Far From the Sea
Chapter 1 The Beginning
The warm sun beats down on my face as the water engulfs me. The feeling of the warm ocean water calms me. I feel peaceful, tranquil even. I could stay here all day. The ocean in my home of District 4 is always warm because we are in the southern region of Panem. A fish splashes beside me but it doesn't scare me. Instead, it gives me something from my district to hold onto. Today is reaping day. Even though there is no certainty that I will be chosen, I have a better chance than most. After my parents dies my sister and I took as much tesserae as we could. Our only thought was survival. But then, she was drawn into the games, and like so many before her, she didn't come home.
I push the thought from my mind, trying to regain my peacefulness. But sadly, it doesn't return. I float in the water, unthinking, until I hear a voice yell from the shore.
"Laken, come on!" They yell. "You need to get ready." I open my eyes and stand up to see that the one and only Finnick Odair is waiting for me. When my feet hit the dry sand he puts his arm around me in silence.
Finnick is my best friend. Some may think this odd, considering he's a good eight years older than me, but I don't. After Finnick won his games he floated around district 4 like a ghost. After my parents, then my sister died, I did the same. We found each other and have taken care of each other ever since.
His extremely messy bronze hair and tired eyes make him look so different from the handsome, polished Finnick I see every year in the Capitol. We walk in silence to the gates of Victor Village. The huge houses cast foreboding shadows.
"I laid something out for you to wear," says Finnick. His voice is strained and I can tell he's worried for me. This is the only day Finnick shows his worry. I nod and make my way upstairs. A frilly blue dress lays on my bed. It looks familiar, but I finally realize where I've seen it. This is Annie's dress. The dress she was reaped in. It's gorgeous.
I strip my clothes off and look at myself in the mirror. I look just like a District 4 girl, except for my eyes, which are a dark brown instead of the signature sea blue. My skin is tanned golden from being in the sun so long and my dark hair flows to the middle of my back. I turn away from reflection, disappointed.
I slip into Annie's dress. I can't help feeling out of place in it. I also can't help but feel jealous of Annie and her exquisite beauty. Finnick tells me every day that I'm beautiful, but I don't see it. The dress feels heavy on me, weighing down my skin as if to remind me Annie was reaped in this dress.
I brush my hair until its somewhat neat and head downstairs. When Finnick sees me he whistles. "Well aren't we pretty?" I would usually reply with a witty comment, but today all I can manage is a small smile. He pulls me into his arms and I bury my head in his chest.
"It's okay," he says softly. He is so worried for me. "You should probably get going. There's usually a line." He says this, but he doesn't let go. When we finally and unwillingly pull apart, I head out the door without a word.
The square is crowded with people as I stand in the sixteen year old section. Next to me, my best friend Lena holds my hand. We don't speak. We are too scared. Nervous people jostle around me. We are considered a career district, but we rarely have volunteers.
The mayor walks out on stage followed by our escort, Paris, then Mags and Finnick. This is the Finnick ever one knows. The polished Finnick. Handsome Finnick. Carefree Finnick. This is not my Finnick.
"Welcome to the 74th Hunger Games!" Says Paris in his thick Capitol accent. "We have a video for you from the Capitol!"
The video begins, describing the uprising, the defeat of the rebels, and the beginning of the Hunger games.
"First, our lovely ladies, as always!" Paris makes his way to the bowl, pulls a piece of paper, and comes back to the microphone. He clears his throat and reads off the name. "Laken Crete!"
I freeze. That's my name. Me. I've been drawn. No one volunteers. Feeling stunned, I make my way to the stage. I stare out at the people, the girls who are relived it's not them, and the still anxious boys. I feel an arm snake around my shoulder and realize its Finnick.
The boy who is drawn is a huge eighteen year old named Ari. After Paris say farewell, we are led off stage by a Peacekeeper. I'm barely in my room when Finnick comes barreling in.
"I'm so sorry, Laken! This is all my fault! I messed up in the capitol I'm sorry!" He grabs me in a bone crushing hug and doesn't let go. "I'm going to make sure you come out of this," he says. "I promise." We stand in each other's arms until a Peacekeeper forcefully pulls him out.
I stand quietly, feeling stunned and empty. Emotions run through me and I can't decide which one is the most overwhelming.
Lena's tear stained face appears in the door. She throws her arms around me and cries.
"It's going to be okay," she says. I can't even count how many times someone has said that to me today. "You can win. Finnick has trained you." I nod, but don't have anything else to say.
Annie comes in next. She doesn't say anything. She just slips a shell bracelet onto my wrist, kisses my forehead and hugs me until she is forced to leave. No one else comes.
The car ride passes in a blur. The cameras at the train station flash at us but I ignore it. I look out the open door for what could be my last look at my district, my home. When the doors to the train shut in front of my face I sink to the floor in tears. Finnick pulls me into a chair and just lets me cry.
After I have managed to calm down, we watch the recap of the reaping. When its shows the huge boy from District 2 we all just stare.
"Geez," says Ari. "I mean, I'm a pretty big guy, but that is ridiculous!" we nod in agreement.
Several tributes stick out to me. The arrogant blonde girl from one, the huge boy from two, a foxlike girl from five, the twelve year old and huge boy from eleven, and the handsome boy and volunteer from twelve. The girl who volunteered for her sister looks familiar, but I can't place why.
After the recap, everyone goes to bed accept me. I begin to cry and somewhere in my sobs I fall asleep. A rustling wakes me and I see Paris pointing out the window for Ari.
"Look, Laken," he says, seeing I'm awake. "It's the Capitol!"
A feeling of dread washes over me, but I know it's only the beginning.
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Love'
Audrey :D