The square is packed with people, each one dressed for the occasion. I search the crowd for someone I know, someone to send me a re-assuring smile. But everyone looks the same, all pushing and shouting no one prepared for what is about to come. Because today two of us will die. There is no escaping it, that is the truth. And for all I know I am one of them.
"Settle down. Everyone settle down the ceremonies are about to begin!" Camila, our escort shouts over the PA system. She stands on the stage her glowing white hair pulled into a painfully tight bun. She looks more like a soldier than an escort if you ask me. A forced silence falls over the crowd, a fear replacing the noise. The boy next to me stiffens, Marcus I think his name is. I look over at him, he's in my class probably has been since we were little. I've never payed much attention to him before, never asked him how he was. I decide that after the reaping I will try harder to get to know Marcus.
"And the girl tribute for district 4 is . . ." The sound of ruffling papers echoes off the surrounding buildings. My skin feels dry, oh what I'd give to be swimming right now. I can almost feel the cool waves on my skin. The fresh salty air invading my lungs. I miss the name of the girl but several people gasp around me. I turn my attention back to the stage where she now stands. She's small and mousy with brown hair. She looks young. Too young. Camila barely acknowledges her before moving on. "The boy tribute for district 4 . . . ." She carefully unfolds the paper in her hand. "Is Finnick Odair." I stare blankly at the stage. My entire body numb.
"What?" I say. "Me?" No one answers. I assume this is mostly because of the stupidity of the question. Yes, of course it's me. There is no other Finnick Odair. Everyone stares at me, every eye in the entire district watching, waiting for me to move. I stare back dumbfounded until my feet start to move on there own instinctively knowing where they must go. Camila stares at me her face no longer wearing the stony expression I have become so use to. In it's place is a look of the utmost pity. I don't blame her. I'm a goner. If I were her I'd feel sorry for me too.
"Lets give our Tributes a round of applause" She says as the audience reluctantly complies. And it's then that I see my mother. Her eyes are red, tears pouring down her cheeks, my father trying desperately to hold her still. I can only barely make out her words over the crowd. My baby. Don't let them take my baby. I stare at her without feeling, I don't wave or smile or try to make her feel better, I just stare. All I can think, is that now I will never get a chance to get to know Marcus.
I Watch out the train window as district 4 shrinks into nothing more then a blip on the horizon. It wasn't my mothers tears that rattled me. At least I don't think it was. It was horrible, don't get me wrong, the way she sobbed, how violently she shook. But I've seen my mother cry before. No, what really got me was the look in my father's eyes, like he was never really going to be happy again.
"I wonder what the arena will be like." I jump. I hadn't realized anyone else was in the room. I look for the owner of the voice finding the young, naive face of my parter. I mean competitor.
"I hope it's something with water." Is all I can say.
"Yes that would be be nice wouldn't?" I don't reply. I'm not really sure what she expects me to say. "My name's Lisa, I guess you probably know that already though."
"Right, yeah cool. I'm, um, Finnick." She stretches out her arm and we shake hands. It feels weird. Like touching her makes her real, snaps me out of my day dreaming.
"You'll do well I think, you shouldn't look so nervous." She says simply.
"Me? You think I'll do well? Why?" I've never met this girl before today. Why she thinks I'm capable of anything is beyond me.
"I've seen you down at the water, the way you swim, how you handle your trident. You'll make a good fighter."
"When have you seen me swim? Or fish?" She smiles, she smiles like she knows some big secret.
"Don't you know?"
"Know what?"
"Every girl who has ever seen you has fallen madly in love with you. They always watch you from the docks, you are quite impressive you know. At swimming I mean." She winks at me. I don't think anyones ever winked at me before.
"No way, if there were a bunch of girls following me around don't you think I would notice?"
"One would assume so." She says playfully. I gawk at her in awe.
"You're serious? Really?" She makes this sort of giggly noise her eyes smiling at me.
"Absolutely positutely serious."