Return to the Games

PLINY'S POV

"Hello District One, and welcome to the re-instated annual reaping. As you all have been informed, the Capitol has decided to bring the Hunger Games back into play. As you all were instructed to watch the broadcasted clip, I won't take the time to explain what the games are about. Now, let's get to it! Ladies first."

Although we all received the instruction to watch the video, and I'm sure most everyone did, that did nothing to change the emotion within this audience. The woman on the stage is wearing a skirt suit similar to the one that woman wore here a few days ago. I can't remember her name, only that she wanted to stop the Capitol. Good job, lady. You started these damn Games again.

Technically, I could be the tribute. I, Pliny Lapworth, could be pitted against my own brother and I could kill him in cold blood. That's what the Capitol wants, isn't it? Don't they want us to become savages again for the entertainment of everyone else?

I have two younger sisters and one younger brother. My brother, Chase, is only twelve and he's completely determined that his name will be called.

"Pliny, who's it gonna be?" he asked me while squeezing my hand in his. Normally, Chase is distant and he tries to stay away from the family. He thinks he's a big man now that he's in middle school, but I can tell right now that he's incredibly nervous.

"It won't be you, honey. Your so young, they wouldn't want you anyway."

"Why wouldn't they want me? Everyone wants me on the team at school when we play ball!"

"This is a different game, Chase. They probably want someone closer to my age."

As soon as the words left my lips, I regretted them. The look on Chase's face was angry, but it quickly changed to worry.

"They're going to take you away? They can't do that! We need you!"

At that, my younger sisters, Lily and Laurie, grabbed onto my legs. They're both five, and my mom died right after she gave birth to them.

You see, as District 1, we're supposed to have privileges. We make all of the items that we ourselves can't have, and then we ship them off to the Capitol. While we make them wool blankets for the winter, my baby sisters share one blanket that barely covers them. While we make the Capitol fancy clothes, my dad gave all of his clothes to my brother and he had two shirts and a pair of pants to wear to work everyday. The Capitol takes everything from us, and they can't even let us keep the kids at home.

"They won't take me away, Chase. I'm staying right here."

"Mommy?" Laurie questioned, her bright green eyes looking up at me as a fat tear drop slid down her chubby cheek.

"Mommy's not here, baby. I'm Pliny, your sister. Don't you remember?" Laurie, although young, suffers from severe lapses in memory.

"I want my mommy!" Laurie bawled, clinging even tighter to my leg. At the sight and sound of her twin crying, Lily joined in. She was a screamer, Laurie was a sobber. They never knew our mom, so I basically assumed the role. My dad isn't around much, as he works at the factory from dusk until dawn every day just to keep food on the table. I can't get a job because I have to take care of my siblings, but when my mom was alive I worked at the factory too. Ever since then, I've loathed the Capitol.

My attention was drawn to the stage by a very prim and proper voice calling my name.

"Pliny Lapworth."

There she stood, that woman in the suit. Her name is Saffra, or Mucida or something. She called my name, and then she looked expectantly into the crowd as if she could see me. She looked for me as if she knew who I was just because she read my name off of some paper. She has no idea who I am. She doesn't know that I have to care for my family because when my dad finally gets home, he's too drunk to remember who's who. He calls me Lily and he calls Chase Pliny. He usually passes out on the couch because no one will go into the bedroom after my mom passed. This woman, however, has no idea about that. The worst part about it is that she's smiling. This woman, Ashby Bowlin, is smiling as if this is the most fantastic news I could have received.

Lily clutches my leg harder and Laurie begins to sob. I try to walk forward, but my sisters are too heavy to walk very far and I'm too light-headed to do much about it. Chase looks up at me, his face painted in betrayal.

"You lied." That's all he says before he stalks away. I stand in the center of the crowd with everyone's eyes on me. Some look sad, some relieved. Most of the adults just look bitter. I pick up my sisters and look over at my father who is standing at the end of the crowd. He doesn't make eye contact.

As I make the trek to the stage, I can feel Ashby Bowlin's eyes dig into me, I feel her smile open and her teeth crunch into my life. Her eyes are shining with excitement, mine are dead. The once vibrant green of my eyes had transformed into a murky brown, as it often does when my mood shifts. Lily and Laurie are still crying, and one of them almost falls from my arms.

"Let's get these two taken care of, shall we?" Ashby says, motioning to take my sisters into her own hands.

"Get your hands away from my sisters. You may be able to take me from them, but you won't take them from me. Dad!" I yell, searching the crowd for my father. I'm hoping he will come down and take the girls from me. I'm hoping he'll promise me that everything will be okay. He's already gone.

"Chase?" I all but whisper, but in the microphone it sounds much louder.

He quickly comes onto the stage and takes the girls from me. I whisper him thanks but he walked away so quickly I'm not even sure he heard me. I stand in front of the crowd and try to put on my best game face for my family, but it falters.

"Let's hear it for our District One female tribute!" Ashby shouts. The crowd remains quiet, except for a few people who clearly don't know what's going on.

"Alright," Ashby continues, "Now for the male tribute. Let us welcome to the stage," she reaches into a large glass bowl and pulls out a crumbled piece of paper. "Ovid Overwhill."

The boy whose name is called walks briskly to the stage. I assume this is Ovid, but I don't think I've ever seen him before. Once again, the woman asks for applause. There is none.

"Pliny, Ovid, what do you two have to say about having the honor of representing your district in the Hunger Games?"

He speaks first. "If this is what the Capitol wants, it must be best. I'll win." He looks completely stone serious, while I'm only a foot away and my facade is cracking. I try not to let it show when I say,

"Let the Games begin."