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Today's reaping day.
Every child in each district is scared and worried, wondering if this will be the last time they see their family before being sent to their inevitable demise. And as for Bannock Mellark, the stakes are even higher this year, because he has to worry not only about himself but also about his two younger brothers.
On the morning of the reaping, Bannock was awakened by a small body curled up at his side. Peeta hadn't slept beside him in a long time, claiming he wasn't a baby anymore. But Bannock guessed that everyone feels a little small when the threat of possible death looms near.
Putting his arm around his brother, they just lay there in their little world, a kinder world, a world where people don't send their children to fight for their death. But alas, there's no use in dreaming. Everyone has to wake up eventually, especially in a place like Panem.
Peeta blearily opened his eyes, and Bannock grinned as he greeted him.
"Good morning. Now, what are you doing here?" He saw his youngest brother blush as he realized where he was. Embarrassed, Peeta buried his face in Bannock's shoulder and mumbled something he couldn't hear.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Bannock said, amused by his response. He pulled away from Peeta, but his brother still wouldn’t look him in the eyes.
"I had a nightmare that I was reaped and woke up," Peeta muttered.
That instantly wiped the smile off Bannock’s face. He pulled Peeta close in his arms, feeling his brother tighten his hold. "You've got nothing to worry about," Bannock reassured him. "It's your first year. The chances of you getting reaped are pretty slim to none."
Peeta didn’t seem comforted. "It could be you or Rye."
Bannock sighed, knowing full well that the odds of him or Rye getting chosen were higher. His name was entered five times, after all.
"It could also be someone else, so don’t worry about it, okay?" He spoke firmly, wanting to end the conversation and at least try to move on with the morning, at least for now, like normal.
Peeta just nodded dejectedly, sensing Bannock didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and they left his bed.
Bannock told Peeta to use the bathroom first while he went to wake Rye. After several futile attempts, which involved much grumbling and whining, the Mellark brothers were finally ready to start the morning shift at the bakery.
"Good morning," Dad greeted them when they went downstairs. "Food’s on the table." He pointed to the center of the kitchen, where a tray of chocolate cupcakes awaited them. They were delighted, because they rarely got to eat what they baked unless it had gone stale (and something as decadent as chocolate was a treat).
Peeta and Rye immediately shot off, pushing and shoving each other to be the first to reach the food.
Rolling his eyes fondly, Bannock reached over them to grab the tray, breaking up the fight and handing each of them a cupcake.
They ate in silence, and after finishing their meal, Bannock grabbed a towel from one of the cupboards to wipe the crumbs off Peeta's face.
Scowling, Peeta squirmed and tried to wriggle free, but Bannock’s larger size and bulk made his attempts look pretty pathetic.
Laughing, Bannock finally pulled away when Peeta’s face was mostly clean. "Piggy," he teased. It was an old nickname he had given Peeta when he was still learning how to eat. Whenever Bannock called him that, Peeta would make little oinking noises while laughing and giggling. These days, he didn’t do that anymore.
Rye snorted. "I thought I told you not to call him that anymore." Peeta grumbled.
Bannock smiled sadly. He knew Peeta was growing up, and he wasn’t the same little kid who used to follow him around all the time.
"I know," he said while ruffling Peeta’s hair and messing up his curls. "But you'll always be a little piggy to me," he added with a grin, which earned him groans in response.
Sadly, the good mood vanished when their mother stormed in, demanding to know what they were doing instead of working.
Bannock instinctively put himself between her and his siblings. "Nothing, Ma, we were just about to start on the dough," he said, standing his ground as if daring her to do something about it.
She gave them a sharp look, then huffed. "Well, what are you standing there like idiots for? Get back to work, now!"
Bannock let out a sigh of relief when she finally left the room. "Well, let’s get to it. Don’t want Mommy Dearest finding us doing nothing," he said, breaking the tense silence that had fallen.
In what felt like no time at all, it was nearly time for the reaping.
Dad shooed us upstairs, but Bannock declined in favor of helping him with the cleanup. Thankfully, when he went upstairs, Rye had already finished his shower. Bannock entered the bathroom, took off his clothes, and turned on the shower. As the water sprayed over him, his thoughts unwillingly drifted to the reaping.
Having watched the Games throughout the years, Bannock had seen the horrors the Capitol was capable of. From dangerous arenas to horrifying mutts, the Capitol would do just about anything for their show.
The thought of trying to claw his way out of that hellhole made him feel sick. Bannock placed a hand on the tiled wall, trying to calm himself. No need to scare Peeta and Rye.
He finished his shower quickly and went back to their shared room, finding only Rye left. Bannock went to his bed and found freshly ironed clothes: a pair of grey slacks and a blue dress shirt that Mom had recently bought.
As he put on the clothes, he turned around to find Rye still standing in the room.
"What?" he asked.
Rye shuffled his feet and mumbled, "Do you still have your old slacks?"
Bannock glanced over at him, noticing Rye's pant legs hanging just above his ankles. Peeta and he both inherited Dad's wide, stocky build, while Rye was the only one to inherit their mother’s tall, lean frame.
Bannock told him to wait a moment before heading to his designated drawer. After rummaging around, he pulled out his old slacks, hoping they would fit Rye. He tossed them at him, then sat on his bed, scuffing his shoes on the floor as he waited for him to change.
Finally finished, they headed downstairs where Peeta and Mom were waiting for them.
"Where's Dad?" he questioned.
Peeta was just about to open his mouth to answer when Mom interrupted.
"In our room, the idiot mixed up his shoes," she mocked, doing nothing to hide her contempt.
Before he could defend his father (even with his many faults, Dad was still a decent parent, better than her anyway),
Dad thankfully appeared, albeit a little sheepishly.
"Sorry about that, everyone," he said. "Guess my mind was still off somewhere, with what it is today and all."
Peeta immediately rushed to his side, and Dad whispered reassurance to him, quiet enough for Bannock not to hear. Dad and Peeta have always been close, with similar bearings and personalities. Two gentle souls, unfortunate enough to live in a world like this.
Bannock walked over to Rye and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey," he whispered. "You have nothing to worry about," he said, trying to believe it himself.
"Come on, let's not dawdle any longer, or else we're going to be late for the damn thing," Mom said, impatient to get the day over with.
For once, Bannock actually agreed with his mother, and the Mellark family closed up shop and headed outside, where many other District 12 citizens would gather.
Breaking off from their parents (but not without one last bear hug from Dad, ignoring Mom's grumblings), Bannock first accompanied his brothers to their designated lines.
Walking with them, he could practically feel them tense with fear and nerves.
He slipped his arms around their shoulders, ignoring the knot of worry in his own chest. "Don't worry. Before you know it, we'll be home enjoying the celebratory supper Dad always makes, yeah?"
They reluctantly nodded their heads.
'That would do for now, I guess,' he sighed.
Dropping off Peeta and Rye, he hurried over to the sixteen-year-old section for his attendance and blood pricking. Looking over at the other children, he noticed their tense and tight faces while they waited for their turn.
He can't help but compare them to cattle being prepared for slaughter.
After his turn, he headed over to his section and saw his best friend, Mattias Donner, mouthing his name and beckoning him over to stand next to him.
"Hey," he greeted me. "What took you so long?"
He snorted, "Oh, you know, the usual Mellark drama, nothing new."
Mattias smiled ruefully, "Yeah? Want to talk about it later?"
Something warm flared in his chest. He and Mattias had always been close. The Donners lived above the sweet shop, after all. It only made sense for the sons of the town’s baker and confectioner to be friends. Inseparable since childhood, they told each other everything. So Mattias had the inside scoop on exactly what had been going on inside the Mellark household.
"Nah," he told him, "It's pretty much tame compared to the usual shit that happens. Plus, all I want to do is get this whole mess over with."
Mattias nodded in agreement, "I get that, this is going to be Mallorie's last reaping before she ages out, and you wouldn't believe how glad we are."
Bannock laughed, thinking about his pretty older sister who is so close to not ever experiencing this again. "Oh shit, you're right, at least there's one good thing going to happen today."
But before they could continue, Effie Trinket, wearing a garish green jumpsuit with a bright purple undershirt, waltzed onto the stage and up to the mic to finally begin the ceremony.
He nudged Mattia's shoulder to at least offer some silent comfort, which he returned with a fragile yet grateful smile.
The reaping begins just like any other year with a recap of The Dark Days and Effie gushing about how spectacular an honor it is to be chosen as a tribute for the games.
"Ladies first!" Effie announced in a far too chipper voice. Her hands, painted emerald to match her outfit, reached into the girls’ bowl and pulled out a single slip.
"Ashley Larkspurr!"
His heart clenched as he watched the crowd of twelve-year-old girls separate to reveal a skinny-looking Seam child whose eyes looked like they were about to pop out from their skull, judging from how wide and frightened they looked.
From the corner of his eye, Bannock saw Mattias relax, probably relieved that his sister was finally safe.
Bannock couldn't really blame him. As much as he sympathized for little Ashley Larkspurr, he's still glad that at least it wasn't someone he knew.
Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't even notice Effie reaching for the boy's bowl, until she was already reading the name.
"- Mellark!"
Bannock stiffened, heart stuttering in his chest. For a terrifying second, he tought she had called his name. But it wasn't until Effie repeated it that his heart dropped to his stomach and the blood in his veins turned to ice.
"Peeta Mellark!"
No.
No.
No!
Not Peeta. Not his brother. Please, not him. Anyone but him.
Don't take him away.
But his pleas meant nothing as he watched his baby brother moved stiffly towards the stage, each step heavier han the last.
Peeta's face...
Bannock had never seen him so pale and terrified. Not even when Mom at her angriest.
That sight alone gave him the courage to move. He knocked Mattias’ hand off his arm and hurried toward Peeta.
“Peeta!”
A couple of Peacekeepers tried to pull him back, but he pushed forward, struggling to break free.
“No! Let go of me!” Their grips were so tight, he knew he’d be bruised, but he didn’t care. The only thought in his head was to reach his brother.
“Peeta!” he called again, more desperate now, until the idea struck him like lightning.
“I volunteer!” he finally cried out.
The Peacekeepers froze, shocked. No one in District 12 ever volunteered. If he’d been thinking clearly, he would have been just as stunned.
But nothing about this was right. Peeta would be walking to his grave the moment he stepped on that stage, and that thought alone gave Bannock the strength to stand taller.
“I volunteer,” he repeated, calmer this time, trying to sound confident even though he felt like crumbling.
Effie, who had been gaping at the scene, finally blinked herself out of it.
“Oh, oh!” she stammered. “Well, this is unprecedented!”
She looked positively giddy, clearly thrilled that something interesting was finally happening in the district she always found so dull.
Bannock rushed over to Peeta and cupped his brother’s tear-streaked face in his hands.
“Peet, go find Dad,” he said gently.
“N–no,” Peeta sobbed, shaking his head, too upset to speak clearly.
“Go find Dad,” Bannock repeated, more firmly this time.
Peeta shook his head harder. “N–no!”
That’s when Bannock spotted Rye, pale and tearful, hurrying toward them.
“Rye, go get him. Please,” Bannock said.
Rye nodded and scooped Peeta up into his arms.
Peeta squirmed, struggling and flailing in his brother’s hold. “No! Bannock! Bannock!” he screamed, the sound echoing across the silent square.
Trying to keep himself from vomiting or breaking down, Bannock turned and walked toward the stage. Effie was waiting with her hand outstretched.
“Come, come,” she said brightly, taking his hand and guiding him toward the center of the stage.
“My, my, everyone, let’s give a round of applause for District 12’s very first volunteer!”
No one moved.
Not a single sound.
But only for a moment.
Then, one by one, the people of District 12 kissed their fingers and raised them in the air, three fingers held high.
Effie looked confused, but Bannock understood, as did everyone else in the square.
It was a gesture of admiration. Of farewell.
Bannock stood as tall as he could, trying not to fall apart at the rare show of unity from merchant and Seam folk alike.
“O–okay,” Effie said, recovering from the moment. “Oops! I seem to have forgotten my manners. I haven’t even asked your name yet.”
He forced the words through the ash in his mouth. “Bannock… Bannock Mellark.”
“Bannock Mellark?” she repeated. “Well, I bet my entire wig collection that little Peeta Mellark is your brother, isn’t he?”
Bannock fought the urge to punch her makeup-covered face.
“Yes,” he said after a pause. “He’s my little brother.”
“Wonderful! I bet you just didn’t want him to take all the glory, did you?”
'Calm yourself, Bannock. Calm yourself.'
“Well, here you have it, folks! The District 12 tributes for the 70th Annual Hunger Games! Now, let’s have our tributes shake hands, come on now.”
Bannock turned toward Ashley, who stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. He tried to soften his expression and offered his hand.
She hesitated but eventually reached out and shook it.
After that, they were ushered into the Justice Building. Bannock took one last look at the town square before the doors closed behind them Like a casket sealing shut before it was lowered into the grave.