The annual Hunger Games are still going on. Two teenagers are reaped from District 11 (the farming one) and grow a stronger and stronger bond with each passing day. Will they survive the Hunger Games?
((bump?))
(It's been a hot second since I've read the books, but I'm game)
(lol alright, its been a few months since I finished the last book. So you wanna do mxm fxf or mxf?)
(I'd like to be the guy in a mxf)
(actually i just realized it would have to be mxf cause a boy and a girl get reaped. Duh. And that's great! So template or blind?)
(Blind, although my response might not make it tonight)
(gotcha. I'll start if you don't mind)
(Not at all)
Wren walked through the apple orchard, admiring all the colorful trees and the warm sunlight. It all seemed especially beautiful today, like the world was trying to show her it's last impression before she was shipped off to die. Today was the day of the reaping. Though hundreds of other kids were entered, Wren had to take the tesserae, which supplied her family with grain and oil, to care for her siblings, and her name was now entered 40 times. There was definitely a high chance of her selection. So she wanted her last day to be her best, if she did get chosen. She sat with her back against a sturdy trunk, sighing.
Kaz hefted a large bag of grain on to his shoulder with a small grunt, heading towards a small wooden cart. Today was just a normal day for him. He had work to do, just like any other day. There were a few hours before the selection, giving him enough time to load up the bags of grain and ship it off before it was time to leave. He had no fear. If he got picked, he'd leave without a fuss. If he didn't, it was right back to work. Simple as that.
Wren blinked open her eyes, realizing she had drifted off for a bit. A little boy ran up to her, she soon recognized him as her little brother Markus. "Marky!" She exclaimed tiredly as he jumped into her arms. "Mama took us to get you for the…the…" He trailed off, not remembering the word. Wren smiled sadly. "Reaping." She said, standing and picking him up from under his arms. Up ahead, she spotted her mother, tall and thin, holding her infant brother in one arm and holding the hand of her seven year old sister with the other. As she approached, Wren saw the sad expression on her face. "Where's Kyla?" She asked. "Waiting for us outside the orchard. She's very nervous." Wren sighed at her mother's words. Kyla was twelve and this was her first year in the reaping. They headed out of the orchard, finding Kyla, and passed by a boy about her age loading up bags of grain.
(bump?)
(Oh, shit, I'm sorry!)
"Kaz!" an old man's voice shouted. Kaz turned to the voice, the bag still on his shoulder. His grandpa was waving him to come closer. He dropped the bag and approached, rolling his arms and wincing. The bags were heavy.
"The Reaping's about to begin, boy. We must go."
Despite his old age, his grandfather walked just as fast as his grandson. His grip was still rock solid, and his posture was as straight as an arrow.
"You nervous, boy?" the grandpa asked, looking down at the shorter, stocky Kaz.
"Not really," Kaz said with a shrug. "It's pretty unlikely for me to get picked, anyways."
(no no it's fine)
They arrived in the square and made it to the point where the teenagers had to be separated from their families. "Where's dad?" Wren asked worriedly.
"I'm not really sure," her mother murmured lowly. "But it'll be okay. Neither of you will be chosen. The probability is very low."
Wren sighed. "I hope so." She hugged her mother goodbye, held her little siblings close and gave her little baby brother a kiss on the head. Then she took Kyla's hand and they entered the crowd of teens. Kyla squeezed her hand with a grip of iron.
Kaz's grandpa gave his grandson a cuff on the shoulder, which was the equivalent of a hug in their family before they split up into their respective groups.
He took notice of a girl about his age holding hands with a terrified girl barely old enough to join in. It had him frown in thought as he looked back up at the stage, unsure of how long this would take.
A man with curly green hair and an elaborate orange suit stepped onstage. "Welcome, one and all, to the 68th annual Hunger Games! Today we are very pleased to have with us previous victors Chakra (i don't feel like coming up with a last name) and Jaxon (again, too lazy lol)." The man droned on and on about the history of Panem and why they were here today. Finally, he said, "Alright, let's start with the ladies…" He fumbled around a bit in a glass bowl filled with hundreds of tiny slips of paper. "Let's see…" He unfolded a slip. "Wren Mayfield!"
Wren gripped Kyla's hand. Kyla cried out, "No!" And tears began streaming down her face. But Wren didn't seem to feel anything. Only…numbness. Kissing her sister in the head, she stepped onstage, shaking and trying not to cry.
The whole crowd seem to let out a loud sigh when the first name was called. The man said a bit more that Kaz didn't care to listen too, then reached in the glass bowl again and pulled out a name.
"Kaz Ripley! What a….unique name."
Kaz locked eyes with his grandfather as he walked toward the stage and was surprised to see tears. Any other person would've broke down at the sight. Kaz only gave a small nod as he climbed up the steps and joined the other girl that was picked, a neutral expression on his face.
Wren glanced over to Kaz nervously. How can he be so calm? He is probably going to die and never see his family again! She scanned the crowd and her eyes met her mother's, and tears filled her eyes again. Kyla was wrapped around her, and the three younger children didn't have a clue what was going on. Her mother was sobbing, which was the only audible sound in the otherwise silent crowd. A tear trickled down her eye as the man closed the speech and they were taken into custody.
(I don't remember what happens after they get taken into custody)
(I think they say goodbye to their family, then they get on the train)
(Lemme find my book and see how they word it, cause I don't wanna fuck nothing up)
(Hold up, I'm watching the movie and it got to the reaping part. Give me a few more minutes and I'll have a response up)
(Lol, alright)
"You've got 3 minutes," a gruff voice said as Kaz's grandfather walking into the room. His face was still sticky with tears.
His grandpa walked over and without saying a word, wrapped him up in a deathgrip of a hug. "I lost your father to this damned game," he said softly, "and now I'm gonna lose you too."
"Like hell you are," Kaz said, his voice as firm as steel as he returned the hug. "You aren't rid of me yet."
"You sound just like your father," old man Ripley said, then pulled away. "You are one brave little shit. I've always been proud of you. I'm sure your father would be, too."
"Thanks, pop. I'll see you in while." It was like a casual goodbye as his grandfather left, something that puzzled the guard at his door.
Wren sighed with relief as her father entered the room. "Dad…" She managed to sputter, embracing him close. "Shhh..I know." Tears wet his gray shirt, from both him and Wren. They didn't say much and before they knew it it was time for him to leave. "Wren..I'm so sorry…I love you, so much." He sighed as he exited. Next her mother came in, with all of her little siblings. "Wren!" Kyla hugged her tightly, silent tears falling. Her mother was still wiping tears, and after Kyla let go, Wren fell into her mother's warm embrace, and felt a soft kiss on her head. "You'll be fine..I love you so much." Wren felt a small tug on her shirt and saw Markus holding onto it. "Where are you going? And when will you be back?"
"My sweet Marky, I won't be back for a long time, but I'll see you again. I promise." She planted a kiss on his head and her family, all she had known, was ripped from her. God..please..keep them safe.
A peacekeeper grabbed her arm and brought her to the car where the two of them would be brought to the train station, and from there they would be taken by train to the Capitol.
Kaz shortly followed, guarded by two peacekeeper on each side. The announcer clapped his hands in joy as the peacekeepers walked away.
"Oh, goody!" the man said as the doors were open for the three. "You two will have such a swell time on the train!"
Wren rolled her eyes, eyes still stained with tears, but recovering now, and stepped into the car. Yeah, we'll have such a swell time on the train, besides the fact that it's shipping us off to our deaths. Glancing over at Kaz, she wondered which of them would die first. Or if he might kill her. Or if she might have to kill him. All these thoughts fogged her mind, and she didn't even notice that the car had started moving. This doesn't feel real, she thought, resting her head on the headrest. It was a short ride, and before she knew it, they arrived at the train station. Cameras were everywhere, swallowing up each and every part of their short walk from the car onto the train. As she stepped on board, she noticed how brilliant the car was. The train began moving extremely quickly as she was escorted to her own private room, which was huge and could basically do anything you asked it to. But it felt horrible and unnatural. She sat on the bed and buried her face in her arms.
Kaz laid down on to the bed, smiling contently. It was way better than the usual haystack he had to sleep on back home. He knew exactly what the purpose of all of this was. It was like feeding sugar to a sheep before slicing its head off. Like a last meal before an execution. But the idea of it didn't bother him. He lived purely in the present, unwilling to fret about the future or what it held for him. Almost as soon as his head hit the pillow he was asleep, snoring lightly.
Wren blinked her eyes open, realizing that she had dozed off. A knock sounded at the door, and before she could get up and open it or even shout, "come in", the man from the reaping skipped inside. "Oh goody, you're awake!" He squeaked. "Dinner is in 20 minutes! Go on and clean yourself up! There are clean clothes in the drawers!" And with that, he exited. Wren started by taking a hot shower, which felt absolutely amazing, as the only water she got to wash I'm back home was cold stream water. Afterwards she changed into a gray shirt and black leggings. She knew it was probably meant to be sleep clothes, but it was the only natural-looking thing in there, and everything else was so shiny it could blind someone. She pulled on some black flats, combed her hair, and went to the dining car, sitting down at the table.
