The persistent wind races through my wild ginger hair. My heart won't stop pounding like Spanish drums. Warm sweat streams down the side of my filthy face. As I skillfully duck under a deformed branch, I wipe it off with my ripped sleeve and stop to catch my breath. Leaning against the tree, I try to organize my thoughts. I try to calm myself. That girl… the tribute from district two. My mind flashes back to just a few minutes ago.
I had been hiding in the forest, spying on the Career's, anticipating the moment that they would leave the camp ground so I could steal their supplies. Soon enough, they barreled away with weapons, muttering about where they thought the district twelve girl was. I wasn't surprised. Everyone had been after her since she got that insane score. In my opinion, however, she wasn't a threat at all.
Checking to make sure they were gone for good, I start quietly creeping out into the clearing. Suddenly, something hits me and knocks the wind out of me. Shocked, I looked up to see what it was. I'm too startled to move or defend myself. The girl from District 2 is right on top of me. Her green eyes stare down at me with hated and rage. Her dark brown hair shields my face from the surrounding sunlight. I feel the cold metal of her knife being pressed to my throat.
"You think you're so sly don't you?" She growls. "Running away from everyone, stealing things they worked hard for. You think you're hilarious, don't you? Yeah? Well the truth is that you're just a coward. A coward, that's all. But right now, I'm going to kill you. And I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to cut your little fox-like face right off your shoulders."
For some reason, my instincts don't tell me to run or defend myself. Immediately, I know why. I couldn't hurt her. Not because of guilt…but because of her magic green eyes. Just like Faye's. In the moment, my heart stops. She looks exactly like…Faye. The hair, the eyes, and the way her lip wrinkled in a pout when she was angry.
And then, looking in her eyes, I am transported back to the no so distant morning of the reaping when Faye and I had met alone in the basement of District 7's main power factory.
"Hi, Kystinia." She says, smiling, showing off her dimples and sparkly green eyes as I walk down the stairs towards her. I start running in her direction and collapse into her arms. She looks concerned. "What's wrong, Ky?"
I look up at her with my bloodshot amber eyes and my bottom lip trembling uncontrollably. "Faye, I'm scared."
Faye giggles and takes my hand in hers, "Fox, this is our fifth reaping and neither of us are applying for tesserae. Plus, we've never been drawn before. Don't worry." She kisses me on the nose. It calms me down slightly. "Remember; positive thoughts, darlin'."
I break away from her, freaking out, and shaking my head violently. "No…you don't get it." I stop breathing for a moment. "They found out." Her calm expression fades. "About us. And they rigged it so that I would be picked." The room was still. Faye was frozen. I drew a slow, uncertain breathe. "My name is the only one in there, Faye."
"That's impossible." She denies quickly. "How did they find out?"
"Someone must have seen us and told your dad." I say before noticing the clock on the wall. "We'd better leave. We're going to be late for the reaping." I turn towards the door before I can start crying again.
"Are you crazy?" Faye shrieks, grabbing my wrist to stop me. "Ky, we can't go to that reaping. It's a death sentence for you… for both of us! Let's leave. I'll bet that we can be in 7 by sundown."
At first, I want to agree. Then, I realize what I need to do.
"No." I state. Faye stares at me as if I'd just stabbed her in the heart. "If they want me that badly, they can have me. And I'm getting out alive. I promise."
"And there's a chance you're wrong, right?" Faye urges. "The Peacekeeper might've been lying, right? About you being the only one in there?"
"There's only one way to find out." I look at the clock wearily. "Come on. You're the mayor's daughter; you shouldn't be late."
We race up the stairs and through the small area that is known as District 5, the power suppliers of Panem. There are no trees or plants here since so many chemicals have been accidently leaked into the ground. It's very dull and boring… Or at least it was until I met Faye.
Faye was the best thing to ever happen to me. We met in the power factory when we started working there at the age of ten. She nicknamed me "Fox" because of the resemblance I have with the animal. We were best friends for a couple of years but I always had feelings for her that I couldn't explain. One day when we were walking home from the factory, she kissed me on the mouth randomly. We talked it over, realized we had the same feelings, and then became girlfriends. The two of us had to keep it on the down-low, though, since homosexuality is considered evil in District 5. We were the only lesbians in the entire district and did a great job of hiding it. Then her dad, Mayor Lueder found out.
The center of the district was crowded. Every person in the district had filed into the little area to witness two families lose a child to the Capital. And it was very likely that they would never be coming home.
On the massive stage, Faye's father stands next to a small woman with knee length jet black hair and dark, mousey eyes with green eye shadow caked over them. Two bowls filled with paper slips stand in front of her. It was the same woman from last year, Tarralynn Huff. She walks over the microphone and taps it to test it out. Then, she speaks into it.
"Hello." Her monotonous voice rings over the silent crowd. "So, as you all are aware, it's that magical time of year once again. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the 74th annual Hunger Games tribute drawing for District 5." She didn't look pleased at all. "Let's mix it up, shall we? Boys first."
A collective breath sweeps the district.
"Mathias Rewart."
I hear a scream. In front of us, an elderly woman falls to her knees sobbing. A boy who works on my floor of the factory helps her up. He then makes his way to the stage, bearing a poker face. The woman is watching helplessly, trying to keep herself together.
"Congratulations, Mathias. Now the ladies." Tarralynn announces, sticking her hand in the bowl and pulling one out. As she opens it, Faye's grip on my hand tightens. I notice Mayor Lueder smiling secretively at me. She begins reading the name aloud.
"Kystinia McAlester."
I feel numb. I can't move, but I am suddenly moving towards the steps of the stage. I have no grandma to fall to her knees. I have no siblings to scream for me. No parents to beg God to stop the nightmare. There is only silence as the television cameras, broadcasting straight to the Capital, capture my every step.
Once I'm on the stage, I have a clear view of everyone. Tarralynn is saying something to me, but I'm ignoring it. All I can see is Faye being held back by two burly Peacekeepers. She kicks and spits at them, trying to get released.
"I VOLENTEER!" She screams, struggling to get free. "I VOLENTEER AS TRIBUTE! LET ME GO! I VOLENTEER! I VOLENTEER! LET KYSTINIA GO! PLEASE!"
"Sorry, darling." Mayor Lueder says to his daughter through the microphone. "We've decided on no volunteers this year. Peacekeepers, would you mind bringing her home for me? Thanks."
They start dragging her away. I can't bare it. I jump off the stage and run after her. She breaks away from the guards and, with everyone watching, wraps her arms around me and we kiss passionately. Everyone gasps and some yell mean words, but we don't care.
Before they can separate us, she speaks quickly. "You are amazing. Never forget that. Never forget me. You're my favorite part of life. Be strong, Ky, be as sly and clever as possible. I know you will be."
They rip us apart.
"I love you!" I yell over the murmurs of disgust and shock from the crowd. We're both being dragged away; me towards the stage, her towards home. The cameramen are eating it up; just imagining the interest this will generate. But I don't care. I only care about her.
"I love you too, fox." She answers, her green eyes shining with hurt. "Don't give them one word! Not one!" And then she was gone.
Then I am in the forest again and the District 2 girl is on top of me, ready to kill. I can't do anything to hurt her. She looks too much like Faye, who I already lost once. There was only one thing I could do. I lean forward and press my lips to hers. It startles her enough to give me a head start. I push her off of me and run like hell.
I could only imagine how outraged people were that I had done a surprise tactic instead of a violent one. My legs don't stop; I just sprint as fast as I can away from her. I don't…can't look back.
"I'll get you, Fox!" The Faye look-alike promises, her voice echoing. "I'll be the one to kill you, just wait and see!"
When I get to the deformed tree, I take a rest. Closing my eyes, I drift into sleep. I wake from my nap around an hour later. No one has found me yet. No one is looking for me. Well… except District Two girl. Sighing, I stand up and stretch out my arms.
I hear an odd sound coming from above me. Looking up, I see a parachute holding a little box drifting down towards me. It gently lands on the ground. It is grey with a bold, black number two on it. Immediately, I know it is not from my district. Curiously but cautiously, I decide to open it.
Inside are three upside-down photographs. I turn the first over. It is me at the funeral for my parents, brothers, and sister. I take out the second. It is Faye and I being separated at the reaping. My hands are shaking too badly to turn over the second. Eventually, I get it, but soon wish I hadn't.
It is a picture of Faye with two bullet holes in the side of her head. They killed her.
On the bottom of the box, written in blood, it says, Kystinia, you have no reason to live. If you win and go back to District 5, you'll be killed just like she was for such a revolting display of affection.
Tears start overcrowding my eyes and spilling out, onto the ground. I cover my face so none of the other competitors can hear my wretched screams. My heart is throbbing with pain. I don't know what to do. Faye was dead. My mind is blank. Violently, I kick the photo box against the tree.
Without thinking clearly, I run a mile to the cave where the District 12 boy and girl have been hiding. I was watching them the other day. They aren't there. On the ground are some of the poison berries I watched him pick. I grab a handful and shove them in my mouth. Chew, swallow.
My eye sight grows fuzzy and the world is spinning. My legs and arms feel like jelly. I have no idea what is happening, but I know I'm dying. My body falls to the floor and I feel nothing but a single warm tear streaming down my cheek.
Faye would be proud, is my last thought before I hear the distant boom of a canon and fall into eternal sleep. I didn't give them one word.