68th Reaping [D4]

Sweat was pouring down the boy's face. His fists flying with a punching bag like he does every morning. The bag swung slowly, only moving a little bit from the force behind his punches. Ethan's mind was in set for the punching bag. He wasn't prepared for the reaping yet. He just wanted a little time to himself. The sweat drips down his face faster. His breath is uneven and his face is contorted in concentration. That's when his mother comes in. "Sweetie, it's almost time. You need to get ready." Ethan turned around, his mother's cold eyes staring at him in fear. The only reaction Ethan had was to run to his mother and hug her. Tears flowed down her face faster than ever. Ethan had no choice in this matter. He kissed his mother's forehead and quickly ran up to his room.

The mess in his room was growing. It had piles of clothes everywhere. It smelt of sweat and body odor. Ethan was digging in his closet for a nice shirt to wear. He had already decided on jeans. After finding a blue button up shirt, he put it on. His parents downstairs were arguing with his little brother after getting dressed for the reaping. Ethan smiled and headed downstairs. He looked at his mother and father and said, "Don't worry I'll handle this little rascal." Ethan turned to his 9 year old brother, who was a pain in the neck to everyone. Ethan urged him forward to the little brother's room.

"Ethan, I'm scared." Ethan just laughed at his little brother. He pulled out a pair of jeans and a polo shirt for him. Ethan spoke calmly, "Why would you be scared? You're not the one in the reaping pool, bud." The little brother put his clothes on and swiftly moved into Ethan's arms. "I'm scared that you're gonna leave me alone with mommy and daddy." Ethan squeezed his little brother tighter. He had no clue if he was going to be reaped or not. Ethan calmly spoke again, "Don't worry bud, I won't be leaving any time soon." Ethan knew that he couldn't take those words back. He knew he couldn't survive if he left and that's what scared him. It was kill or be killed in the games.

Ethan, his parents, and his siblings all were there for the reaping. Ethan got in his spot. The only thing on his mind was his family. He couldn't leave them. He couldn't get reaped. Ethan's sibling relied on him more than anyone else. It was his job to come home safely and help them do things younger siblings can't do. He had to be a parent when the parents weren't around. Ethan couldn't leave his siblings if he was reaped. The man on stage began to speak, but Ethan was out of it for the first half. He didn't want to watch a video on the capital like they do every other reaping. Ethan hoped to ripred that he wouldn't be reaped. It was the only thing he wanted in that moment. He had so much to still do.

"Zelphyr!" Ethan just raised an eyebrow. Who the hell names their daughter Zelphyr. Ethan's head was stuck on the fact that he could still be reaped. He stared at his family who were in the back. They were the only thing that had meaning to him. They were his life. If he left them, they would be crushed and broken. He couldn't do that to him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was calming himself in the middle of the crowd. Ethan opened his eyes and stared blankly onto stage.

The man reached into the other ball, his hand moving around for awhile, until he pulled out a slip of paper. "Ethan Gallos!" That's about the time Ethan felt sick to his stomach. Peacekeepers began to search through the crowd for him and all he wanted to do was run. Run faster than he could from that spot. He wanted to go home and be having a congratulations dinner on not being reaped. He wanted to not have to walk up onto the stage. He slowly moved with the peacekeepers, but something stopped him. He heard a squeak of shoes and his mother cry for her youngest son to come back.

"ETHAN! NO! COME BACK PLEASE! I NEED YOU BIG BROTHER!" Tears shone on his brother's face. Ethan wanted to just grab him and hug him. Ethan watched as his youngest brother was being pulled away by peacekeepers and the little boy still fought trying to see his older brother. Ethan was almost to the stage, but something else stopped him. A shout from the crowd. A shout that would save Ethana dn his little brother the pain of saying goodbye. "I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!" Ethan let out a sigh of relief and looked at the other boy. He was the angel that saved him from having to say goodbye. Ethan nodded at him in a thank you and quickly ran to his little brother who cried as he was pulled into a hug.

(OCC: Ethan Gallos steps down as tribute)

The beach was his calm place. Jay Krearns would sit on the beach every reaping day. He'd imagine Mason's body as it flows out to the sea on the boat. Mason was gone and Jay was almost as alone as he was in the beginning. Jay only had Jev and a few cousins, there was nothing he could do. Miles was the main person that was there for him. Miles hung out with Jay when he needed someone to talk to. Miles and Jev were his only best friends. The Olympics were over and reaping was in season. Jay had already got a silver in Pole Vaulting and Javelin Throw. He was ready for today, even if it brought back terrible memories. Jay clutched the shark tooth necklace in his hand, but the necklace was no longer a necklace. In Jay's rage of that day, he had ripped the string and now all that was left was the shark tooth. Jay clutched it in his hand. It was dulled because of capital rules. He couldn't stab people with it. He couldn't do much with it.

Jay quietly moved back into his little shack on the beach. He pulled off his shirt and shorts, slowly beginning to pull on a pair of jeans and a red button up shirt. He was ready to go. As Jay walked, he remembered the 62nd reaping. He was younger then. Mason was telling him it'd be ok. Mason was the one to show him that there was nothing to be afraid of. Jay was afraid that day though. His only fear was Mason being taken away from him and him having to grow up. Mason was taken away and Jay cried. He tried pushing through the crowd, but peopled held him in place. He was stuck watching Mason get taken away from him. Mason ended up dying and Jay had to grow up. The 62nd was the games that Jay made a promise to himself. He would avenge his brother or die trying.

Jay's feet slowly made noises. Jay was in a rhythm. He was ready to stand in line and not do anything dangerous. Jay got in line. He could see the stage from where he was. He was ready to go up if he got called. He was ready to go up even if he wasn't. He didn't have a life like most people did. He felt lonelier than anyone else in District 4. His only two brothers died by a shark attack and Peridot Myler, who Jay might as well call a monster. Jay watched in silence as the video the capital puts up every year played. This was just making Jay impatient by that point. The capital were monsters, but they had a great way of showing how strong and superior they are to everyone. Jay gave them that. They were very smart in how to put fear into people.

Then the reaping began. Jay was watching amusingly as the man reached into the females bowl and grabbed a name and spoke it loudly. "Zelphyr!" Jay watched with a blank face. He didn't care about the female. The male was the big event. It was the choice between which District 4 male will have to follow after Leon Krigel. The blonde boy who killed his own District partner in the finale. Almost no one could follow that. Leon was vicious and knew how to take people out and when to do it. Jay would crush lots of people if he needed to. He wasn't useless like most people, Jay may be skinny, but he knew how to fight when he needed to. Jay was going to take revenge on Peri, even if Jay had to go through a games.

A memory of the 62nd came back to Jay. Jay was standing in his section for the reaping. A name was called, "Mason Krearns!" Jay's face broke and he started crying. Peacekeepers held Jay back from trying to see his brother. The reaping was so fast and so quiet that Jay had no clue what to do. He wanted to take Mason's spot, but was frozen in fear. Jay wanted to save his brother from having to fight to the death. As soon as the memory was there it was gone. Jay looked up and was intrigued to find that the guy already pulled a name out of the male bowl. "Ethan Gallos!" Jay survived another reaping. He was free and safe. He could continue living the way he had been living for awhile now.

Jay's attention was twisted once he heard some little kid scream, "ETHAN! NO! COME BACK PLEASE! I NEED YOU BIG BROTHER!" Jay felt a frown form on his face. The guy had a little brother. The little brother was small like Jay had been during Mason's reaping. He was pushing and fighting to see his older brother. Jay felt himself almost cry. It was a beautiful sight, even if it was very sad. Jay couldn't stand it. He couldn't let this little kid lose his brother now. He couldn't let him see the little kid everywhere he went. He couldn't let that little kid end up like Jay did. Sad and Depressed. Jay's voice took over from then on out. He began to shout as loud as he can, "I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"

Peacekeepers swarmed him as he began walking towards the stage. The Ethan guy nodded at him in a way of saying thanks. Jay watched as the little boy jumped into the other brother's arms. It was a scene of beauty and Jay was glad to say that he made that happen. Jay missed the way that Mason used to hug him. Miles' hugs were close, but Mason's were always the best. Jay made his way onto stage. The peacekeepers keeping other people back. Jay was ready to avenge his brother and show all the anger he's pent up from years before. On stage, the escort asked him to tell him his name. Jay nodded and spoke, "Jay Krearns, sir." The escort nodded and that's when Jay felt himself smirk.

Jay Krearns had memories flashing by in his head the entire time up on stage. The memory of Mason climbing up and Jay fighting his way trying to get up was the most prominent of them all. Jay Krearns volunteered for Mason and for Ethan and that little boy. Jay was going to be fighting for his life and in the scene of seeing Ethan and his little brother be reunited, Jay would believe that it was all worth it. It was worth it just to see a family that's not as broken as his is. IT was worth it to make a family whole and not torn apart at the seams like Jay's was. Jay was a surfer, a career, a Olympian, and now a tribute. The justice building was massive and Jay walked in with his District partner. The doors behind him closing, there was no going back and Jay would never want to go back, because this was his destiny, his fate. Jay Krearns was a tribute and he'd fight for his life just to avenge Mason.