7 Days until the Reaping
"Hey..." said a familiar voice, "Zegan...Hey! Wake up! Its time for school!" I slowly opened my eyes. "Jeez, what are you, a Snorelax?" The voice continued to yell, "Come on, time to get up." I slowly got out of bed, yawning. "Maaaan, I was having a good dream too..." I said sleepily. I noticed that it was Jak waking me un, and he was in his uniform to go to work. I then said, "Oh, hey Jak. Whats for breakfast?" Jak replied, "The first thing you talk about after getting up is food?! Were your parents really Snorelax's?" "Maybe. Maybe not," I replied, "All I know is that I want some breakfast." I got up from my bed and headed towards the bathroom. "Ughhh..." Jak said, "Well, as long as you go too school... Anyway, I gotta go to work. See ya." Jak then exited my roomand walked towards the front door. "See ya Jak!" I yelled at Jak as he went through the front door. I then took a quick shower, put on my usual clothes, picked up my bookbag, and walked to the kitchen. "Morning kid," another familiar called, "Want some toast?" It was Dad, and he was making some toast. "Hey dad," I replied, "Yeah, I'd like some." I walked over and took a piece, and walked towards the front door.
"Well, I gotta go. See..." I started to say, opening the door, when Dad interrupted me, saying, "Wait, i need you to do something first." Confused, i said, "Uhhhh....okay, whats up?" He bekoned me over to the kitchen table. I went over and pulled out a chair, and sat down. Dad had this grim look on his face. Conserned, I asked, "Is something wrong? Am I in trouble?" "No, its just..." he said grimmly, "The Hunger Games are going to start in a week." "What?!" I yelled, slamming my hands on the table and standing up, " But I thought they were going to postpone it for another 2 years!" Dad replied, "They did. But they finshed it much earlier then they expected. Now their going to start it once more..." Shock and anger ran through my body. "So. what did you want me to do?" I asked angerly. "While Me and Jak are too old to enter..." Dad said, "Your still eligable to particapatein the Hunger Games. So, as the rules say, you must write down your name on a piece of paper." Dad then passed me a small piece of paper and a pen. "What happens if i don't?" I asked, curious. "I don't know," he said, "But i don't want to take that risk. So, could you please do this for me?" 'I don't have a choice,' I thought, 'It's like their pointing a gun to his head.' Relucticlt, i said, "Alright. What time does it start?" I took the pen and wrote my name while Dad said, "I don't know, but I think its going to be around noon." "Right." I said. I then noticed the clock, and I saw that I was an hour late. "Ahh! I'm late!" I yelled, running towards the door. I thought i heard Dad say good-bye, but I was in such a hurry I didn't care. "Crap crap crap crap!" I muttered loadly to myself as i ran towards school.
7 hours later, school was finally out. Nothing really important happened at school, and I didn't need to go home yet, so i desided to head towards Castelia Ports. After walking for awhile, i finally reached the port. I located my favorite spot, a boat the nobody uses anymore, and laid down on the front side of the boat. I thought about what might happen at the Hunger Games, but I fell alseep a few minutes later. After awhile, I woke up, and noticed that it was getting dark. I got up and started running towards home, hoping that I'd get home in time.
When I got to my home, I ran through the front door and slammed the door. Dad was sitting at the table while Jak was cooking dinner."Am I late?" I said, out of breath. Dad replied, "Nope. Just in time for dinner." "Oh, whats for dinner then?" I asked. Jak replied, "Chicken, with mashed potatoes and green-beans." I ran over to the table while throwing my book bag on the couch. "Sweet!" I yelled, pulling out a chair and sitting down, anxiously waiting for dinner to be done. A few minutes later,
Jak yelled, "Dinners ready!" He brought the food and we all had a great night. After dinner, Jak and Dad went to bed because they have to get up early. I stayed up for an hour or two, thinking about the Hunger Games, and I finally went to bed.
3 Days until the Reaping
The day started as usual. Jak waking me up, Dad giving me a piece of toast before going to school, and me almost being late for school. Today, I desided to pull a prank on one of the teachers. Before everyone came into the classroom, I swiched the teachers pen with a shock pen. I then exited as quietly as possible. A few minutes later, Me, the students, and the teacher, Mister Elric, entered the classroom. I sat at my desk at the front. Mr. Elric put me there so he could keep an eye on me. After a lesson on some stuff i already new, Mr. Elric went back to his desk and was about to grade some papers, when he picked up the shock pen and tried to use the pen, unleashing 756 volt into his body. Mr. Elric jumped from his desked, with a mix of shock and anger on his face. Me and most of the other students started laughing. "ZEGAN ZOMA!" Mr. Elric yelled angerly, "To the principal's office! NOW!" Laughing, I replied, "All right, all right. Hahahaha..." I got up from my desk and walked towards the principal's office, being escorted by Mr. Elric.
The principal, Misses Rose, was sitting down doing some paperwork when saw me and Mr. Elric into her office. "Alright..." she said, "What now?" Mr. Elric forced me into a chair and started to rant saying, "I'll have you know that this...delinquent used this," he pulled out the shock pen, "Too shock me and almost killed me with it!" "Really?" Mrs. Rose said, looking at Mr. Elric, then at me, "Is this true?" I replied, "Yes, I did. But I didn't try to kill him with it. You can really kill anyone with a shock pen." "I see. Well...Mr. Elric?" She said looking back at him, "I'd like you to leave us so we can talk. Is that ok?" Mr. Elric smiled and said, "Yes, indeed. Please do." he said, then he walked out of her office. "Alright," I said, "Is it suspension, or a call home?" She replied, "Nether." "What?" I said confused. "Well, I know that your going to be in the Hunger Games this year," she said, "So I think it'll be okay if I let you have this one prank." "Sooo...I'm off? Scotch-free?" I asked. "Yes," she said, "Now go back to class and behave." "Right. Thatnks!" I said, getting up and walking out of her office. 7 hours later school ended.
"Better get home early." I muttered to myself, walking towards my house. As I came close to my house, I heard yelling and screaming. "Give me some money!" a boyish voice yelled. "No! I need it! HELP!" yelled another boyish voice. I desided to investigate what was happening. As I got close to an alley-way, I heard what appeared to be a struggle. I walking into the alley to find a boy from my school being mugged by another boy who looked like he came from a different school. "Hey," I yelled, "Mind telling me whats going on here?" "Huh?" said the mugger, "Who the hell are you?" I replied saying, "My name isn't important. What is important is what your doing to that guy." "Heh, trying to play hero huh?" the mugger said in a threatening voice, "Well I'd run away if i were you. I've no time for punks like you." Seizing the moment, the student freed himself from the mugger and ran behind me, hoping I'd protect him. "Dammit," he said in an angry voice, "I wasn't going to hurt you if you didn't resist. But..." he pulled out a pocket knife from his right pocket, "Plans change." When he pulled out his knife, I had this feeling like I my blood was begining to boil, and this tingleing sensaion covered my whole body. I began to smile menacingly, and I start to laugh insanly. "HAHAHAH! Do you really plan to kill me?!" I said in an excited voice, "Well, I hope your prepared! I don't want this to end too quickly!" "What the hells wrong with you?!" the mugger began to yell, "Fine, if you want to die that quickly, then I'll grant your wish, punk!" He then began to charge at me. I stood my ground, watching and waiting to make my move. I pushed the student away so that he wouldn't get in the way. when he got 2 feet away from me, he thrusted his right arm at me with the knife pointed towards my heart. I dodge to the right of him, making him miss, and threw a punch at his face. It landed squarely on his right cheek, and he started to spin as he fell to the ground. By the way his body fell, i could tell he was unconcious. "Hmph. Weakling." I said, and the tingleing sensaion subsided.
"Uhhh.." the boy said, his voice sounding scared, "T-thank you." He then ran away, most likely going home. I walked out of the alley and looked at the sky. It was starting to become dark. 'That took more time then it needed to.' I thought, 'Might as well go home.' I turned towards my house and walked towards the front door. When I opened it, Dad and Jak were sitting on couch watching TV. "Welcome back," Dad said, "Your home early. Something happened?" 'Better not tell them about the fight.' I thought. "Nope. I'm just tired. Thats all." I said, sitting on the couch with them. An hour later, Dad and Jak fixed some dinner, and everyone went to bed.
Day of the Reaping
I woke up early today. As I got out of bed, Jak and Dad both walked into my room. "Hey..." Dad said, sounding sad, "Morning kid." Jak didn't say a word. "Morning guys," i said, trying to cheer them up, "Ready to go?" "Yeah..." Dad replied. As i walked towards the bathroom, Dad put his hand on my left shourlder, saying, "Zegan. If, by some chance that you get picked, Let me just say that I love you with all my heart." "Yeah, me too." Jak said sadly. "I know," I replied, "But come on, the chances of that happening are, like, one out of one thousand. I'll be fine." Dad chuckeled, saying, "Yeah, thats true. But please, remember what we said, just in case." "Right." I said, then i walked out and showered. After that, I put on my usual clothes, and walked to the front dorr where Jak and Dad were waiting. Dad opened the front door and we all left together.
We walked around in silence until we found a crowd of people standing in front of what seemed like a stage. There were two line. One was only boy, and one was only girls. I walked over to the boys side, and I waited for something to happen. I occasionally looked back at Dad and Jak, just to make sure i could see them. After a few minutes, a woman came and announced, "Now, for the names." 'If i remember correctly,' i thought, 'They always draw the guys name first.' The woman walked over to a bowl and pulled out a name, and yelled, "Zegan Zoma!"
When I heard my name, it felt like i just got hit by a truck. I looked back at my family, hoping they didn't hear what was just said. Dad had a pained and tragically grim expression, and Jak had a shocked look on his face. The other parents started to comfort them, while other sighed in relief. Forcing myself, I started to walked to the stage, trying to clear any expression on my face. I noticed my hand shaking, and wondered if it was fear, or excitement. As i was halfway to the stage, the woman yelled out another name,"Zorya Solistum!" Reaching the stage, I noticed the girl. She wore some weird colthes, although I'm one to talk. Our eyes met, and I could tell she was determend to win. My blood began to boil and I started to smile menacingly, and I knew I would have fun fight this one.
The battles to come may risk my life, but I'm going to have fun every step of the way.
