All for One, One for All (jaajxclockwork)

[jaajdbfd]

June 19th, 2409. Day before the Annual Reaping. District Seven.





The Hunger Games is a gruesome event held in Panem, run by President Luna, where children aged 12-17 would fight in an arena to the death. All because their great-grandfather's revolted against the Capitol. Each year twenty four people are picked from the twelve districts, one boy and one girl. This is the 125th Annual Hunger Games, which means that it is a Quarter Quell, giving the games some special rules. This time, it had been announced that four from each district would be reaped, two boys and two girls. This sent shockwaves through the whole of Panem, it meant 47 children would need to die. Many of them will not even make it past the first day.


This is based on August, a seventeen year old boy from District Seven, and Eden, a seventeen year old girl from the same district. As old childhood friends, they agreed to stand by each other forever, and to always support each others family. Even though it was childish innocence speaking, they still mean it today, even if they did not talk as much as previously.


August sat upon one of the stumps around the table within his home. He glanced to each of his family members one by one. His mother, Diana, was staring into her bowl, her face expressionless. His sister, Lucy, sat next to her mother, poking her spoon into the food in front of her, but not eating any of it. His father was out in the forest, it was his work hour. The reason for this silence was the fact that the Reaping would occur tomorrow. Granted, it was only breakfast right now, but the dread in each of the people sat at the table showed that it could be the last breakfast for all of us as a family. The Quarter Quell had been announced, four people from each district, two boys and two girls, would be put up for the reaping. That meant there was a higher chance of it being August or someone in August's family. That was scary for them all. District Seven had never been the weakest district, they knew a good amount about wood, and using an axe as a weapon, but they were far from the best.


-August's viewpoint-





My manager has given me today off to be with my family, it was not often that off days were granted in our district, especially with the high demand for our wood from the Capitol. I don't know why they need so much, it's all technical from the little I've seen. Even though I was expected to spend the day with my family, I first had to take a small trip down to the market. I got a few solemn looks from passers-by, as most people my age would get around this time. When I reached the market, after a short five minute walk, I saw Eden. I walked up to her with a smile, and gave her a small brief hug. "How're you feeling about tomorrow?" I asked sincerely, I knew it wouldn't be a positive feeling, but it was still a conversation, and it was long overdue. It was our last year with the chance of being tributes.

 

[clockwork girl]

One can always tell if it's around time for the Reapings by how quiet it is in the morning. Normally, the entire district is filled with sounds of workers, but today, it's solemn silence that mostly fills the air. Tomorrow is the Reaping--and the mornings on Reapings are dead silent, charged with fear and anxiety. Even our little breakfast table is quiet, but I muss Ian's dark hair as I lay down the little food we can manage--thin soup, crusty bread. At thirteen, this is his second year in participation for the Reapings, and his thin little face gets darker with each passing day. "I put extra potatoes in the soup today," I say lightly, hoping to coax him into eating.


"Where's dad?" Ian asks, his big hazel eyes looking worried.


"He left for work at sunrise, like usual. But don't worry, he'll be home early today." My words don't seem to reassure him much, but he still nods and shovels a spoonful of soup into his mouth. I watch him eat--I've already eaten with father when he left. It's not very often I get to see him eat breakfast, since I work alongside father as well. Ian usually has to eat breakfast alone before walking to school with Lucy and the other children: something I feel more guilty about than I let on. It's been more than six years since our mother died of a fever in a particularly harsh winter, so my relationship with Ian somewhere in limbo between sisterly and motherly. He finishes his food quickly, and I offer him seconds. He shakes his head.


"I'm full." He's not feeling talkative, which I can understand.


"Why don't you go and see what Lucy's up to? I bet she'd enjoy the company," I suggest, rummaging under the rusty stove for the woven basket I made a few years back. It's a little lopsided, but serves its purpose just fine.


"Okay," he answers, a tiny smile finally forming on his lips. "Are you going to the market, Eden?"


"Yes, I heard that the onions are a bit cheaper today," I chatter away, relieved to hear him agree. "That way I'll be able to make your favorite tonight."


---


The market is usually bustling with activity and people, but today there aren't very many showing their face, even with some price drops. I pick two of the biggest onions, and after haggling for a good minute, manage to get an even better price--"For you young'uns," Old Beth says with a weary smile. She's lost two children to the Games, but as bitter as that has made her, she can be surprisingly kind when the mood hits her. I thank her and walk towards the next stall when I see August walking up with a warm smile.


"Hello stranger," I laugh, returning his brief embrace. Smiles and laughter are things rarely seen on the day before a Reaping, but we never failed to cheer each other up. His question isn't one I really want to dwell on, but it is one that has to be faced. "Well, I'm ready for it to be over," I tell him wryly. However, we both know that as our last year as possible tributes, our names are in there many times over--not to mention that this time, there will be four unlucky children instead of two. "You?" I ask back, tugging him into strolling through the market with me. I glance up at him, this time looking a little more serious. "How's Lucy? Ian's probably at your house by now. He hasn't been eating much the last few days." We live relatively close to each other--and often, August's mother would be kind enough to watch over Ian time to time. August and I have been friends for what feels like forever, so it's easy to joke around and pretend nothing's bothering me--but our mutual concern for our families can turn me serious quite quickly.

 

[jaajdbfd]

I offer Eden a smile after she returned my embrace. "You're right, it has been way too long" I say with complete sincerity. I would normally give off a few smiles as Eden spoke, but today I was just not feeling up to a happy mood. Even though she did cheer me up, it wasn't enough today, knowing that tomorrow could be the last day we ever see each other. or our siblings. "You know, I am too. It's not just the fright of it being us, or the fact people we know will die, it's the fact that it takes over our lives, we worry and worry, then worry some more, the worrying doesn't finish until all the scenery and whatever has been taken back to the Capitol." I shrug, listening with mild curiosity as Eden speaks of her brother. Me and Ian have often spoken, nothing too serious, just a few word's of encouragement here and there, the usual thing. I treat him like my own brother, just as Eden treats Lucy. We are like one big family, it's lovely, really. Even though me and Eden are in our last year, and the chances of us being picked have never been higher, it's our siblings we need to worry about, which is why I was worried at what Eden said about Ian. He had to eat to stay strong, both physically and mentally, for the upcoming days. "Lucy is coping, I think she is very confident that it will not be her, because of all the times me and you have not been picked. Obviously, though, she isn't as talkative as she usually is." I paused then, letting off a small chuckle. "Luckily." I grin to Eden then, before continuing. "Tell Ian that I'm telling him to eat, he will need it to be as big and strong as me."


As we walked along, I looked around at the various bits and bobs that were on stalls throughout the market. We stopped every now and then for thing's we needed to buy. I did not need much, really. Just a bar of soap and a cheap little necklace for Lucy, for her to wear tomorrow. This trip was more of an excuse for me to get out of the silent house, it was very uncomfortable in there, but seeing Eden has given the trip a whole new meaning: to catch up with my old friend. I soon found a nice necklace for Lucy at Mad Mark's stall. Not Mad because he is angry, but because he is a little loopy. His prices didn't match up, quite often he would sell a chicken for a cheaper amount than a potato. Today was my lucky day, a nice little necklace, made with gold string and a silver ball hanging off of it. It wasn't the most attractive thing ever, but it would still cost quite a bit. I gave Mark the amount he asked for, sighing. He was such a nice man. Nobody really knows what drove him to his insanity, could be anything in this day. I smiled to Eden, showing her the necklace. "For Lucy?" I was asking her if she thought it'd be nice for her.