User blog comment:Cloveismywife/The Vengeance Games/@comment-4988520-20121022203600

For some reason when I press publish it doesn't work so I'm posting the reaping for D1 here and adding it to the blog later. Here it is:

Amity is still sobbing in the corner. Hex has been in a trance ever since Fabio and Maysilee were reaped. She won't even look at them.

"What's wrong with her?" I ask Lira.

"She and I killed Fabio and Maysilee. It's really awkward for us," she replies. Oh. Awkward. I make that face you make when you feel bad for someone, and turn away from Lira in embarrassment. I'm so stupid. I look over at Amity one more time, and I hope I'm not like that when I see Navy and Callam. I'm dreading it, honestly. I'm happily married now, and Callam is only 15. And so is Navy, but I actually killed Navy, so that makes it even worse.

I look out the window of the train, and I can tell we are approaching my home district, District 1. Fabio and Maysilee are sitting alone at one end of the car talking with Luke. Emmeline is chatting with Jonah and Sian, and Whitney is eating something that looks like a glitter donut.

"Alright, victors. We are at the District 1 train station. Let's get this show on the road!" Colo announces. We all grumble, and Amity wipes her tears. I feel bad for her. It was so shocking that the tributes who weren't drafted were just burned alive. It didn't make sense. It was just cruel. The ten of us leave the train, leaving the Capitol tributes alone with their escort. It's annoying how we're all sharing one train this year. Colo walks us to the familiar District 1 stage, where I stood twenty six years ago, thinking I was going to die. And then I see the glass box. I look at the boy's row, and I catch Callam's eye. He smiles brightly and puckers his lips like he's going to kiss me. I cringe. Doesn't he know I've moved on with my life? Right beside him is Navy, and if they weren't shackled to the wall, I'm pretty sure they would be trying to kill each other all over again. I can't even look at Navy. It's too painful.

"Hello, District 1!" Rosetta Kitt announces. She wasn't escort during my Games, but I kind of like her. She's spunky and fun, but she's not a typical Capitol sicko who loves the Games. "First let's announce the victors, beginning with our very own Summer Ashton, victor of the 200th Hunger Games!" she says. I smile and the crowd goes crazy. As much as I hate the Hunger Games, it's pretty damn cool to be a victor. Rosetta goes through the rest of the victors and then her attitude changes. "Now, to the reaping. We'll start with the new tributes."

Rosetta rifles her hand through the girl's bowl when a sing-song of female voices shout, "I volunteer!" Rosetta looks around, waving her finger as she surveys the girls in the crowd raising their hands in anticipation.

"You! With the red hair!" Rosetta decides. The girl jogs up to the stage, smiling like a murderess. "What's your name?" she asks.

"Jackie Devilin," the girl responds. She has that super sexy voice that makes everything sound naughty, and already I don't like her. But I'll have to mentor her anyway.

"Now for the boys!" Rosetta shouts.

Before she can put her hand fully in the bowl, a guy shouts, "I volunteer" before anyone else can. He trots up to the stage, the other guys looking at him in disgust.

"My name is Maroon Cutter," he says into the mic. Immediately, I like him. He doesn't have that District 1 vibe like everyone else. He's almost...normal.

"Ok, now we have what everyone has been waiting for: the All-Star tributes!" Rosetta says excitedly. The crowd cheers and I lock eyes with Destiny. She knows I don't want Callam or Navy reaped, and my stomach drops to the ground as Rosetta opens the envelops containing the names of the tributes. "Copper Overdeen and Amber Agate!" she yells. The crowd goes wild and I smile broadly. Peacekeepers lead Copper and Amber out of the glass box, and I cheer. I'm happy for two reasons. 1. Amber and Copper are the tributes who have the best shot of winning, in my mind at least. 2. Navy and Callam aren't going to ever reappear in my life. I start to dance around in joy when I accidentally lock eyes with Callam. He has tears rolling down his face, and I stop smiling. He mouths something to me, but I can't understand it. Then, the glass box sets on fire. The crowd silences and then cheers like barbarians when the tributes begin to burn. I feel awful once again. The last thing Callam saw before he died was me cheering about how he didn't get reaped.