❝ ALONE WE ARE STRONG,
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER, ❞
in which talia riverthorn,
a citizen of district 4,
finds her heart torn
when she is forced into the
71st hunger games.
and the handsome,
mysterious finnick odair
is her mentor.
and as well...
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DAWN OF DEATH
She placed a kiss upon her little brother's forehead before leaving the house. 4 years. 4 long, life changing years had gone by since Talia Riverthorn's Hunger Games. Her whole world had changed since the Reaping that caused her to face 23 other people within an arena and fight them to the death. Now, she was simply a Victor. During the 74th Games she was called up to be a Mentor, and was forced by the President to do it, and was forced further to sign a contract that would force her to face the same Mentor status for the following Hunger Games to come.
Talia Riverthorn was still the Pearl of Panem, despite Katniss Everdeen's claim to The Girl On Fire. Talia had no doubt there would be 'battles' for fame within the Capitol between them, despite them never actually meeting.
The dawn of the Quarter Quell announcement was upon them, today President Snow would announce the special terms of this years games. Talia wondered what it could be. They'd had a games where double the usual amount of Victor's were placed into the arena, they'd also had the voting Quell, where people voted for the people they wanted in the games. This games would be just as brutal and ruthless and was apparently set in stone years ago when the games were created.
Talia had gone about her day as usual- a morning swim, walking Freddy to school, who was now nearly 16, looking after Mickey's baby, Samson, who was now nearly 4 and then helping her father with fishing or making nets or sharpening tridents. Even though the family was rich, District 4 continued to starve, and Talia made every effort to help those who needed it more than she did.
It was late evening when Talia got into the house and the automatic broadcast had just began, her mother and father were perched on the sofa, her elder brother keeping Sam occupied and Freddy sat doing homework at the desk in the corner.
Talia slid onto the sofa between her parents and leaned her elbows against her knees, listening to the sour words of the President.
"Ladies and gentlemen, as you all know, this is the 75th year of the Hunger Games and it was written in the charter of the games that every 25 years there would be a Quarter Quell. To keep fresh, for each new generation, the memory of those who died in the uprising against the Capitol. Each Quarter Quell is distinguished by games of a special significance. And now, on this, the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion we celebrate the 3rd Quarter Quell,"
The Capitol crowd watching the President's announcement cheer, clapping for the man who had so much blood on his hands.
"As a reminder that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the Capitol on this the 3rd Quarter Quell Games, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of Victors in each District,"
Talia's heart stops. The whole room falls into pure silence apart from the sob that escapes her mothers lips.
"The Victors will present themselves on Reaping day, regardless of age, state of health or situation,"
Talia stands up, her hands were shaking. District 4 had many Victor's, but she was one of them. She could be reaped. She gulps back the vomit that threatened to spew from her mouth and ignored the call of her father as she walked right out the house. Winter had hit District 4 in the past few days and she regretted grabbing a coat as soon as she left the house. Her boots crunched against snow as she walked towards the gate that read 'Victor's Village'.
"Talia!"
The voice was the only one she wanted to hear at that moment, but she just kept walking. Her feet wouldn't stop. She travelled across the District, past the home she used to live in, past the citizens of her district- some looked relieved to be cut from the chance to be reaped and others showed sympathetic smiles. She walked all the way past the harbour and reached the spot her father would fish in. The spot they'd watched Finnick trident hunt the day before the Reaping.
She sits down on that beechwood where Finnick had kissed her, the last time he had held her in such a way, and she couldn't even cry. She couldn't even muster a single tear. It was as though she had expected it. Her body trembles in the cold and she doesn't turn when she hears the rushed footsteps approach her.
"Talia, you'll freeze,"
"Better to freeze to death than face another arena," Talia snaps, her eyes flicking to meet Finnick's.
"Please, just, don't think like that, there are other Victor's,"
"The pool is still small," She hisses, "I can't fucking believe this!"
"I know, I know," He says, he sits down beside her and she shifts away.
"Don't touch me," She warns. He shifts back, concern written across his face.
"What do we do?" Talia asks.
"We have to face it," Finnick says, "The Reaping is barely 2 months from now,"
"Katniss is going back in," Talia says, shaking her head.
"I know," Finnick nods, he flinches when she looks round at him.
"It can't be us," She says, "It can't be you,"
"It won't be," He says, he slowly reaches out and takes her freezing cold hand, "Please, you're freezing, Little Bird,"
"Finnick, I can't," She says and finally, the tears fall down her cheeks. He uses his other hand to wipe them away before holding her cheek and making her look at him.
"No matter what happens, I'm always going to be here, I'm always going to be yours," He says and she nods, she falls into his arms and he holds her tightly. Whispering comforting words into her ear as he guides her home, back to the warmth of her family.
They all hug her and thank Finnick before he goes, to shed his own tears in the silence of his lonely home, his family were long since dead, all murdered by President Snow. The only people he had left were Talia, her family, Mags and Annie Cresta.
_____________
Its been awhile I forgot i had prewritten a few chapters for this book so here we are!
