The maze ~Newtmas~

The reaping

Thomas woke up in a kind of tired daze, He felt light and fluffy like everything was fine in the world, the dread sunk in quickly, all he felt was unbridled fear. Today was the reaping He wanted to jump into a pit and die.

Sitting up from the bed not being able to handle laying down doing nothing with this nagging anxiety about the reaping any longer. Thomas looked to the side to see a light a fancy blue shirt and black pants hanging from my closet door, Brenda probably put them there, it looked like the most uncomfortable thing to ever exist, making him dread today even more.

He stood up glancing at his clock on his desk, 6:43 an hour and seventeen minutes until the reaping. An hour and seventeen minutes until he could potentially get chosen to die. He was starting to panic, it took him a few minutes of constantly telling himself there so many boys, the chances of being picked were so low, to calm down enough to head to breakfast.

When He got to the kitchen Brenda was making breakfast the usual pancakes she made on reaping day to help ease the tension, the smell of pancakes easing his fear slightly. "Good morning Thomas, How are you on this wonderful day." Sarcasm clear in her voice. "Terrible, how are you?" He sighed sitting down at the table next to Jorge who looked just as nervous for them as they were for themselves. "I'm great, this is my last year I'm eligible for the games so all I have to do is not get chosen and I'm home free." Brenda said with obviously fake enthusiasm.

"Cheer up you two! you'll be fine. the odd either of you will be tributes are very slim, look at me, I survived without going to the games you will too. in two years none of us will have to worry about any of this anymore." Jorge says trying to cheer them up. "Yeah yeah you're right." Brenda says sighing, she sat a plate with two pancakes down in front of Thomas, then one In front of Jorge then sat down herself. We eat in silence. None of them knew exactly what to say with the looming threat of the days events hanging above our heads. The silence made Thomas's mind drift to Teresa. She's been pardoned from the reaping, the thought calmed Thomas knowing his best friend was safe, but not completely since she'd be spending the next three weeks in the capital with gamekeepers.

Twenty minutes later they had finished their pancakes Brenda Jorge and Thomas took about 20 minutes to get ready, Brenda wore a sleek solid black dress Jorge and A grey shirt and black pants. "You look nice." He says to Brenda trying to lighten the tension. "thanks you do too." She smiles, it was obviously forced but be smiles back anyway with his own forced smile. They walked out the door down the stairs of their apartment building joining a few people on the road, slowly and somberly making their way to town square.

No one spoke for the entirety of the walk, they arrived at the town square quicker then He had hoped they would. Thomas grabbed Brenda's hand giving it a tight reassuring squeeze before they were forcefully separated by peacekeepers shoving them towards their gender groups. Thomas was slipping into a dazed state, from the noise of crowds of people talking sounds of children and their parents crying, yells of peacekeepers trying to calm the crowd of angry and distraught people, boys were bumping into him as we were filed into a line before He was pushed up to the front. "Finger." A women dressed in a peacekeeper uniform without the helmet said, with her hand out. He held out a shaking hand, she grabbed it gently
pricking his finger and stamping it on a white piece of paper. "Name?" She asked, he looked up and met her eyes a blank look on her face. "Thomas O'Brien." He said numbly, she nodded slightly writing it down. He was guided  forward into a roped off area of scared looking boys, He looked over to the right at the girls section they looked equally as terrified as the boys, he scanned the arena for Brenda but couldn't find her in the crowd.

The awareness was starting to came back to him. Unease rose in his chest, he squeezed his eyes shut trying to calm himself. Remembering Jorges words playing them over and over in his head. When he finally opened his eyes he was facing the stage the grey buildings lining the square were as dull as always. Thomas kept his eyes on the stage focusing on it, trying to drown out the cries of people of all ages, some crying for themselves, some crying for their children, grandchildren, friends or family. His body was still shaking slightly, he knew that He wouldn't be able to stop until this was all over, so he ignored it.

After what felt like an eternity a man in a suit made of all different shades of blue walked onto the stage, smiling like he wasn't about to read off the names of kids that would most likely be dead by the end of the month. Oleander. The man was psycho to say the least. "Welcome one and all to the reaping of the 110th hunger games!" He said with pride then paused as if expecting everyone to cheer, The only sound heard was soft crying. the smile on his face didn't falter it only got brighter as if everyone did cheer, as if people were celebrating with him cheering his name even. It made Thomas sick. He should be used to him by now, every year since Thomas was born He had seen that smile the happiness he took from his job. He'll never get used to his smile.

"now shall we start with the girls?" He said with another slight pause waiting for an answer, again only silence and soft crying was heard. He made his way from the middle of the stage to the girls names reaching into the glass container full of names. "Elizabeth Delphine!" Oleander yelled out while his eyes were scanning the girls side looking for her. A weight lifted off of him knowing Brenda was safe.

A girl wearing a dark purple short sleeve dress walked out of the crowd onto the pathway separating the girls from the boys, she looked  tense but was trying to hide it and was hiding it pretty well considering the circumstances. Peacekeepers quickly made their way behind her guiding her to the stage to Oleanders side, as she stood beside Oleander not daring to look him in the eyes, he can't blame her he must be even more insane looking up close. "Congratulations!" Oleander said patting her on the shoulder, she jumped slightly muttering someone that assumed was a thank you, but Oleanders face twitched, making Thomas wonder if what she said wasn't a thank you. "Moving on to the boys." Thomas tensed the calm feeling he got knowing Brenda was safe leaving him as Oleander walked over to the boys bowl.

Time slowed down as he reached his hand into the bowl his heart racing more then It was before. He started to notice the boys smushed against him some shaking some of them cursing under their breath some had their eyes closed probably struggling to keep back tears. Thomas zoned in on the people around him so when Oleanders booming voice echoed around the square he jumped slightly.

"Thomas O'Brien!"

He froze. He must have misheard. It couldn't really have been him, It was just his anxiety ridden head playing tricks on him. it was just- "Thomas O'Brein. any know a Thomas O'Brien?" Hearing his name again made Thomas snap out of his little delusion. He made his way through the sea of people to the center path, stumbling over a few people, almost immediately peacekeepers were at his side walking behind him to the stage. Going as slow as possible He climbs the steps onto the stage, He makes eye contact with Oleander for a split second, he was right he looks way more psycho up close. he turned to look at the crowds of people watching, he scanning the crowd, his eyes land on Brenda, her hand clasped over her mouth tears brimming her eyes. Oleander grabbed Thomas's and the girl tributes hand lifting them both into the air. "This years district 3 tributes!" He looked into the camera still in shock. Millions of people are going to watch him die a brutal death In his best friends death trap. Oleander dropped his hand right as four peace keepers grabbed him and the other tribute pulling us into town hall.

Thomas was left alone in what looked to be some kind of sitting room for about 30 minutes, before Brenda and Jorge rushed into the room peacekeepers closing the door behind them, Brenda immediately threw herself onto him hugging him extremely tight. "Brenda I can't breath." Thomas said with a dry laugh. "Oh shit sorry." She apologized. She grabbed his shoulders looking him directly in the eye, her eyes red from crying started leaking tears again, he pulled her back into a hug. "It's ok." He mumbled into her shoulder. "Don't lie to me Thomas." They broke apart after a while, He turned to Jorge, who was looking at him with a sad expression. He slowly stepped towards Thomas before wrapping his arms around him, hugging him close. Thomas realized He'd never really hugged Jorge before, it was always a one armed side hug or a pat on the back. Brenda joined the hug from the side.

they stayed like that till the peacekeepers came and told them time was up, watching them walk out Thomas decided something, he was going to survive. No matter what he had to do.