MORNING OF THE REAPING
He was running, always running. He could hear screaming all around him, but he knew he had to keep running and he couldn't stop. Arrows whizzed past his head as he ducked and rolled through the grass. He tripped and fell on a rock and the next thing he knew, he felt a blinding pain in his chest. The sky faded black and he heard a cannon shot in the distance….
Dean woke up in a panic. It's Reaping day. He knew this day was coming, as it does every year, but he just couldn't shake the fact that something was different this year. He got up and walked to the bathroom. He washed up and put on a fresh set of clothes. He smelled breakfast cooking and walked towards the kitchen. His mother, Mary was at the stove.
“Morning Mom,” he said as he sat at the table.
“Good morning Dean,” she set a bowl of hot oatmeal in front of him and kissed the top of his head. “your father and brother went to the market to see if they can scrape up some flour. I would like to make pie, for after the Reaping.”
“MMMMM, pie,” Dean said digging into his breakfast.
“You had the dream again didn't you?” His mother said as she spooned another helping of oatmeal into Dean’s bowl.
“You heard me?”
“We all heard you, but Dean it’s going to be ok. You’re 18, this is your last year. You have nothing to worry about.”
“I know, but I just can't shake this feeling….”
“GUESS WHO GOT SOME FLOUR?” John walked into the kitchen with a big smile on his face, not far behind was his little brother Sam.
“And apples too!!! Look Dean, your favorite!!!”
“Great!” Dean playfully smooshed his brothers hair, which eventually lead to the two of them wrestling on the floor.
“Ok guys, thats enough. Sammy go get washed up, its almost time for the Reaping.” Mary said while gathering up the ingredients for the pie.
“Dean, step outside with me for a minute, I need to to help me get this wood in the house.”
“Sure thing Dad,” Dean said, getting up from the table.
As he followed his Dad outside, Dean decided that his Mother was right. It was his last year, and he and Sammy were lucky. They had been fortunate enough to live a comfortable life. Well, as comfortable as one can be in District 6. Other families weren’t so lucky. Many families were forced to have their children add their names extra times for the tesserae.
“Dean, I brought you out here because I wanted to talk to you. I know that this is your last year having your name in the Reaping, and I wanted you to know that I’m proud of you. You have grown up into an amazing young man, the way you look after your Mother and take care of Sammy. I love you son.” John pulled Dean in for a hug.
“Thanks Dad, I love you too.” Dean squeezed his Dad tighter.
Yeah, everything is going to be fine. Dean said to himself.
THE REAPING
It was the same as all the other Reapings Dean had seen. There was a stage set up in the middle of the town square. On the stage there were two tables and in between the tables, there was a microphone. A man wearing a bright blue suit covered in sequins and bright green hair walks up to the microphone.
“Hello, My name is Zachariah. HAPPY HUNGER GAMES EVERYONE!!! The time has come for us to chose one lucky male and female to represent District 6 in the 64th Annual Hunger games! May the odds be ever in your favor!!! As always, ladies first!”
Zachariah walked over to the bowl on the left and picked out a name.
“The female tribute for District 6 will be…..Ruby Cortese.”
Ruby made her way to the stage. Dean had seen her before, she was a member of one of those families that had to add their names extra times. He had spoken to her a couple time before, but didn't know her all that well. He did know that she was 16, and had always thought she was pretty, but never got the chance to tell her. Oh well, to late for that now, Dean thought. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he almost missed what happened next.
“...tribute for District 6 will be….Sam Winchester.”
Dean couldn't believe his ears. He heard his mother screaming behind him, and felt Sammy grip his hand tighter.
“Sam? Sam Winchester? Come on up son! This is a great honor!”
Sam let go of Dean’s hand.
“NO!” Dean shouted.
He turned to his mother, “I love you, Mom.”
“I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!”
“NO! DEAN, NO!!!!” Sam screamed as Dean made his way to the stage.
Dean walked to the podium and stood next to Ruby with a stone face. He knew this was going to happen. He had known for a while now, and it was like a dream standing on that stage watching his father drag away his still screaming mother and brother.
SAYING GOODBYE
Dean sat in the small room waiting to see his family before he got on the train to head to the Capital. He was surprisingly calm. But that was because he had one goal in mind. Make it home. He owed it to his family, especially to his little brother.
There was a knock on the door, and his family finally came in. His mother looked as if she had aged 10 years. Her hair, which usually hung beautifully on her shoulders, was a disheveled mess, her eyes were bloodshot red and she looked as though all the life had been sucked out of her. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Dean held her in his arms.
“Mom, I'm going to be fine, I promise. Don’t worry.”
His father looked at him with tears in his eyes. “ I meant every word I said this morning Son. I’m so proud of you.” They hugged while his mother wailed in the corner.
Dean’s father took his mother outside and Dean was left with his little brother. He had always made it his mission to make sure his brother never had anything but a smile on his face, and it hurt him to see Sam in tears. He squatted down and looked his brother in the eyes.
“What’s the first thing I ever taught you Sammy?”
Sammy looked at his big brither and said, with his voice trembling.
“A man is nothing without his word.”
“Right, a man is nothing without his word. And here's my word. I’M COMING BACK. Do you hear me Sammy? I WILL COME BACK TO YOU. THAT IS A PROMISE. Say it Sammy. Say it.”
“You’re coming back.”
“Yes I am, and don’t you forget it ok?”
Dean hugged his little brother tight until the Peacekeeper came and knocked on the door, signifying it was time to leave. He let his brother go and with his eyes set with murderous intensity, his face set into a hard grimace, and his jaw clenched, Dean said one last time,
“I’M COMING BACK.”
He was running, always running. He could hear screaming all around him, but he knew he had to keep running and he couldn't stop. Arrows whizzed past his head as he ducked and rolled through the grass. He tripped and fell on a rock and the next thing he knew, he felt a blinding pain in his chest. The sky faded black and he heard a cannon shot in the distance….
Dean woke up in a panic. It's Reaping day. He knew this day was coming, as it does every year, but he just couldn't shake the fact that something was different this year. He got up and walked to the bathroom. He washed up and put on a fresh set of clothes. He smelled breakfast cooking and walked towards the kitchen. His mother, Mary was at the stove.
“Morning Mom,” he said as he sat at the table.
“Good morning Dean,” she set a bowl of hot oatmeal in front of him and kissed the top of his head. “your father and brother went to the market to see if they can scrape up some flour. I would like to make pie, for after the Reaping.”
“MMMMM, pie,” Dean said digging into his breakfast.
“You had the dream again didn't you?” His mother said as she spooned another helping of oatmeal into Dean’s bowl.
“You heard me?”
“We all heard you, but Dean it’s going to be ok. You’re 18, this is your last year. You have nothing to worry about.”
“I know, but I just can't shake this feeling….”
“GUESS WHO GOT SOME FLOUR?” John walked into the kitchen with a big smile on his face, not far behind was his little brother Sam.
“And apples too!!! Look Dean, your favorite!!!”
“Great!” Dean playfully smooshed his brothers hair, which eventually lead to the two of them wrestling on the floor.
“Ok guys, thats enough. Sammy go get washed up, its almost time for the Reaping.” Mary said while gathering up the ingredients for the pie.
“Dean, step outside with me for a minute, I need to to help me get this wood in the house.”
“Sure thing Dad,” Dean said, getting up from the table.
As he followed his Dad outside, Dean decided that his Mother was right. It was his last year, and he and Sammy were lucky. They had been fortunate enough to live a comfortable life. Well, as comfortable as one can be in District 6. Other families weren’t so lucky. Many families were forced to have their children add their names extra times for the tesserae.
“Dean, I brought you out here because I wanted to talk to you. I know that this is your last year having your name in the Reaping, and I wanted you to know that I’m proud of you. You have grown up into an amazing young man, the way you look after your Mother and take care of Sammy. I love you son.” John pulled Dean in for a hug.
“Thanks Dad, I love you too.” Dean squeezed his Dad tighter.
Yeah, everything is going to be fine. Dean said to himself.
THE REAPING
It was the same as all the other Reapings Dean had seen. There was a stage set up in the middle of the town square. On the stage there were two tables and in between the tables, there was a microphone. A man wearing a bright blue suit covered in sequins and bright green hair walks up to the microphone.
“Hello, My name is Zachariah. HAPPY HUNGER GAMES EVERYONE!!! The time has come for us to chose one lucky male and female to represent District 6 in the 64th Annual Hunger games! May the odds be ever in your favor!!! As always, ladies first!”
Zachariah walked over to the bowl on the left and picked out a name.
“The female tribute for District 6 will be…..Ruby Cortese.”
Ruby made her way to the stage. Dean had seen her before, she was a member of one of those families that had to add their names extra times. He had spoken to her a couple time before, but didn't know her all that well. He did know that she was 16, and had always thought she was pretty, but never got the chance to tell her. Oh well, to late for that now, Dean thought. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he almost missed what happened next.
“...tribute for District 6 will be….Sam Winchester.”
Dean couldn't believe his ears. He heard his mother screaming behind him, and felt Sammy grip his hand tighter.
“Sam? Sam Winchester? Come on up son! This is a great honor!”
Sam let go of Dean’s hand.
“NO!” Dean shouted.
He turned to his mother, “I love you, Mom.”
“I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!”
“NO! DEAN, NO!!!!” Sam screamed as Dean made his way to the stage.
Dean walked to the podium and stood next to Ruby with a stone face. He knew this was going to happen. He had known for a while now, and it was like a dream standing on that stage watching his father drag away his still screaming mother and brother.
SAYING GOODBYE
Dean sat in the small room waiting to see his family before he got on the train to head to the Capital. He was surprisingly calm. But that was because he had one goal in mind. Make it home. He owed it to his family, especially to his little brother.
There was a knock on the door, and his family finally came in. His mother looked as if she had aged 10 years. Her hair, which usually hung beautifully on her shoulders, was a disheveled mess, her eyes were bloodshot red and she looked as though all the life had been sucked out of her. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Dean held her in his arms.
“Mom, I'm going to be fine, I promise. Don’t worry.”
His father looked at him with tears in his eyes. “ I meant every word I said this morning Son. I’m so proud of you.” They hugged while his mother wailed in the corner.
Dean’s father took his mother outside and Dean was left with his little brother. He had always made it his mission to make sure his brother never had anything but a smile on his face, and it hurt him to see Sam in tears. He squatted down and looked his brother in the eyes.
“What’s the first thing I ever taught you Sammy?”
Sammy looked at his big brither and said, with his voice trembling.
“A man is nothing without his word.”
“Right, a man is nothing without his word. And here's my word. I’M COMING BACK. Do you hear me Sammy? I WILL COME BACK TO YOU. THAT IS A PROMISE. Say it Sammy. Say it.”
“You’re coming back.”
“Yes I am, and don’t you forget it ok?”
Dean hugged his little brother tight until the Peacekeeper came and knocked on the door, signifying it was time to leave. He let his brother go and with his eyes set with murderous intensity, his face set into a hard grimace, and his jaw clenched, Dean said one last time,
“I’M COMING BACK.”