𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨

───── LIKE EVERY YEAR, the concrete Hall of Justice had been transformed into a stage. Bright white figures—Peacekeepers—lined the rooftops of nearby buildings and stood vigilantly on the ground. They were keen eyes trained upon the throngs of well-dressed children meandering about, falling into lines to have their blood drawn and subsequently categorized.

Delphi currently stood behind a tan girl with dark brown hair, and the line was stalling. Someone at the front was having trouble, then. She took the time to glance around the square for any friendly faces, but with thousands of children pooling in from every direction, it was hard.

There was a group of boys, young and rowdy with laughter, slowly being broken up by Peacekeepers. In the line beside her was what appeared to be twin girls, who couldn't be older than fourteen, and yet they were clutching each other's hands like a lifeline as the line leading to the Hall of Justice steadily moved forward again.

Delphi turned her gaze forward. Circling the square were about twice as many camera crews. They were mounted to the roof of the Hall of Justice and set up along the ends of the square. Drones hovered overhead, catching aerial views for the adoring viewers back in the Capitol.

For a moment, Delphi imagined she was someone else. A seventeen-year-old Capitolite. It would be one o'clock in the afternoon, and she'd just now be waking up. She'd stuff her face with whatever breakfast delicacies they had—because, of course, it wouldn't be the bland oatmeal that she ate hours ago, when she woke before dawn. Then, she'd be tuning in to watch her favorite District, brimming with morbid anticipation as the names were drawn, and already picking her favorite tribute.

In real time she held out her finger for the Capitol official to draw her blood and hoped that the shudder of disgust at her imagination could be mistaken for discomfort at the needle.

After what felt like forever, the scanner held up against the thumbprint of her blood flashed green and she was allowed to continue.

Delphi moved on autopilot, robotically finding her way to the section roped off for all seventeen-year-old girls, further into the back to allow for the new tributes, the twelve-year-olds, to see the stage properly.

She eyed the back row in an attempt to find Isla. She couldn't help but notice how slim the section was. The Volunteers were normally from that age group, though they'd been getting younger in these past years. They were certainly not as rowdy as the previous year, when everyone had been clambering to stand closer to the side, so they could exit the row easily when they volunteered.

Delphi bit her lip.

With a shake of her head, trying to force the anxiety from her mind, she fell into place beside that same girl with dark brown hair from the line.

As selfish as it was, she couldn't focus on anyone but herself right now.

So when the girl smiled, thin and anxious, Delphi didn't smile back. She turned militantly, her gaze landing on the stage and those who were filing onto it.