The Hunger Games: Annie's Story
Desirae Ann
Chapter 1: The Reaping
"Annie Cresta." The words came clear as day through the speakers lining the square. I swallowed the hard lump that had magically appeared in my throat. This was how I was going to die, I just knew it. Slowly, I made my way to the lifted platform with Uniformed Capitol Guards hot on my heels. The man who escorted our district's tributes, Crestius, smiled widely on stage. He had on a coral colored suit which made him look almost taller and more muscular than he really was. His hair had been died different shades of glossy blue for the occasion. I mounted the stairs and the guards let me travel them alone. As I approached my mark, I stole a glance at Finnick the girls loved him. He had been the victor five years ago at the age of 12. His first year eligible, and he was chosen. My older brother had volunteered to go in his place. But Finnick was head strong and determined to face the games. And boy did he ever. When he came home a victor, he was more of a God than a Man. Then again, by looking at him, you would never be able to guess which he was. And now he was to be my mentor. I stood alone on the stage as applause erupted from the audience. Parents happy their little girl wasn't going, girls more than grateful that they had not been chosen, and boys now assured their love interest was not to be sent off to die. District Four was a career district. But unlike the districts before us, no one was willing to volunteer. Around here volunteers were very, very rare. If you volunteered, you were considered a fool. My brother was only being brave when he did it five years ago. He was eighteen and it was his last year. Back then, he had nothing to lose. Now he is older with a wife and children. Every day he is silently grateful to Finnick for saving him. And now, he will need to hope Finnick can ward off death, because I'm next. Crestius leans into the microphone and calls the boy tributes name.
It's Malick Nise. Malick was in my grade, the same age as I. The crowd of boys parts for him, as it did for me. Guards fallow him to the stairs, and then he is on his own. He finds his mark and stares, white faced, at the crowd. And there the two of us stood, both scared out of our wits. I could see he was trying to be brave and strong, but he was wavering. Tears were brimming up. I saw our faces on the screens that lined the square. I look like a fish. Here in district four, we make our living off of fishing. It's our life source. And looking at my eyes there that day, I had the same look a fish does when it realizes the hook through its mouth is about to be its demise. I had a hook in my mouth, and there was no pulling it out. All that was left now was for me to be reeled up into an unfamiliar world where I would surely die. Malick had the same sort of look. We stood motionless as the Panem anthem played.
My stomach was replacing the bones in my feet and filling in my toes by the time I got to leave the stage. My legs felt like rubber, and I think my mother noticed my funny way of walking. It felt like every cell in my body was dead, like I soon would be. My mother rushed to me and wrapped her arms around me.
"Annie, Annie, my sweet Annie." She cried into my hair and repeated the same sentence. My Dad came up behind me and wrapped his arms around the two of us. Even he had tears in his eyes. My brother, James, and his wife came up behind him.
"Annie, this is so horrible." My sister in law, Sheridan, cried. He daughter ran up behind her, just finding her way back from where they kept the youngest kids.
"Annie, we'll help you. We'll plan. We'll figure this all out." My brother assured me. Malick came up behind me and tapped my back.
"Annie, I'm sorry this had to happen." I knew he wanted to say more, but he couldn't think of anything. I felt like I needed to say something to, but my brain was buzzing to hard. I couldn't think of anything to say. I just nodded and smiled. "See you at the train station tomorrow." He said, almost apologetically. I walked slowly with my family back to our house. Everything inside me felt heavy. The whole way my Mother cried. She wouldn't stop; she just kept crying and crying. The walk from the main square to our home in the nicer part of town wasn't that long. In no time, we were home. At home, they had watched the televised version of the reaping. Inside, Granny shuffled from one end of the parlor to the other.
"Annie, you stupid girl! Looking like a dyeing fish. You might as well have laid on the ground and flopped around! You'll get no sponsors with a mug like that!" She threw her arms up, sending her shawl flying.
"Mother, hush!" My Mom stuck up for me.
"Oh can it, April. You saw her face. Who would sponsor someone so stupid, so useless looking."
"Anyone who wants to bet on a victor will bet on Annie." James strode in behind the rest of the family. As my family argued over my performance I left the parlor. I walked across the hall to the dining room. The darkness was ominous. Dark, heavy red and gold curtains covered the windows. The large oak table in the middle of the room now had a red table cloth cutting its way down the center of it. The chair cushions, normally white, were now red. I sensed a theme. The chandelier above now had red sashes draped on it. The red charger plates were now slid under the white eating plates. The napkins were even red. Red like blood. Red like my blood. After I couldn't bear the sight of my normally welcoming dining room, I stormed into the kitchen. Our maid, Lisa, was busying herself.
"Did you do that?" I asked, gesturing to the dining room.
"Your Grandmother told me to." She was a shy girl, only two years older than me. She worked to support her Mother and younger brother. Times were tough in the outer parts of the city, and that was where Lisa was from.
"Granny thinks I have no chance, I'll show her. Finnick will train me to be better than all the rest!" With my courage restored, I marched out of the sun drenched kitchen, through the dark hall, and out into the main room. No one was in the parlor, so I marched up the large staircase. Upstairs, my mother was in my room.
"You wore this you're first reaping." She was still crying, and currently rifling through my closet. "You looked so pretty in it! Green is your color, it matches your eyes." The dress my mother was holding was almost identical to the one I now wore; chiffon, light green, and very beautiful. The one I now had was knee length with little pleats in the skirt. The neck line had little green and turquoise gems attached to it. It was then I remembered Malick's compliment. He had told me I looked beautiful and that I probably wouldn't be picked. Guess he was wrong.
I had changed out of my dress and into a pair of khaki pants and a white tank top. I pulled my long brown hair into a wavy ponytail and slowly went downstairs. I sat in my typical dinner seat with Granny to my right and my younger sister Emily to my left. I was the oldest daughter at sixteen.
"The 70th Hunger Games." My brother ate a fork full of mashed potatoes. Nothing on my plate looked edible in my eyes. Potatoes, some kind of fish, steamed vegetables, and a tall glass of milk usually would have been an ideal meal. But at this point, a bullet seemed more like it.
"Shame we won't have a victor in district four this year." Granny grumbled.
"Why do you keep saying things like that?" Usually, I would have never said that. Under normal circumstances I was a well behaved, perfect little girl. But these were not normal circumstances.
"Because they are true!" Granny yelled. "Look at you, slouching in your seat. You ungrateful little pig! Put food in front of you and you can hardly look at it. Lisa worked all day, but obviously it was for nothing."
"I hardly think Annie needs to eat at a time like this, she has bigger fish to fry." My father spoke up.
"Henry, don't you start! This girl won't last a second in the arena because of all the codling you two do. Now she needs to go fight for her life, with what skill? She can hardly catch a fish! Sorry to break it to you, Annie, but you're as good as dead." Granny got up from the table and stormed off. But not before she gave my back a good whack and said "Sit up straight, for Heaven's sake!" When the stinging had gone, I slouched back down. Everyone resumed their supper. James looked up at me.
"So, Annie, what's the game plan?" he asked.
"I was supposed to think of one already?"
"No, but do you have a general idea of what your plan is?" His eyes seemed to twinkle, almost mischievously.
"I can't fight, so I guess I'll hide." I joked. But in that moment, that seemed to be the best thought to cross my mind all day.
Up Next: Chapter 2: To the Capitol