A/N Been feeling a little depressed this week, so I'd thought that this would be a good time to submit my first story. This is a short story, no a sort of after thought, about two unknown tributes in an unknown Games. This story was inspired by a pact I made with a special person long ago, so I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Little Miss Sunshine
The girl stands there as her name is announced in front of the whole district. The silent mass of children parts as she reminds herself that weakness is not tolerated. She wants to show the Capital that she has a chance of winning. She smiles wide and waves at the cameras, the tears crushing her on the inside.
The boy barely hears the tribute's name before he volunteers, jumping up and down, hoping he isn't too late. He is called onto the stage, the escort giddy with excitement, and asked why he volunteered. He can only blush and give a knowing look to the girl beside him. He stares at her, perplexed, as she smiles at him and shakes his hand.
The interviews go by fast and it is already her turn. She steps up and hugs the strange red man. "You know the Capitol has a special name for you." He exclaims in his overdramatic voice. She giggles and asks him what the name is, as the audience cheers and calls out her supposed 'new name'. "Since you're always smiling, we call you Little Miss Sunshine!" His voice is barely audible as the crowd goes wild with laughter. The interview continues when he asks whether or not there's anyone special back at home. She can only shake her head and smile, hoping the boy understands.
He looks up at her when the red man asks the question. He already knows the answer and grins happily to himself, until his unshared happiness is betrayed by her answer. It hurts too much and he can barely stand to look at Little Miss Sunshine when she steps down the stage. She smiles brightly at him, and he curses, as the smile burns itself into his mind.
The gong sound marks the start of the Games, but the girl runs into the woods, not able to risk death for weapons she can't use anyway. As she runs she can only guess that no one has followed her. Her lungs hurt and her head aches as she smiles brightly at the cameras, hoping her probably non-existent sponsors will be satisfied enough to send presents.
He can only see her run into the woods before he grabs a small pack and makes for her direction. The Careers can barely catch up to him before he's already following her trail into the woods, swearing that she was grinning as she fled from the incoming tributes.
The cold night is unforgiving and the stars can barely light up the now black forest. She can only sit and shiver in her cave as she waits patiently for the anthem to break the silence of nightfall. She barely keeps conscious and her eyes start to droop, when the Capitol symbol flashes in the sky. Countless faces flash past and she isn't able to recognize one of them. She feels her lips curl upward as she lies down to sleep, part intentional, part unintentional.
He continues to mark the bark on the trunk of his tree, marking the number of deaths so far with the knife he found. Luckily he was able to find a blanket in his almost empty pack and the night wind is not enough to penetrate the warmth and comfort the gift has given him. He can only hope the girl is as warm as he is as he falls asleep, wondering if she is still smiling.
The girl leaves her cave as she continues to hear the cannons fire, this time reassuring herself that she can find him in time. The girl is weary, the familiar feeling of hunger overcoming her. She treks through the woods, turning her head at every sound around her. The feeling of safety long left behind at the cave, she almost forgets to smile...almost
The boy's dreary eyes are almost open when he detects movement below. He doesn't have to squint to tell that the Careers are obviously hunting for hungry and forgotten tributes. He prays they don't find her and moves up the tree, trying not to make a sound.
Hours have passed as she leans against a wall of stone, too famished to move any farther. The thirst more painful than the hunger. She hears distant shouts and the clangs of metal against metal as her eyes droop, she starts to believe that a quick death would be better.
The girl only has time to stand up when she sees the boy crashing through the bushes. She tries to call out his name when she hears him bellowing at her to run. She sees the blood splattered on his shirt and wonders whose it is.
The girl starts to run towards him when the knives pierce his back. He falls over, the blood dripping from his mouth. He curses again and tries to stand up, to protect her. But the girl hugs him and starts to stroke his hair, telling him that it is all okay.
The boy feels the scorching hot pain start to fade. The life slowly drains from him, as he stares unbelievably, as he did on the day of the reaping, at her smile. He can barely confess his love to her when the cannon fires, his hand falling from hers. The girl looks into his glassy eyes, to see an unrecognizable girl smiling back at her. She stares at the ugly, mocking smile and feels revolted, finally letting the tears stream down onto the scarlet lips of the boy.
The girl hears a shout and looks up. She sees the knives flying through the air and smiles. For real this time.