"And the female tribute from District 4 is… Maggie Odair!" Silence.
Hi. I'm Maggie Odair. Yes, daughter of Finnick Odair and Annie. Named after my dad's mentor, Mags. And yes, I was just reaped.
I walked slowly up to the podium.
"Mags! Maggie!" I turned and saw my father trying to fight past some peacekeepers as he repetitively screamed my name as though he were in agony.
"Dad?" I tried to get to him. Some peacekeepers grabbed me too.
"Get back on the podium." They told me. I knew it was no use to fight. I'd see him soon enough as well as get enough fighting. I walked back up next to the woman.
"Maggie! Please!" My dad was still fighting the peacekeepers. I looked at the woman with tears forming.
"Please…" I begged weakly.
"Let him through!" He ran up to the podium and grabbed me, lifting me up and crying into my hair. I gripped his shirt and wrapped my legs around him, curling into him. I felt 7 again.
"Mags oh Mags I'm so sorry. I love you, sugar. I'm not going to let them hurt you you're going to win this I'll make sure of it." He was saying. He set me down and put his hands on my cheeks and leant down to my eye level.
"You're going to win, Maggie. I promise." He kissed my forehead and pulled me in for another hug.
"And now we have a special tribute, Maggie Odair!" Caesar called out. I walked onto the stage in my blue dress and sat in the chair. I could see my dad.
"Now, Maggie, let's talk about this. Your father, the youngest ever victor. Your mother, another victor. The person you were named after, another victor. And now… you. Do you feel any pressure on you?" Answer truthfully is what I was told. My dad was going to try and stop the games.
"Yes. Not to die. The same as everyone else." I got a sympathetic smile from Caesar.
"Well, you may as well be blunt." He laughed and the audience joined him. Morons. I smiled sweetly.
"How are your parents about it all?" I gulped slightly.
"My mum, well, she's not doing great at all. My dad is err…" I looked out at him. He had tears in his eyes and was watching me intensely.
"He's not too good either." I started crying.
"My dear…" Caesar wrapped his arm around me as he came over. The audience 'aww'-ed.
"Why don't we get your dad up here now. Would you like that?" I just nodded simply.
"Yes, please."
"Finnick, would you come up?" My dad wiped his eyes and rose, jumping onto the stage like a cat and coming over to me. I stood up and wrapped my arms around him, engulfing my face into his chest. He rubbed my back and kissed my hair.
"Hey, Mags, it's okay." He smiled. I sniffed. He sat on the chair and pulled me into his lap. The audience 'aww'-ed again.
"So, Finnick, what are you going to do to help your daughter?"
"Well, I'm going to make sure she knows she can win. And I'm going to teach her everything I know so she can win. But, I'll need the lovely people of Panem to sponsor her. All of you incredible people in the Capitol watching this. Please. I'm begging you. I would do anything for her. I just wish I could take her place." He started crying and pulled me into him.
"Sugar, I love you."
"I know."
"And I don't know what I'll do if anything happens to her. I won't be able to cope." He told Caesar.
"Well this is a truly, heart breaking moment to watch. I wish you all the luck in the world, Maggie. I'm sure there are hundreds of people out there right now wanting to sponsor you." Caesar smiled at me. The audience cheered their agreement. Some were crying.
"Thank you." I stood up and so did my dad.
"Maggie Odair everyone." The audience clapped as my dad followed me offstage.
"Hey, come with me." He told me. I nodded and followed him up to a lift. We got in and went to the top floor. The rooftops. I followed him out and sat by him.
"Mags I just want you to know that your mum and I both love you. If you want to give up in the arena, then, you can. Just know I will be trying to do everything I can to help." He stammered.
"I won't give up. The Capitol wants the Districts to look weak. Playing by their game isn't good enough." He smiled.
"You were always a little rebel."
"I wonder who I get that from." He laughed but then his face turned serious.
"I just thought of something. When you're on the plane going to the arena, they'll inject you with a tracker."
"Yeah?" He looked at me.
"Get a knife. Cut it out. Then, they won't know if you're alive or not and won't be able to send anything to hurt you. Keep changing positions. I'll send you things telling you if they know where you are. When they find you, move."
"How will you find me? If I don't have a tracker?" I asked.
"You're allowed one token from your district. You can use the necklace that's linked with mine."
"The trident?" He nodded.
"Mags, I believe you can win this. I know you can."
"Thanks. But, there are still 23 other people all trying to do the same. And there are the careers. I don't want to kill anyone either." I let out a sigh. Things weren't looking too good for me. My dad wiped some hair off of my forehead.
"I know. But they're not you. Oh, and don't forget you're a career too. You may not have to."
"But when it comes to the final two? If I somehow manage to get there? Then what?"
"Then you decide what to do. Act on instinct. That's what will keep you alive in there." I nodded.
"So basically, don't do anything stupid."
"Yep, that's it Maggie."
"Dad, I am the clumsiest person in the whole of Panem." He sniggered.
"You can say that again. Well, you have training tomorrow. Try not to break anything. I'll try and get some sponsors."
"Dad, what about the other person from District 4? Fisher?"
"Mags, he won't stand a chance out there. You've seen him." I looked down at the ground. I had. He screamed at the slightest noise. He cried when a hook back home pricked his finger. He hadn't got a chance.
"I just hope it's quick for him." I gulped. My dad wrapped his arm around me.
"Me too." He kissed my hair.
"Have you spoken to him?"
"He's like a fish out of water here. I don't know if he'll even make it to the Arena."
"Dad, what if he doesn't?" He looked quizzically at me.
"What do you mean?"
"What if there was an accident that caused him a quick death and so he died before he made it to the arena?"
"I don't know. I don't think he'd get very far if he ran either. Mags will look after him, she's his mentor."
"Neither. Dad, would there be any way of stopping him getting to the arena?"
"I doubt it. Try and get some wood and make a spear by sharpening it, like I showed you, remember?"
"Yeah."
"Then give it to him so he can help himself. Maybe get him to run a certain direction and you try and grab something on your way through. Just be careful. The bloodbath at the cornucopia kills about half the tributes. You need to get as far away as possible." I nodded.
"You can do this, Mags. You're going to get home."
"Dad, please. Don't trust that hope. What if I don't? You'll be broken and so will mum. She needs you." He looked sad.
"Mags, when you get out of that arena, either way, you won't be the same."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see some horrible and sickening things in there. I don't want you to end up like your mum. She saw the other District 4 tribute get decapitated. That's when she started to drift away. Because of what she saw. I don't want it to happen to you."
"I know. But some things we can't always avoid." He pulled me into him and kissed my forehead.
"I know."
"Will you stay with me? At night?"
"If that's what you want."
"I do." I smiled at him.
"Then yes I will."
"Thanks."
"Speaking of night we should get you back to bed." I let out a groan. He giggled and stood up, helping me to my feet. Stupid killer heels not allowing me to move properly. We walked back to my room and got changed. I climbed into my bed, my dad sat next to me on a chair. I pulled back the duvet and patted next to me. He smiled and got in, holding me close.
"I love you Maggie Anna Odair."
"I love you too Daddy Odair." He laughed.
"Sleep." He ordered softly. I obliged gratefully. Tomorrow would be a long day.