Aaron Sage’s Reaping- Bell tolls for a destined fate.

Instructions

“Need a lift?” Charles Reed turned towards his little brother with a sense of mixed whimsy and concern,eyebrows lowered in sympathy to Aaron,but his eyes were gleaming with relief. He had never seen the bright look on this one. It was always Thomas,the breadwinner,who ever exposed his heart and thoughts out loud. Always the loudest at the dinner table,and the most boisterous of them all. When he had his first kid,Cody. He treated him just like he would do to his very own son,bright,but always distant. In that way,he is more like Charlie.More observant,but ambitious,nevertheless. Top of his class, and an excellent feline resources worker. He could only wish to be like that. Instead,he is destined to forever be a pathetic little mechanic. Not that being a mechanic is a horrible job,but it was rather himself who is small and pathetic. In an ideal world few would be worried about the reaping. In his district, there were very few that claimed tesserae,and he did not,as well. His family is well off in the desolate countryside of district 5,and he knew that if something happens,they’ll be right behind him. Yet,he worried. He worried of the future,and what it held. Was it a sad life of being something that he isn’t meant to be? Or was his life over in the first place? He didn’t want to lose his life just yet. Just a few more years,then it’d be all over,that’s what he says to himself to sleep at night.And it’s a stupid thought to go to sleep with,cause those thoughts stick with you and the cycle continues. And he is scared because he is off to that very place that he fears of. “What’s with the long face?” The brother asked,and he felt offended. Why wouldn’t he be? He didn’t want to live like this,under the fear. Because,that’s what instincts teel you to do,they tell you not to die.They tell you to live at all costs. But he is no monster that’ll get his paws with blood. “Aren’t you scared?” “The brother turns around,perhaps he had understood his worries,perhaps he is just disappointed. And he is ashamed. Not again with the shenanigans,Aaron Sage.This is why they choose kids like you. For the fun and thrill from the look in your eyes. For the instincts that larch onto since birth. They want to see that. “Sorry.” … The dirty-looking clouds hung over like a massive guillotine for the children of the district,as various birds of prey chattered in excitement,blissfully unaware of the anticipated bloodbath and to the eerie stillness beneath; Aaron stayed silent,and so did most of the teens. They were all fearing of the worst,probably. One swing,one strike,and you’re done for.Your life is done for,a destiny sealed. *You* are done for. And he prayed and prayed. Be it Gods of otherwise. A breath held. A careful glance by the stage.The crowd piles up like lambs to be slaughtered. At this point, it’s more like a chopping board. And he tries to not overthink,but it flows and overflows with utter doom and gloom when the slug of an escort dramatically picks up the paper and he panics because what if he gets picked,does he run away or hide or face it with bravery or whatever that makes him look cool and they open it with precision like an eagle and he is scared. “Aaron Sage?” His name pierced coldly like a sharp,rusted blade in the crowd,a sharping of the knife,and when he hears it,thwack! Its target has now been stabbed on the spot. The name is cold but he is warm.He shakes from the legs and nothing seems to come to mind. He kneels on the stone-filled floor yet, he could not feel a single thing. The pebbles poke and puncture through his fur and pain follows,but the legs would not move an inch at all. He is dragged upwards by two creatures and he continues to kneel,dragging through the crowd in utter silence. He’d wish someone could take his place,but that is too selfish for him and so no one responds. “What happens when something doesn’t go to plan? You live on,Cody,you live on. With pride and your head up high.” “Don’t you agree,Aaron?”