The Forgotten Days

▬▬ 𝟎𝟓 ∙ 𝝩𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽

˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 ┊✦ ˚ · .

▬▬ 05 ∙ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚜

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I GET my first glance at the poorest district in Panem, District 12, as the train pulls up to the rusty station.

"We're here!" Moxie sings.

"Finally!" I sigh, tearing myself away from my prep team. They swapped my puffy dress for a thick wool winter coat, lined with soft fur, and completely redone my makeup. "Is all this really necessary?" I ask Aqua, raising my arm, beading with sweat. "It's so hot!" And by hot, I meant the radiating kind that never seems to leave, not the humid kind I'm used to at 4.

"Unless you want to freeze to death, yes."

"Is it that cold?"

"Believe it or not, it is."

"Let's go, let's go!" Moxie ushers. "You look just perfect, Cordelia!"

"Thanks," I say, hoping Aqua recognizes that the reason for Moxie's compliment was mainly because of her.

"Ms. Raines," a Peacekeeper arrives at our train as we get off. "Are you ready? We leave in two minutes."

"Yes." A lie.

"Wait! I almost forgot!" Moxie runs back to get another stack of cards from her bejeweled purse. "You'll have to read from these. And I'm serious when I say read from these, nothing else. Nothing else. I know normally you have some personal comments to add, but try to keep those short, okay?" I raise an eyebrow at her words. Does she know? She has to, if she's helping me like this, telling me exactly what to say so I don't get myself into a deeper hole.

It's bigger than it seems now. Because even if Moxie, who's the most oblivious out of all of us, knows something's wrong, I'm in a world of trouble.

Peacekeepers are at both of my sides as I grip the cards with tight fingers, the sharp, cruel wind biting at my exposed skin. Suddenly, I'm beyond grateful for the coat Aqua's put me in, because even with it on, I shiver and sway with the wind.

I'm given short relief as I'm loaded onto a gray, steel truck. Through the windows, I see the mines and tunnels that snake underground, the miners slowly trudging down to begin a long day at work, unable to watch me give my Victory speech. Behind the dark mines lies miles of fencing, sparking with electricity every once in a while, blocking the people from the forest that lies beyond district territory.

Somewhere, the scent of food wafts through the windows, and the truck comes to a grating stop. I hear the mayor recite his part of the speech in front of the horde of people, then I'm led on after Moxie's regular reminder to smile. A little girl with dark hair that stretches down her back and gray eyes hands me a bouquet of flowers, small but beautiful. She looks at me expectantly, and I graciously thank her and ask what kind of flower it is.

"Bellflowers. Like Mila's," she tells me, surprised that I would even acknowledge her. Everyone seems to know Mila now, just like how everyone knows me. The name resonates in my mind just like its name, bells.

"Well, they're gorgeous." The mayor has ended his speech and now it is time for me to read mine. I take the place of the mayor, who stands at the side, and look out at the massive amount of people. Is this what Moxie and all the escorts feel, staring at these helpless children, knowing that you'll draw two names and practically end their lives? It must be.