Chance || Peeta Mellark

Haunted [03]

Walking up the dirt path from Victors Village and towards the Justice Building had a melancholy feeling to it. Percy looked to be having the time of his life but Alexis? She felt a little sick. The Merchant Section was empty, but that's to be expected on Reaping Day, it's when everyone hugs their loved ones tightly and prays not to be reaped. Alexis' mother used to have a shop in this section - it was a small store – she sold fabric and sewing supplies, that was until Alexis went into the games and then she couldn't run the store anymore.

Passing the school, she could barely look at it - even though she goes there nearly daily, she just couldn't. It's strange to think that once someone goes in the games, winning, everyone looks at them differently. The people they thought were their friends slowly back away from them while they walk around the classroom. So, then they learn to hang their head down, barely looking at anyone; feeling so small under everyone's stares. I'm sorry I gave you food. I'm sorry I gave you grain. I'm sorry Dustin died. I'm sorry I survived.

District Twelve had fallen into its annual ghost town ritual, the Hob - which was normally bustling with people – was boarded up, desolate. Percy was running over to each of the small stalls, sniffing and digging up small patches of dirt, that's when it caught her eye. The Justice Building. She took a deep breath, "Come on, Perce..." Walking past the Peacekeepers felt weird to her, the uniforms they wear, it just made her uneasy. The way the rope surrounded the courtyard, it was very intimidating. Once she got to the door, she tapped on the wooden frame.

The mayor opened it, "Good Morning, Miss Blake." He smiled down at her, was she just short or was he oddly tall? He was wearing a cream, pale suit, his hands cupped each other, and his eyes seemed so welcoming.

"Good morning, Mr Mayor." She said while giving him a small smile, before looking down to see Percy, "Do you mind if I leave him here... like I did last year? It's just-"

"Of course, Miss Blake." He cut in, causing her to look up at him, "Percy was a joy to have last year, I'm sure we can look after him again."

She begun to nod slightly, "Thank you, Sir..." She bent down to Percy and gave him a scratch and walked him into the building. As she turned around, the sound began to blare, and she saw the people of the district begin to surround and line up in front of the Peacekeepers. Mr Mayor shut the door and let out a deep breath, "It's time for the Reaping..."

As Alexis walked inside, she got greeted by Effie, who gave her a hug and two kisses on either side of her cheeks, "Well don't you just look... Ravishing..."

Alexis gave an awkward smile, "Mhm, it's my mums..." She gives Alexis another hug and this time she hugged her back, tightly. She missed her mother so much it hurt at this point; all of her loved ones have died. Her dad, a coal mine accident. Her mum, she got sick. Dustin, the games. She just seemed to lose people all the time. Once their hug had finished, she looked up to see Haymitch, "Morning."

He laid, sprawled out on the couch, "Mo-Morning, Sweetheart." He slurred, a cup of some amber liquid in his hand. A look of disgust crossed Alexis' face and then sadness. Of course, he's drunk. She felt for him though, after his games when he became a mentor, after sending all those kids to die, he turned to alcohol. She wondered if that's how she would turn out.

A clap sounded from beside her, "Well, let's get this started then..." Effie said while walking out of the main door. From what Alexis could see, the Peacekeepers had only just set up the two glass bowls full of names, the seats, pulled down the screens and had the microphone in the middle of the stage. The group had waited around ten more minutes before walking out, Alexis helped walk Haymitch out; hooked arms and her arm kept his back straight. He needed to look at least presentable, especially in front of the cameras.

They sat down together, and he leant back on the hard metal chair whereas Alexis sat straight and with her feet crossed. They didn't have smiles, more like blank expressions staring out into the crowd. That was what the games does to people, they tend to go a little numb at certain times. Mr Mayor sat down next to Haymitch as another way to keep him propped up, the cameras were everywhere. Everyone's attention was finally drawn to Effie by her tapping on the microphone, "Welcome, Welcome, Welcome Happy Hunger Games" She called into the mic, "And... May The Odds Be Ever in Your Favour..."

Alexis' eyes couldn't help but roll at the statement, since when were the odds ever in her favour? Her name was in the Reaping bowl twenty times by the time she was reaped. During the games, she was fourteen, pitted against tributes double her size and weight. How were the odds ever in her favour?

"Now, before we begin, we have a very special film brought to you all the way from the Capitol..." Her accent made the sentence sound all the crazier, the film wasn't that special; its only purpose was to scare the citizens of the districts and a message to the Victors that if they even think of a rebellion, the Capitol will come down on the districts like they did District Thirteen. But if people don't listen that closely, it's basically saying they should be grateful for the Capitol and that they won the rebellion. "Oh, I just love that..."

Looking out into the crowd of people, Alexis couldn't help but notice the people she knew from school; oh, there's Madge, there's David, there's Penelope... I wonder who will be picked, what if it's someone I know? Someone I recognise from school? What if it was my old neighbour? All of their eyes, the solemn looks on their faces, the little ones look terrified. "Now, it's time to see who these Districts tributes are... as always. Ladies first."

Without realising it, Alexis became short of breath; the boy with the auburn hair flickering in and out of the crowd, then there was the boy with the bun, then the blonde and redhead girl, staring at Alexis, haunting her. Then there was a boy standing in the middle of the walkway... his black hair, tan skin, perfect green eyes... of all the things to notice, Alexis didn't take care for in the moment. Her gaze was locked on the slash on his neck, blood dripping onto his soaked body. Her breathing got heavier and quicker and uneven to the point where she bent forward. She tried not to make it noticeable but it couldn't- it wouldn't stop.

A hand made its way to her back, "Alexis..." She heard Haymitch's voice causing her to look up at him. Even in his drunken state, he was trying to help. "Slow down... One... Two... Three..." She took deep breaths as he counted, their attention was quickly taken off breathing and to the screams that was coming from the crowd.

An older girl, around Alexis' age, was pushing the Peacekeepers away from her, she looked familiar, although Alexis couldn't quite place it. There was a younger girl, blonde hair, she must have been reaped. The older girl was yelling out, "I volunteer!" She kept pushing the keepers away until they finally let her through, "I volunteer as tribute."