The Reapings

The District 7 escort, Tasie Aluriffelle, steps up on stage and smiles with blindingly white teeth. She starts speaking in a drawling voice with a strong Capitol accent that makes it nearly impossible to understand her, "Welcome everyone to the Reapings! Today one young man and woman will be chosen to participate in the 30th Annual Hunger Games!" She steps up to the big bowls containing the names of every child in the district, from 12 to 18. Her hands hover above the bowls for a second, as if deciding something. "Now then, Ladies first!" she says, and reaches into the bowl filled with girls names...

Aurora looked to her parents and younger brothers. If she was going to be reaped she wanted to remember the peace before the storm. It was angelic like before the storm started, it was how the world worked. She wasn’t scared though. She knew that just maybe people would underestimate her so she can sweep up and win it all. She was going to be as brave as possible for her family.

She looked up as her name rang out over the crowd. She looked over to her family to see her mother fall to her knees in sobs and her youngest brother hanging on her father who was trying to pick up her mother while her oldest little brother was fighting the crowd screaming her name.

She stepped forward holding her head high and teary eyed. For all the people watching she wanted them to see she was brave but yet only a child. She knew instantly that she had to use the fact she was just a little twelve year old girl. She knew that she could win if she played it right. She was intelligent and strong for her age, she was small but that could be an advantaged though.