Rue's Reaping Oneshot
Mar 27, 2010 11:57:51 GMT -5
Post by Stare on Mar 27, 2010 11:57:51 GMT -5
At Cinder's suggestion, here it is.
Rue's Reaping
When I wake up, I feel a warm pressure against my back.
I turn slightly to see my younger sister, Lenni, curled against me, asleep. For a moment, I am confused. Then I remember that today is the Reaping. My very first Reaping. She's worried.
Quietly, I move out of bed, trying not to wake her. I get dressed in an easy to move around in outfit, and move outside. The warm air greets me, and I smile.
The orchards are a long walk, and one I don't want to walk alone.
Walking to the orchards alone can be dangerous. The crops can attract dangerous, poisonous bugs and snakes, and if you walk alone and get bitten, you're sure to die.
No one walks alone. If you can't walk with a family member, you wait at the beginning of the path until someone else comes along. Even if you don't know them, you walk with them. Sometimes, you're silent. Other times, you can be very talkative.
I wait at the path until a boy comes. He's huge, and very strong. He has dark skin like my, and golden eyes, like a wheat field.
I immediately feel shy, so small compared to him.
“Do you mind if I walk with you?” even my voice sounds small, compared to him.
He looks down at me for a moment, then nods.
As we walk, I can almost feel the tension. I try to ease it.
“Are you going to try to earn some money for food tonight?” I ask.
He grunts, and I'm unsure if that's a yes or a no.
“I have a big family, so I have to get a lot today,” I say quietly. “So we can eat a big dinner together tonight.”
He nods.
“At least, I hope it's together,” I say very quietly.
“Why?” he asks, and I jump. This is the first word he's said to me.
“Today is my first Reaping,” I say quietly.
His eyes seem to soften a little.
“It won't be bad,” he says.
I shake my head.
“What's your name?” he asks.
“Rue,” I say quietly.
“I'm Thresh,” he says, just as we reach the orchards. “I'll be at the Reaping tonight, too.”
* * *
When I get home, I use a light purple band to hold my long hair back from my face.
I choose my nicest, dark purple dress, which is very faded.
The rest of my siblings and my parents are waiting at the door.
It's hard to ignore the anxiety in the air.
Once we reach the Reaping, we each sign in. Now is when I must separate from the rest of my family.
I feel a tight grip on my hand. Lenni.
“Don't go, Rue,” she whispers fearfully.
“I have to,” I say gently.
She shakes her head slightly, then wraps her arms around me, burying her head in my shoulder.
When she finally lets go, her eyes are full of fear.
I watch her rush off, then take my place, standing stiff and terrified.
I can't see above all the heads in front of me, but I can hear everything.
“Ladies first,” I wince at the high voice, and squeeze my fists, wishing I had Lenni's hand to grip onto again.
But of course, there is nothing but air.
It's so quiet, I can hear the rustle of paper, the steady footsteps walking up to the podium.
And then I hear my name very clearly.
If it were possible, I would believe my heart stopped right then. I'm frozen to the spot.
Then I hear a high pitched cry from the crowd.
“Rue! Rue!”
The voice is Lenni's.
And it makes me move forward, slowly and steadily, to that stage.
To that terrible, terrible place.
“Rue! No!” Lenni is crying now, I can tell. Everyone has their eyes locked on me, as I hear murmurs run through the crowd.
District 11 is a very large place. A very small percentage of this crowd knows me, so only a very few should feel bad for me.
But when I reach the top of the stage and turn around, I see that I am wrong.
Women I have never met before have tears in their eyes.
Classmates of mine are staring at me, their eyes full of fear for me. Older kids in my school shake their heads in anger.
And I am suddenly a precious thing in District 11.
“Volunteers?” asks the voice.
I see several eyes wander my way in a silent question, and I can't believe they would do this for me. Volunteer for me because I am a little girl.
I give my head the tiniest shake.
I can barely hear now, my whole body numb, so when I hear the boy's name, I start.
It's Thresh.
My eyes widen, and he walks up and takes his place next to me.
We exchange the slightest glance, but his eyes say everything.
He has not forgotten the little girl he walked with this morning.
When I wake up, I feel a warm pressure against my back.
I turn slightly to see my younger sister, Lenni, curled against me, asleep. For a moment, I am confused. Then I remember that today is the Reaping. My very first Reaping. She's worried.
Quietly, I move out of bed, trying not to wake her. I get dressed in an easy to move around in outfit, and move outside. The warm air greets me, and I smile.
The orchards are a long walk, and one I don't want to walk alone.
Walking to the orchards alone can be dangerous. The crops can attract dangerous, poisonous bugs and snakes, and if you walk alone and get bitten, you're sure to die.
No one walks alone. If you can't walk with a family member, you wait at the beginning of the path until someone else comes along. Even if you don't know them, you walk with them. Sometimes, you're silent. Other times, you can be very talkative.
I wait at the path until a boy comes. He's huge, and very strong. He has dark skin like my, and golden eyes, like a wheat field.
I immediately feel shy, so small compared to him.
“Do you mind if I walk with you?” even my voice sounds small, compared to him.
He looks down at me for a moment, then nods.
As we walk, I can almost feel the tension. I try to ease it.
“Are you going to try to earn some money for food tonight?” I ask.
He grunts, and I'm unsure if that's a yes or a no.
“I have a big family, so I have to get a lot today,” I say quietly. “So we can eat a big dinner together tonight.”
He nods.
“At least, I hope it's together,” I say very quietly.
“Why?” he asks, and I jump. This is the first word he's said to me.
“Today is my first Reaping,” I say quietly.
His eyes seem to soften a little.
“It won't be bad,” he says.
I shake my head.
“What's your name?” he asks.
“Rue,” I say quietly.
“I'm Thresh,” he says, just as we reach the orchards. “I'll be at the Reaping tonight, too.”
* * *
When I get home, I use a light purple band to hold my long hair back from my face.
I choose my nicest, dark purple dress, which is very faded.
The rest of my siblings and my parents are waiting at the door.
It's hard to ignore the anxiety in the air.
Once we reach the Reaping, we each sign in. Now is when I must separate from the rest of my family.
I feel a tight grip on my hand. Lenni.
“Don't go, Rue,” she whispers fearfully.
“I have to,” I say gently.
She shakes her head slightly, then wraps her arms around me, burying her head in my shoulder.
When she finally lets go, her eyes are full of fear.
I watch her rush off, then take my place, standing stiff and terrified.
I can't see above all the heads in front of me, but I can hear everything.
“Ladies first,” I wince at the high voice, and squeeze my fists, wishing I had Lenni's hand to grip onto again.
But of course, there is nothing but air.
It's so quiet, I can hear the rustle of paper, the steady footsteps walking up to the podium.
And then I hear my name very clearly.
If it were possible, I would believe my heart stopped right then. I'm frozen to the spot.
Then I hear a high pitched cry from the crowd.
“Rue! Rue!”
The voice is Lenni's.
And it makes me move forward, slowly and steadily, to that stage.
To that terrible, terrible place.
“Rue! No!” Lenni is crying now, I can tell. Everyone has their eyes locked on me, as I hear murmurs run through the crowd.
District 11 is a very large place. A very small percentage of this crowd knows me, so only a very few should feel bad for me.
But when I reach the top of the stage and turn around, I see that I am wrong.
Women I have never met before have tears in their eyes.
Classmates of mine are staring at me, their eyes full of fear for me. Older kids in my school shake their heads in anger.
And I am suddenly a precious thing in District 11.
“Volunteers?” asks the voice.
I see several eyes wander my way in a silent question, and I can't believe they would do this for me. Volunteer for me because I am a little girl.
I give my head the tiniest shake.
I can barely hear now, my whole body numb, so when I hear the boy's name, I start.
It's Thresh.
My eyes widen, and he walks up and takes his place next to me.
We exchange the slightest glance, but his eyes say everything.
He has not forgotten the little girl he walked with this morning.
