The Taste of Death ~ Hunger Games Fanfiction- Finnick/OC

Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

Reaping Day of the 67th

Annual Hunger Games

District 14

Scarlet Wolfe

Scarlet's face hit the edge of the wooden chair. Bash Wolfe stood above her holding a birch branch in his thick, wind-torn fingers. She recognized the warm trickle dripping across her temple and forehead and blinked through the blood as it trailed across her eye.

Happy Reaping Day to me. She thought bitterly as she glared up at her father.

"Scarlet, just—" He closed his eyes and turned away from her, his face pinching in disgust. Whatever disgust he felt for her was felt twice fold by her towards him. Bash dropped his hand and pointed to the door.

A hand grabs her shoulder, and she glances to her left seeing Crimson there by her side. She allows him to pull her to her feet and out of the house, her head still spinning from the collision with the chair.

Once they had gotten a good distance away from their run-down home, Crimson pulled Scarlet to a stop.

She pulls out of his grasp instantly. She didn’t like it when people controlled her movements or tried to control her but she couldn’t stand it after getting a beating.

"You should clean it off the best you can with the snow." Crimson says, eyeing the wound on her face without coming closer.

The wind had already frozen the blood on her face making her skin stiff and uncomfortable. She didn’t think that the snow would be of much help. Probably, she would need water to get clean.

Still, Scarlet reached down and grabbed a handful of snow. It was hard and more ice-like than snow with the cold front they'd been having here. She stood up, knowing that it would only serve to shred her skin to pieces if she tried to use it.

The cold air bit into her skin where fresh blood trickled down her face from her wound.

"It'll be fine until later." She finally said, dropping the snow to the ground.

"You have a real knack for pissing people off."

"Yeah, I know." It was true.

Crimson pissed people off too. He was just better at escaping punishment, and he was better at making amends. He had a way of pissing people off and getting into fights, and then making it seem like it was the other person's fault.

Then the next day, he'd be back laughing with the same people he'd been fighting with the day before like nothing had ever happened.

People liked Crimson.

Adults. Little kids. Older kids. Even peacekeepers seemed to like him. Crimson could talk anyone into doing anything he wanted, even if it meant they'd get in trouble for it. And they'd never blame him or hold a grudge against him.

Crimson was a snake, laying in the weeds, just watching and waiting for the right time to strike. Even Scarlet wasn't immune. It was just that Scarlet knew him well enough to know that she had to take everything he told her with a grain of salt.

Whatever he told her was likely mostly true, but it certainly wasn't the entire truth. She had learned to look for his motives rather than listen to his actual words. Rarely did he do something just because it was the right thing.

Scarlet had learned a long time ago that being liked by people didn't make a person good. Just like being disliked by people didn't make someone bad.

Scarlet thought constantly trying to please people was a waste of time and energy. She would rather be disliked than have to pretend to be someone else all the time.

"Why'd you provoke him like that?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled away from Crimson. They had to get to the District 14 town square stage, and she had no obligation to explain herself to him and she had no desire to.

What Crimson had seen was Scarlet making a sarcastic comment to their father about not getting breakfast on the morning of District 14's Reaping Day, when it could very well be her last meal in District 14.

But the petty little comment wasn't the actual cause for their fathers' fist hitting scarlet's face and sending her into the kitchen table chair, nor was it the cause for his threat of the birch branch.

Bash was overcompensating, using a show of force to cover his loss of power. Because Scarlet knew everything. All his secrets. All their father's sick and twisted deeds. Scarlet knew everything now. And she would never let any of it happen again.

He could try to intimidate her into silence all he wanted, but Scarlet had never cowed before anyone in her life, and she wasn't about to start now. She wouldn't tell anyone what she had found out or what had happened. It wasn't for her to tell or share with anyone. But she would be damned if she just sat back and watched it happen again and again. She would make sure that it never happened again.

Slaughter-child or not, Cadmium was a person. A human. But more than that, Cadmium was her brother. No one—not Crimson, not Violet, not even their father—was allowed to mess with him.

Their father would never, ever, use Cadmium again to fulfill his own selfish needs.

Scarlet made a silent vow and marked an X over her chest, binding it to her soul.

As Scarlet and Crimson approached the town square, she saw their four older siblings already there, saying a final farewell to their mother. Their father would probably be in the town square at any moment, but he wouldn't say goodbye to anyone.

He would already be in the crowd of adults and young children, waiting to hear if it was their child or a child of someone they knew going into the arena. Honestly, she didn't think Bash cared either way if any of his slaughter-children or tesserae-children were sent into the arena. Right now, he’d probably be thrilled if she were forced to volunteer.

Though he’d probably be thrilled if it was Scarlet who was forced to volunteer this year.

Cadmium and Honey held the hands of Ash and Ebony. Their mother, Harmony, held their newborn sibling, Marigold, in her arms. Even though Marigold was only a week old, and wrapped up in a thin, worn-out blanket, both mother and child were forced to attend today.

Scarlet hoped this would be the last child born into their family but knew as long as her mother could have more, she would.

Scarlet walked next to Crimson, and she watched as their mother reached up and tucked a stray blonde strand of Violet's hair behind her ear. Scarlet had never known that kindness before. Not from her mother. Certainly not from her father. Not from any of her siblings.

But that was District 14. Cruel. Cold. Unforgiving and Ruthless.

Kindness made you weak. Weakness might be okay for a tesserae-child, who had the best odds for life in District 14, but for a slaughter-child, who were given less than 50% chance of making it to adulthood, kindness would get you killed.

Scarlet believed that a person deserved what they took. What they fought for. What they were able to keep.

Scarlet looked at her family as they drew closer.

Violet had her blonde hair spun up in a fancy twist, with a few of her natural curls framing her plain face. Her face was pale, clean, and well-washed from the bath she'd gotten earlier. Her thin lips were pulled into a smile, because, unlike most of the children here--even the other tesserae-children--Violet didn't care about anyone other than herself.

She wasn't going to end up going into the arena this year. Violet wore one of their mother's old dresses. It was a little too big for her, but Scarlet could already tell that it would be nicer than nearly all the other dresses worn by the other sixteen-year-old girls. And that was really all Violet cared about.

Auburn was the oldest boy in their family, apart from their father. At fourteen, he was as tall as their mother, and wore their father's old clothes. They were big on his thin frame, but he looked good, with the white shirt tucked into his black pants. A thick coat covered his arms and chest and worn boots covered his feet.

His curly blonde hair was brushed, and his face washed clean. Scarlet knew that most of the girls in their school thought Auburn was good looking. He was tall and lean, and his pale skin was clear. Auburn wasn't as entitled as Violet. He helped look after all the younger siblings and tried his best to make sure everyone got something to eat.

This was the first year he'd had to take Tesserae because Crimson was now twelve years old and could volunteer. Auburn was quiet and he could be kind, but at the end of the day this year, he wouldn't be going into that arena.

Standing next to Auburn was Sienna and Silver. Sienna was fifteen years old, and Silver was thirteen. They both stood quietly. Ever since Aureolin had volunteered for Sienna two years ago, she has never gotten over her fear of the Reaping's.

Last year, with no slaughter-child available, Sienna nearly had had a panic attack while walking to the Reaping's. She'd almost fainted right before Penelope Bright had announced the female tributes name. This year, Sienna still showed visible signs of unease. Like her tightly clenched fist and her puffy red eyes that spoke of earlier tears. But this year, Scarlet was going to be there to volunteer. No matter what, Sienna wouldn’t go into the Arena.

Sienna wore one of Violet's old dresses, passed down from their mother, when she was younger. Sienna wasn't pretty in any particular way--nor was she ugly. She was tall and skinny; her face was thin and her nose just a little too pointed. She had a forehead that was a little too long for her face and lips that were too thin.

She used to be more like Violet, mean and selfish, but two years ago, Sienna had come home from the Reaping a different person. Scarlet kept expecting her to change back into the person that she was, but maybe watching Aureolin being forced to sacrifice her own life for Sienna had permanently changed her.

Silver was big for her thirteen years of age. Taller than average and thick boned. Her blonde hair hung down to her midback with her bangs braided back, keeping her hair out of her face. She had the standard hazel eyes and pale skin of the Wolfe Family, but Silver had a rounded face and soft body that wasn't typical of any District 14 child. Nonetheless, no one could say that Silver wasn't pretty.

She was kind and well-liked by most adults and most of the children in her school. Silver was a people pleaser. She did well in school and stayed out of trouble. At home, she mostly read and helped out with chores. The dress she wore was tight against her skin, but mostly covered by a threadbare coat.

Crimson and Scarlet approached their family, pausing near Cadmium and the younger children, waiting there with the rest of their family, yet standing so clearly separate from them. There was no question who would be sure to be safe this year and who could end up in the arena.

Scarlet was small for a twelve-year-old. She was short and thin. Her threadbare clothes hung from her body and her pants had an ever-growing number of holes in them. Her feet were wrapped in scraps of cloth instead of shoes or boots.

Scarlet had thick black hair that hung in a mess of tangled curls, reaching her lower back. She didn't have a coat to wear. Her face was covered in blood from this morning, but under the blood, was dirt and sweat and pale skin that hadn't been washed or scrubbed in a very long time.

Next to her stood her twin, just an inch or two taller than her. Crimson's hair was a mirror image of Auburns, short, curly and wild, but black instead of blonde. It swooped down, just passing his eyebrows, drawing attention to his hazel eyes.

Most people thought they were kind, but to Scarlet, they were calculating and sometimes very cold. His lips were full, and his mouth had laugh lines around the edges.

Crimson could almost always be found with a grin or a smirk on his face. He was a few inches taller than Scarlet with a strong jaw. Even though he was a slaughter-child, he was the second oldest boy and therefore got the clothing that Auburn had outgrown. He also had a pair of boots that were too big for his feet and were worn through on the sides, but it was still better than what Scarlet had.

Technically, it could be said that Scarlet also got hand-me-downs from the older girls. But once the clothes had made it past all three girls, there wasn’t much left for Scarlet to work with. And if by chance, there were decent clothes that had made it through, Violet would make sure to ruin it. Violet and Scarlet had a rivalry that dated back as far as Scarlet could remember, though she didn’t remember the reason, if there was one at all.

It was just a well-known and excepted fact that Violet hated Scarlet and did anything she could think of to make Scarlet’s life more miserable.

Five minutes later, the warning sounded, letting everyone know that it was time for the youth to get checked in and go to their assigned spots. Harmony looked over at Scarlet and Crimson and closed the distance between them.

She grabbed Crimson's hands and stared up at him with tears streaking down her face. "Do your duty, for this family." She looked between Crimson and Scarlet, before letting go.

Scarlet looked away from her mother. Was it so easy to worry about one child's health and well-being when you were ready to send another to die? Even if Scarlet survived the reaping's and survived District 14, growing into an adult, she would never get married. She would never have children.

A hand grabbed hers, as she started to walk away. Scarlet looked back and saw Cadmium holding her. His eyes locked on her face. Her wound. Her lips tipped up in what she hoped was a confident grin.

"Only you decide what kind of life you live, Cad. Only you get to decide what you deserve in life. Don't fall prey to dictators and cowards and the selfishness of others." She pulls her hand away from his. "Stand up for yourself, Cadmium Wolfe."

She walked away without looking back.

The five Wolfe siblings moved like a pack through the crowd towards the lines that were already forming. There were seven lines in total. One line for each age an eligible child could be. Scarlet and Crimson stood together in the line for all twelve-year-old children.

Check-in.

She'd watched this enough to know that they would prick her finger with something, then press her finger into a book with her name. Then she would separate from Crimson, and she would stand with the other twelve-year-old girls, while Crimson stood with the other twelve-year-old boys.

Violet, Sienna, Auburn and Silver would each be in a separate line. And then they would each go to their own section. Each age group had maybe a hundred children in it. District 14 was by far the smallest district and the lower population lowered the odds even more for the children from larger families.

Each child was silent as they waited for the Reaping Ceremony to begin. Waiting to find out if they were safe for another year or if their life would change forever.

This was the first year that Auburn took the tesserae. Along with the three additional times that his name was automatically entered into the bowl for each year of eligibility. So this year his name was in the bowl eight times. It wasn't likely that he'd be reaped. This was Crimson's first year, so his name was only in the bowl once.

Nine names existed in that bowl that would send Crimson into that arena this year. Only nine.

Even though Scarlet's name was also only entered once this year, Scarlet had three people that she would be expected to volunteer for. Violet and Sienna had both taken the tesserae when Aureolin was still alive. They hadn't been forced to take it last year when there was no slaughter-child also eligible for the reaping.

But because Scarlet was now twelve and of age, Sienna and Silver had taken it this year. Splitting their family’s needs between the two of them. Between Scarlet, Violet, Sienna, and Silver, their names were in the bowl a combined total of sixty-three times.

Sixty-three names would send Scarlet into the arena this year.

Even though Crimson's odds were less than Scarlet's, if any of the four older sibling's names were called, Scarlet or Crimson would volunteer.

Both of them knew that if Scarlet was reaped this year, then only Auburn would take the tesserae for their family next year. Crimson's chances of getting reaped would only get higher. If he was reaped, then Cadmium would be ready the year after next.

Realistically speaking, no one actually wanted Scarlet to be reaped this year. She was the only female slaughter child of age. Honey was only 8 years old. Violet, Sienna and Silver wouldn't have any buffers or protection against the reaping for four more years. Violet would be twenty by then, Sienna would be nineteen.

They would have to finish out their remaining years of eligibility without a shield.

So, there was a silver lining after all.

Before Crimson and Scarlet parted ways, they looked at each other.

Neither one of them smiled as they stood in the aisle way that split each age group from girls and boys.

Scarlet offers Crimson a small nod and he returns it with one of his own. "May the odds be ever in your favor, Scarlet."

Her lips curl upwards. "And if they aren't, make your own, Crimson."

With no more words to say, they turn away from each other and take their places within their sections.

Scarlet Wolfe ignores the stares and glances of the other children around her as they look at her face. Scarlet often could be spotted around District 14 with unhealed lashes on her back or bruises or bloodied footprints left in her wake. So, it wasn't unusual for her and blood to follow hand in hand.

It just normally wasn't on her face.

She stood with her head held high though and watched as the District 14 escort's yellow-powdered sour face appeared. Her snow-white hair was puffed up in curls. Looking like widened horns on the top of her head. She watched as the escort walked with yellow heels in a poofy blue dress that matched the color of her lips, and sparkling white sleeves that covered her thin arms.

Scarlet remembered a few years back, when Penelope Bright first came to District 14, wearing a thin silk, sleeveless dress. She'd shaken like a leaf and her teeth had chattered the entire time she had been on stage. Her words had been broken up and it had made reading her lips nearly impossible for Scarlet.

The District 14 escort walked up to the center of the stage and proceeded to attempt to smile at all of District 14. However her lips seemed to be permanently pursed in sour expression, so the smile she gave always seemed to be a grimace. "Welcome! Welcome! It's so grand to be here in District 14."

Scarlet looks down as she yawns, she'd stayed up late trying to finish her last carving pieces. She didn't need to watch the propaganda video again. With a near photographic memory, she knew exactly when Penelope Bright would wrap up her speech.

She knew exactly when the video would play, and even without looking she would be able to recite the speech said in the video. She knew that it played for five minutes and twenty seconds. Scarlet sighed and rolled her head, stretching her neck and spine.

Approximately six minutes later--long enough for the video to end and for Penelope to make her heartfelt comments and express her unwavering support of Panem—Scarlet looked up.

"Ladies first." Penelope practically sang, as she walks across the stage to the fishbowl with the pool of female names in it. Scarlet watched carefully with a slight frown on her brow as she waited. Sixty-three times.

Penelope fished the slip of paper with the name of the female tribute written on it out of the bowl and practically pranced over to the microphone. She unfolded the slip and read the name.