The Capitol train stopped silently at the District 4 station for the early sunrise. The light from the bright red sun reflected off the water. It was appearing from behind, and created little crystals of light dancing on the surface of the water.

Finnick Odair stepped off the train. For the first time in a while, he held a genuine smile. It had been a long time since he had been greeted by a sight like this, and the smell- oh the smell- of salt water and sea breeze made him feel as if he had never left.

But that wasn't the case. After Finnick's agreement with President Snow five years back about 'working' in the Capitol, in which it wasn't much of an agreement and more of a threat, he had been spending more and more time in the artificial city. About five months at this point to be exact.

The Capitol workers and Peacekeepers began bringing out the screens and stage equipment to put up. There had been a catch to Finnick's arrival- it would be short-lived and for work purposes only, today was reaping day.

Not offering help to the people unloading the train, he walked blindly home.

It was too early for people to know or care about his arrival, which was why no one was there to greet him. Except Mags of course, she was waiting for him in the square with a bright smile.

She didn't say anything as she wrapped her arms around the boy and patted down his golden curls.

"I've missed you, Mags." He held her closely, as if to not let her get away from him.

She cupped his face, "You look just as handsome as when you left." She laughed, "Maybe a bit fatter."

He scowled. "It's that Capitol food, impossible to resist. And it's not as if I can go fishing or swimming, they keep me pent up as if I'll run away."

She nodded her head in understanding. "Well now we get to go back there together so I'll watch what you eat for you."

Finnick laughed. He didn't force it, not around Mags. She knew him for how he truly was, since she had met him five years ago she had seen right through his act. Since he had left the games she had nurtured him back to sanity and she was all the family he had.

They kept a steady pace, she was obviously leading him towards the Victor's Village. "Have things gotten…" He paused, searching for the right word. "Worse?"

Mags looked up at him, her eyes sad. "I'm afraid so." She said quietly. "You've read about what they've said in the Capitol papers, how they're playing off the deaths as 'diseases from the ships' or 'lost at sea'. You know what's really happening."

"Awful," Finnick murmured under his breath.

"District 4 has developed a slum since you've been gone." She admitted. "All the children who lost their parents live there in poverty. It's almost as if it's a separate district."

"And the mayor won't do anything about it? What about the image-"

"They don't show what's happening. The Capitol isn't interested in how the districts are faring, they only put things like that in the Capitol newspaper so there will be a newspaper. So why tarnish the image of wealthy District 4 with the progression of its growing ghetto for orphans?" Mags raised her voice, and it got raspy as she did so. She let out a dry cough before going on, "I'm afraid the only thing we can do at this point is wait and see what happens."

Finnick's breath was shaky; things had changed since he had gone. There had always been a yearning for revolution in District 4, but it was a pent up whisper. Over the last two years the thought had turned into a solid idea that was being transferred through the District. The Capitol got word of this and made sure to eliminate it straightaway. For months there had been extra Peacekeepers and surveillance in the District. There were to be no private business meetings and there was a curfew. A few rebels or accused rebels had been executed, to give an example, but word of this never left District 4.

Which was why Finnick was just now hearing of the severity of it all, of course he had read the paper and known the truth, he just didn't know it was to this extent.

Mags took a sharp turn to the left, down a small dirt path that wrapped around to the outside of the Victor's Village.

"Why are we taking the long way?"

"I want to show you something," She said softly.

A little ways down the path were small patch roofed houses and shacks. Some shelters consisted of just a tarp held up by pegs. Children were sleeping on the ground, their faces black from dirt and grime. A few stirred at the sound of footsteps and opened their eyes to see Mags and Finnick. Up ahead there was a girl- probably only eleven years old- asleep in the dirt. Her hair was short, like a boys, and ragged. She or someone else had probably cut it, most likely one of the other children by the looks of it. Small patches could be seen where she had lost some hair, Finnick could not deduce if it was from sickness or stress.

Suddenly a little girl ran into the middle of the dirt path from seemingly nowhere and latched herself onto Mags' leg. She had to have been just three or four. She was wearing a ragged blue dress with little white bows on the shoulders. Half of her hair was brushed and tied in a small pigtail, whereas the other half of her head was a dirty and matted mess. Her face was dirty, and she had been crying. Two clear strips of peach skin starting from her eyes and disappearing beneath her chin were evident on her face.

Her upper lip quivered but before she could call out or wail or whatever it was that small children did when they were upset, someone jogged up from behind Finnick and bent down next to the girl.

"Aria," she whispered, touching the young girl's shoulder lightly, "You have to come back inside."

Mags bent down too to see what the little girl was saying. And spoke softly to the child while the young girl turned the brush she had been using on Aria's hair in her hands anxiously.

The young girl seemed cleaner, maybe she didn't live here. She was wearing a faded floral dress that went down to her knobby knees. She was very thin- maybe malnourished- but it was hard to tell because she was wearing a large white sweater over her frame.

Brown hair flowed down her back in ocean waves; she tucked a strand behind her ear before hoisting Aria up in her arms. The child nuzzled her face into the girl's pale and milky skinned neck. Her shoulders shook like she was crying.

The girl turned and Finnick finally saw her face. She was rather plain, with unflattering bags under her eyes and sunken cheekbones from her malnourishment. She didn't look particularly healthy. But her eyes, which seemed to widen as she realized she was under his critical stare, were the most brilliant shade of green he had seen in all his time of living in District 4.

"Th-thank you," she said quietly to Mags, adverting her eyes to Mags' face.

"It's alright sweetheart, take care of Aria." Mags patted the small quivering body of the three year old lovingly.

The girl gave a final nervous nod before walking quickly back to the direction from which she came.

Finnick's jaw was set, how could his district allow something like this to happen? To just let their citizens be executed and have the children have to fend for themselves. Even ones as small as Aria were alone in this world. Their names would be entered in the Games more than any other wealthy 18 year old in the district by the time they would be 12.

"I know you're angry," Mags said as they approached the gate of the Victor's village in silence. "But there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"That's why I'm angry," he clenched his fists. The Capitol had already ruined his life; they couldn't take his home away too.

"Well you're going to have to get over it momentarily," She murmured caringly, stroking his back as she led him to his doorstep. "The cameras and stylists will be here soon for the reaping, and you'll have to be your usual self."

Finnick did not stop to think about how many of the kids he had just seen in the slum could be in the games. District 4 was supposed to be a Career district, but after Finnick won his games, the enthusiasm to volunteer decreased. District 4, to put it simply, was falling apart. Kids from the wealthier families- the ones who usually did private training at a prestigious academy after school- realized they had as much of a chance as any other tribute in that game. For the tributes this year, it could happen to anyone.

He opened the door to his huge home and listened as the creak resonated throughout the empty house. He wondered if this happened to Mags too, and how she was able to handle living such a lonely life alone in the Victor's village without him.

He padded over to the back window that overlooked the ocean, home felt as if it were an illusion. But it was alright, Finnick Odair hardly had a heart anymore.

"Don't cry Aria, I'm sure your brother will be fine." Annie soothed, brushing out the little girls thick blonde hair. "He didn't apply for any tesserae and he's only fourteen."

"But brother…" She sniffed, looking over at the sleeping figure of the boy wrapped in a blanket.

Annie tied her pigtail with a small blue ribbon to match her dress. "There we go, all done." Aria turned and Annie made the final touches, flattening the creases and wrinkles of the dress and tightening the bows. "You look perfect." She smiled.

"What about you?" The little girl asked in a small voice. "I don't want you to leave too!"

Annie smiled sadly and stood up. "It's time to wake your lazy brother up."

The four year olds face lit up as she scurried over to where her brother was curled up and jumped onto him enthusiastically, jolting him awake. He sat up with a start, and when he saw his sister grinning and laughing he couldn't help but smile too. "You look awfully dressed up today."

"It's reaping day, did you forget?" Annie asked, moving to the far end of the room where she began to start a fire.

"Of course not," the boy's face blushed profusely when he noticed Annie in the room.

Annie raised an eyebrow quizzically, and finally dropped it when he sighed in defeat. "I thought so. I brought you clothes that I borrowed from Ethan, you know him, right? His father is a longliner."

"I know him," he replied gruffly.

"Here," Annie tossed him the cotton white button down shirt and khakis she had folded neatly. "Put these on when I leave; comb through your hair once or twice and you should be fine. I started the fire for you and all you have to do is cook the fish." She nodded towards the small fillet of sea bass she had caught and wrapped up earlier this morning. "I also brought you guys a special treat since its reaping day." She winked.

Aria grew excited. "Ooh, what?" The child seemed to bounce on the tips of her toes when she spoke.

"Bread."

The siblings both smiled and looked at each other happily.

"I have to go, it starts in an hour and I still need to check on Stef and Dalis." Annie said, picking up her bag that held items for the other two children. "I'll see you two at the reaping, make sure you return those clothes to Ethan after today."

The boy was silent, thinking, and then: "What if I get chosen?"

"You won't." Annie said simply, not missing a beat. "Now hurry." She ordered the two kids as she left their small shelter.

She squinted her eyes; she had to walk in the direction of the sun. She checked on the other two- Stef and Dalis- and dropped off food and clothes for them. Annie really was in no rush to make it back to her own home. That would mean she would have to start getting ready herself.

It was a strange and foreign thing- getting ready for the reaping. There was no real way to get ready for it, between mentally preparing yourself to watch a face you had grown so accustomed to seeing on a daily basis be torn out of your life and physically bringing yourself to walk over to the square and get marked for attendance the hours before the reaping were a total blur.

Annie dragged herself into her small home in the wealthier part of the district. The only reason she could afford it was… well she couldn't. Truthfully, Annie had been staying with an elder woman named Adelma. She was perfectly content of taking care of the cranky woman in return for lodging. And Adelma knew the things Annie did, how many people she was taking care of, how looked down upon and illegal it was, and didn't say a word. Neither said much to each other, even though Adelma admired Annie's company and Annie cared about Adelma a lot.

When she got to the door she took her pink ballet flats off and tiptoed into the kitchen to start a kettle of tea for Adelma. When the kettle was set, she slipped into the tiny room she was given across the hall.

It didn't have a door, but a door would be a large luxury. It wasn't necessary for Annie though, privacy meant nothing these days. With the Capitol watching District 4 so closely, especially over the last couple of years, everything was public. Peacekeepers could search houses without consent, arrest people who they deemed suspicious; the Capitol gave them so much power.

Annie pulled the sweater off of herself and folded it neatly. She put it down next to her other piles of folded clothes that she kept in the corner of the room. Adelma wanted to move a proper armoire or closet so Annie could store her clothes but Annie insisted against it. It would be too much trouble and money to buy, plus the two of them couldn't move it into the house. Annie wasn't strong enough and Adelma was too old to do something as strenuous as heavy lifting.

She brushed the knots out of her hair and tied it into a tame side ponytail. Picking out something to wear would be easy, every year she wore the same dress to the reaping. It was the same dress her own mother had worn to her reapings. It was a bit loose on her, since when her parents were around Annie was fed a bit more. But she still felt beautiful in the dress. It was a navy dress with short sleeves that stopped a couple of inches above her knees. Annie paired it with a thin white cardigan because, even though it was eighty two degrees outside according to the thermometer on Adelma's porch, the sea breeze was always particularly chilly.

The kettle went off in the kitchen and Annie picked up the black flats she was going to wear and brought them with her. She fixed up a cup of herbal tea for Adelma; the apothecary had made a mixture of herbs Annie had understood would help with Adelma's sore throat. After her own research, Annie pulled some money together and purchased the mixture, which she now kept in the cupboard for the old woman. After adding some sugar and milk to the bitter tea she walked to Adelma's room.

She rapped on the door softly, reluctant to wake her in case she was having a good sleep. As of late Adelma had been kept up late with her own coughing and Annie feared she was developing a cold.

The sounds of sheets moving told Annie that she was already awake. "Come in," A raspy voice called as loud as it could.

Annie opened the door slowly and smiled at the sight of the gray haired woman sitting up in bed, "Good morning, Adelma. I made you tea."

"Child," she murmured eyeing the cup in Annie's hand. "You shouldn't have done this. It's so early."

"I was awake anyway." Annie mumbled quietly, setting the cup down on the nightstand. "Do you want anything for breakfast? I can make you some eggs and toast if you want, I think there are some in the refrigerator. Make sure that's cold before you take a sip." Annie worried incessantly.

Adelma chuckled before breaking into a fit of coughs, "You worry too much about others, when do you ever think about yourself?"

Annie opened her mouth to object, but Adelma quieted her with a hand. She beckoned Annie to sit on the bed next to her.

"We've lived together for two years now and I've never brought up the things you do because they're highly illegal and even mentioning it could get you, and me, and all of those children killed, but I want you to know I think you are so brave." Adelma caught her breath from speaking. She took Annie's hand in her own wrinkled one and went on, "You're such a beautiful girl." She reached out and touched Annie's rosy cheek. "And so kindhearted too."

"Thank you," Annie murmured. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

"And those sixty something children living in poverty wouldn't be living to see today if it weren't for you." Adelma countered. "And I know you apply for tesserae, even though you think I don't. I'm smarter than you give me credit for." Adelma stared at the wall with a faint smile. "You give the oil and grain to the children, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're-"

"Please don't lie to me, child."

Annie sighed softly, "It's fine." She whispered. "My name is entered twenty six times. I might be picked, but there are others who have it worse. Plus someone might volunteer-"

"District four hasn't had a volunteer for two years, dear." Adelma was rubbing circles into the back of Annie's hand softly. "Even so, I don't want it to be you. You deserve so much better."

It was only then that Annie realized the old woman had small tears streaming down her face. "Oh, Adelma." Annie breathed sadly. She ran into the bathroom and fetched a wet washcloth. "I'll be alright," Annie promised as she dabbed the tears from the woman's cheeks. "I'll be back for supper."

Adelma only cried harder, not making any noise, but the tears were larger and coming faster. Annie laid her back and kissed her forehead lightly.

The woman was asleep in minutes and Annie walked back to the kitchen with the empty teacup. Quickly, she made a small bowl of scrambled eggs for when Adelma woke up again. She found herself wiping away tears as she wrapped aluminum foil over the ceramic bowl to keep the eggs warm. She washed the teacup and set it aside to dry before slipping her shoes on and exiting through the front door again.

Children were walking out of their houses, clutching their parents' hands so tightly in their own their knuckles were white. Annie couldn't imagine the thoughts of the parents. Living in fear that your child could be chosen to be murdered on public television, and Adelma thought Annie worried a lot.

She caught sight of Aria holding onto her brother's hand tightly, they were walking quickly and talking animatedly. Surely their lightness and tranquility was highly coveted at this time.

Annie had to admit to herself that she was scared. Not only for herself, but what would the children do without her? If she were to be picked, they wouldn't be able to survive. Surely some of the older kids like Aria's brother and Dalis could take care of the others, but to what extent?

Annie looked up and realized her feet had subconsciously walked to the square. On the stage on either sides of the microphone were the two glass jars with crisp white pieces of paper. Her name was in there 26 times, more than any other girl in the district surely.

Today would decide her and 68 other children's fate.