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happy hunger games
[ Reaping day. The worst day of the year. But it's his last reaping, and for as many times as he knows his name is now entered, Eddie thinks that he just has to get through this one last day and then he can finally breathe easy. Except it isn't that simple. After today, he might get out of it, be finally safe from having his name called. But there are still people he cares about that have several more years to go, a never ending line of people he loves potentially standing in harms way. But for today, for this morning out in the woods with Billy, he can celebrate the fact that he's almost made it through to the other side.
Not that life after reaping looks all that good. He'll be down in the mines as soon as he turns 19, and will choke on ash and smoke until the day he dies. It's hard to imagine finding someone to spend the rest of his life with, let alone having children. Part of him wants it, but the idea of having to watch his own children go through the reaping-- he can't stand it. It tears him up from the inside out, makes adult life seem like the same miserable prison as teenage life.
Eddie does some hunting in the woods before they go back, retrieving one of his bows he keeps carefully tucked away. It makes him feel closer to his mother, every time he pulls back the string. She had been the one that had taught him how to forage, how to hunt, how to wield a bow. And then she had died and left him all alone, with only her memory and the skills she had taught him to cling on to. But Eddie found his reasons to keep going, driven by his own hunger and a need to keep those around him alive, safe.
Dustin Henderson was one of those people. They boy was like a brother to him, and Eddie always made sure he brought some of his kills to the Henderson household. This was Dustin's first year as a participant in the reaping, but between Eddie's hauls from the woods and the fact that it's only Dustin and his mother, the Henderson family hasn't needed the tessera. Eddie intends to keep it that way, until Dustin has managed to age out of the reaping.
He makes sure to stop by this morning, bringing game and bread as Dustin's mother gets him ready. They emerge from the house and out to the square before too long, Eddie teasing him at the oversized button down he wears. Once they reach the check in line he can see the fear on Henderson's face, reaches to squeeze his shoulder and reassure him that things will be alright. Your name is only in there once, it won't be you. And then they're separated as Eddie is herded in with the older boys, all the while keeping an eye on Dustin from afar.
They watch as Effie Trinket takes the stage, looking somehow even more ridiculous than she has in previous years. Eddie is surprised that for once in his life, he doesn't feel nervous at the reaping. He's been through it so many times now, it feels like something detached, something far away. And then Effie announces that the drawing will begin, moving to the great glass bowl filled with the names of the boys in town. It's fine, it could be anyone, it won't be him, and that's theoretically all that matters. ]
Dustin Henderson.
[ Her voice echoes across the town square and Eddie feels like the wind has been knocked out of him. Dustin's head swivels desperately, searching for Eddie in the crowd as the younger boys move away from him as though he has some contagious disease. Dustin stumbles out of the crowd and looks so small, so lost, and Eddie feels his heart in his throat. He can't, he can't, he can't-- ]
I volunteer! [ The words rip out of him without thinking, because he clearly isn't thinking. He's willingly, desperately, throwing himself upon the sword. Every set of eyes seems to turn towards him, as Eddie pushes his way out of the crowd. ] I volunteer as tribute!
[ Eddie is breathless as peacekeepers escort him to the stage, as Dustin is shoved back into the crowd. None of this feels real, it's a nightmare, he'll wake up any moment. But he doesn't. Eddie makes some comment about District Twelve and volunteers, and all Eddie can do is numbly stand there, staring out vacantly into the crowd. Things can't get any worse than this, there's no way anything could be worse than this-- and then Effie reaches into the second bowl to select the female tribute. ]
Chrissy Cunningham.
[ Eddie feels like he might collapse. His gaze locks on her in an instant, sees her bouncing strawberry blonde locks as she separates herself from the crowd of girls. Eddie swallows hard, still clinging to the shred of hope that he'll wake up any second now.
Not her, anyone but her. ]
Not that life after reaping looks all that good. He'll be down in the mines as soon as he turns 19, and will choke on ash and smoke until the day he dies. It's hard to imagine finding someone to spend the rest of his life with, let alone having children. Part of him wants it, but the idea of having to watch his own children go through the reaping-- he can't stand it. It tears him up from the inside out, makes adult life seem like the same miserable prison as teenage life.
Eddie does some hunting in the woods before they go back, retrieving one of his bows he keeps carefully tucked away. It makes him feel closer to his mother, every time he pulls back the string. She had been the one that had taught him how to forage, how to hunt, how to wield a bow. And then she had died and left him all alone, with only her memory and the skills she had taught him to cling on to. But Eddie found his reasons to keep going, driven by his own hunger and a need to keep those around him alive, safe.
Dustin Henderson was one of those people. They boy was like a brother to him, and Eddie always made sure he brought some of his kills to the Henderson household. This was Dustin's first year as a participant in the reaping, but between Eddie's hauls from the woods and the fact that it's only Dustin and his mother, the Henderson family hasn't needed the tessera. Eddie intends to keep it that way, until Dustin has managed to age out of the reaping.
He makes sure to stop by this morning, bringing game and bread as Dustin's mother gets him ready. They emerge from the house and out to the square before too long, Eddie teasing him at the oversized button down he wears. Once they reach the check in line he can see the fear on Henderson's face, reaches to squeeze his shoulder and reassure him that things will be alright. Your name is only in there once, it won't be you. And then they're separated as Eddie is herded in with the older boys, all the while keeping an eye on Dustin from afar.
They watch as Effie Trinket takes the stage, looking somehow even more ridiculous than she has in previous years. Eddie is surprised that for once in his life, he doesn't feel nervous at the reaping. He's been through it so many times now, it feels like something detached, something far away. And then Effie announces that the drawing will begin, moving to the great glass bowl filled with the names of the boys in town. It's fine, it could be anyone, it won't be him, and that's theoretically all that matters. ]
Dustin Henderson.
[ Her voice echoes across the town square and Eddie feels like the wind has been knocked out of him. Dustin's head swivels desperately, searching for Eddie in the crowd as the younger boys move away from him as though he has some contagious disease. Dustin stumbles out of the crowd and looks so small, so lost, and Eddie feels his heart in his throat. He can't, he can't, he can't-- ]
I volunteer! [ The words rip out of him without thinking, because he clearly isn't thinking. He's willingly, desperately, throwing himself upon the sword. Every set of eyes seems to turn towards him, as Eddie pushes his way out of the crowd. ] I volunteer as tribute!
[ Eddie is breathless as peacekeepers escort him to the stage, as Dustin is shoved back into the crowd. None of this feels real, it's a nightmare, he'll wake up any moment. But he doesn't. Eddie makes some comment about District Twelve and volunteers, and all Eddie can do is numbly stand there, staring out vacantly into the crowd. Things can't get any worse than this, there's no way anything could be worse than this-- and then Effie reaches into the second bowl to select the female tribute. ]
Chrissy Cunningham.
[ Eddie feels like he might collapse. His gaze locks on her in an instant, sees her bouncing strawberry blonde locks as she separates herself from the crowd of girls. Eddie swallows hard, still clinging to the shred of hope that he'll wake up any second now.
Not her, anyone but her. ]