Love At First Kill - Clove Kentwell

The Reaping

Today was the day. Today was the day that my life could change. The 74th annual reaping. This is my year. It's not that i want to go into the games, it's more that i've got a much better chance of winning than a lot of the people standing in this crowd with me, listening to the same video they play every year. "Brought to you all the way from the capital." i've practically got it memorised by now. I wish we could just get this over and done with and draw the names.

"This is how we safe guard our future." finally, it's over. "Now is the time that we select one courageous, young man and woman." The pompous capital representative says cheerfully. "For the honour of representing district 7 in the 74th annual hunger games. As usual, ladies first." He reaches his hand into the large fish bowl filled with slips of paper, each containing the name of an unprepared and unwilling possible victim of this year's games. He pulls out a slip of paper, my fingers crossed in my pocket, unfolds it and reads out the name on the paper. "Oline Elise." Oh.
Wait, i know her, i think as i see the young girl walking towards the stage. She's only 12. She hasn't even had the chance to live yet, she has no chance, she'll be murdered quicker than you can blink. I might regret this. "I volunteer." I say, confidently, raising my hand and beginning to walk towards the stage. I have a much better chance of winning, she'd be slaughtered in less than a second.

Volunteers in district 7 weren't completely unheard of, there had been one a few years back but it was extremely rare. I was about to make the list.

Once i reached the stage the capital official reached out his hand, offering it to me to shake, i do so wearily before moving to stand by his side.  "And what is your name?"
"y/n, y/n l/n." i say, looking out to the crowd and spotting my best friend johanna mason. She did not look very happy. "Let's have a big hand for our volunteer." He began clapping and Johanna put her hands together once before scowling and turning away. I was right, she is not happy. "And now, for the boys." The capital man said before reaching his hand into the bowl once again. "Midas Hughes." He said after opening and reading the small slip of paper. I don't know this one. He looked to be around 15, quite skinny, not much muscle. He isn't going to last very long, definitely longer than that girl would've though.
He came to join us up on stage looking completely terrified. "Shake hands." The man says, looking to me expectantly. I reach out my hand for the boy to shake and look down slightly to meet his eye. He nervously grasped my hand, raising them both up once and then allowing them to come back down before i pulled mine away to rest back at my side. "Happy hunger games. And may the odds be ever in your favour." The man announced before me and Midas began to make our way to the back of the stage, walking through the double doors to leave.

We were placed into separate rooms where any family could come to say goodbye to us. My parents has both been killed a long time ago and my aunt who had been looking after me since then had died last year shortly after the games. This meant i had some uninterrupted time to think. Or at least i would have if Johanna didn't come barrelling through the door while shouting "What were you thinking?! Volunteering on your last year, how stupid can you get."
"She was only 12." i explained. "I couldn't watch that happen, not again." My younger brother Marcus had been reaped 3 years ago, he was 12 too and i wasn't about to watch that happen again, not when i had much better chances of winning. "Ugh you're so stupid sometimes, you know that?" Johanna said while pulling me into a bone crushing hug. "You better not die in there y/n."
"I won't. I'll come back to you in one piece i swear." i promise
"You better." she said, pulling away from the hug and punching my shoulder.
"Time's up." a peacekeeper says, entering the room to take Johanna away. "I'll see you on the train." she says, following the peacekeeper out of the room. Another enters to bring me to the train and i comply. Struggling won't get me anywhere anyway.

He directed me to a car where Midas, my new supposed teammate was waiting for me, alongside the capital representative. Once we arrive at the train station after being talked at by the man from the capital, we are lead to the train that will take us straight to the capital. This was the only pat i had been looking forward to. The train was luxurious and there was enough food to feed a giant.

We sit down at the table in the middle of the room as the representative says. "I'll go find your mentor, she should be around here somewhere." Just as the annoying man leaves the carriage, Johanna enters through the opposite door. "God he talks for so long. I was waiting for him to leave to come and talk to you." She says, sitting down next to me. "Johanna be polite, introduce yourself." i say, warningly
"Fine. Johanna Mason, 71st games." she says, bored. "Happy now?" she asks, turning to me "Delighted." i reply. "M- Midas. Midas Hughes." he says, nervously, to Johanna. "Great." Johanna replies. "Can we go now?" she asks me. "Yep this is boring and we have things to plan." I say, standing up and offering Johanna my hand. She takes it, pulling herself up, as we make our way to my carriage containing my room.