Modern Day Hunger Games

Re-reaping Day (Really long Chapter)

I wake up happy for the first time in two weeks. I'm just glad that I don't have to risk my life just to entertain the sick bastards in the capital. But I can't get that sad little girl out of my mind. I just realized, when she was walking to the stage nobody was crying or volunteering. That's a first.

What a sick and cruel world we live in.

"Natalia! Come here!" My mom yells from the living room.

I jump out of bed and run to the living room to see what's happening.

My mom is staring at the projector screen. On it is Ceasar Flickerman, an interviewer/commentator for the Hunger Games, and Seneca Crane, the head gamemaker for the Hunger Games.

"So you've called an interview to tell the public something very important." Ceasar states.

"That's right. Yesterday was the District 2 reaping." Seneca begins.

"Yes, and?" Ceasar prises.

"Well," Seneca clears his throat. "The female tribute, Catherine Belle, has committed suicide. We can't release further information but there must be another reaping. A replacement female must be chosen. The second reaping will take place two days from now."

I hear a gasp from my mother.

"This is the first time this has happened ever." Mom says quietly.

"Really? No other tributes have killed themselves ever?" I ask curiously.

"In the arena, yes. But in their own district, no. The tributes are too proud to do such a thing."

"No offense to Catherine but maybe we have a chance to win the Hunger Games now." I say cautiously.

"Maybe." She replies before leaving the room.

*********************

~Second Reaping Day~

This was stressful and boring enough the first time. Hopefully this next chick doesn't kill herself. The last thing we need is a third reaping.

Catherine's death didn't really unsettle me because we weren't really friends- I've seen her at school but never really talked to her- and death isn't uncommon in District 2. Most kids have their futures planned out for them but some kids don't always want that.

My mom is a teacher at the local school so she told me Catherine was a poor orphan and was already depressed, being sent to the hunger games is what must of made her snap. There are thousands of people in our district, what are the chances one of the very few orphans in our district was chosen. Then it comes to me.

Tesserae. She must have gotten tesserae. Tesserae gives you an amount of grain for you and your family in exchange for putting your name in more times.

I look at the clock.

10am. Four hours until somebodies future is destroyed.

I hear a knock at the door. It's Chelsea, she's crying.

"Chelsea! What's wrong?!" I ask in a panicked voice.

"It's gonna be me! I'm gonna fucking die! I'll never see my mom again!" She says through loud sobs.

"You haven't been chosen and you won't be chosen so calm the fuck down!" I say more calmly. Chelsea stops crying and wipes her tears.

"Mom! I'm leaving!" I yell upstairs to my mom.

"Be back soon!" She yells back.

"Ok." I say before slamming the door behind me.

Chelsea and I go to town square sit on our usual brown paint chipped bench.