𝐅𝐎𝐗𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 [EDITING]

one

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"Finch Crossley!"

I couldn't breath. Melodia Emphorium's overly excited voice rang through my head like a bullet. The cold and crisp air tore at my lungs as a struggled to take a breath. This couldn't be happening right now, not to me. I looked down at my hands, which had now started to shake vigorously. This had to be a dream. It just had to.

"Now for the boys!" Melodia sang, a bright and almost synthetic looking smile plastered across her pale makeup-caked face as she reached into the big glass bowl filled to the brim with tiny paper slips. She stirred her hand around in the bowl before pulling a slip out and clutching the folded piece of paper to her chest, showing off her hands, each finger bedazzled with a chunky emerald ring. The entire crowd of seemed to be silent, save for a few people shuffling nervously as Melodia licked her lips and read the paper, "Clive Braycot!"

I could barely process the name that came in a shriek out of the ridiculously decorated capitol woman's mouth. My head was pounding and the world was nothing more than a spotted mess through my anxiety ridden eyes.

"Now then, why don't you two come up?" Melodia said, an overly happy and almost aggressive smile on her face. I wiped my sweaty palms on the back of my pants and began to walk through the pathway that the parted crowd had made for me. Faces of pity, faces of disgust and faces of outright relief that they hadn't been the ones to be chosen this time were peppered through the crowd of eyes that bore into my back like drills.

I stood on the large podium, the other tribute standing right by my side. Clive looked scared, and a single tear raced down his tanned cheek and dripped off of his boney chin. He looked about my age, but almost twice as skinny as I was; his cheek bones protruded from his face and his arms were as skinny as the twigs that fell from trees after a windy night. "Now let's have a round of applause for our newest tributes from district 5! Finch Crossley and Clive Braycot!" Melodia shrieked into the small microphone, practically beaming with excitement. The crowd gave the two of us a sad little clap before going dead silent. I scanned the sea of people in drab grey clothing, in hope of seeing a familiar face but I had no luck and before I knew it, Clive and I were being dragged off into the building behind us and off to the train on our way to the Capitol.

-🕸-

I watched as the trees outside moved as fast as the wind, blending together with the sky like an expensive oil painting I had only ever seen in books. The soft voice of a woman broke me out of my trance, "Finch?" Much to my surprise, the voice belonged to Melodia. Her tone was delicate and kind, a large change to the shrill one that she had used back on the podium while calling out names.

Now that the lighting was better and I wasn't distracted by the heartbeat thumping in my skull, I was able to fully take in what Melodia looked like; and boy, was she a strange looking woman. Her wavy and ghostly white reached down to her waist, turning a pale violet at the tips. Her skin was equally as pale and had a sickly blue tint to it, almost as if she were dead. Her face was absolutely caked with makeup; she wore deep red eyeshadow all around her eyes that starkly contrasted her pale complexion and opaque white eyes, lipstick that was just as dark as the crimson around her eyes and eyelash extensions so heavy that it seemed like a strain to even keep her eyes open. "What?" I finally asked her, my voice laced with annoyance.

"Biscuit?" She asked, offering me a tray of expensive looking cookies. I looked at them an awe. Embarrassingly enough, I had never seen anything quite like this before. Melodia flashed me a smile and I picked one up, admiring the pastel blue flower frosted on the top. I don't think I would ever get used to the ridiculous delicacies that the Capitol had.

-🕸-

Melodia had turned on the tv in the small train carriage we were sitting in. On the tv was playing the footage of the reaping that had just happened.

First up was district 1. Marvel Hayes, a tall, lean, brown haired boy. Then there was Glimmer Ivoree, she seemed to be a bit taller then me, the blonde had a solidly built figure but wasn't very muscular. The boy seemed to fall behind Glimmer, almost like a shadow.

District 2, Clove Erwin and Cato Hadley. Clove was smaller then me, and was built almost like a mouse, with her button nose and small eyes. She would be easy to pick off. Cato on the other hand, was muscular and clearly arrogant. The two of them looked like they wanted to be here.

Next was district 3, they weren't interesting enough to remember, one was a boy who looked around 12 and a girl who looked about 14. They were both small and had no muscle whatsoever, they would probably be the some of the first few to go.

District 4, they were almost the same as the district before. Though the female tribute looked like she was somewhat strong, not enough to keep her alive though.

District 5, was of course, Clive and I.

District 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, weren't anything special. They sure as hell wouldn't win. Though they had a higher chance at it then me.

District 11 were Rue and Thresh. Rue was tiny, and looked about 12 or 13. She looked agile and quiet though, which was a huge advantage in the games. Thresh was tall and muscular, and had the same build as Cato.

District 12, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Katniss held herself high and looked almost intimidating. She was much calmer then the boy to her right, who was almost on the verge of a panic attack.

The video ended, and Melodia turned the tv off with a click.

-🕸-

After hours in the small train compartment, we finally arrived at the Capitol. It was nighttime, and all you could see were the lights of the giant city. Even in the dark it was still beautiful.