The Victor from District 10

Chapter 17 - Anastasia or Daphne?

Between the announcement of the third Quarter Quell and the Reaping Johanna and I never speak to each other. Neither calls the other. I wonder if she's been doing the same as me, training to really try to have a chance of winning, or if anger at Snow and the Capitol has taken over. During this time I'm also very unsure of what to do, what if Anastasia is reaped? I promised that I will help her win as much as possible, but that will include less chance of Johanna surviving.

The Reaping day comes. I take longer in the shower than any other year, since this time my chances are 50% and not like other years. I get out of the shower, get ready and go to the living room. When I get there, my father and sister are already waiting for me. They both have tears in their eyes, one of the few (if not the only) displays of emotion from my father since I came back.

I look them both in the eye before we leave. "Shall we?" I say, trying to contain my emotions.

As I approach the door I am stopped by a strong, warm hug from my father. How I've missed that hug... He says nothing. After we've moved away, Cora takes his place and hugs me.

When we arrive in the square, apparently everyone (at least almost everyone) is waiting for the Reaping to begin. Peacekeepers are spread out everywhere, machine guns in hand, frightening the population. I'm separated from my father and Cora, who join the rest of the population of 10. I'm directed by one of the Peacekeepers to a fenced-off area to the left of the stage, where seconds later Anastasia joins me. I see Hunter in a similar area on the right side of the stage. Whoever of the two of us is reaped will go together with Hunter, who is the only living male victor of 10.

Every year the day of the Reaping always brings a heavy atmosphere, everyone nervous about fear of being reaped or about a relative or friend being reaped. Nothing compares to today, even though this time everyone knows they won't have a chance of being reaped, the atmosphere is worse than any other Reaping I've ever attended.

The mayor makes the same speech and lets Plumeria run the Reaping. The two large glass spheres that normally contain thousands of names are now almost completely empty.

"Ladies first." Plumeria announces. Her usual smile from other years is gone today. She walks towards the sphere containing my name and that of Anastasia. My heart is racing. Whatever the outcome today, my concern will remain with Johanna. Plumeria takes one of the papers out of the sphere and slowly opens it. "The female tribute from District 10 is... Anastasia Oakley."

That's when I go crazy. I lose myself in impulsiveness just like Johanna.

"I volunteer as tribute."  I speak loudly so that everyone can hear me.

I hear gasps of shock. Anastasia looks at me completely amazed, as if she can't believe it, and I can't believe what I've just done. I take Anastasia's place and go on stage. Plumeria hugs me and puts me next to her so that she can reap the male tribute.

As she makes an (unnecessary) show of slowly going to the other sphere and reaping Hunter, I start to think rationally again and realize what a fuck-up I've just made. I think I impulsively did it because deep down I know that this is the only chance for me to really have time with Johanna, to spend my last days by her side. How stupid love makes us act, doesn't it? Johanna will probably want to kill me when she finds out what I've done.

I can't (and won't) look for my father and sister in the audience, I feel like they must be furious with me. I've just thrown my life away for love, how poetic...

Peacekeepers push Hunter and me into the Justice Building. "New procedure, you will go straight to the Capitol." I can't even say goodbye to my family.

When I get on the train, I go straight to sit on one of the couches near the window, reflecting on everything and, above all, on what has just happened. I'm so lost in my thoughts that I hardly hear the door open and Anastasia sit down in front of me.

"You've probably come to scold me about the shit I've just done, haven't you?" I say without looking at her, before she can say anything.

She doesn't look angry, she looks more confused. "I actually wanted to understand what was going on in your head..."

I take a deep breath, organizing my thoughts before being honest with her. "I was completely impulsive. I guess deep down I just thought that if you were reaped I wouldn't have enough time with Johanna again, ever."

She shakes her head slightly, seeming to understand my motive.

"You volunteered for a girl. You volunteered for love..." she concludes.

"Stupid, isn't it?" I say, chuckling sarcastically.

"No, brave." she says. I get serious right away and face her. "I think it's very brave of you to volunteer to ensure that you spend your last moments with the one you love."

I can feel tears forming in my eyes.

"Of course, stupid too..." she says, and we chuckle. "Especially because you didn't think about your family at any point."

She's right, I was stupid, but I was also selfish. I nod. "Remember our promise, okay?" I say.

She nods. "Of course." she holds my hand.

Some time later we go together to the wagon where dinner is being served. Hunter and Plumeria are already there. We all have dinner in silence.

As soon as we've finished, Hunter, Anastasia and I go together to the TV room to watch the other Reapings from the other districts. We start with District 1, where the siblings Gloss and Cashmere have been reaped. It reminds me so much of my year at the Games with my brother... Even though they're Careers, you can see by the look on their faces that deep down they're both very unhappy about the whole thing. From District 2, Brutus and Enobaria. Brutus was also a volunteer, apparently for him it's all a fun game. From District 3, Wiress and Beetee, or as Johanna likes to call them: Nuts and Volts. Beetee won his Games by electrocuting the last living tributes. Then District 4, Finnick was also reaped to represent his district... As fate would have it, the three friends would meet again, this time in the arena. An old lady called Mags, whom I had never seen at any of the Capitol's events, volunteered to go in Annie's place. I know she had been Finnick's mentor, he told me about it one of the times I was in the Capitol. Two tributes, who I know from their reputation are morphling addicts, were selected for District 6.

When it comes to Reaping of 7 I couldn't help but open my mouth in shock at seeing Johanna being reaped, even though I know it was going to happen anyway. Probably seeing it come true showed me how real it all was. Blight was the male tribute reaped from 7 with Johanna. Woof, an old guy I'd seen mentoring at previous Games, was reaped for District 8 along with Cecelia. As soon as 9's Reaping passed we skipped our own to see the last ones. Chaff (who I know from being Haymitch's friend) and Seeder from 11 were reaped. Now the last district, 12. Katniss, in the same position as Johanna of being the only female tribute in her district, was reaped. And then the reaping for the male tribute takes place: Haymitch is reaped, but soon afterwards Peeta volunteers as a tribute and goes in his place.

I think he and I have that in common. We both volunteered for love.