Alan's POV

I jumped out of bed and quickly threw on a red t-shirt and gray sweat pants. I over slept again, and on reaping day too! If you’re late they beat you to a pulp. I quickly ran downstairs and grabbed a granola bar. My younger sister Alicia, who’s eight and too young to be reaped, was waiting downstairs for me. Lucky her. Why didn’t she come up to wake me though? 

“Hey Al, good luck with the reaping. You probably won’t get called. It’s a really good chance that you won’t be called.” “I guess.” I shrugged, not letting her know that in reality, I really was afraid. I couldn’t let her see that, or she’d be afraid too. “We have to go now. Try to keep up, ok?” I dashed out the door and tried to avoid merchants as I tried to get to my father, Apollo.

“Late again I see Alan.” Apollo smiled. “Yeah” I said sheepishly as I looked down and scuffed my sneakers against the concrete pavement. “It’s alright. Just go speak to Pierre to get signed up.” I nodded and started to walk towards Pierre.

“Sign your name on the paper please.” Pierre said tiredly. Wow, this job must be really boring! I walked to the fifteen year old group and stood beside one of Athena’s daughter and a blonde boy I didn’t know. I looked around to see if there were anyone strange enough to want to be picked. I saw two, Zeke and another two of Ares’s children Ashley and Axel. How could they want to compete in this.

“Welcome demigods. We are all gathered here for the annual Demigod Games. As you all already know, all children ages twelve to eighteen will be reaped to participate in The Demigod Games. Now it is time to reap the first competitor.” President Zane started the reaping. I zoned out, yeah, yeah  it’s such an honor to be in the Games. The bloodthirsty demigods and gods are going to watch at the stadium. Those who are reaped fight in the arena and die a bloody death. Sounds like an honor to me.

“The first tribute is…” Zane began. He was already picking tributes? I really zoned out there. “Ivy. Daughter of Iris, the goddess of rainbows.”  I watched as a girl from the fourteen group walked up to the stage. She had eyes that flashed the colors of the rainbow, and she was quite tall. She also had wavy blonde hair flowing down and stopping at her back. The girl was clearly afraid, and Iris was close to tears.

                There was barely enough time for Ivy to sit in one of those comfy looking tribute chairs, before President Zane called the next tribute. “Zeke. Son of Zeus, god of lightning. My brother.” Zane smiled, he knew how much Zeke wanted to be chosen. It was probably rigged some way to make sure he was chosen.

                “Thank you Zane. It truly is an honor to be chosen.” Zeke smirked. “It is. Now you should all follow my brother’s example.” Zeke smiled in thanks, but it had a little smirk there. Zeus wasn’t here. He never was because of his importance, but I think he’s probably proud. “Next up we have Helen. Daughter of Hephaestus. God of metalworking.” A bulky girl walked up to the stage. She didn’t seem as nervous as Ivy, but she definitely was not thrilled to be there.

                “The next tribute is Alan. Son of Apollo, god of the sun.” Oh no. Please say that was a mistake, and that he read the name wrong, but I knew it was happening. I shakily walked to the stage, I could feel all the eyes on me. I went and sat on one of the tribute chairs. I saw my father Apollo, he was trying to hold back tears like Iris. Ivy gave me a small smile. It meant I know how you feel, and I hope maybe we both live. There were always two victors, but I didn’t think it was going to be me and Ivy.