"Don't I look like a banana?" 50th Games FanFic.

I awake to the sounds of birds fluttering in trees and, immediately I wish to jump out of bed and fly out of my window to chase the darn things, but my human qualities keep me from doing so. Instead, I pick at my head and yawn and stretch. It seemed to me that the day was just another day for the monkey girl of District 5, but as I wondered to the kitchen, the more I realized that this was no ordinary day.

I sit down to a plate of pancakes, ignoring my puny little brother Freedom, and devour them in a couple of bites with hands covered in syrup. There was no reason to use forks anyway, all they ever did was poke me in the mouth. I ask my mom, "Mom, there isn't anything important goin' on today, is there?" I scratch at my head and body, covering myself in sticky amber goo and listen to the answer. "Yeah, Rilla, it's the Reaping day, of course." Her brown eyes look sad, and it immediately angers me. I slam my fists down onto the table and grunt. Of course today was "something special", we would never have had pancakes if it wasn't. Little Freedom stares at me with his blue eyes and I crumple up my nose. "You knocked over my milk," he says and I disregard it. My mom stands at the small little wood stove and gives me a rather harsh look. "Rilla Rain!"

A last grunt and I'm out of the kitchen and in my room. The Reaping has never been fun for me, two siblings of mine have been lost from them, and I've dreaded this day ever since Gunner died. Five years ago. No one should be forced to kill someone because of what some nuisances decided to do a half-century ago. There's a knock at my door and I know Freedom has came to comfort me. He always does when I'm mad or sad. I love him for that, despite the rage he causes me at times.

He walks in with a small yellow dress and sits it beside me. I wrap my arms around him and push him a couple inches back afterwards. "Why do you have to be some lovable?" He shrugs and his small little voice pipes up. "Because momma made me that way." I laugh and spin him around, digging at his hair and throwing out all the little pieces of dirt. He speaks as I do my morning ritual. "Ya know, I really like that yellow dress, it was mom's for her first Reaping, and she though she'd pass it down to you. There was a big brown stain on it from some poopy rats and from where mom stepped on it, but she managed to get it all out. Might as well get it on soon."

I turn my head to the left and look at it, it seems to have little white pinstripes going over it, and it reminds me of a banana. I laugh and mention to him how it looks like a banana and he giggles. After a few more minutes of picking at his head I decided that he's clean and he runs off somewhere else in the house.

I finally have time to look at my dress and I automatically fall in love. The sleeves have little ruffles in them and and the color of yellow will just go perfect with my personality. I make a few little sounds and jump up and down and strip down to my undergarments and slip it on. It fits perfectly, and I gallop into the kitchen and show it off. "Oh mama, it's so perfect! Don't I look like a banana?" She only nods and gives me a big ole' hug. I wasn't sure why, because it was a strange occurrence, but when she explains that she doesn't want to lose another kid and mention the word Quarter Quell, I burst into tears and laughter.

"Oh mom, thanks for reminding me of the Quell. Gives me more stuff to look forward to." She mentions that I would've found out anyway, and I can't look at her crying any more. I glance into the living room and see Freedom in a small little dress shirt and pants. I wonder why he's dressed up, because I know that he has no need to, he doesn't any chance of being Reaped, and I get rid of my questioning and bring myself back to my room.

Its brown walls and yellow accessories are about the only thing in the whole entire house of mine that I can consider safe and comforting. I come here when I'm sad, when I'm down and out, when I'm ecstatic, when I'm frustrated, and just about any emotion there is to offer. Right now is confusion, anger, and sadness. I hated my mom's crying, I hate the games, and I hate that they've did this to my family. I was confused at the reasoning in my brother's outfit, and all I can manage to do before leaving towards the District Square is slip on my little monkey tail that I managed to steal from school and slip on some straw sandals.

The trip was long, tiring, and not worth it, for when I get there, a sign reads:

'For the 2nd Quarter Quell, all those aged from seven to eighteen must sign their names to be put into the Reaping Bowl. For those aged seven up eleven, you must only sign up once, twelve year olds and up will remain the same.'

And I realize why children an adults were crying as they signed their names, and soon I hear Freedom crying to, in which I embrace and scoop him up in my arms. The monkey girl from District 5 was not pleased. AS heavy as he was, I carried him towards the line and blew a kiss off to mom as she made her way towards the Guardian's section, tears falling from her eyes.

I give the Peacekeepers who sit in front of each stack of clipboards a death glare before saying my age and Freedom's, then receiving the two clipboards that we would have to sign. I sign my name once, Freedom's once, and we're told that Freedom, despite his gender, would have to stand with me in the 12 year olds section.

***

At this point I was too filled with emotions to even have one, so when the escort for District 5 is introduced, I don't feel the hatred that I usually have towards him. Freedom holds my hand, I hold his, and as Mr. Hug Bow calls out my name, I simply tell Freedom to stay where he is, and walk up to the stage, picking at my head as I do so.

He asks my name, and I tell him, "Rilla Rain." He says how he loves the name and all I can think about is how he smells like banana. I could see Freedom through the crowd, helpless, without the option to volunteer, and I know I'll be dying. I smile and wave and wait for the male's name.

Hug calls out, "Freedom Rain," and I collapse.