Jar of Hearts
ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
Sixteen year old huntress Elsa of District 12 has volunteered as tribute for the 74th hunger games… She risks her life for her younger, twelve year old sister, Anna – despite having to leave her beloved best friend Jack Frost behind. May the odds be ever in her favor!
Anna was sweeping awkwardly, an antique, surviving Golden Girls magazine in hand from before the Dark Days, and the fall of North America, as Elsa pulled back her snowy white hair into a wispy, donut shaped bun. The whole of the District were busy as bees on the morning of the reaping. Although Anna appeared quite distressed in the weeks leading up to the event, Elsa highly doubted that any of their friends would be chosen, let alone themselves.
Their crammed cabin was squeaky clean at present, Mrs. Arendelle bathing in the tub near the back entrance.
"Anna, you're fine. This is your first year. You aren't going be picked, I promise." Elsa assured her naïve sister who had been putting out negative vibes for the past week.
"You don't know that, Elle! I'm not as fearless as you. I wish I could be. Don't go around make promises you can't keep." An anxious Anna peeped, rubbing her wrist across her salty cheeks.
Elsa looked out into the wilderness, the evergreens swaying wildly in the breeze – where she and Jack had went hunting an hour earlier.
"Don't ever say that, Annie. You're spectacular the way you are."
Oh, how Elsa condemned President Snow for the majority of his deeds were not good – he was no leader, despite controlling the capital and being worshipped mindlessly by thousands He could never repay the lives that he'd stolen from each district so carelessly.
It was time.
Elsa and Anna were herded like cattle and closed off by only a strand of velvet rope.
"Elsa, don't let them take me!" Anna wept, snatching Elsa by her lacy hem, her fingernail leaving a temporary line in the fabric.
"Annie, stay calm, I love you. It's just a small prick."
Elsa got into line for the blood drawing, still nervous about Anna appearing defiant to the peacekeepers.
The ordeal was tedious, but it was better than receiving the death penalty for resisting due to your own fear. Elsa wished that her sister would realize she wasn't fearless – she was just good at hiding it.
There was tension in the air, along with those who mocked the pain of the whole thing.
"Hey, bet a whole roll of bread that Frost'll be picked."
"Dude, dude, he's such a pansy. We'd watch him die within the first minute of the games, I'll bet all of my peas on it!"
Elsa cringed, and soon after she winced again at the needle's sting as she reached the front of the line, her blood gushing from her finger before a worker placed a swab on it.
"Hold this firmly on the source, miss."
Elsa sighed, following her instructions as if she was a dog, moving up to the front of the crowd. A drop of blood fell onto the collar of her 'evening gown' – pale pink rags handed down from her Grandmother. She clutched tightly to her locket – inside were pictures of Anna and her mother.
Anna would have to deal. Every newcomer was afraid of being selected – but what were the odds? A large stage stood in front of all the potential victims, a little pixie-looking woman running on daintily to face them all.
"Hello, hello! Welcome ladies and gentlemen. I'm Effie, and I'll be pulling the cards today in the drawing." She squealed merrily. Elsa looked back to see Anna roll her eyes.
Applause echoed off the trees, coming from all directions, Elsa didn't bother wasting any energy.
"Let's get right to it, shall we? You know how the saying goes – ladies first! Let's announce this year's tribute girl."
Effie reached her hand in, shuffling through the pieces of paper intensely. Everyone was holding their breath. Lifting her hand up slowly and unfolding a single card, she and her mauve, puffy hair paused.
"Anna Arendelle."
The space fell silent, heads turning, searching for the tribute girl in the crowd. Anna was frozen with shock, wailing, as the guards began to pull her towards the stage.
Elsa stood, helpless, until an idea came to her. She could volunteer – she could volunteer to take Anna's place. Anna could never survive in the Hunger Games. She would be competing with people up to eighteen years old. At least Elsa had some chance of making it through alive – Sending Anna would be a suicide mission.
"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Elsa screamed, struggling to reach Anna and pushing past arms and shoulders and quivering legs.
Effie gasped, a smile forming slowly across her pale cheeks. Anna turned towards Elsa, eyes widening.
"Well, well. What do we have here? A volunteer! How very exciting…"
The guards untightened their grasp on a still terrified Anna.
"Come here, dear. Don't be shy. Care to tell us your name?"
Elsa scowled, pushing the masked men away from Anna and tramping up onto the platform.
"My name is Elsa Arendelle. I'm Anna's sister." She declared, looking at the floor, not letting anyone detect a shake among her words.
"Oh, your little sister was chosen on her first year? Darling, you are a brave soul." Effie couldn't contain herself at this point, as she clearly lived for drama, tapping her shoes against the marble fiercely.
Among the faces observing their sacrificial lamb was Jack.
Oh, god. Jack.
He looked devastated.
But Elsa's train of thoughts revolving around Jack and Anna were interrupted as Effie continued on proudly.
This didn't affect anyone else's existence. They'd watch her fight to the death while they sat back and enjoyed the show. Elsa was infuriated.
"Now, let's move onto our boy tribute – drumroll, please!"
There was, of course, no drumroll, so Effie, growing impatient, snatched out a card from the jar, the name slipping from her powdered lips like nectar.
"Hans Westergård."
Attention was then focused on a ginger-headed boy, who was trying to hide from the many eyes staring holes into him. Elsa almost thought she recognized him from somewhere. She couldn't quite remember where.