Status: Complete
Alive Till Kingdom Come.
The Reaping pt. Two.
I slowly walk up to the stage. It’s completely silent. Do people recognize my name? Recognize me? The son of the mayor? One of the kids who were completely unlikely to ever get picked. I hear Talon sobbing. How did Talon know? I feel the blood on my palms and I know the cameras were on me so, I hide all emotion. I can cry later. ‘It will be ok. You can cry later. Everything will be ok.’ I chant in my head and clench my fists. The game has already started and I needed to play.
When I reach the stage I see the look on my mother’s face, it hasn’t changed. It’s still uncomfortable and cold. Willow was crying silently. My dad looks utterly shocked. Is he thinking the same thing as me? We were both so worried about Talon that we forgot to worry about me?
“NO!” Willow screams while running towards me, gripping my waist with her little hands, trying to push me back off the stage. “You can’t take him! He’s my big brother! You can’t do this! Please! Please don’t! He’s my brother!” she sobs.
All eyes are on us. I know what they are all thinking. Their thinking about how painful this is to watch. There’s nothing worse then seeing the family of the tributes crying like this. I see the peacekeepers walking towards us.
“Willow, go back to mom. Everything will be fine. Just go back to mom.”
My voice is loud and clear. She turns and looks up at me. A fierce look in her eyes, as if I betrayed her.
“No! They wont take you! I wont let them!”
The peacekeepers are practically on us. I grab her by the shoulders and push her back.
“Go back to mom.” I stay sternly. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me.
“Any volunteers? I see Talon’s face in the crowd, streaked with tears. His mouth is slightly open, like he’s going to say something and I can see a fierce look in his eyes, the same look Willow gave me. He wants to volunteer. They both want to protect me and I feel completely guilty because it should be me protecting them. I’m the older brother. I shake my head at him slightly and gaze into the rest of the crowd. Liv’s lip is trembling. My friends who, I was just joking with avoiding my gaze. I know no on will volunteer for me. But what about Rosemary? She has to have a sister or cousin who’s willing to volunteer for her. It remains quite. Rosemary is incredibly small. Barely reaching my elbows. I look down at her and I want to give her an encouraging smile but my jaw feels to heavy. She puts her small shaky hand in mine, silently. I give it a squeeze. I wonder if anyone notices.
“Well then, congratulations to Miss. Tay and Mr.Wellwood!” Oswald shouts. I see people clapping but I don’t hear it.
When I reach the stage I see the look on my mother’s face, it hasn’t changed. It’s still uncomfortable and cold. Willow was crying silently. My dad looks utterly shocked. Is he thinking the same thing as me? We were both so worried about Talon that we forgot to worry about me?
“NO!” Willow screams while running towards me, gripping my waist with her little hands, trying to push me back off the stage. “You can’t take him! He’s my big brother! You can’t do this! Please! Please don’t! He’s my brother!” she sobs.
All eyes are on us. I know what they are all thinking. Their thinking about how painful this is to watch. There’s nothing worse then seeing the family of the tributes crying like this. I see the peacekeepers walking towards us.
“Willow, go back to mom. Everything will be fine. Just go back to mom.”
My voice is loud and clear. She turns and looks up at me. A fierce look in her eyes, as if I betrayed her.
“No! They wont take you! I wont let them!”
The peacekeepers are practically on us. I grab her by the shoulders and push her back.
“Go back to mom.” I stay sternly. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me.
“Any volunteers? I see Talon’s face in the crowd, streaked with tears. His mouth is slightly open, like he’s going to say something and I can see a fierce look in his eyes, the same look Willow gave me. He wants to volunteer. They both want to protect me and I feel completely guilty because it should be me protecting them. I’m the older brother. I shake my head at him slightly and gaze into the rest of the crowd. Liv’s lip is trembling. My friends who, I was just joking with avoiding my gaze. I know no on will volunteer for me. But what about Rosemary? She has to have a sister or cousin who’s willing to volunteer for her. It remains quite. Rosemary is incredibly small. Barely reaching my elbows. I look down at her and I want to give her an encouraging smile but my jaw feels to heavy. She puts her small shaky hand in mine, silently. I give it a squeeze. I wonder if anyone notices.
“Well then, congratulations to Miss. Tay and Mr.Wellwood!” Oswald shouts. I see people clapping but I don’t hear it.
♠ ♠ ♠
xo, Jessie