Chapter 1: The reaping
Chapter Text
I wake to the smell of my mom making eggs, which is weird, cause she's supposed to be in work by now. And it's weird that she's making eggs. Then it hits me. Today is another one of these days where 2 unlucky children get picked from each district to fight in some shitty arena and it affects the entire Panem for weeks, if not months.
I look up at my ceiling. I don't feel scared. Fate's already been decided. We lose our way for fear.
I sigh as I get out of bed and make my way over to my ma. She's standing by the stove, but as soon as she notices me she turns to me with a frown on her face, giving me a big hug. I don't hug back at first.
"Ma." I say, smiling a bit. The word 'stop' was on my tongue. It's unlikely they'll pick me. There are children with much higher chances of being selected anyway. But I don't say that to her face, I decide not to say anything at all. She hugs me tighter.
I look at my guitar in the corner of the kitchen. By this time around I'm commonly out on the streets, playing tunes for some money, or I sit behind the counter of my dad's shop, but I still strum the guitar, so I guess that counts as playing for money as well. It's true, cause the older ladies give me a tip if i play them a tune.
My mom says i have a big talent for music, I most-likely got that from her. "Go get dressed, flapper." My ma speaks, breaking me out of my thoughts, as she gives me a kiss on the head. I nod and take the eggs, heading back to my room with them on a plate. I'm lucky to have such a big breakfast today. Normally it's just bread with milk. I open my closet and find my beloved white striped shirt. It's only for special occasions, like the reaping. My mom embroidered a lot of colorful music notes into it, so now it truly feels like something i would wear. I put on brown pants, that are also sewn through, both pockets having little suns embroidered on them.
I walk out the room, heading towards my ma again. "Where's pa?" I ask. "He's helping with decorating the town hall." She replies and I frown. "Alright, g'bye ma! Be there on time. I'll play you a song I made up a couple days back after, kay?" I give her that hug I denied in my mind earlier.
After saying goodbye to my ma and eating breakfast I head out of the building, which is consisted of many other flats, since having a house for yourself is more or less really expensive. Still, I should consider myself lucky, as my pa says, cause I live in the more 'wealthy' part of the district, if that's even the right word to use. At the bottom of the panel house lies our shoe shop. I unlock the door and go inside, checking for some money behind the bar, since I was planning on buying a bandana for good luck in the store down the road.
As I raise my head i see someone coming. I close the money safe shut, in fear of the person walking over to me being my father. What would I even say to him? 'Hi dad, I'm stealing your money to buy a piece of fabric to tie round my neck!' Luckily, It wasn't my dad.
It was Mrs. Werner. She looked as if she was in a hurry, perhaps even stressed. I stood up, opening my mouth to explain that the store's closed, since it's a national holiday, and the fact im stealing my pa's money has nothing to do with it being open. But she speaks first. "Seán, i need something of you, please help." 'Its Seán Elvet' I think to myself, annoyed that she doesn't remember that by now.
Regardless, chills run down my spine. Im not supposed to be here. What if pa finds out? I sigh, putting on a smile. "Sure, whadd'ya need?" She's quiet for a bit. "I know this seems a bit out of place... but, my daughter's shoes got holes in them.. She didn't tell me until yesterday and I don't want her to get reaped for ... 'mocking the Capitol'." I stare at her for a little while. I really don't wanna be blamed for Mrs. Werner's daughter getting reaped. But I also don't want my pa to find out im borrowing out newly made shoes. "Seán, please."
I nod my head. "Sure... Uh, lemme see what we've got." I turn around to look at what's the shelves, spotting blue shoes with small heels. They're fancy. Too fancy. I take them in my hands, carefully, and lean in to whisper in Mrs. Werner's ear. "They're new, return them to me after the reaping and not a word to my pa, we clear?"
Mrs. Werner nods and thanks me before leaving. I wipe the cold sweat off my forehead with my sleeve. Thanks to her i got distracted enough to forget about my lucky charm bandana, so I leave the store. I lock the door, making my way down the street while humming a song my ma used to sing to me.
Ladybug, ladybug fly away home.
Your house is on fire, your children are gone.
All except one, who answers to Nan,
She’s hiding under the frying pan.
I pass a couple of peacekeepers who give me dirty looks. Wow, a little kid singing. How.. provocative. I know that president Snow isn't all that fond of preforming and singing, but someone's gotta do it. The world would be sad without music. That's what my ma says anyway. My ma's a covey, i guess that makes me one too. She told me stories about the rest of them living in district 12, (in other districts as well, but mainly in 12 apparently) which is right next to ours. They're free spirited people who give their kids color names and sing songs.
My ma kept that tradition. Seán Elvet. Elvet means swan stream, so it's not really a color, but mom said it could be. The color of a swan's fathers. White, fading into gray. Flappers, little swans, are entirely gray. And ma also married a guy who's last name is Byrne. A raven. So, I'd say im a very birdy guy. That makes me qualified enough, no?
I'd like to meet the covey someday. Meet ma' people.
District 8 isn't all that great. One of the poorest districts. I'm lucky my dad has a shoe shop or I'd end up like some of the people on the streets. There's not much here. Just mountains of factories. Some trees here and there, a hospital, apartment buildings and a pub. The pub is my favourite place.
Dad takes me along with him sometimes, he says im old enough. And i take ma guitar or fiddle. And I play on stage. That's the closest to happiness I'll ever be.
I make my way over to the plaza in front of the town hall. I get in line, waiting for a couple of minutes so that they can take my blood sample for whatever reason. The person in front of me is a little boy, he seems a bit shaken up. It's probably his first year. Maybe he needs help calming down. I tap his shoulder and smile.
"Hey! If i were you I wouldn't be all that worried. You're uh ..what, 12, maybe 13?" I say to strike up a coversation. He nods and speaks after a bit. "Yea. Im twelve." I grin. "Well, my friend. See that bowl over there?" I point to the bowl placed on the podium. "Your name is in there only once, obviously, cause.. it's your first year!"
He gives me a 'really?' look and i nod. "Mine's in there.. .. 7 times." I count on my fingers. "5 times because I'm 16 .. aaand 2 more times .. because i took tesserae from the peacekeepers." He stares at me in a contemplating way and then nods, seeming much more at ease now. "There's a bigger chance they'll pick me." I say. "But that won't happen. We're safe."
He smiles. I smile too. He doesn't seem like he wants to be bothered anymore, so I get back in line. That was awkward. Just then I remember wanting to buy that bandana. I groan, there's no time for that now. Unless i wanna get shot for not attending the reaping ceremony. I say goodbye to my imaginary 'lucky charm' in my head and stare at the ground.
After about 5 minutes it's my turn to get my finger pinched. With a needle. The lady doing the blood samples seems to be the same one from last year. Chills run down my spine once more. Last year she put the needle really deep in my finger and i thought i was gonna faint.
No time for fainting now, i brace myself for the worst as i head towards the table. To my surpirse, they don't have the needles from last year, but there seems to be some sort of a machine designed to just merely pinch your finger. I silently thank whoever's out there for this.
After getting my blood sucked out I get in my place in the crowd, designed for 14-16 year old boys, going in the very back. I look around, seeing my mom and dad standing in the parents section. My dad is holding a thumbs up but in reality he seems restless, and my mom does too.
In a brief moment some capitol lady appears on stage. She's wearing a dark blue dress with gold embroidered on it, just like the music notes in my shirt. Then we watch her turn on some ad, the people in it talking about the war.. and how the games are an absolute necessity to remind the districts of how their uprising was wrong. Here it comes.
'War, terrible war..' Blah blah blah. Some scary images of people dying flash by. '.. the Capitol saved the districts..' Blah blah blah. Then president Snow is on screen, walking through the streets of the capitol in his big red coat. I know the entire advertisment by memory now. As soon as it ends i tense up and the lady opens her mouth to speak. "Now now. Quiet, please! As always, ladies first!" And she digs her hand into the bowl full of names.
".. our lady this year will be.. Lacy Calico!" I turn my head, i hear whispers. Suddenly a girl I faintly recognise steps out of the crowd. Oh, so her name's Lacy?. All i know is that she works in the tailor's shop. Just by looking at her I can see that she's trying really hard not to break into tears.
Her long ginger wavy hair is nicely combed out, she looks so colorful compared to the rest of the kids, in a ruffly purple dress. It's a bit patched up, but still pretty. When i see her standing on that podium, she looks really brave, and i bet she is. And she's wearing a red bandana round her wrist! Maybe that'll bring me luck.
".. now for the boys.." I take a deep breath. "Seán Elvet Byrne!" I take back everything i said about that cursed bandana. I see all of the boys around me turn my direction. It's getting hard to breathe. Me? Seriously? Will someone volunteer? Anyone , please? I slowly step out the crowd as peacekeeprs approach me, to accompany me to my death, I assume.
My stomach is in shambles. I can barely walk. Can someone else be brave for me? Maybe that little boy i met while waiting in line earlier? I did help him calm down after all.. Shouldn't that be enough for him to volunteer? I take a deep breath to calm myself, opening my mouth to sing.
I come from haunts of coot and hern, I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
No one beside the peacekeepers can really hear it, but these capitol freaks have microphones and cameras everywhere and I bet im being broadcasted to the entire Panem right now. 'At least don't sing out of tune.' I think to myself. In that moment, I pray again that someone else will be brave and volunteer. Nothing.
By thirthy hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.
Some kids give me weird looks but I don't really pay attention to it, since they do that all the time. I go and join Lacy on the podium, staring back at eveyone else. I spot my mom trying to hold back her tears. 'I'll be okay, ma.' I think to myself.
Then my ma raises her three fingers in the air, as a sign of respect and to say goodbye to the ones we love. Other people join in as well. Didn't know me and Lacy were that popular. Maybe they'll miss my morning songs. "Please, shake your hands!" The capitol lady says and i turn to look at the red-headed girl. I smile, holding out my hand. And she smiles back, doing the same. I think we're gonna get along. And that may be a good start to an alliance.
After that handshake I turn back towards my ma and pa, waving to the entire district, but mainly to them, as the peacekeepers lead us away. They put us in rooms and lock the door. Im doomed.
What was I thinking? The odds weren't in my favour. They never are.
I sit down on one of the chairs, waiting for what will happen next. I look around. I always thought this room was a bit bigger. My leg is shaking a bit so I hold it in an attempt for the shaking to stop. Just a moment later my mom and dad enter the room to say their final good-byes. "Just be brave. You're a Byrne." My pa says, trying to be proud. My mom can't even speak over how much she's crying, but I can make out a little 'I love you'.
Then my pa gives me my guitar pickguard, as a token. Where'd he get that? If that bandana won't bring me luck, maybe my pickguard will. I hug them both and tell them I love them as the peacekeepers lead them out of the room. And as I'm alone again, I feel my eyes water. A couple minutes later the same pair of peacekeepers take me and lead me outside, to the train station. I hear them talking. Making funny remarks. How could they? How could they when something like this is happening to me..?
Before I can ever register it I'm sitting on a train. My final destination? The Capitol.
Chapter 2: The Capitol
Summary:
Seán Elvet arrives in the Capitol :D
Notes:
Sorry for any spelling mistakes !!! Hope you enjoy it !
Chapter Text
Despite the capitol lady talking in my ear, the train ride feels lonely. I stare out the window and watch the landscape of District 8, noticing it does infact have some forests, just beyond the city gates. I've never seen them before - this may be my last time seeing them as well.
In a short while, Lacy comes over to me. She's smiling, and i feel a little calmer. She seems scared, just as I am, but she's definitely being more brave about it. I met her so many times throughout my life, I just never had the courage to ask for her name. Until now i knew her as 'the girl behind the counter' and i bet she knew me like that too.
"Hey." She says and I smile. "Hi." I say, hoping to hear whatever is on her mind. "You're the guy, from behind the counter. I bought new shoes for my birthday a couple months back. You still remember me, right?" "How could I not!" I smile, motioning for her to sit down and she does.
"The.. black ones, right? On a small platform.. I heard my dad ramble about how much time he spent on them." She nods. "They're great, thanks. If it weren't for you and your dad i wouldn't look as good. They complete my outfits. I have them on right now." She pulls her skirt up a bit so that I could see. I smile as I notice them on her.
I didn't even know the shoes my pa makes could be this beautiful. Now that I think about it, my pa is probably going to find out about those shoes i borrowed Mrs. Werner and her daughter this morning. If i come back alive, he's gonna be really mad. No way Mrs. Werner won't tell him. One more reason to let Lacy win. "Maybe they brought you bad luck or something, I'm sorry." I say after a while in a joking manner, but what if it has a bit of truth to it?
Perhaps me and Lacy both brought a bit of misfortune onto each other. Her bandana and my stupid shoes. She laughs at my remark. "No, not at all. Maybe they're a bit lucky if i got to meet you like this, at least. I always thought you were a bit crazy in the head, cause i always thought 'who wakes up at 5 in the morning voluntarily to sing at the factory entrance?'" That statement brings a smile to my face. Funny.
The rest of the day was fairly silent, aside from the capitol lady telling us about what to do once we arrive in the Capitol. Me and Lacy were just sitting next to each other, staring out at the landscape as we passed through all the different districts.
I steal a couple of glances at Lacy. What will we do when the time to enter the arena comes? Haven't really thought it out. I gulp as i think about it. As the capitol lady leaves, I look at Lacy, smile, and open my mouth to speak. "How 'bout we make an alliance?"
Lacy smiles right back at me, nodding her head after a small while, when it finally seems like she's considered it enough. "Sure," she continues "I'm okay at running and I think I could be good with a knife. It's not much different from a needle, is it?"
I nod as I listen to her. I'm not particularly good at anything, just singin' songs and playing the guitar. But maybe that has advantages of its own. And I guess I could put up a fight. With someone younger, maybe. But im not that kind of guy, not the kind to cause harm to weaker people.
"I could get us sponsors." I say as I look at her. "That'll help out." She smiles and nods. I feel bad for not being on the stronger side, for not being able to put everything into protecting her. I think she'd be a much better victor than I.
And so I set that as my goal, protecting Lacy. And perhaps some other kids. If anyone else would even want to join our alliance. Probably not. We're a bunch of scrawny kids from district 8. At least I am, Lacy looks more on the healthy side. How dare I think of her as scrawny.
I can only think about my parents for the entirety of the evening. They must feel miserable. Im an only child and like my ma says, the house would feel empty without my constant strumming and singing.
How should I die so that it doesn't make them feel sick? I could at least try to survive the bloodbath. I've watched a couple of the previous hunger games on the big screen. Not good for my district. There's only person who managed to win from 8 so far and they won a long time ago, probably like the 5th or 6th games, I wasn't even alive then.
My stomach tightens as the weight of the situation settles on me. ' You're gonna lose . ' "Shut up." I say to particularly no one as i smash my head against the window. Lacy, who's sitting on the sofa looks over to me.
"You okay?" She says and I nod. I don't know what came over me. "Yeah, I'm probably just hungry." I walk over to the table filled with food and try to play it off. I reach for the scrambled eggs. My ma made the same ones this morning.. A gasping sound could be heard behind my back.
I turn around to see Lacy with a humored expression on her face. "Eggs are heavy for the stomach, if I were you, I'd save them for tomorrow morning." I nod awkwardly as if I knew that. "Oh, yeah."
"Grab some yoghurt, that's better before bed." I nod. Again. "Thanks." I put some yoghurt in a bowl and go eat it at the table. A bit plain if i say so myself. After eating it, i say goodbye to Lacy and go to sleep. I can't really sleep though so I just look at the ceiling and roll around in bed. ' Just be brave. ' Im trying to, pa.
We arrive in the Capitol next day in the morning. I see people at the train station. Lots of people. That makes me nervous. I didn't even have my scrambled eggs yet. I look through the window. It's terrifying. I decide to wave, earning a bit of an applause and cheers. Lacy joins me.
We step out of the train after a while and I see peacekeepers in white suits approaching us through the crowd of colorfully dressed people.
Then everything happens so fast.
We get separated into two groups - boys and girls. Me and the other boys are walking through the crowd of cheering capitol citizens, a bunch of peacekeepers following behind us and two of them leading the way in front of us.
Then we get put into a room that looks like a gym. Nothing fancy like i thought. We get in line, waiting to be inspected, I assume. I stand between the boys from district 7 and 9.
The boy from 9 looks no older than 12, maybe 13. Poor kid. Just like the boy from my district i met in line yesterday. I look at the ground, feeling a tug on my hand. I raise my head, seeing the boy from 7, who looked my age, stretching my sleeve. He smiles at me and I smile back. What's he up to? He has curly hair and dark skin, he's neatly dressed too. "Hey, I'm Pines." Why is he talking to me? I think. "Hi Pines." I answer. "Im Seán Elvet."
"What's your token?" The boy seemed chatty. I reached into my pocket, showing him my guitar pick. "This. Its my guitar pick." He looks interested. "You play the guitar?" He asks as if it wasn't obvious. I nod.
After a small bit he pulls out a long handkerchief from the pockets of his coat. "This one's mine." He speaks as I look at it. "Cool." I say. "Could come in handy if you lose blood, you know. To .. tie it 'round your leg or your arm." I motion with my hand. He scoffs. "True." He's quiet for a while.
"How about we team up, Seán Elvet?" Oh. I should tell him about Lacy. "Me and my district partner, Lacy, we have an alliance already. But.. It'll be nice to have someone else on the team." I smile at him and he returns it.
"I have a district partner too, her name's Adoette. She's a bit younger than me. She's a nice kid, she can climb and run.." He adds, as if to convince me further and I nod. "I already said you're welcome on the team.. and.. and Adoette too."
Time goes by, then it's my turn to show the peacekeepers my token. They look at it like im some kinda weirdo and then return my guitar pick back, motion for me to join the other boys and wait in front of the bathroom.
I take a peek at the other boys since we're not huddled behind each other in line. Pines is standing to my left, smiling at me, now that were official allies.
Most of the boys look older, but i could spot 3 or 4 that we're barely old enough to be here. As everyone's there we get pushed into the bathroom. We take off our reaping clothes, which are sent off to who knows where. 'Good-bye, my beautiful embroideried shirt', I think to myself.
So then we shower, the water is a bit too cold and the "soap" couldn't even be considered soap. But it's survivable, I guess. We put on some underwear and walked into the other room, filled with capitol stylists.
I get led into a separate area, parting with Pines and the other boys. A capitol fella dressed in fancy clothes comes over to me, looks me up and down, then starts to murmur things like "Well, what can I do with you?" or "What's the perfect thing for you to wear?". I think he was talking mostly to himself though.
I get out of the room wearing some ridiculous clothes that are made of like a billion types of textiles. I sigh, looking around for Lacy as the other tributes fill the room. I noticed a blonde boy that walked past me with his district partner clutching a teddy bear to his chest, probably his token. He looks like he can't really fend for himself. I finally spot Lacy, seeing her holding a little girl's hand.
I come over to them, smiling. Lacy is wearing practically the same thing as I am, just more color-balanced. I look like a puked out rainbow. "Hey Lacy. Who's this?" I look over to the blonde girl on her left, who looks up at me too.
Lacy opens her mouth to answer, but the little girl is faster. "My name is Wrenlee, I'm from 12." I nod. "Well, nice to meet you, Wrenlee. Im Seán Elvet. I see you're a bird, just like me." I smile, but she looks a bit puzzled.
"Well, wrens are birds, aren't they?" I say, a bit embarrassed that she didn't get my pun right away. "And.. elvet is a swan stream.." I add and she smiles. "Oh, I get it now." I smiled back. "Bird buddies." Lacy says.
As get called away to step into our chariots, I still keep an eye on Wrenlee as her and her district buddy get in. I think I saw that boy before, when we entered the bathroom, he looked my age. Brown hair, blue eyes.
And then the chariot starts moving. We ride on a long path built just for these. At one point the camera goes to me and Lacy. We're on the big screen. I hold her hand and wave, she does too. I can hear cheers coming from the audience.
I finally have some time to look at Capitol people. Most of them are dressed in ridiculous colorful clothes, just like I am right now. Some of them even had the audacity to show up drunk like this is some kind of a festivity, when its really not. It's a public execution, and they all know it.
Someone yells out "Seán, look this way!" 'That's not my name.' I think to myself. 'Its Seán Elvet.' And so I dont look at them. Instead I look at Lacy. She's the only one worth my time anyway. "You okay?" I ask and she nods. "That's good." I say and she looks back at me. "We'll be okay, Seán Elvet. One of us has to win." I smile and nod for reassurance. "Of course." I look away as my mind goes to darker places.
Then the chariots stop. I look up and there he is, standing on a balcony above us. President Snow. And I think that out of all the people there he's looking right at me.
kissingwillgraham on Chapter 1 Sun 18 May 2025 02:57PM UTC
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ravendoves on Chapter 1 Sun 18 May 2025 03:01PM UTC
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sundayavenue on Chapter 1 Mon 19 May 2025 07:12AM UTC
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ravendoves on Chapter 1 Mon 19 May 2025 10:11AM UTC
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