Safe and Sound || Hunger Games

Chapter Three - Happy Hunger Games

Chapter Three - Happy Hunger Games

At Effie's words, I snapped my head up, not quite sure if I had heard correctly, which was most unlikely. My name was weird and would be very hard to be mistaken with anybody, especially in a Capitol accent. As the realisation kicked in for real, I felt all my muscles freeze and my breath catch in my windpipe, not wanting to come out just yet. I could hear my own heartbeat as it picked up and thumped loudly against my ribcage. No one said anything. No one volunteered. Who would? I knew everybody, but they didn't know me. I didn't have friends or somebody who would sacrifice themselves for me, seeing as volunteering could be practically viewed as a sacrifice.

"Where is she, I know she's there! Come on, Harper! Don't be shy, I won't bite!" Effie then chirped, letting out a funny little laugh at her not very humorous joke. Deciding I would stay strong and the fact the whole of Panem was watching made me take in one last breath and step forward to make my way slowly through the crowd of people. As I walked, everyone seemed to part like the Red Sea, which made it one hundred times more daunting and frightening. I knew all the cameras were on me as I climbed the steps onto the stage. I tried to hold my head high, for my father, but I was struggling. I ended up looking at the stage floor as Effie placed me on my spot. Effie then teetered over to the boy's bowl. "Lovely! Now, for the boys!"

I couldn't bare to watch who my fellow tribute was going to be. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to be in this situation. I wanted to go home to find my sister alive and my father well...but we never get what we want in this cruel world. I heard Effie trot back to the podium and smooth out the piece of paper, I heard the crowd draw in a breath and I heard the tribute's name.

"Grayson Stengard!" I looked up once more as I spotted the boy who stopped my father from going hungry for three nights step up and onto the stage after no one had volunteered as tribute. As he walked towards Effie, I caught his eye, but only for a millisecond. This couldn't get any worse. This was how I was to thank him - slaughter him in an arena while the whole country watched on. Yeah, that would make us square!

"Well, isn't this lovely! Everybody, let's give a big round of applause for our brave, new tributes for District Twelve!" Effie chirped. A few people clapped, but it was much less than even half heartedly. No one would want to clap for the two, innocent kids who were going to be locked in an arena and be turned into wild savages trying to survive by having no mercy and fighting with one another to the death.

With that, the Mayor reads out the Treaty of Treason, much like he did every year. His words didn't fully register in my mind because I was thinking too much about my father who was probably watching me stand here via his TV.

"Whatever happens." I muttered so quietly and so discretely that my lips barely moved. I hoped nobody had caught that or had noticed. I didn't think they had.

At long last, the Mayor finished reading out the Treaty of Treason. and gestured for Grayson and I to shake hands. As I touched Grayson's hand, something about the connection made me shiver. His hands were warm and quite soft, but they made me feel cold. I didn't like it. We just stood there, gripping each other's hands as if we were trying to pass electric currents through them, until at last, Grayson let go. We both then turned the face the crowd and the anthem of Panem started to play.

When the anthem finished, we were lead through the door of the Justice Building by a group of Peacekeepers. We were placed in separate rooms. I looked about my room, admiring the sheer beauty of the interior design. I sat myself down on the, frankly quite comfortable, sofa and sat back and waited for my family to come for hour long time slot. This could well be the last time you see your family, don't ruin it. I shook the negative voices out of my head and stared at the door, waiting for my mother and father.