Ultimate (thg fanfic)

District 5 Reaping

Mary Dibristle's POV:

My beloved son Thorn and my precious daughter Maybelle are amongst those standing in the square. I clutch onto my shirt full of fear, despite it being severely hot outside.

I look around from the restricted section and spot Maybelle sending a glance towards her friend Zero. They seemed to be whispering something to each other, yet I couldn't make it out.

They redirected their focus to the stage, and I gazed upon the crowd again until I eyed Thorn. His bones were tense and he stood perfectly still, something he always does when he's afraid. I couldn't help but feel pity for my poor son. It's not any of our faults that a rebellion began. That's exactly why I'm pleased that the games are going to end after this year.

Granted, despite the fact that after this year, neither of my kids will ever have to face this again, the horrors of this year may be brought upon one of my children, and that deeply frightens me. The games have been promised to be more brutal and gory than ever, and neither my agile and clever daughter or my brilliantly talented son would survive. Just like almost everyone else, they would perish.

I'm also concerned for Zero and his family. I'm exceptionally close with his mother, Dianna. Both of our husbands work at the power plant factory together and we usually wash clothes for people together. This is our sort of work, and together with the combination of our husbands' wages, we make it work, and thrive on.

Zero has 4 other siblings, two girls, one boy. Zero happens to be the oldest at eighteen, Cynthia is the second oldest at seventeen, Chrysanthemum is the second youngest at a mere fifteen, and Xavier is the youngest barely making the reaping restrictions, turning twelve last week.

Dianna also has a few step children who I've yet to meet since her husband, Joe was originally married to a nice lady named Patti. Patti and Joe got divorced because Patti had fallen for someone else, and Joe didn't wish to have the grief. I heard she also had a few more kids after that, so they have a relatively large family. I don't want to see them in grief, so I hope it some other person in District 5.

Sarah Debutten, the district escort trots out on the stage, with high blue pigtails and makeup that would suit a clown splattered on her face. Her dress is a particular mash of colors along with colored petals at the dress' bottom.

Sarah was at a level of supreme on a scale of weirdness level. I don't know how she isn't uncomfortable, and she stands out like a turkey in a herd of sheep. You can't help but notice her.

"Hello District 5! I'm ecstatic to be back and see you all again! I was so happy that in my first year of an escort last year, I was able to successfully pick out the name of last year's victor, Octavius Rex!" Sarah screeches beckoning towards a tall, tan and handsome person.

"I would be thrilled to be able to pull out another winner, so let's see if we get lucky, since our twist is - drum roll please.." Sarah demands as a peacekeeper bangs a drum.

"The family's twist!" Sarah cheers, but everyone else is on the verge of tears.

Anything but the family twist. I could possibly lose both my Thorn and my Maybelle today. It's also possible that Dianna's family gets reaped, which is also extremely frightening.

"The family twist is the twist originating from the 18th quell, and one name will be reaped and everyone in the 12-18 age group related to the person picked will come join me on the stage to enter the games in addition to the tribute chosen," Sarah explained, "so let's choose the family going to represent district 5!"

Sarah dug deep into the gigantic reaping bowl. She carefully selected a slip, and held it up for every person in the square to see.

"The Brennan family!"

No way in hell. This could absolutely not be happening. That's Dianna's family.

"Will one of you walk up here, and please announce everyone else in your family?" Sarah asks out into the crowd.

Zero is the brave soul that approaches the stage.

"List your family boy. All of your eligible relatives. Or face the consequences," snarles a peacekeeper pointing a gun, at Zero's head. The other peacekeepers also raise their guns, just in case Zero refuses to tell.

"My sister, C-Cynthia, my other sister Chrysanthemum, my brother Xavier," Zero begins, absolutely sobbing in tears.

"My step-sister Hailee, my step-brother Sage, my other step-brother Syndrome," Zero continues down on his hands and knees as his relatives join him on the stage.

"And finally,"

Who else does Zero have in his family? I thought that was it! I swear he only had three step siblings and three siblings.

"My newly wedded wife, Maybelle, and her brother and my step brother, Thorn," Zero concludes literally screeching in agony and pain.

"What!" I scream, "When did this even happened!"

"Mom, it happened last week, we did it secretly, because I wasn't sure you'd approve. I'm sorry," Maybelle explains, pleading for forgiveness.

I make my way out of the restricted section and towards the stage.

"No! I don't accept this! Maybelle, Thorn, we are going home!"

With each step another peacekeeper trails their gun on me. It doesn't take long for one to get a definite shot, and he fires, and as the bullet impales my shoulder, I fall.

I fall with an loud thump, and I feel the blood flow from my shoulder wound. Only seconds later, I felt another bullet impale my thigh. I screeched like a pterodactyl and blood flowed from my thigh.

I looked up to see Maybelle and Thorn bawling on stage. Zero and Chrysanthemum were on the verge of tears, and that's when the final bullet impinatrated my head, and the world around me turned into a bright white color.

UNIVERSAL POV:

As Mary Dibristle fades away from existence, Sarah Debutten is frantically trying to redirect the topic back to the reaping so she could get the heck out of there.

"So here's for our tributes, Cynthia, Chrysanthemum, Xavier, Syndrome, Hailee, Sage, Thorn, Maybelle, and... and.. I never actually caught your name!" Laughs Sarah.

"I'm Zero," Zero explains.

"And Zero! This year's district five tributes!" Sarah concludes, leading her tributes inside the Justice Building, where they'll all frantically say goodbye to their loved ones, since at least 8 of them aren't coming back. Well alive and free for the rest of their lives at least.