*EIDTED🩷🩶

The Laurson family consisted of four people, two boys, a girl and their father. The small farm house they had sat a little outside the square, the horses in the stalls, chickens in one pen, cows in the feilds. The fields that Alex, Paisley and Zander all played in, chased each other on their horses.

Life would have been absolutely perfect, Alex was on his last year of the reaping. He had just turned eighteen. Then he could get a job and help their father run the farm all the time. Paisley was sixteen but as determined as she was to start helping full time the family were looking at having three people working all day.

Zander was the youngest. The baby of the family and adored by his two older siblings. They were still teaching him the ways of helping out and helping him settle his nerves. It was his second year going through it and both siblings had been assuring him that it would all work out.

Alex and Paisley wouldn't get picked despite all the Tesserae they took. Zander wouldn't be picked due to his name being in the bowl only twice. They would all come home to their father and help out on the farm, try and get more help in exchange for some eggs, chicken, or milk.

It would all go as it had since Alex turned twelve. Since Paisley had turned twelve herself. Alex would finish this year and Paisley could stop taking Tesserae, Zander would never have to put his name an extra amount of times. So as Andrew woke his daughter up in her room as normal, he wasn't surprised to see Zander cuddled up next to her.

Reaping days weren't the families normal day but this was normal for the day. Andrew would wake up Paisley and Zander would wake up since he had slept with his sister, then Paisley would wake up Alex and the family would check the snares, feed the animals, get ready and ride into town.

The united front, family meant more than anything to the Laurson's. "Daddy?" She whispered her green eyes opening slightly.

"It's time." He whispered back and as the younger girl nodded Andrew smiled backing out of the room slightly. "I'll check the snares." Paisley sat up quickly slightly stirring Zander.

"I want to come, hold on." She slipped out of bed and slipped pants over her legs before she put on her boots and grabbed her leather jacket. She bounded down the hall trying to put her arms through the jacket sleeves. As she opened the door to her older brothers room she saw him sleeping on the bottom bunk, his arms crossed over his chest.

She smiled slightly as she slipped her jacket back on. Ever since their mother died the two oldest siblings had lived by a saying. 'My brother, my responsibility.' Vice versa. She walked into the room slipping Zander's pillow off his bed before hitting Alex in the face with it.

Alex sprung up slightly before noticing his sister stood above him. "I'm going with daddy, to check the snares. Zander's still sleeping." Alex nodded before yawning and standing up, he ruffled his sisters hair slightly making her smile.

As Paisley made her way out of the room Alex sighed out before calling for her. "Let's wake up Zander." Paisley furrowed her brows before her brother smiled. "Let's all go check the snares." She smiled slightly before nodding.

"Weird to start the day like this." She stated as her brother nodded slipping a shirt over his head.

"It's gonna be a good day, it's my last reaping. Let's spend it together." He stated before kissing his sisters forehead.

"I'll go tell daddy, saddle the horses up." She slipped down the old stairs grabbing her cowboy hat before placing it on her head and rushing out the door. She found her dad waiting for her on the porch steps. "Zander and Alex wanna come." She stated and Andrew smiled up at his daughter, peaceful features adorning his face.

"Alright."

Life before she was reaped was great. If she and her family had known that the small family outing would create a domino effect, they never would've done it. They would've stayed in bed, Paisley would have fed the chickens and come to wake up Zander, Alex would've cooked breakfast. Zander and Paisley would have checked on the cows while Andrew was coming in the door. Then they would sit down and eat breakfast.

Like a normal reaping day trying to get through it as normal, they never would've changed a single thing on Alex's last reaping day.

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Alex and Paisley rode their horses side by side. Despite this being a family outing Zander was up front with their father as the two older ones strayed behind. It was a peaceful day, the weather was a little cold due to the summer air still being cold from over night. The grass looking absolutely gorgeous alongside the trees.

It was truly a day that no one in the Laurson family would forget.

"You know I used to hate you." Alex broke the silence causing the younger girl to look over at him. "Before you it was just me mom and dad, everything was great." The younger girl rolled her eyes as her older brother smiled. "Then when you were five you took a fall you remember?" Paisley laughed slightly at the memory.

"It wasn't a fall. I was bucked off." Alex laughed slightly as he moved the reins slightly. Paisley just rolled her eyes.

"Anyways before mom and dad, you came to me." Paisley felt her heart squeeze slightly at the memory. They could both remember it clear as day. "That was the day I started liking you, then mom told me that you were my responsibility now. Since I was older and needed to look after you." Paisley felt her body freeze slightly, causing her horse to hesitate in the next steps.

"Where are you going with this?" Paisley asked her older brother who looked at her, both their faces shadowed by their hats.

"This is my last year." Paisley nodded understanding what he was saying to an extent. "Paisley if I were a girl I would volunteer for you, you Zander and dad. You're all I've got." Paisley felt her heat race before she looked at her brother. Alex had a best friend, but she understood the weight of his words.

He wouldn't go in for his best friend. Not unless she was going in first.

"Alex what are you-"

"If Zander gets called, what would you do? Would you volunteer to help him back, give up your life for him? Or would you let him go and not say anything?" Paisley looked into her brothers eyes, both could see how serious the topic was. No one ever wanted to volunteer, at least not from ten. This was easily only between them.

"I'd volunteer and help him back." Alex nodded slightly before he spoke again. His intentions of ending the conversation.

"He's your brother, so he's your responsibility." Alex spoke the same words that their mother had spoken to him once Paisley reached of reaping age.

Paisley nodded before she tipped her hat to cover her face slightly. A nervous habit that she had had since she was young. She wasn't good at this, telling people she loved she loved them.

"I'd do it for you." She stated clear enough for both of them to hear it. "Volunteer to help you, I'd do it." Before Alex could say anything Paisley had moved her horse forward slightly. It was true, she would volunteer if either of her brothers went in, got picked. Her siblings her responsibility.

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The family of four had paused in their riding right in the field next to their house. They took in the sun rising, the slight dew in the grass. The soft winds of summer coming. "How bad is it?" Zander asked causing the other two oldest kids to glance over.

The Laurson family had one rule, well more than one but this one was unspoken. You never talk about how bad things are on reaping day. "Zander!" Paisley scolded slightly before Andrew cut her off.

"I think it's fine, today's been a different day. A good day." The man rubbed his scruff slightly before nodding. "It's bad. We'll be lucky if we make it through the winter." This was the only time he would be honest with his children.

The time it counted.

Everything was silent before Paisley and Alex shared a look. The look they knew that said Paisley gets Zander away, while Alex and their father talks. She paused before smirking slightly. "Let's race!" She beamed as she pulled the reins tightly, her horse tilting its head sideways to bring her in front of everyone.

"Pay." Alex spoke a teasing sound to his voice.

"It is a good day after all." Paisley responded whistling a small whistle. She heard Zander laugh slightly and she smiled as she looked at her hands, the reins sitting in them.

This was all she needed. Just her family. She made eye contact with Alex as she smiled, she used to want more when she was little. She just didn't think she would find anyone in their district, Alex had felt the same.

Like they just knew someone better, meant for them was out there, somewhere where they'll never meet them.

"Last one home has chores for the rest of the week!" Zander called before taking off, his horse moving fast as Paisley yelled out before following after him.

Her hair blowing behind her in the wind as she held onto her hat, yes, she was absolutely content with this.

As Alex and Andrew watched the youngest duo of the family take off Paisley trying to catch up and Zander trying to stay ahead the two smiled. Arianna would be proud of the family they've taken care of.

"No matter what," Andrew started before grabbing his son's shoulder. "Don't volunteer on your last reaping. I can't lose two of my children." Alex felt his heart pause as he looked into his dads eyes.

He knew Andrew Laurson loved all his children, he just didn't entirely believe that when push came to shove some of them could push back. "She can push back dad, you'd be surprised what she could survive."

Andrew rubbed his eyes tiredly before nodding, he had a bad feeling settling in the air on their ranch, he just hoped he was entirely wrong about it.

Although that Laurson gut was hardly ever wrong.

-Words 1779

Thank you for reading!🩷🩶 send feedback please?

Feeding you guys just ONE actual chapter, I got the sickness and a bunch of crazy stuff going on so delays? As always. 🩷🩶