The Reapings! (33rd Games)

The District 7 escort steps up on stage and smiles with blindingly white teeth. She starts speaking in a high pitched voice, "Welcome everyone to the Reapings! Today one young man and woman will be chosen to participate in the 33rd Annual Hunger Games!" She steps up to the big bowls containing the names of every child in the district, from 12 to 18. Her hands hover above the bowls for a second, as if deciding something. "Now then, Ladies first!" she says, and reaches into the bowl filled with girls names...

"Daniel! You're gonna be late, get your sorry behind out here!" That was his father. Daniel was getting dressed in his best outfit. It was only a white dress shirt, a black tie, black pants and black shoes. He sighed and walked out. His dad...he swore he was going crazy. Daniel's hair was combed forward and when his father saw he smiled. "Seems like your ready to be sent to your death...and remember boy..." He walked close to him and looked him dead in the eye. If you turn nineteen, and you haven't been in those games...I'm gonna kill ya anyway...understood?" Daniel just nodded and his father said, "Alright then...lets go."

They eventually got to the Justice Building, after walking through the district. He spotted a couple families reassuring their children. To Daniel, it didn't matter. If he was picked, fine. He would just kill everyone else in the games and come back. No big deal to him. If he wasn't picked, well...he still had two more years left to volunteer or get picked again. And if he died in the games? Like hell he would let that happen. He made it to where he signed in and did so. He took his place among the other sixteen year old boys. He sighed, bored, and waited for the female name to be called.

She dug her hand into the bowl and pulled out the female tribute's name, "Greta Gregorvich" She called out and then she dug into the male's bowl. "Daniel Ralcom "

Daniel heard Greta's name called, and his eyes grew wide. It seemed to him like it must've been a dream. Then he heard his name called, and he thought he was living in a nightmare. Everyone had turned to look at him and they all made way for him to walk up. He glanced at his father who had an expressionless face, but nodded to him. He made it up and stood there next to Greta. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He knew what this meant. It meant that he would have to see Greta dead if he ever wanted to return...he tried to wipe that fact from his mind. He realized now why he didn't want to get close to anyone. For this exact reason. Of course, he was over reacting. Someone could volunteer...he he hoped they would...he prayed they would...

Daniel thought of this day before but...he never thought it was going to go down like this. Here he was, panicking on the inside. He thought he was shaking, but he wasn't. He had always planned for him to walk up, calm and collected. But he couldn't this isn't at all what he was expecting. He was ready to just get on his hands and knees and beg at this point for someone to volunteer...anyone...

Eventually Greta did start crying and she couldn't help it as they waited for any volunteers, soon a girl out in the crowd, an eighteen year old volunteered. "I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE." she said loudly. Greta looked up and watched her come out onto the stage. She introduced herself as "Regan Lee" Greta was escorted back down and soon she saw peacekeepers taking the two tributes into rooms where they would say good by to their friends and family.

(Regan Lee is just the NPC name for now, if anyone else wants the spot later then just say so and I'll change the name and age xD.)

Daniel was relieved. He knew he could do it now...no matter what. The first person to visit him, was not his father, but little Dustin. He hugged his brother and said, "Dustin...whatever happens...don't you ever think about giving into Dad's madness..." He looked at him in the eye and said, "Alright?" His brother nodded and they said their last goodbyes. Dustin walked out. His father had told him he wouldn't show up. Now he waited to see if anyone else would come...

Greta knew she had to go say goodbye to Daniel, he was a friend, even though they only hung out at one time before the reapings. She didn't want to have to say good bye though either. She sighed and then she decided she would, for sure. She walked over there and soon after a bit she was let in the door shut behind her and she looked over at Daniel. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

He was thinking about who would enter. The only person he could think of was Greta...and sure enough, she did. She was saying something about being sorry, but he didn't care. Without thinking he hugged her and he quickly released her, blushing a little. "S-sorry..." What was he thinking? He had only hung out with her once...

He noticed she was hugging him and he had hugged her back. When she let go he did so too. He smiled when she put the crown on him. He had heard her tell him to be safe and he said, "Don't worry...I'll do everything that I can to come back to you...not just the district, not just my home, not just my family but to you...and when I do, I will be a victor. Not a victor of District 7...a victor you can be proud of..." He was blushing slightly, and he realized it was kinda cheesy, but that didn't matter to him right now. All that mattered was that he got it out.

"Trust me. I will be coming back..." He went into his pocket and pulled out a necklace. A silver one. He held it out to her and said, "Here. My mom gave that to me when I was really young...she said that it belonged to her and he wanted me to give it to someone I cared deeply about...and as you may have guessed...that person is you Greta. Even if we only hung out once, I already know that you are the person that deserves this the most...that's what you can remember me by if I don't come back..." He looked at her, straight in the eye. He smiled at her, not knowing what else to say.

He whispered to her after she smiled back at him, "Not as beautiful as someone I know..." And he kissed her. He broke away slowly and whispered, "Might never get the chance again, right?" He looked at her, a smile that was warm, but also a little sad. He didn't care how embarrassing that could've been. He realized he was falling for her, but didn't care about that either.

He was sad that she had to leave eventually. After hearing her say that she was glad they both weren't in the games, he smiled again. "Believe me...you don't know how hard that would've been for me...Oh, try and keep an eye on my younger brother if you can...I'm worried my dad will try and go crazy with him too..." Right after he said that, the peacekeepers came in. He sighed and whispered, "Bye Greta...I'll never forget that day in the forest..." 

He waited to be escorted to the train. He was ready now. He was ready to go to the arena and kill everyone there. Of course, he would need to go through everything else, but that didn't matter to him. He just wanted to come back home, to see Greta and Dustin. Dustin...he realized he forgot to tell her his name! He would just have to mention it at the interview...something, anything. He sighed and waited. He realized that if he won, he wouldn't have to worry about that...he kept waiting for the peacekeepers to come for him as well...