Rated M for violence, strong language, and other mature themes
It was morning and already Lanni had been awake for some time. Scattered around her were scraps of paper, each one filled with countless encryptions and numbers that had been recorded by the tiny girl herself. She focused heavily on them, most notably the massive "24" that emblazoned the centre of just one sheet. One out of 24 and I'm 14, therefore my name is contained within the system exactly three times. What exactly is the population of District 3? Questions arose - questions that the girl focused long and hard on just as she heard a voice outside her door.
It was unmistakably Miriam, the youngest of the three Samara siblings who had a tendency to simply barge in. It was a rather obnoxious habit of the younger girl, but one that her middle sister was not about to contest this morning. "Fine, come in." She uttered with a sigh. Without hesitation the younger girl came in, immediately taking note of the hoard of half-constructed gadgets, paper, and all manner of other doodads that the older girl had managed to accumulate. The disorderly fashion of the room was not unlike the wild untamed dark hair that laid atop the head of each member of the Samara family.
"What is going on? Aren't you going to come to breakfast?" Miriam finally asked her sister. "Nancy, mum, and dad are already there."
Lanni sighed. "I suppose I was just overthinking some things. I tend to do that on Reaping Day..." Perhaps overthinking was an understatement as the various sheets of paper currently in front of the girl could testify. It was one complicated equation after the other all in attempts to decipher exactly what her odds of being reaped were. Fortunately, it did not come out as extremely high, but how certain could she be? Just how many times did the other children have their names in the lottery? Miriam, being only eleven, was lucky for just one more year.
Without further reluctance Lanni followed her sister to the kitchen where food was already neatly laid out for each member of the family. Each of them managed to eat in near silence, only exchanging brief glances at each other. Transforming Reaping Day into something sentimental was always a risk for it came with the possibility that at least one Samara child was not returning home. Both Lanni and Nancy were eligible to be selected, being forced to their almost certain deaths.
The silence of breakfast was only short-lived, however, with Nancy being the first to break the brief peace. "With you being fourteen and me being seventeen without any Tesserae I infer that we don't have a lot to be distressed about."
"I hope that's affirmative because I'm so diminutive." Lanni replied as she put her shoes on. It was time to leave for the Justice Building where the annual Reaping always occurred.
Upon following her younger sister out the door, and finally with the rest of the family trailing behind, Nancy chuckled. "Size is insignificant. Remember that tiny girl who won last year?" She was, of course, referring to a certain Layla Aranai who, despite being the smallest tribute that year had managed to come out victorious. For somebody like Lanni it provided even a shred of hope in the case that she was ever reaped.
Any hope was needed hope, Lanni realized the moment she stepped into the District Square that was quickly filling with eligible children from all over the District. They registered with the Peacekeepers before finding their place and neatly lining up, according to age. Lanni and Nancy followed the standard protocol, simply waving to each other as they parted ways for the small ceremony to begin.
The routine itself was far too familiar to Lanni by now who simply shook her head as the District's Escort, Marcus, walked atop the stage. He was a rather short and plump man, but to most he was even more recognizable by his vibrantly coloured suits. Supposedly it was some of the more "normal" of the Capitol fashion, but the tiny girl did not much care to find out exactly how much truth there was to those rumours. There was exactly only two ways she could find out for herself: asking another of the District's Victors or going to the Capitol herself. Going to the Capitol was nothing more than another impossibility, however.
Unless one was Reaped for the Hunger Games.
The slim possibility of being Reaped still did not escape Lanni as she gave Marcus her full undivided attention. She nearly froze up at the prospect, particularly as the man gave the usual Capitol spiel that preceded every Reaping. Just how many citizens took it at face value, she wondered. The thoughts of rebellion or loyalty rarely did cross her own mind, but she knew that one could find individuals of either variety all across the District. Marcus himself was focused on one thing only, though, gleefully turning towards the massive computerized system that in only moments would be randomizing two names from the District.
A lump formed in Lanni's throat as the man spoke once more. "Now this is the moment we all await every year! It is time to select our Tributes for the 49th Annual Hunger Games!" He smiled and positioned his finger over the switch that would put the system to work. "As is routine by now, ladies first!"
Nearly every girl in District 3 suddenly held their breath as a series of numbers appeared to be changing on the device's screen. Numbers. What did they mean? The system's interior coding perhaps? Algorithms? It was a fascinating display of technological performance, but the awe that every District 3 child felt at the machine itself was only short-lived as a single name finally became legible on the machine's screen: Lanni Samara.
She froze once again, barely making a single sound as all eyes set on her. This was it. Perhaps her equations had been off? Either way, her fate was sealed. She was going to the Hunger Games.
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