Stargazer • The Hunger Games

FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR
❝I Spy A Tree❞

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The crowd clapped slowly. Some people were enthusiastic about us being chosen while others were less then all rightabout the turn of events. The sound of the Panem anthem sounded again, signalling the end of the reaping. Two peacekeepers came on stage and grabbed hold of Eric and myself. Neither of us resisted as they led us into the justice building. Inside the floor was marble, the walls white and the décor was mainly sea themed with scatterings of Panem propaganda. Inside the foyer the mayor of district four stood. He had a reclining hairline and a wrinkled face that now wore a forced smile.

"It is of greatest honour to represent the district in the Hunger Games. I hope you do the district proud," His voice was very deep and the words come out to proper. He has this rehearsed, I thought to myself. "Each of you will have one hour allocated for goodbyes. Parents and other family members are automatically inclined to say their goodbyes. If you have others please inform Dolly," I then nodded, gesturing with his hands to Dolly who was standing behind us.

"Oh yes," she flustered, pulling at her dress when she noticed that the attention was on her, "Alice you will be in the left room and Eric the right. You both have visitors waiting outside to say goodbye."

Goodbye. That word stung when she spoke it. It meant that I would never see my friends and family again. I would never see the endless ocean or smell the salty sea. The idea of goodbye brought the first of many tears to my eyes.

I felt Eric rub my shoulders in an attempt to comfort me. His touch reminded me that I was not going to lose everything today. I still had him but for how long?

I left Eric's touch and made my way to the room on the left. Inside had a deep red couch, a timber table and a single curtained window that overlooked the docks outside. I did not feel as if I could physically sit just yet so instead I paced around the room until the door opened for the first time. In came the Matthews twins.  Both their faces were puffy and their cheeks stained with tears. Willow ran up to me first. Hugging me in a flurry of blonde hair, yellow fabric and the sound of distraught sobs. Her sister Aspen joined her moments later. Both the girls were close to squeezing me to death when Willow loosened her grip.

"Why both of you? Why not neither? Why did you turn down the volunteers? Why are you leaving us?" Willow's questions were hard to make out as each question was filled with sobs from the young girl.

Aspen was the quieter of the two girls. She stood back to let Willow get all her emotions out before she spoke up, "Win for us Alice."

Aspen's words made me brake out into sobs. Winning was out of the question. Winning meant killing others, watching 23 other kids fight to their death. I would not put myself through that especially not when Eric was fighting with me.

"I'll do my very best," I croaked, smiling at Aspen. The little girl hugged me again before hugging her sister who was not coping well.

"Good luck," was all Willow managed to say before they were escorted back out of the room.

The next three quarters of an hour were spent with others from the fleet. When Eric's dad entered, I could see that he was on the verge of tears. He was about to lose not only his son but also his daughter to. After his visit it was my father's turn. Seeing him caused me to sit on the red couch that I had not yet touched.

I expected my father to tell me that I was doing something stupid or that he could not lose me but instead he said, "Do me proud"

"You're not angry?" I stared at him with shock. Everyone else had been angry to some extent but my father looked at ease.