( CHAPTER ONE )
THE LUCK HAS RUN OUT
ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER REAPING. Thankfully this year would bring her one step closer to the last year that she wouldn't be picked. There really wasn't anything that Octavia could do, she knew that her name was in there more than several times. She wasn't stupid, she'd seen the glass bowl and heard the talk around the district. If there was one specific thing about Octavia, she wasn't stupid.
Octavia Argent stood at the pier docks, just staring out at the endless vast of water that was as clear blue as the sky was today. It would've been nicer if the clouds were there to help the heavy weight on the District today with the reaping. It should've been a rainy, depressing day.
It wasn't that she wasn't ready, because Octavia sure was. Well, physically that was. Although her height would suggest otherwise to her opponents, but her mother always taught her to use it to her advantage. Standing at just 5'3, Octavia had curves all in the right places with just enough muscle to make her look feminine. Her figure was often desired by other women, but it wasn't like she cared. At the end of the day, it wasn't about looks, it was about surviving President Snow.
Raised in District Four, the district of fishing. They weren't right next to the Capitol, which was a saving grace, but they were watched over just as much as any other district near the Capitol. District Four was, by no means, poor and they weren't "middle class" either. They were one of the wealthiest districts in the line up, trained to do fishing for a living. Unlike District One and Two, where they trained tributes to be ready for the Games and normally volunteered. Even if it was illegal, the Capitol never questioned, nor did they even bother to turn an ear to it.
After District Three and Four, came along Five, Six, Seven, and so on... each District had a job of their own, whether it was Agriculture or Mining, they had a job to serve to the Capitol. If you didn't serve, well, that would be a sign of rebellion and you know what happens to rebels...
The Reaping was exactly two hours from happening, just giving enough time for Octavia to say goodbye to the pier she loved so much. She was dreading the goodbye, especially to her adoptive mother, Indra. Octavia never knew her parents, but Indra was a mother, father, and family all rolled into one when she took Octavia off the streets. And if there was one thing about Indra that made her stand out in District Four, was that she was a Victor was she was sixteen and had the scars to prove it.
Indra Argent had been a vicious fighter in the Games, almost animalistic as she took her killings with pride. What hurt Indra the most, and why she had been so callous to everyone around her besides Octavia, was that her District partner had been her future husband. They had been madly in love, until the Games came along and destroyed it. Since that day, Indra had promised herself that she would never let love be a weakness and when she found Octavia, the little girl with the same eyes as her love, that wall had melted and Octavia had become the only thing that mattered in her life anymore.
She had (illegally) trained Octavia for the Games, knowing that one day her name would be called and she wouldn't risk it. She couldn't. Indra knew Octavia would make it, she could separate her feelings from her job and she did it well. District Four would have a Victor for it's 74th Hunger Games and Indra would be beaming with pride when her daughter would come home.
"Octavia," Indra's voice came, a hand landing on her daughter's shoulder. "It is almost time." The brunette clenched her jaw, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. Had time flown by the fast? Had she really been sitting there for an hour? "Octavia, we must go to be on time."
Before Indra could say anymore, the brunette stood up, her mother's hand falling from her shoulder as she turned around and nodded, not saying a word as she walked past her mother and back to their house. Why couldn't her mother just be a little more understanding? You're sending your own daughter to her death and you're worried about being on time?
An angry snarl left Octavia's lips as she slammed her bedroom door shut, shaking in anger. It wasn't fear, no, it was anger. She was angry that she was going to be chosen, she was angry that her mother couldn't comfort her, she was angry that the Capitol was reaping children, she was angry for all the right reasons all at once and that - that would be her fuel for the Hunger Games. Those tributes would not know what hit them until the sword that Octavia held would be slicing their throats.
The dress her mother picked was perfect, and she would've liked it even more if she hadn't been in such a sour mood. After her shower and shave, she had quickly dried off and put a towel around her hair to dry it quicker, slipping on a bra and underwear before stepping out of her bathroom and into her room.
A peach colored shirt dress laid on her bed with a pair of light tan oxfords, she smiled faintly before shaking her head and quickly dressing. After slipping on the oxfords and tying them, she dried the rest of her hair with the towel and ran a brush through it, rushing downstairs to her mother.
"Presentable?" Octavia questioned, a playful smirk on her lips. Indra rolled her eyes, smiling, too.
"More than." Beckoning her daughter closer, she smiled at her. "I do love you, you know that, right?" Octavia nodded, a slight frown on her pretty features. "Then you are going to win those games and come back home, you promise?"
"I promise," Octavia swore, a determined look in her eyes. Indra smiled. Octavia could feel the anger from earlier diminishing at her mother's smile, it was rare that she ever did.
"Let me braid your hair once more before you go," it was a bittersweet farewell as her mother braided her hair. Her brown hair had been done back on the sides, joining the rest of her hair in a slight ponytail. It was beautiful to say the least.
"Let us go," Indra said, kissing her daughter's forehead before walking with her to the town's square.
Waiting with the group of girls in front of the Justice Building, Octavia was bored. The girls around her dressed nicely, some a little over the top. Her outfit was basic compared to theirs. Pathetic. They were all afraid of being caught on camera, when the real fear was being chosen. Though, if you're gonna die soon, why not look good while doing it?
Shaking her head, Octavia shoved the thoughts of her head when the sound of someone tapping on the microphone brought her out of her thoughts. She kept her face impassive, although she wanted to scrunch it up in horror and disbelief. On the steps of the Justice Building stood the escort for District 4: Stormi Night. That's right, Stormi Night was her name and the costume was just an outrageous outfit that looked like a giant flower. While slightly fitting for the occasion, Octavia thought the pink and purple colored outfit made her look like a freak show on heels.
"Boys and Girls welcome to the 74th Hunger Games Reaping ceremony and may the odds be ever in your favour!" Stormi announced. They played the regular Reaping video and to be honest, Octavia thought it was ridiculous. Sacrificing yourself wasn't that heroic.
"Wonderful just wonderful. Now let's see who will represent District Four for the girls this year!" Stormi declared, reaching her hand in and swishing it around the giant fishbowl, pulling out the chosen piece of paper. Octavia readied herself, holding her head high and clenching her jaw. She was ready.
"OCTAVIA ARGENT!" She shouted into the microphone. Taking a slight breath, Octavia stepped forward from her line, an eery quietness settling over the crowd as she walked to the stage, a Peacekeeper grabbing her arm and guiding her, no matter how much she wanted to get his grubby hands off her.
Standing next to Stormi, she felt like an animal on showcase. Scanning the crowd as Stormi went on, she found her mother in the back with the other older ladies, her head also held high and gleaming with pride. Octavia savored the moment of her mother's proud eyes, wishing that she could see that every step of the way.
"ELIAS XAVIER!" Stormi shouted and Octavia felt like her chances of winning had diminished. Her eyes looked over at the eight year old boy, clenching her jaw even tighter to keep her emotions in check. She would not fall apart on stage as a trembling young boy stumbled onto the stage as a Peacekeeper shoved him. Had he no mercy for such a young boy? She glared at the Peacekeeper, her eyes narrowed.
Stormi smiled at the crowd, grabbing the two Tributes' hands and hold them up. "Ladies and gentlemen the tributes for District Four!" She cheered. Everyone in the audience clapped loudly, mostly because they were happy it wasn't them and Octavia couldn't blame them. Stormi stepped back as she told the two tributes to shake hands. They did and then they were filed into the Justice Building into separate rooms where they could say their goodbyes.
Pacing the room, Octavia was fuming. Not for herself, but for Elias. Reaching out, she grabbed the nearest object, a glass bowl, and hurled it at the wall. Screaming out in fury as it shattered against the wall and into a thousand pieces. A second later the door opened.
Indra looked at her daughter, seeing the inner war going on in her eyes as she glanced at the glass on the floor. She was really the only person that could read her. After all, Octavia was a carbon copy of herself. "Octavia," she spoke. "We only have a minute."
The Peacekeeper slammed the door shut, calling out. "Hurry up."
The seventeen-year-old launched herself into her mother's arms, her body shaking as she kept her sobs in, holding onto her mother. "I'm sorry, Mom." She whispered, knowing that her mother would understand what she was saying.
"I know, darling," she hushed her, pulling back from the hug and looking into her daughter's green eyes. "You do what you have to do, but you do it with a vengeance."
Octavia swallowed back her emotions, nodding her head. "I love you."
Indra smiled, but it was a sad smile. A farewell. She knew that her daughter was going sacrifice her life for the little boy, and she could say this now, she couldn't be prouder if she came back a Victor or not. "I love you, too."
First chapters up! I hope you enjoyed.