Doe In The Meadow | Peeta Mellark

three

"War... terrible war." The voice recording of Snow began. It was the speech I've heard each year through the televised event, over and over.

I shouldn't be here, but I was. Each district was drawing their tributes today. The crowd surrounding me was terrified. I looked at as many faces as I could. District six was the biggest district in Panem, so there were many more children here, many more victims of this so called event.

"Now, we will draw the women first." The woman said as the video ended. It didn't matter who was called, because I would be up there, taking their place. I had to.

Every district had a different escort. I had seen them around the Capitol many times. This woman was very slender. Almost like a skeleton, but beautiful at the same time. Her entire outfit, on the other hand, was purple and it was hideous. Her frail hand reached into the glass bowl and scrambled around inside like a fisherman digging out fish guts. She pulled out the white slip and I watched her eyes trace over the words. "Harley Fine." She called the name and a sob rang out around us. I scanned the crowd to see the girl, about thirteen, drop to her knees, petrified, motionless. The peacekeepers marched over to her, lifting her off the ground and forcing her into the aisle way.

"No! Please! I don't want to die!" She cried out as they began dragging her to the stage. "Mom!" She let out another heart wrenching scream. I realized I needed to move, so I began pushing through the crowd, until I reached the aisle way.

"I volunteer!" My hesitant and shakey voice rang out, creating a deadly echo. All eyes looked to me and the girls screaming halted to an abrupt stop, only the quivering of her sobs were remained.

"I'm sorry?" The woman asked, smiling slightly uncomfortably.

"I volunteer as tribute!" I repeated myself once more, walking past the young girl and to the stage. My knees were shaking. Breathe, Arizona. The woman looked confused as she pulled me onto the stage, standing me in front of the microphone.

"What is your name?" She asked, eyeing me cautiously. But I knew she knew me. Everyone in the Capitol knew each others families. And she had to at least seen me around at some point in time.

"Arizona Stark." I stated, trying to control the cracks in my voice. "Of the Capitol." A quiet gasp from the crowd roared through the district. "I'm here to join the games." I breathed.

I knew my parents were watching. I knew Jackson was watching. All the districts were watching. And I knew Snow was watching.

"A girl from the Capitol, joining the games. How- splendid!" The woman rang. But she knew this was a catastrophe. Snow was going to be furious. But anyone can volunteer, there were no rules against it. It's just expected that Capitol children don't, because why would they?

"Now for the boys," she cleared her throat as I walked back a few steps, taking my place, while eyes peered at me from all over. She made her way to the boy's glass bowl and reached her hand in, retrieving a name and pulling this one out. "Lando Carley." She called out and I looked to see a boy, slowly walk into the isle where peacekeepers met with him, escorting him to the stage. He looked terrified. But we all were. His hands were shaking, I noticed and his feet shuffled on the ground. He looked to be seventeen as well. Poor kid was so close to not having to worry about the games and yet here he was. His eyes shot over to me, quickly and then down to his feet.

"Well, there we have it! Our two tributes for the 74th annual Hunger Games!" The woman now exclaimed enthusiastically, before walking to us and grabbing onto both of our hands, raising them into the sky. But nobody applauded. What was there to be happy about? Two more children added to the kill list of Panem. The woman then led us to the back of the stage and through an exit. "My name is Tallie, I will be your escort." She clapped her hands together in joy. "This here is Mayneck. He won the 63rd annual Hunger Games and he will be your mentor." I looked to see a man in my view. He was wearing all black, but seemed to be well off, which, of course, since he won the Hunger Games, he's set for life.

"Nice to meet you." He said to the two of us. But by the tone of his voice, he was just as scared for us as we were. He eyed me, wearily. I nodded at him and looked to the boy to my left. His eyes stay placed on the floor. This was going to be a challenge breaking through his walls he had so clearly built up.

"Lando, right?" I asked him. He looked to me, startled, and nodded. "Listen, if we have to do this, you're going to need to actually speak to me." I demanded, as nice as I could.

"Okay." He reluctantly agreed, swallowing hard.

"Now, let's get acquainted."