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"SAWYER, ASHYLN, HAVEN! It's time to leave." the Cleary mother yelled from downstairs. The three children all trudged silently down the stairs and out their front door, one after the other.
As they walked into the town square, Ashlyn held Haven's hand, squeezing it. There was nothing that could be said in that moment, but the gesture was comforting.
Right before they reached the check in table, Cecile Cleary pulled her children and husband into a hug, choking back tears. "I love you guys. No matter what happens, mom and I will always be there to support you.", Shane whispered, his voice wavering.
They pulled away, Haven glancing back one last time at her parents as her and Ashlyn split from Sawyer to be checked in with the other girls. "NEXT" the lady called as Haven stepped up. She winced as the woman pricked her finger and stamped her blood onto the sheet. Haven waited for Ashlyn, embracing her one last time before they parted, Ashlyn heading to stand in the back with the other eighteen year olds, and Haven standing with the sixteen year old girls.
A while later, once everyone had been checked in, District 4's escort, Pandora Winters, strutted out of the doors behind the stage. She looked positively ridiculous, dressed in a fluffy tiered pink dress, with heels and lipstick of the same color. Haven smirked, thinking how Pandora looked exactly like one of the frosted cupcakes in the square's bakery. Standing behind Winters were the victors of District 4, all with stone-like expressions on their faces. Well, except for Finnick Odair, who was wearing his trademark smirk as he stared out at the crowd.
Pandora tapped the microphone, sending feedback throughout the square. "Welcome citizens of District 4, to the reaping for the Sixty-Seventh annual Hunger Games. Before we begin, I've got a special video brought to you all the way from the capitol!" The screens flashed, and then began playing the same video they showed every year. The video showed footage of terrible war, and then the peace that came, and of course its price: the yearly Hunger Games.
Once the video ended, Pandora walked back up to the microphone. "Now, it's time to find out which lucky individuals will have the honor of representing District 4 in the 67th Hunger Games. As always, ladies first."
The few seconds it took Pandora to walk over to the glass bowl containing the names of all the females in the pool felt like an eternity to Haven. Pandora fished her arm around in the bowl before plucking a crisp, white slip of paper out. She returned to the microphone, drawing a breath before she read out the name.
"Haven Cleary."
Haven froze. She knew her name was in the bowl 25 times, but she didn't expect to actually be picked.
"Haven, come up here dear."
Haven snapped out of her daze, and walked up to the stage with a troubled look on her face, eventually joining Pandora.
"Any volunteers?" Pandora called.
Haven stared out into the crowd, and saw Ashlyn starting to move. She locked eyes with her sister, and shook her head ever so slightly. This was the one time Haven could guarantee her sister would be safe from the games, and there was no way in hell she was letting Ashlyn take her place.
"Well, seeing as we have no volunteers, let's move on to the boys." Pandora spoke into the microphone before going to grab an identical looking slip of paper from the other bowl.
Pandora cleared her throat before reading the name.
"Spencer Cade"
A fairly tall, muscular boy walked out from the back of the boys section, his head held high. Haven was impressed, he was certainly much better at hiding his emotions than she was.
Pandora called for volunteers again, but no one offered themselves up.
"Well, there you have it. The tributes of District 4: Haven Cleary and Spencer Cade." Winters announced. The two tributes shook hands, before being whisked away into the justice building by a slew of Peacekeepers, the thick wooden doors separating them from everyone else.
// author's note me: is the author, knows haven is gonna get reaped also me when haven was reaped: 😮 i know this chapter was a little short, i originally combined it with chapter 1 but it felt too long so i separated it. i can't wait to write the stuff in the capitol before the games :) q- do you think haven & spencer will be friends? allies? enemies? thank you for reading <3 - a
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