THE 150th HUNGER GAMES

District 1 and 2 Reapings(18)

Lenora Lightengale's (escort) P.O.V:

I run my hands through my lovely lavender locks, and I hear the mayor finish his speech, and the video featuring that terrible war and the history of the Hunger Games begins to play on the screens. I mouth the words along with it.. War, terrible war... It continues on for a minute or two, and I fiddle with the perfect violet earrings in my ears. I stand from the stool in the Justice Building and walk out to the crowd, my purple heels clacking all the way. It is such an honor to be the escort for District 1! Simply wonderful!

"Hello! And welcome to the Reaping for our 150th Hunger Games! May the odds be EVER in your favor!" I smile at the crowd and wink. "Are you eighteen year olds ready to be part of this fantastic Quarter Quell?" I ask the adolescents in front of me. They are the only ones being reaped today, as the eighteen year old game will be held first.

I hear some boys whoop and some light clapping from the girls. "I'm so glad your excited!" I tell them, and walk up to the glass ball holding the eighteen year old girl's names. There aren't terribly many. "Ladies first!" I say, and stick my hand into the papers. I jumble them around for some effect, and then pull out a single slip. I admire my purple nails with lilacs painted on them as I unravel it."Gian-" I begin to say, but I am cut off.

"I VOLUNTEER!" screams a girl, running up to me. She has long, wispy chocolate brown hair. She is quite a pretty girl, and it would be a shame to lose her, I think to myself, but I ask her her name anyway.

"Marisol Redd," she replies. "But call me Mari!"

"And I will assume you are eighteen and a Career?"

"Yes!"

I smile at her, grab her hand, and lift it up in the air. "Our first tribute- Marisol 'Mari' Redd!" There is light clapping from the crowd. I let go of Mari's hand and smooth out my puffy purple dress. "Now for the boys!" I say in a sing-song voice to the crowd. I clack over to their glass ball, which doesn't have very many names, either. I run my tongue over my lips that are coated in purple lipstick, and select one right from the top. "Jon-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" A boy is suddenly running up to me. He has a wide grin on his face and very light blond hair. "Samuel Markson, call me Sam!" He says, looking very pleased with himself. "I'm eighteen, and obviously a Career," He says before I can confirm. It is obvious, though, he volunteered and he looks very strong.

I take grab his arm and take Mari's with my other hand. I hold both their arms up and pull them together, so that they have clasped hands. The perfect touch. "Our District 1 tributes!" I scream, hardly able to contain my excitement. "Mari Redd and Sam Markson!"

Belinda Birdflight's (escort) P.O.V:

The mayor says a few words after the video has played, and when he finishes, I walk up to the two glass balls that have the names of every eighteen year old in District 2. "Thank you, Mr. Mayor," I say to him, and stride confidently up to the crowd, feeling my sparkly blue dress sway around my legs. "HELLO, EVERYONE! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be EVER in your favor! I'm so delighted to be here. And I can't wait to see all you wonderful Careers volunteering!" I wink at them.

I smile and reach my hand into the glass ball of eighteen year old girls. "Ok, girls, here is our eighteen year old tribute from District 2!" I say enthusiastically. Some of them look as excited as me, while others- tisk tisk, such Debby Downers.

I pull a slip of paper out and unfold it. While I am doing so, I see that my mood ring has turned a bright yellow. Oh no! I am no longer blue, calm and collected! This is TERRIBLE!

I realize this is just getting me more agitated, so I try to calm myself down as I take off the mood ring and shove it in my pocket. I remember I am at the reaping, and begin reading the name off the paper I had chosen. "Han-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" Says a girl, happily running up to meet me. She has blond hair tied up in a neat ponytail.

"What's your name, dear?" I ask her.

"Kathleen Pawters, I'm eighteen, and I'm a career!" She exclaims.

"Wonderful!" I reply, and say to the crowd. "Our first tribute, Kathleen Pawters!"

I turn towards the other glass ball full of names. "Time to select a boy!" I tell the people gathered before me. I reach my hand in and dig towards the bottom. I select a paper, unfold it slowly for effect, and see that the nail polish on one of my nails is chipping! It's all I can do not to run back into the Justice Building in embarassment. I make a mental note to get it redone back at the Capitol.

I read the name off the paper. "Jeff-"

"I VOLUNTEER!" A boy shouts. "David Singe, age eighteen, Career, future winner!" He says very fast. David has shaggy, dark brown hair and a determination I can't beat. He definitely stands a chance.

"Our District 2 tributes!" I yell. "Kathleen Pawters-" I motion to her, "And David Singe!" I motion to him, and he whoops. "Happy Hunger Games!" I say one last time, and lead them inside the Justice Building, and the crowd slowly disperses.