The Forgotten Days

▬▬ 𝟎𝟖 ∙ 𝝩𝗵𝗲 𝝗𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽

˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 ┊✦ ˚ · .

▬▬ 08 ∙ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

ANNIE CRESTA stands on the shore of the beach, alone, unmoving. Her eyes scan the horizon as the sun rises higher into the sky, streaks of red striking the brightening blue. 

I wish I could say I'm surprised to see her up this early, but I'm not. Everybody's worried today; it's Reaping Day again. This year is particularly terrible for me as well, since it's my first year mentoring the tributes.

The schedule was worked out yesterday during a District 4 Victors' meeting, us three female victors - Mags, Shelly, and myself - mentoring on a rotation. In the case of any problems, one of the other two would step in for the incapable victor. This is what saved me from mentoring last year gratefully.

I walk over to my best friend, entranced by her flowing brown hair, whipping in the breeze. My toes rush through the cool sand, stopping when I hit the water.

"Hi, Cory," Annie says timidly. It's her last year being eligible to be reaped, but it's also the worst. Knowing that your chances are higher than ever before but so close to escaping to safety. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Nightmare. How are you doing?" I ask.

"I'm okay, I guess. Just on edge like everyone else." She looks down, the ends of her sweeping white nightgown dipping into the foamy waves.

"You'll be fine, Annie." I try to reassure her, but her worried look doesn't go away.

"And if I do get reaped?" I screw my eyes shut because I can't imagine such a horrible scenario coming true, and fight to keep my voice steady.

"Well, that's what me and Finn have been training you for for the last year. In case you do get reaped." We've been practicing with her however we can, survival skills that she picked up quickly, and a little weapon work that she can't bear to learn. Still, knowing how to survive is just as important as being able to attack.

"I don't think I'd win if I am chosen. No offense to you, but I just can't bring myself to do it. To kill. It looks so easy when you see it happen on TV but then you see the reaction. The guilt, the pain. And that's when I figured out it's not so easy after all." I bite my lip until I taste the metallic blood on my tongue. It's not easy at all.

"Oh, God, I'm dead if I'm reaped. Oh, God..." Her breathing quickens as she begins to panic. I pull her into my arms to calm her down.

"Annie, it's okay. It's going to be okay. You weren't reaped last year, it's going to be fine this year too." She nods pitifully, brushing away a stray tear. "Listen, come by my house before the Reaping, okay? I have something I want to give you."

"Okay. I'm going to go back now... get ready. I'll see you in a few hours then." I suspect she'll do a lot more than just get ready, but I say nothing. Annie leaves me to watch the end of the sunrise, the sky brightening to an azure blue. There are shouts of orders as ships sail back into the docks after the night shift finishes; after that, everyone goes home to get ready, and I follow.

I sit at home for an hour, ridden with worry, driven crazy by the solitary silence that hangs in the room. Eventually, I go over to Finnick's house, but no one answers the door. "What are you doing, Finn, sleeping?" I mutter under my breath. I turn to leave when the door opens.