[D11] The Reaping

There standing over top of him. Fighting him. They guy has a gun and he's shooting him, and I'm standing there watching it. Frozen in place unable to do anything. "Run Kirito!" I scream at the top of my lungs, but he's not moving because it's not him; it's me, and they're going closer and closer and close- Violent shrieks blast through my ears as I leap into a sitting position. My shaggy hair is plastered against my face - my shirt drenched in sweat. Sleepless nights have become a horrible reality ever since Kirito's name was called two years ago. My heart races fast inside my chest, and it feels like it's going to burst through my chest wall, and I can't breath. Each breath catches in the back of my throat, and the room is spinning around rapidly as tears slowly pour down my face. The closer it gets to the reaping, the more nightmares I have.

"Iain, are you alright?" Tobias' voice echoes through the room as I slowly gather my thoughts and look around trying to remove myself from the dreamland I just escaped. His eyes are wide and curious, and he's always there for me. Each time I have a nightmare, Tobias is the one coming to my rescue, and I'm terrified he'll be taken away from me one day. He's so close to maxing out of the reaping, and I'm so far away. But he's older than me, and I can't imagine having to watch him go through the games - I remember the pain Ikaia went through watching his twin brother live through the games, and it's honestly something I never wish to imagine. "Yeah, I'm fine, Tobias. Just another nightmare."

Tobias walks over towards me with downcast eyes, and I know deep inside that today is the reaping day. I know that because of how he looks at me, and it's the one day that lingers heavily inside my mind. Two years ago my life changed forever. Kirito was reaped and taken away. He fought through the games, and he returned home alive. He's my hero, and I want to be like him. I want to follow in his footsteps, but my leg doesn't allow me. It drags behind me with every step, and no matter how hard I try, I won't ever be like him. "I'll cook up something for us to eat. It'll help relax your mind, but I promise you, you have nothing to worry about."

A small grin creeps across my face slowly spreading from ear to ear as I embrace my brother in my arms. Tobias means the world to me, and he wouldn't' ever make a promise he couldn't keep, and I trust him a lot. More than anything in the world. "Okay, can we have some plant soup?" It may seem childish, but it's one of my favorite things to do. I'll never forget the day me and Tobias were making a meal in the kitchen, and the plants went flying everywhere. I chuckle a little as Tobias slowly stands up with a huge grin spread across his face. "Let's do it little brother!" Jumping to my feet as fast as I can, I throw the covers on the floor before dragging myself towards the kitchen. Lame foot and all.

Once in the Kitchen, Tobias starts laying out all the plants, and I join along with him before opening the drawer that holds the monster machine inside it before shutting it almost immediately. Never again will I touch that thing. It doesn't belong in my hands, but perhaps when we get back from the reaping, Kirito will show me how to use it -

My heart sinks into the pits of my stomach. Kirito won't return home after the reaping because once again he's going to head to the Capitol to mentor the tributes of district eleven, and several weeks will pass before I see him. It's a painful thought. A broken dream that became a reality.

Once the food is finished, I run into the room where Ikaia has decided to stay. He picked one of the smaller rooms, but at least it's something. For the longest time, Ikaia refused to stay here. He didn't want to stay here, and I don't understand why, but I'm glad Kirito managed to convince him, but instead of only waking him up, a bright idea flashes through my mind, and an evil grin twists across my face. Glaring at Tobias with a devilish grin, I allow my voice to fill the air around us.

"Breakfast is ready!" I shout at the top of my lungs before cowering away in a corner of the kitchen. Tobias stares at me in shock, and I don't know what to do, but I can hear people starting to stir, and Ikaia is one of them mumbling about being woke up so bright and early, yet in all reality, it's not early. The reaping is only a few hours away, and we still have to get dressed to make it there on time, and a lot of us live here.

Putting some of the plant soup in my own bowl, I sit down at the table, and slowly devour my food as quickly as I can doing my best to savor every bit of it. Sometimes it seems like the reaping goes on forever, and I want to save some so I can have it when I get back. "Tobias, do you think we'll have enough for dinner tonight?" I ask quietly before setting my empty bowl on the table.

"Definitely. We'll make a lot more, I promise."

Nodding my head, I slowly hobble away from the table dragging my leg behind me. I had a chance to get it fixed, but I couldn't because this is who I am. It defines me as a person. I've grown up with it, and I just don't want it taken away now. Step after step I stop in the shower room. This is the one time of year I allow myself the chance to shower because everyone always looks nice for the reaping. Scrubbing myself down, I was away all the dirt and stench that's caked against me. I can only hope that this ends fast because I want to return home to the soup Tobias has promised.

Sighing to myself, I move back to my room with a towel wrapped around me like a cloak. Butterflies dance in my stomach as I fight against the reality of the world blurs around me, but something catches the corner of my eye. Lying neatly on my bed is my reaping outfit. A nice blue button down shirt, and a pair of nice jeans that has only been worn twice before because they're for a very special occasion. Reluctantly changing into them, I place a brave face on. Tobias promised me I would be safe. He promised that nothing bad would happen, and we have so much planned for after the reaping. I just hope and pray that it goes our way.

Hand in hand, I walk out the door with Tobias knowing soon we'll have to separate as we move into our allotted locations for the reaping. The first year I stood in the reaping pool, Kirito was taken away, and somehow he managed to return home alive. The next year I watched as two more were taken, and honestly I was relieved to know I survived another year. I have no idea what today will bring.

The walk feels like it takes forever, but once I'm there and standing in place, I watch as the escort, and the mayor, and the victors walk onto the stage. Making sure I stand tall with a brave face on, I look ahead. Fear doesn't own me, and I know it doesn't, yet part of me always fears the reaping because it's the one time where death stares people straight in the eye threatening to remove them from a society, yet nobody realizes the twenty-four tributes are outcasts from the rest of the world.

Yawning slightly, I stare straight ahead as the speech goes on about the dark days, and how the districts rebelled. Shifting my weight around, I try to keep my focus, and at least pretend like I'm interested, but it's just not there - it's the same speech over and over, and I can almost recite it from heart, but I know that soon it'll be over. Soon two tributes will stand upon the stage before departing from the district, and for at least one, they'll never step foot in district eleven again.

"It is time, to once again send two of our own children to the Capitol to compete in the Hunger Games. Let us begin the reaping!. Ladies first." For a moment my heart leaps in my chest as I watch the escort move towards the bowl holding the names of the female tributes standing in the midst of the pool. My entire body freezes, and it feels like an eternity passes by before the name flies into the air. "Carrita Nessege!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, I can't help but celebrate because it's not someone I know, but as I watch the young girl make her way towards the stage, I can't help but feel bad for her. She's so young, and she doesn't deserve this, but what can I do? Nothing, and honestly if I could, I don't know that I would because when my name isn't called from the reaping, it means I've survived another year.

Just one more name until I can return home to the plant soup. I think to myself as I look around trying to figure out which one of the males will make their way towards the Capitol. My eyes focus on the escort as he removes a slip of paper. Closing my eyes, my breathing picks up as I wait for the name praying to a god above that I'm safe. Every muscle inside my body clenches together, and the world stops the moment the name surrounds me.

"Iain Miristioma!"

My heart plummets into the pits of my stomach as I stare at the escort, I try to figure out what happened. Tobias promised me I was safe. He promised me that nothing would happen to me. He promised me that we'd eat plant soup once the reaping was over. I can hear people gasping around me, and the world presses down against my fragile shoulders threatening to send me crashing towards the ground. I look around hoping I heard the name wrong, but nobody's moving. I find Ikaia in the crowd, and I stare at him, and his face is pale. Every ounce of color has left his body as he collapses towards the ground. I try to find Tobias, but the people around me are moving away, and I don't know what to do anymore. Tobias promised. But he's gone. I can't see him, and the peacekeepers are coming closer and closer to me.

Inhaling sharply, I find Kirito on the stage begging for this all to be a horrible nightmare. How was I reaped? How was my name called? Tobias wouldn't let me take tessera, and my slips were so few, but here I am moving towards the stage. Hands clenched tightly at my side. My body stiff. One step after another I press forward trying to hide my fear, yet fear is etched across my face. My eyes are wide, and my chin is dropped to the floor. Tears leak from the corner of my eyes, and I'm stuck staring into nothing but the broken world around me.

Finally, I find myself standing at the bottom of the stairs terrified to move out of fear urine will run down my leg. My entire body shakes, and I'm stuck. Every fiber in my body is begging me to run away, but I can't. I don't know what they'll do to me if I try, and that terrifies me even more, yet I manage to carry myself up the stairs refusing to make eye contact with Kirito. How can I look at him? How can I stare him in the eye and pretend to be brave? I slowly take my place in front of the crowd staring out at my peers pleading for someone to save me. For someone to come forward and throw their own life in danger, but nobody moves, and my head drops towards the ground.

Tobias you promised. You promised, Tobias.

But not a single person in the world cares enough to save me.

Until a faint whisper of the wind reaches my ears. A faint I volunteer.

Perhaps someone cares after all, but the words aren't loud, and they aren't making sense. Turning around I see the crowd driving Tobias away. They're pulling me away as he reaches for me, and I stretch my arms out towards him wanting him to come to me. Tobias cares about me, and he loves me, and I know he doesn't want me to die, but they aren't letting him get to me. My heart shatters into millions of pieces as the escort concludes the ceremony.

And like that I'm led to slaughter, but at least I can die knowing that Tobias has always loved me. Tobias is willing to sacrifice himself for me, yet it wasn't possible because his voice was lost in the mix of the crowd. Tobias kept his promise after all.

Tobias, I promise to make you proud, and the world will know how much I love my brother.