Liberosis - The Hunger Games

03

The first thing that I comprehend after the initial shock of my name being called is Finnick springing up from his chair on the stage, uttering my name under his breath. A heartbroken expression paints itself onto his face as the other seventeen-year-old girls back away from me as though I'm some kind of hazardous chemical. Were the odds ever in our favour? I asked myself as a peacekeeper pulls me to the front of the stage where I try to remember how to climb the stairs.

The next thing I hear is Addison crying out my name, stepping forward in pure shock. The baker's daughter pulls her back to stop her from doing something rash. Good. If I come back, I'll have to thank her for that. Of course, that's a very big if.

Time seems to stop as Finnick remains upstanding, I shuffle across the stage, my best friend blocking my path. "You can't," He whispers, I gently move him out of the way.

I want him to stop me, to grab my hand and pull me into his arms. To kiss me for the first time, for him to tell me he loves me. But the made-up fantasies I play in my head are wiped from existence as I swim back to reality. My reality. I was as good as dead.

"I have to," I whisper back, squeezing his hand gently before moving over to where Sylvia stands with the signature creepy Capitol smile, her lips painted a turquoise colour. Apart from Addy's sobs, all I could hear was the ocean waves in the background, calming me down somewhat. In the intensity of the situation, I didn't realise the birds had stopped singing.

Nobody claps for me, nobody ever claps for our tributes, the pity in their eyes says enough. Some of the older folk send me appreciative nods, perhaps they remember me from the marketplace, some of them might just see me as Finnick's casual arm accessory, but the sincerity in their eyes says. 'We're with you'

I bite my tongue to stop myself from crying, I can't be shown as this weak already, I'm about to be sent into an arena to slaughter other human beings, I can't be soft. The brutes from district One and Two will eat me alive if they see me as sensitive, no. Instead, I put on a brave face, standing in my spot and withholding from letting out a frustrated scream.

I know who's to blame, we all know who's to blame, we're all too scared to say anything, saying things gets you killed in Panem so I bite my tongue harder. So hard I taste blood. Sylvia Rathbone walked over to the second bowl, wiggling her fingers above it as to decide whose death ticket to pick. She reaches into the bowl and pulls out another name, moving back to the microphone.

"Oh my, this should be interesting, and the Male tribute from District Four is Andante Hartley!" She exclaims.

I feel as though I've been shot in the stomach as she reads the name of my brother out to the people. I want to cry; I want to run and cry and scream my lungs out. My breathing becomes rapid as I spot him in the crowd, for the first time ever I see true vulnerability on his features. My brother, my baby brother- I have to fight against him, I have to watch him die.

An audible gasp is heard throughout the crowd, Addison screams so loud I swear I see the mountains shake. I watch Asher break down at the mention of her twin. I look around the crowd pleadingly, begging someone to change the rules, do something rash, assassinate a peacekeeper or something.

A heartbreaking silence falls over the District as the way parts for Andante, but he's interrupted when a hand shoots high into the air, a messy, dark-haired boy with crystal blue eyes from the fifteen-year-old section steps forward, "I volunteer as tribute." He says loudly, not an ounce of fear in his voice.

I don't recognise him, but the way he speaks makes me feel like I've known this kid all my life. I want to cry tears of joy, but I don't I keep my composure, I stay perfectly silent as the boy walks to the front of the square, walking up the stairs and finding his position on my left. "Now what would your name be?" Sylvia asks the boy, batting her frightfully long eyelashes at him.