Chapter 7
1138 Words
Ever Fellows POV
"Happy birthday, Ever!" my little sister Eire screamed into my ear. That woke me up pretty quick.
"Go away…" I moaned and turned over. Two peering little blue eyes stared back at me over the edge of the bed, and I had to pull the covers over my head to escape.
"EH-VER! It's Reaping Day! Get out of bed!" Eire persisted. She started jumping at my feet.
"Fine, squirt. I'm up!" I said as I rose. The sun was barely up, and everything was quiet. Sure, today she's up at the crack of dawn. When we have chores, she suddenly needs her beauty rest. Eire tagged along as I threw some running clothes on and gulped down a few bites of breakfast oatmeal. Mom and Dad were already working, so Eire was on her own for a few hours. She knows not to start the house on fire and the neighbors will check if anything seems wrong, so she'd be fine.
"Are you gonna have a party?" Eire asked as I pulled my shoes on.
"Yeah, I'm going to go run five miles and maybe today I'll win a prize," I said bitterly.
"Can I come?" she asked.
"Can you run five miles?" I asked.
"No," she admitted.
"Only big girls get to go. It's not as fun as it sounds anyway," I said. I tucked my hair into a ponytail holder so it wouldn't get in my face as I ran and hugged her before I left.
I checked the town clock tower as I ran past. It was seven o'clock. That gave me just enough time to squeeze in my usual run and a little leftover to straighten myself up.
I jogged past the center of town and headed for a quiet cluster of houses. Over the years I'd covered most of District 7, but my routes became decidedly more selective after I got bit by a nasty yellow dog. Stupid mutt.
My family was lucky enough not to need tesserae, so my name was only in the bowl three times. Even so, I wasn't taking any chances. It was illegal to train and all that, but nobody cared if some girl threw a few knives at a stump in her backyard. I was a pretty good shot by now. It was flight or fight in the Games, and between that and my running, I had both bases covered.
I arrived at the Reaping center slightly out of breath but ready to run another couple of miles. The attendant smiled as she took my blood.
"Happy birthday!" she said.
Thanks. It's my favorite day of the year, I thought.
I watched the stupid film as felt my blood heat up. We all knew what it said. They knew we knew. Get on with it.
Mariposa Aglet took the stage in a thong and pasties that covered flesh only in theory, all wrapped in a layer of sheer white tulle. I was reminded again why I would never understand Capitol fashion.
She selected a paper.
"Ever Fellows!"
Well, happy freaking birthday to me.
Timber Jones POV
"Settlers faced cholera, dangerous animals, dehydration, poisonous plants, and many other perils. Many remained stuck on snowy mountain ranges for months before the ice melted enough for them to pass."
The rest of the page was hidden under my shirt, and I sneakily tugged it out so I could read another line. I knew I shouldn't be reading at the Reaping, but putting down a book was easier said than done. I only had a few more pages anyway.
I glanced up when Mariposa called a girl's name. My heart sank when I saw Ever Fellows step on stage. She didn't deserve this. She may have a temper, but I'd seen the way she was with her little sister Eire. If Eire found their mother's makeup, Ever gamely let her make her the most fabulous girl in 7. Every time they raced, Ever somehow tripped right before the finish line. That girl may have been outspoken and unwilling to take any crap, but she'd fight a tiger for her sister, and she'd probably shout him to death.
Mariposa approached the boys' bowl, and I didn't feel like reading any more. I held my breath as she unfolded a paper.
"Timber Jones!"
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I didn't hear anything, but then I felt someone pulling me and realized a Peacekeeper was dragging me onto the stage.
Roul.
I swept the crowd with my eyes and found my brother. All those times the kids at school threw my books in the dirt, it was Raol that chased them away and dusted them off. When Raol was going to a party and I had nowhere to go, he was the one who always convinced his friends I was cool. I knew he'd help me now.
"Roul!" I screamed. I stared at him pleadingly. He'd volunteer any moment.
I kept staring at him. He wasn't moving.
He was crying.
"Roul!" I shouted again, louder this time. "Roul!"
He started to weep as he shook his head.
"No! No, Roul! No, don't leave me!" I wailed. Mariposa took my hand as I sobbed.
"Let's have a big round of applause for Ever Fellows and Timber Jones!" she said, but nobody heard her over my cries.
I was trembling and staring at the wall when Roul came in. He was still crying.
"Why? Why didn't you come?" I asked. I could barely speak.
"I'm so sorry, Timber," my brother said. His voice cracked. "I'm sorry."
He lowered his head.
"It's Cassia. She's… she's pregnant."
What does that matter? I'm your little brother, I thought in confusion.
"I'm sorry… I need to be here for her. I can't just leave her and our son. I love you, Timber. I'm so sorry."
He couldn't say any more. He hid his face in his hands and cried.
I almost cried too, but I found I'd used up all my tears before Roul came. I already knew I was going to die. I didn't want my last minutes with my brother to be sad. I laid a hand on his back.
"It's… it's okay, Roul. I love you," I said.
Roul hugged me tight and sobbed.
"I love you too," he said. "I love you so much."
Author's note:
I'm trying to be as descriptive as I can, but I just tend to write stark, so if these chapters are too short, tell me to knock it off. Also, I hope the submitter doesn't mind that I gave Ever a little sister. It was the only way I could think of to make her tough yet compassionate. And how awesome would siblings named Ever and Eire be?
- Writer
