartwright. Rose claimed that it wasn't fair to send her and her sister in, because they were stepsisters. The mayor finally disagreed, sending both girls in the arena.
"Well, wasn't that interesting! Looks like we've got a dramatic crop of tributes this year, wouldn't you say?" Caesar beams at the cheering crowd. "Tune in tomorrow for the tribute parade!"
~~~~
District 1:
Greyson Carter - 17
Julian Carter - 12
Rocco Balla - 17
Han Balla - 13
District 2
Jackson Wells - 17
Liliana Wells - 16
Trilia Stell - 18
Eden Stell - 14
District 3
Claire Stonewall - 16
Lissy Stonewall - 12
Sibyl Philips - 15
Thomas Philips - 13
District 4
Derek Tassiello - 14
Alyssa Tassiello - 12
Marcus Newton - 18
Tyne Newton - 12
District 5
Matthew Whittaker - 13
Miles Whittaker - 13
Leo Truman - 14
Brenna Truman - 13
District 6
Hayden Henson - 16
Carson Henson - 12
Dominic Chard - 17
Destiny Chard - 14
District 7
Cedar Haynes - 18
Willow Haynes - 17
Edison Watt - 17
Ayala Watt - 17
District 8
Cayden Alton - 17
Lyra Alton - 16
Sadie Wheeler - 12
Chandler Wheeler - 12
District 9
Storm Windell - 16
Tornado (Tori) Windell - 12
Aryanna Toplit - 16
Elliot Toplit - 12
District 10
Emma Smith - 12
Ava Smith - 12
Evergreen Mock - 16
Lark Mock - 16
District 11
Eve Alonzo - 16
Zoe Alonzo - 16
Glade Rose - 18
Bella Rose - 18
District 12
Trey Petroski - 17
Jared Petroski - 12
Ivy Cartwright - 14
Rose Cartwright - 13
~~~~
(So, who are your favorites?
Who do you want to win?
Who do you not like?
Who is the most evil person here?
Who has the best chance of winning?
Is something weird going on with the Balla brothers?
How will Brenna do her interview if she doesn't talk?
Do you think Carson will kill Hayden, or the other way around?
Who's more of a psychopath: Sibyl or Ayala?
Could we possibly have a rebel in the Games? *cough* Aryanna *cough*
Will Bella ever see her boyfriend again?
What do you think about Ivy and Rose being sent in, since they're not technically related?
All these questions and more are being asked by the Capitol, and I would like it very much if you would go through and answer them because it'll help me write, not to mention tell me who to kill off and who not to.)
YOU ARE READING
The Mockingjay Died: The Fourth Quarter Quell
FanfictionWhen the laws of the Hunger Games were laid out, they dictated that every twenty-five years the anniversary would be marked by a Quarter Quell. It would call for a glorified version of the Games to make the fresh the memory of those killed by the di...
