The Games The Capital Forgot

District 11 Reaping

District 11

Kaiden Tearzon:

Sweat poured down my face as I locked eyes with the boy standing before me, his eyes piercing into mine, daring me to make the next move.

I had never been one to pass up opportunities so I sent a hard punch toward his jaw, he grabbed my fist midair. Before he could even begin to twist it I brought my left arm around and cracked his jaw successfully this time and he fell to the ground, releasing my fist.

An excited cheer ran through the audience of the Hob, backing up a few steps panting a little. I resisted the urge to look at the crowd surrounding me, knowing better than to take my eyes off my competitor before I had won.

"1.... 2.... 3...." I heard the grubby announcers voice ring and I watched the boy in front of me groggily open his eyes and attempt to get up. Failing, he collapsed to the ground again and lay motionless.  I felt a little concerned, I hadn't meant to hit him that hard.

"....9 .....10. Kaiden Tearzon is our winner, if you bet on Tearzon, collect your winnings at the table where you placed them." I raised my first in the air for a few seconds, letting my neck fall back in relief. I really hadn't thought I'd come out on top this time.

I let my fist drop as everyone started to go about their ways and I made my way over to the guy I had been fighting who was still on the ground. "Hey," I said extending my hand to him, "Good fight. Better luck next time."

He glared at me and swatted my hand away. "Thanks, I won't need it though." He said sarcastically, painfully pulling himself to his feet.

I felt a twinge of anger at his attitude, I held my tongue and started walking away. Anything I said would be hostile. What a sore looser I thought bitterly as I bustled through the crowd looking for my friends. My eyes eventually settled on a familiar head of black dreads. "Willow!" I yelled and she turned around calmly.

"Oh hey, Kai, the tournament manager is looking for you." She said distractedly, "He went that way." She said casually pointing her thumb behind her shoulder. I dimly wondered why she was so distracted, but I figured it couldn't be that important.

"Thanks Willow, I'll catch you later." I waved and walked in the direction she had pointed.

In almost no time I saw the round figure of Rupert, he was sorting through some money. I wondered if it was the reward he promised for whoever won the tournament. I walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, he looked at me startled a second before his face warmed up. "How's my favorite you fighter?" He asked hitting my roughly on the back.

"Good. I heard you were looking for me?" I asked raising an eyebrow, wondering if he was going to give me my prize money.

He stuffed the wad of money in his pocket as if reading my mind. "I was just looking to tell you that I can't pay you until a later date." He said hurriedly crossing his arms over his chest.

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "Why not?" I demanded, severely pissed. I didn't fight for fun, I fought for extra money. I worked hard for this, and now he was trying to con me? I don't think so.

He sigh, not even flinching under my signature 'death glare' that made even my brother flinch. "See I owe some guys some money I need to pay off before they kill me, now you're a nice guy-"

"I'm not nice when you owe me money! You shouldn't of offered a reward for the winner if you couldn't pay them." I growled cutting him off angrily. I considered beating him up, I knew I could, but I wasn't that brutish. I sigh in frustration, on some level I knew that he really did owe some guys money and that they were really going to kill him. I felt bad, I couldn't help it.