toxic

Reaping Day

~2 days later: the reaping~

I never thought I'd be standing on this stage again. I was standing on my own to the right of Penia while the only male victor from my District, nicknamed "the male morphling", stood to the left of her. His name was Bowie Gooch. I knew that he was going to be the type of person that would be on his own. He won his games by painting himself camouflage to hide until all the others were dead.

Penia sighed.
"Welcome to the 75th Hunger Games! As you know, President Snow announced that this Quarter Quell, the third Quarter Quell, names would be drawn from the pool of victors. May the odds...be ever in your favor. As always, ladies first!"

Penia dropped her hand into the bowl labeled ladies and pulled out the only slip of paper in there.

I stood there, my eyes closed shut. I never thought I'd have my name on another slip of paper in the reaping ever again.

Once you're a victor, you're suppose to be out of the reapings forever. That is until now.

"Brooklynn Westbay." Penia tried to hide her tears.

I stepped forward, a tear leaving my eye.

"And now the boys." She sniffed.
"Bowie Gooch. Also known as 'the male morphling.'"

He stepped forward, silently.

"There you have it, folks! The female and male former Victors, now once again, tributes, Bowie Gooch and Brooklynn Westbay!"

I was about to walk down the stairs when a few peacemakers pulled me away.

"What're you doing?!" I screamed.
"I have to say goodbye!"

I fought and fought but they were too strong.

"Rules changed." They said.

Usually after each reaping, the male and female tribute gets to go to the Justice Building for an got to tell their loved ones goodbye.

"Goodbye!" I screamed.
"I love y'all!"

Alta, Clayton, and my mother all cried as they said the same thing.

~on the train~

Bowie and I sat on the couch watching the other reapings.

District 1.
District 2.
District 3.
District 4...
Finnick stood to the right of President Coin while a young girl with long straight red hair and an 80 year woman with long raggedy gray hair stood to the left of her.

President Coin started calling the names.

"Ladies first! The female former victor, once again tribute, for the 75th Hunger Games is...Annie Cresta!"

The young girl with red hair started to cry, frightened. But then the old woman shot her hands in the hair, volunteering I guess.
she pointed to herself and nodded.

"Is is true that we have a volunteer?"

The woman nodded.

"Okay!" Coin smiled.

Annie gave the woman a hug, who's name was Mags.

"And now the men." Coin pulled out the only existing slip of paper and announced his name.

"Finnick Odair."

Finnick flashed a fake smile and stuck his hand in the air.

"Ok. There we have it! Our male and female tributes. Finnick Odair and Mags!" Finnick gave Mags a hug and then Annie.

His reaping was over,

Then District 5.
Then me and Bowie.
District 6.
District 7.
District 8.
District 9.
District 10.
District 11.
District 12. Katniss and Haymitch Abernathy were drawn but Peeta volunteered. Katniss did the same thing I did. Tried to fight the peacemakers so she could say goodbye to her mom, her sister Prim, and best friend, Gale.