The Supreme Games - Book One

|02| Reaping D2

Kostas's P.O.V.

Today is reaping day and I am dragged out of bed by my little sister Holly. I heard a loud noise come from the kitchen and choose to ignore it. Then before I know it, Holly jumps on me with so much force that I feel a sharp pain in my ribs. I wake up instantly.

"You're gonna regret ever being born," I whisper under my my breath, deadpanning her.

Her eyes turn wide and she immediately bolts out of my room. I stumble out of bed and chase all the way down the stairs and into our living room. When I check out the back door, she's no where to be seen.

While glancing around, I feel freezing cold water being splashed on my back. I yelp in shock and ignore the way my morning voice cracks. I turn behind me and there she is, laughing uncontrollably and holding a now empty bucket in her hands. I glare and run towards her to envelop her in a bear hug. She shrieks from the initial cold shock and then begins laughing.

"You're such a pest."

Her and I laugh some more, ringing out our drenched clothes. After a minute or so, her laughing dies down and her face turns somber. With a sigh, she says,  "We should get ready for reaping." I suddenly feel my stomach twist, the anxiousness beginning to whirl around.

"Alright."

Holly and I only live with our dad because our mom died a few years ago. The last thing she said to me before she passed was "Protect your father and your sister with all your life. Don't let anything happen to them." I made that promise when I was thirteen and have every intention of keeping my family safe.

When I get downstairs I see Holly there. She's wearing a simple white dress that screams elegance. Not only is she beautiful, but she's also the best knife thrower in our school.

"You look great," I say. She smiles in return and punches my stomach.

"You've gotten fat."

Our dad comes downstairs and greets us with a good morning. Silence fills the room until he speaks up.
"I have your tokens." He hands me a bracelet that mom gave to him on their 25th anniversary.

"Dad, I can't accept this, it's yours." I say to him, returning the bracelet. He shakes his head in return.

"It belongs to you now."

We all get in a group hug and after a few minutes of eating, Holly and I make our way to the town square.

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Holly and I get our fingers pricked, and before I can say anything, she gives me a quick hug before heading over to the sixteen year old section. I do the same.

The District 2 escort, Desmona Ring, comes out on the stage and the crowd starts cheering for her.

"Welcome district two! To the Fourth Quarter Quell reaping!" She announces in her Capitol accent. The crowd once again starts to cheer. "Now before we begin—"

After hearing the same speech year after year, I begin to doze off. At times, I get too caught up wondering about my family. I stare at my token, missing the first few minutes of her boring speech. Twisting the bracelet around my wrist, I daydream about my mother from when I was younger.

I look out my window for a third time, the thunderstorm scaring me to death. My teeth are chattering since there's never much heat in the house. Hiding underneath my blankets, I shut my eyes closed, trying to focus on something other than the loud noises outside.

BOOM! Yet another sound of lightening. The rain pours down harder. I jump out of bed and slowly make my way towards the window. Through all the rain, I see two people in the distance. One older man and one younger man. The younger one towers over the older one, and stabs him with a knife!