19The alarm clock beeped on the ornately carved oak nightstand. A small eager hand reached for it and turned it off. Wiress sat up grinning. Today was Reaping Day! Tonight, she would be reunited with Beetee in the Capitol. "Wiress darling," Kevius mumbled sleepily as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Kevius, I need to get ready to go to the training center." Wiress pointed out as she attempted to wiggle out from under the comforter.
"We'll be apart for a few weeks, won't we, sweetie?" Kevius purred into her ear. Yes, thank goodness! Wiress' brain added.
"Uhuh." Wiress replied trying not to sound too enthusiastic. From the urgent touches Kevius gave her, Wiress knew he wanted a more prolonged goodbye.
Wiress was dressed and had an hour long shower in time for lunch. Munching on a ham and turkey sandwich, she wandered the apartment and collected her things to take to the training center. Kevius suggested the Avox pack her bags, but Wiress insisted on doing it herself. Her notebook on making traps and survival strategies went in along with her inventions notebooks to show Beetee. Lastly, she packed her last dress she wore on the Victory Tour. Images of Beetee's face at seeing her again brought a genuine smile to her face. "Good bye. Happy Hunger Games." Wiress gave Kevius an obligatory hug and kiss before the Avox drove her to the training center.
Once in the District Three suite, Wiress let the tears roll down her cheeks as she looked around. Everything in the room reminded her of Beetee, and she was thankful that she didn't need to come earlier. She sat on the couch where they sat to watch the Reapings and Interviews and where she and Beetee had various talks before and after her Games. Placing her notebooks on the coffee table, she could imagine she was inventing with him sitting next to her. She turned on the TV and was surprised to see that the Reapings weren't on. Of course I can't watch them live. I will watch them when the other mentors do: after everyone has arrived at the Capitol. She sighed and contented herself with drawing and inventing in solitude until her co-inventor and mentoring partner would arrive.
Beetee climbed the stairs to the stage blinking back tears. This year four children would be reaped and he would endure the ceremony alone. Eustacia was quite bubbly which made him very annoyed. Through the History of Panem segment, he found ample excuses to glare at her as she flounced around on stage. "Oh! This is so exciting!" Eustacia squealed. "Four of you - two boys and two girls will get the honor of representing District Three in the Second Quarter Quell! Oh, let's hear it, District Three! Aren't we excited?" One could hear microscopic pieces of soot falling to the ground as the crowd stared stone-faced at the intruder from the Capitol. "Ladies first!" She trilled as she reached into the overly full reaping bowls. "Alana Copperton come forward!" A twelve year old girl who was chewing on a frayed dark hair-ribbon dangling from one of her shoulder-length braids came to the stage. She sniffled and wiped her nose on one of her sleeves. "Oh - who else will be joining you?" Eustacia asked gleefully before pulling another name out of the ball. "Kendall Nickells!" Kendall approached the stage from the fifteen year old's section. She nearly tripped on the stairs on the way up causing Alana to hurry over and help her. Kendall's face was a greyish color that complemented her ragged dark grey dress. "And now for the boys! Silver Richards!" A fourteen year old with glasses came to the stage. He was thinly built like many citizens of Three and stood resignedly on the stage. Looking down, he didn't acknowledge the girls, Eustacia, or Beetee. "And Joule Casting!" Joule was a small twelve-year old boy who fidgeted with a wire in his hands as he came to the stage. "Tributes! Shake hands!" Beetee gave them his best smile as they were escorted to the Justice Center. Four tributes felt terribly overwhelming, but he knew he would receive Wiress' help once he reached the Capitol. He hoped that they could bring all of them far or even one of them home.