Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Hunger Games or its characters. The following is based off of the books by Suzanne Collins.
-POV: Alaine-
And so it was decreed, that each year the twelve districts of Panem, would offer up one young man and women in tribute to fight to the death in a pageant of honor and bravery...
The words ring in my ears. The sun beating down on the tightly packed square. The scuffling of nervous feet the only sound as the opening Reaping video plays on the large screen to the right of the justice building. The nervous glances from the other girls and the sound of Effie's eleven inch heels bounce across the crowd.
"Welcome, welcome!" Effie trills in her denoted Capital accent, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" Her smile is unusually big, showing a wide array of perfectly straight bleached teeth.
"As usual, ladies first." She tip toes her way over to the big glass ball in her equally big heels. Swirling her hand through the pit of entries. She delicately plucks one out of the middle, displaying it for the district to see. I hold my breath. I only have ten total entries in the large pit, but that doesn't calm my rapidly quickening heartbeat. I bite my lip hoping its not anyone I know. I know in my heart that the chances of it being me are slim, but slim isn't always good enough. Someone pokes my back. I twist to look at them, agitation burning in my eyes. I don't recognize them and wonder what they could want. I hear someone call my name, and whip around to find my face on the screen that once held the Capital seal.
"Alaine Harwell!" Effies voice is just as agitated as my eyes. Instead of letting my breath go, it gets caught in my throat. I can't say anything. The sea of sixteen year old girls parts for me. I can't walk. It takes the sight of two peacekeepers approaching me, to will my feet to move. The gravel underfoot crunches beneath my feet as I briskly walk towards the concrete steps leading to the stage I always hoped I would never stand on. I go and stand next to Effie, her wig adding the extra height she doesn't need. She grins at me.
"Congratulations! Would you like to say anything?" My silence is enough of answer.
"Ok, I guess not!" She mutters quietly, turning towards the ball that holds the boys names. She shuffles over to its gaping entrance and reaches straight to its bottom. She pulls out a slip identical to mine, and unfolds it in such a way that you would think we were about to win the lottery.
"Denis Clifton!" She announces, a smile creeping across her pale plastic face. The boy shoves his way through the crowd and comes to stand next to me on the stage. He is tall and lean, but muscular. His deep blue eyes and bronze hair shine under the intense glare of the sun. He smiles at Effie and kisses her hand. She is taken aback by his act of politeness, and giggles. This isn't normal. No one from 12 has ever wanted to be up on this stage, let alone willingly kiss Effie. At least no one I know of. After Effies giggles subside, she looks at us expectantly.
"Well, shake hands you two!" Denis reaches his big, rough hand out towards me, and I grab it and give it a half-hearted shake. He smiles at me, in the way I reconized from when I saw him at the market. I don't know why, but it comforted me. It could be the fact that I was still dazed about what just happened, or scared that by touching him, he'll instantly feel the fear that is coursing through my body. If he knew how scared I was, he'd mark me off as weak before we even spoke to each other.
"Come on!" Effie whispers. She places a skeletal hand on each of our backs and guides us into the justice building.
I'm lead into a small office by a stern looking peacekeeper. He shuts the door behind me without a word. I cautiously step farther into the room, taking it all in. The walls are covered in a soft blue velvet fabric, and the floor is a shining hardwood. A book shelf stands tall and sturdy against one wall, and a grand desk sits in front of it. Opposite it is a large, white couch that I gladly sink into. I fiddle with the hem of my light green cotton dress, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in my chest. I study the books on the shelf, letting my eyes trace their curving edges. It relaxes me as I wait. Its been at least twenty-five minutes, and no one has come in. Why hasn't my mother come to say goodbye yet? Maybe she won't come at all. The thought chills me. She'll come, I reassure myself. I mean, why wouldn't she? Five minutes pass. Then ten. Then fifteen. She still doesn't come. I can feel tears welling up behind my glazed eyes. I clench my hands into a fist, willing myself not to cry. Before I can completely explode, the same peacekeeper that brought me here opens the door and ushers me out. We exit out of the back of the justice building and meet Effie and Denis who are also escorted by a number of peacekeepers. One of them opens the door to the awaiting car, and we pile in the back. Effie takes the front seat next to the driver, already babbling about the how the glorious the Capital is, and how much we'll love it. Denis doesn't look as happy now, as he stares out the window with a blank, stoney look on his face. I sit in silence, trying my best to drown out the sound of Effies voice. After a good fifteen minutes, we arrive at the train station. The door is opened by another peacekeeper and we climb out, stepping onto the brick walk surrounding the heavily guarded station. Effies hands make their way to our backs again as she pushes us onto the train, excitement in her eyes. We come into a car, lined with a dark blue paper, and corresponding colored carpet. My eyes are as big as saucers as I take in all the food and silverware placed on the table towards the back. Denis has the same look of amazement in his eyes.
"Do you like it?" Effie asks. We both nod, still taken aback by the beauty of the car. She squeals with delight. "Oh! I knew you would! Come, sit!" She gracefully takes a seat at the table and motions us to do the same. We join her and indulge ourselves in plump peach pudding, and creamy stews. Effie looks quite pleased with our manners. We both say please and thank as we ask for one another to pass the bread, and eat properly with our shining forks.
"I'm so sorry Katniss isn't here," she says, sarcasm filling her words, "She will be there when we reach the Capital!" After we have had our fill of the rich food, Effie excuses herself from the table, leaving me and Denis to listen to the wind rushing outside the window. The silence brings back the memories of home, silently sitting with my mom as the mine accident alarms blared outside our house. She would always hold me, and tell me everything was alright, that Dad was fine. She hadn't even shown up to say goodbye. I can feel the tears starting again, and I stand up and head in the direction of the door.
"Alaine, are you alright?" Denis asks.
"Y-yes," I answer, "I'm fine. Just, um, tired, that's all…" Before he can ask me anything else, I retreat to my compartment. It's a comfortable sized room, with the same colored walls as the dining car. Instead of carpet, a gray stoney tile covers the floor. A queen size bed takes up the room, its blankets and pillows beckoning me. I plop down onto the end of the bed, pulling my knees to my chest. I can't hold the tears back any longer, and I let them flow steadily down my cheeks. I don't want to be here. I want to be home, in District 12, safe with my mother. My mother that would tell me it was ok, my mother that would come say goodbye. A few weak sobs escape my lips, and I don't try to hide them. My breathing is rigid, and my face is a river of tears. I'm trying to calm myself down when someone softly knocks on the door. I stand up and try to dry my face as best I can. I walk over to the door and slide it open to find Denis peering down on me, worry in his eyes.
"I knew you weren't ok…" he sighs, pushing his way into the room. He shuts the door behind him, then turns to face me.
"What's wrong?" He asks, his voice slow and smooth. I can't help but feel a wave of warmth take over my body. This wasn't the Denis from the reaping.
"Why do you care? I don't even know you!" I murmur, a harshness in my voice I didn't mean.
"Why does that matter?" He responds gruffly. I look up at him, wondering why he's bothering with me. He's going to end up killing me in the arena, so why bother with my feelings?
"It doesn't I guess." I say defeated.
"So," he says, "Tell me what's wrong…" I choke on another wave of tears.
"My mother didn't come to say goodbye."
How was it? I reuploaded the first chapter because I felt, after some very helpful reviews, that I hadn't put my all into it. So i decided, this being my first story on FanFic, that I give it my all. Hopefully, for those of you who have read my original chapter, this s way better! Please review and let me know what you think! Also, who's POV should the next chapter be?
Denis
Alaine
Katniss