Note: This is not a select your own tribute. If someone asks to have an OC in it I will say no, each character is already planned out. This story was originally planned to be from four different points of views, each telling totally different stories of the same Game. But my friends didn't write more than 5 pages.
PS: Don't assume Flicker is going to win just because is from her point of view. I actually haven't decided if I'm going to kill her or not, because I have an ending in mind for both of those scenarios.
PS Again: This story is about the Hunger Games, but my style isn't as dark and gloomy as I would have liked it to been for this story.
...
The sky darkens with ashen clouds as the water washes down the saw-dust covered hills and the workers' well-worn sap ridden clothes. Everyones' face brighten as the supervisor calls out that we can start packing up. I hop off the stump I've been sitting on vacantly for the last hour or so and join in picking up the saws and rope scattered around the forest clearing.
"All the lumber packed into the crate?" The supervisor calls out, gesturing to a huge box filled past the top with logs, labeled with a red 7. "Yes, yes Charles! Can we all go home now?" Snaps a middle-aged woman named Clara. He puffs out his chest and huffs with disapproval at the nickname. We gave up trying to say his real name, Caperniacous Adderalfinch, a long time ago.
"You're all dismissed." Mr. Charles says, then turns to make sure all supplies are accounted for as all the workers shout their farewells.
"You know you're free to go too, Flicker." He says to me after a few minutes. "Yeah I know," I reply "my shift ended an hour ago. I was just enjoying the quiet before I went back home." A grimace crosses his face. "If you think chainsaws are quiet, I'd hate to think how loud your house is."
"Yeah, eight kids tend to be a bit much." I grumble. He gives a chuckle and replies "Well don't stay out too long, the peacekeepers will think you're trying to steal wood if you stay out after dark." He straightens his important businessy suite before turning to leave.
"Oh and Flicker, good luck tomorrow." He whispers sympathetically. My muscles automatically tense when I realize what he means, and shake my head and try to forget it. Instead I just focus on his previous comment about out paranoid peacekeepers. I don't really know why the hell he thinks the peacekeepers would assume I want their logs, but I follow his advice and leave before the sun sets.
"Bye trees" I whisper, patting the large crate before walking out into the forest. I head down the compacted dirt path through the pine trees, looking at the sections we recently cleared. The trees were already beginning to grow back. Good thing too, I would hate for all of this woodland to stay bare for too long.
It never stops amazing me how the Capitol keeps making new muttations for trees that will grow bigger and faster. What are they doing with all this lumber that they need so much? Wear it? Bathe in it? Eat it? The Capitol is so eccentric, any of these things wouldn't really surprise me.
I slip off the dirt path into the trees, taking a short cut to our house. Usually I take the long way around to stall my return further, but I'm just too tired today.
I hear the sound of many voices trying to talk over one another before I even enter the house. The electricity is still going judging by the lit up windows. Being near a lumbering section the power in our area is usually on throughout the whole work day.
I drag my feet up the dirty stone steps and tense before opening the chipped painted blue door. Then the explosion of sound hits me.
"Well Lilly can wear Sunshine's dress because she won't nee-"
"No! I'll still going to be at the reaping mom! What am I supposed to wear?"
"Mom you can just let Sunshine wear one of your dresses-"
"NO! You girls will NOT be wearing my clothes!"
"Brum brum brum! I'm a chain saw!"
"Mommy's busy Luna, go tell someone else."
"I'm home"
No reaction.
"Well Asyga won't need to come anyway-"
"I don't want to go!"
"But everyone has to, whether reaping age or not."
"I'M HOME!" I below. They all quit fighting and turn to me. "Welcome home Flicker, we'll have dinner soon."
They go back to their loud debate about weather or not Sunshine should dress formally for the reaping. Well not all of them. My brother Asyga pretends to choke his twin Anyia which is returned with loud shrill shrieks from her, and the shrimps are off in their own little world.
There's no seats left at the table, with Lilly seated by my mother and Sunshine, and only one chair empty obviously for my father. The twins thrash around on one side, while the younger Twilight, Sylias, and Luna sat on the other side of the table.
I pick Luna up, sit on her seat, then plunk her down on my lap.
"So how's being a chain saw working for you?" I ask her. She just makes more noises in reply. "Hi Flicker!" Sylias and Twilight chirp in unison, which has become a habit of theirs. "Hey shrimps" I say back, "So what are the crazies fighting about?"
Twilight shrugs. "Who wears what to the rupping." There's not point to correct her, as she has been calling the reaping that ever since she knew what it was. "As long as I'm not naked I don't care." I answer.
Just then my father enters with a large tray carrying ten plates, each with a different portion of some sort of goop, and a leg of turkey. I assume this is a special occasion as meat is usually a luxury we can't affored. He seats himself between his wife and Sunshine, and passes out the bowls.
"Before you children eat, I have a very important announcement." He calls out. Asyga acknowledges this with a loud theatrical groan. "Don't worry it happens to be good news!" my mother says in an obnoxious cooing voice.
I roll my eyes. "Oh please don't tell me you're-"
"I'm pregnant!"
Great. We definitely need more kids.
Lilly and Sunshine are quick to congratulate her, and the twins begin to call out all kinds crazy name ideas. Twilight looks a somewhere between nervous and excited, Luna still thinks she's a chainsaw, and judging by his blank face, I don't think Sylias knows what pregnant means.
"It means we'll have more kids" I whisper to him. His eyes widen. "More? Do we need more?" he squeaks.
My mother looks slightly annoyed. "Of course Twilight honey, we need more kids or we won't have enough food! Who else is going to sign up for the tesserae?" she laughs as though this is a joke, but I know it's not.
She and my father always say horrible things but then pretend it's a lie. As a child I quickly got over that belief you have that you're parents are the most wonderful thing in the world. Even at a young age I questioned why my mother was so plump, while the rest of us are thin. I would ask her why she always sat at home, even while not pregnant, when I have been working for the past five years, even though I'm 14.
"Well, Flicker?" Lilly asks, irritated. I look up and realize I haven't heard anything she said to me. "Sorry, what?" I ask. She purses her lips and shakes her head, making her annoyingly glossy hair swish back and forth.
"She asked why you were glaring at the floor." Twilight explains helpfully. "Oh uh…" I couldn't tell them the reason was because I thought they were all greedy monsters. "I'm just nervous about tomorrows reaping day" I say. It isn't really a lie, because that has been on my mind too.
"It's dumb worrying about it, you won't even get chosen." Sunshine retorts, which is easy for her to say. She's 19 and doesn't have to worry anymore. And even if she did get pulled she probably would win, she's so muscular. The twins give me a sympathetic glance even though they too don't have to worry. They're 11 so their freckly little faces are thankfully safe for another year.
"Well I for one would be proud if I were chosen." Lilly interjects with a wave of arrogance. "And you should be," says father with an approving grin. "It would be a stroke of luck if one of you kids were whisked off in the games where we wouldn't have to waste food on you anymore."
My mother begins to laugh, joined by Sunshine and Lilly. "You know what, I'm not even hungry" I say coldly, pushing my untouched food towards Sylias, who has had his little green eyes watching it from under a mess of dark brown hair.
Sliding out from under Luna, I leave and walk off into my shared bedroom. I get ready for bed, taking off my damp work uniform and change into a large plain shirt, then flop down on the blanket and pillow laid in the corner of the room. It really isn't much of a bed, but it is undeniably comfortable.
I run my fingers absentmindedly through my short pale brown hair. It doesn't require much maintenance as it barley grows past my chin, but still spikes out oddly. I focus on the sound of the rain, growing louder and watch the silhouettes of feet pass by the bottom of the door, trying to push all the blood, starvation, and death known as the Hunger Games out of my mind.
After about a few hours, I hear the door open and Lilly and Sunshine enter. I can feel them both glaring at me with their pretty brown eyes before getting into their own beds on the far side of the room. "That was really, really rude how you left the table like that. You should apologize to mom, you seriously upset her." One of them lectures. I roll over and pretend to snore.
I used to retort to comments like that, but bruises from both of them have taught me better. It's not worth it to argue with my older sisters. After awhile they're breathing becomes level as they fall asleep.
An hour or so later, all the lights are off and the only sound is breathing and the rain. I try to keep my mind off the games, but the silence isn't drowning out the canon shots and screams I can hear in my mind. It's easy to ignore the anxiety that comes when the reaping grows near when I'm busy at work, but alone with my thoughts the fear consumes me.
Around midnight the door opens again, then shuts quietly. Light foot steps come towards my bed, and I feel someone's figure slip under my blanket and prod me in the back. "Are you sleeping Flicker?" Twilight's voice whispers. I roll over and whisper back "No, why aren't you?"
"Have you ever heard Asyga snore?" she asks, and I chuckle under my breath and say, "Unfortunately, no. I have to share a bedroom with the crazies." She giggles.
"You know, you're eyes kind of reflect in the dark. Like a cat" Twilight observes. "They're so pretty, I wish I had green eyes like you."
"Not just like me, Sylias and the twins have green eyes too."
"Yeah but they're not as bright as yours, they look more brown like mine and Luna's. You have the best eyes."
"Well thanks shrimp. You have pretty eyes too."
She giggles again. We talk quietly for awhile longer before she gives a huge loud yawn. "I guess I'll go back to the other room. Goodnight Flicker." She slips out of the bed and a few seconds later the door opens and she leaves.
I feel a bit calmer then I had been before. Twilight can always help me feel better, even though I can't necessarily confine in her. At seven she still doesn't know much about the reaping or the games, only that they're bad because they make me upset. She isn't aware of all the evil in this world or how I got the scar above my left thigh. And she doesn't need to.
I want her, and the other shrimps to enjoy their ignorance until they're the twins' age and have to face the truth, about out parents and about Panem's twisted existence.
All of these thoughts racing through my head eventually send me into a deep disturbed sleep, which is worse than no sleep at all.
A pillow smacks me across the face. "NO SLEEPING!" I hear a voice order, and I groggily open my eyes to two blurry figures with bright orange hair.
Damn the Capitol for giving District 7 the earliest reaping. It's no fun to be dragged out of bed so early after a short fitful sleep. The twins of course took the liberty of the literal dragging. I don't know what's with their inhuman ability to get up and be frisky at four in the morning.
"I'll wake up when Lilly and Sunshine do," I grumble, pushing their bright evil smiling faces away with my hand. "Let me sleep awhile longer." Anyia laughs. "You're the last one asleep silly! Now get up! Up, up, up!"
"Nooo!" I moan, crawling back into my bed and pulling the covers up over my face. Asyga shakes his head sadly and says, "I hoped it wouldn't have to come to this. Luna!" Loud thumping footsteps race across my room, accompanied by a powerful battle cry. I nervously peek my head out from under the blanket to see Luna charging at me, her dark brown hair flying behind her. She pounces onto my stomach with an impact that leaves me breathless.
"Oof! Okay. I'm up, I'm up." I whimper, pushing the toddler off me as she laughs uncontrollably. "And as for you two~" I purr evilly. Asyga and Anyia exchange quick nervous glances before giving out a noisy shriek and bolt across the room. They almost make it into their own bedroom across from mine before I tackle them in the hallway. We all start giggling which turns into shrieking laughter when Luna throws herself onto us as well.
When we regain our senses I notice a foot tapping agitatedly in front of us. I look up and see my mother with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised disapprovingly. "Why are you children playing around? It's a very serious day. And Flicker, you're not even dressed yet!"
I slowly get up, feeling my legs wobble clumsily. "Well?" she asks me. "Well what?" I say back. Her slim, un-calloused hand slaps me across my face, her long nails breaking skin. "Go change immediately." She commands. "Yes, ma'am." I reply with heavy sarcasm on the last word. My mother suddenly puts on a very distressed expression. "Flicker, I don't know why you always try to argue with me." She shakes her head with a ridiculous pout. "I've never done anything but care for you."
I go back into my room and change into black pants and a white collared shirt, the only clothes that aren't tattered or loose. I inherit most of my clothes from Lilly, and though we are both evidently thin due to a large family and living in a district not famous for food our figures are very different. I'm more slender than and just about as tall as Lilly, despite our three year age gap. Plus she is a lot more curvy and round.
The door swings open and my father steps in, takes in my appearance, and then sighs. "No Flicker. You need to look more lady-like." "I don't own any skirts or dresses nice enough for reaping" I mutter, shrugging. "Well…I guess I'll go ask Sunshine if she has any extra skirts." He says, and then he leaves.
I lean against the old splintering cabinet we keep our clothes in and sigh. What does it matter how we look? It's not going to stop you from being sent to your death. Sunshine walks into the bedroom looking agitated in a bright yellow gown with a floral pattern. She pushes past me and yanks open the cabinet door, rummages around for a few minutes, then holds out and armful of clothes.
I take them, feeling sheepish. "Thanks" I mumble. She looks at me for a second blankly, then grabs grabs my shoulders, yanks me forward, and knees me in the gut before I even have time to react. Winded, I double over dropping the clothes. "What was that for?" I ask sorrowfully. "For ignoring me last night." Sunshine retorts, then walks away.
I pick up the clothes and examine them trying to ignore the excruciating pain. A long light blue skirt, a white tank top, and a matching blue jacket. They look okay even though I doubt they'll fit properly. I change into them.
Someone knocks on the door and I walk over to open it. Sylias looks up at me in a handsome green collared shirt and white pants. "You look rather fancy there shrimp." I say teasingly. He looks at me and wrinkles his nose. "And you look like a girl." He says. Suddenly his eyes widen, looking at my cheek. I touch the wound mother left and then look at my hand, my fingers smeared with blood.
"I wrestled a tiger earlier." I say proudly. "I'm going to clean my cut and then we can leave, okay?" Sylias nods still looking concerned and treads off. After cleaning the wound I walk into the living room to see everyone seated at the table, my parents impatient, the twins and Twilight nervous, Sylias and Luna (who still don't get the severity of the games) bored, Sunshine blatantly un-amused, and Lilly looking surprisingly scared. I guess all that big talk doesn't stop the fact her name will be in there 67 times today.
"Finally. Lets go before we're late." My father snaps, standing up and walking out the door. I glance at the older battered clock hung on the wall, matching the chipped paint and banged-up appearance the rest of the house has. 5:04. Approximately 30 minute walk to town and the reaping isn't until 6:00. Late?
Just as I thought, we arrive about 20 minutes early. Everyone who isn't reaping age stands outside a colossal fenced in area awkwardly. The peacekeepers sit at tables outside the ringed-in section as reaping age members of District 7 register and occasionally sign up for tesserae. While our district is in no way as poor as 12, we mostly depend on the other districts to import food to us, which makes it expensive. The tesserae doesn't help too much though, as they give such small supplies we still have to work our butts off to eat, and still be hungry.
Me and Lilly register, sign up reluctantly for tesserae, then walk into the fenced in area. Our District has the possible tributes fenced in due to an occurrence that happened a few years back. They used to have the crowd allow to stand together in an unorganized jumble, until one year a kid snuck off after his name was called. It took the peacekeepers 40minutes to track him down, shoot him through the heart, then choose another male.
This delayed all the reapings in the other Districts, which are on a schedule so the Capitol can watch them live. They figured it was just easier to have us stand inside a large roped in circle then to deal with that again. I shutter at the memory of it, as they even went to such lengths as to publically execute the boy's whole family to prove a point.
I always forget how many people live in District 7 since the living areas are so far apart. You mostly just see a portion of the people at work or in town. But today everyone is in the Town Square. Lilly and I separate somewhere in the crowd of minors, she going to the 17 year olds and I to the 14.
Despite the whole population being forced to be here, it is relatively quiet as everyone sadly stands in tense, uncomfortable positions. The minutes tick by like years. I try to distract myself with what I personally believe to be the dumbest game in the world, but helps take your mind off things. Sylias and Luna used to play it during long boring days.
Look for something green. Ugly small fake trees planted in the flowerbeds in front of the stage. Look for something red. The Capitol symbol on huge flags strung over our Justice Building. Something white. The thousands and thousands of names in the reaping bowl. Okay not helping. Something black. The shiny stage where they announce who will die. Also not helping. Something silver. The large screens all around where the games will be aired. Okay this isn't helping at all.
After what feels like four torturous life times, the obnoxiously loud speakers blare the Capitol anthem and our mayor walks on stage. He gives his speech about the uprising and how we must remember the dark days of war and the Districts' defeat with our traditional annual Hunger Games. Eventually his large red mustache face finishes the speech, and then the drama queen bounces up on stage.
Every year they have someone from the Capitol pick the names, all of them energetic and artificial. Recently we've had a young man, Chauncey Oddswall, who just about shrieks everything he says with improbable amounts of great happiness. His hair is fluffy and blindingly orange, just like his personality.
"Whooo! Happiest Hunger Games to you all! Lets hear it for the 48th one!" He calls out, looking like someone just told him he was allowed to keep a puppy. The audience however gives a sort of awkward scattered slow clap and a few unenthusiastic 'yeah!'s. Not looking at all fazed by District 7's reluctancy to join him in his ecstasy, he shouts "Yes! That is what I love to hear my darling seven-ers!"
"Now I know usually the ladies go first, but this year we're gonna shake things up a bit!" Chauncey announces, "It's a shaky year! So lets get them boys first!" He bounces over to the large glass bowl on the right of the stage, filled with the males' names. He swishes his arm around a bit and pulls out a small slip of paper. "Vireo Syvallona!" he calls in his odd Capitol accent.
I look around and see an astonished but determined boy walk up to the stage and stand by Chauncey. "So how old are you?" he asks, jamming the microphone into the tributes face. "Si-sixteen." Vireo stammers, not from dismay but from the object being forced in his direction.
"I like 16. 16 is a good age for fun, if you know what I mean." The Capitol escort says with a wink. "So, any volunteers?" he waits a moment. "No? Well, now for the girls!" He cheers, skipping over to the females' reaping ball.
My pulse quickens as his hand swishes around inside. 34 is all I can think. 34 times my name has been in there. There are 34 little slips of white paper with my name on it in that bowl. He pulls out a little piece of paper and looks over the name before saying it aloud. 34 names. 34.
"Flicker Lexington!" Chauncey calls out, then throws the piece of paper to the side.
33.
Flicker Lexington's feet walk across the crowd, as it parts giving her sympathetic glances. She walks up to the stage with a blank mechanic face, her feet moving towards the grinning Chauncey. I look down for a moment and see they're my feet. Where are you going feet? I think sluggishly. Go the other way feet. Don't go that way.
I'm up on the stage and I think Chauncey is talking. His mouth is moving but no sound comes out. There is no noise anywhere except the throbbing of an accelerated heartbeat pounding and pounding, vibrating my fingertips. Then I hear a difference noise, a voice. "I will!" It says gladly. "I will!" I look across the crowd and see Luna waving her hand in the air, being glared at by my mother. Luna's interruption brings me back to reality and I realize Chauncey just asked for volunteers.
Chauncey gives a loud heartfelt laugh. "Maybe when you're older sweetie. Love the enthusiasm though!" he turns to me. "So how old are you missy?" he asks, jamming the microphone in my face as well. "14" I say, surprised at how disengaged I sound, almost like I don't care at all I'm up here. But I do care, and I'm surprised I haven't burst into tears and crammed the microphone into Chauncey Oddswall's throat.
"Well then, before we go I have a little surprise for you all!" he giggles. "Okay, I lied. A big surprise! In honor to celebrate the announcement of President Snow's wife's pregnancy-"
Two peacekeepers come on stage, one carrying a table and the other carrying a bowl larger than the other two. They set them down in the middle of the stage, then take the male and female reaping bowls and pour them both into the large one, not dropping a single slip.
"-We're going to pull another tribute of random gender!" Chauncey squeals. District 7 gasps, looking utterly shocked. Children who looked relieved now look horrified, and parent's eyes well up with tears. I'm too disgruntled to consider that this means another kid dies. Another 12 kids.
The arm goes back into the bowl and searches for a name. Finding one, Chauncey pulls out his arm and reads it. "Chek Martinghale." A pale boy in the crowd eyes widen, and begins trembling. He ever so slowly begins walking up to the stage, stumbling over his feet. Chauncey asks for his age, which turns out to be 12. Under layers and layers of shock and denial, I manage to feel an emotion, pity for the poor boy.
"And here are years 48th tributes! Aren't they lovely? Give it up for, Vireo, Flicker and Chek!" Chauncey screams into the microphone. More awkward applause. Three peacekeepers walk up and escort us off the stage and into the justice building. Two peacekeepers lead Vireo and Chek to separate rooms, and I get led down the long hallways over a red carpet with an interesting spiral design.
I'd probably enjoy the beauty of it all if I wasn't so shell-shocked. The large paintings of pine trees and forests, the captivating lighting fixtures, and the striped wallpaper. The peacekeeper stops outside a door and stands guard outside it, gesturing for me to enter.
"Visitors will be let inside in 10 minutes, each group gets a three minute session." She says. I nod solemnly and enter, hearing the door shut behind me, feeling trapped in this elegant room.
I walk shakily over to a couch and collapse on it. I grab a pillow, burry my face in it, and finally break. I scream into the pillow, tears running down my face, and sob uncontrollably until the peacekeepers let in the first visitors.
My mother and father enter, both looking weary. I try to compose myself by sitting up straighter, and lowering my pillow a bit more so they can actually see my face. My mother starts crying and sits down next to me, blubbering about how hard it is for her and the family. She says how I'll be okay and how much she'll miss me and how I'll always be her daughter. I don't hear much of it and just stare blankly ahead, hugging my knees and crying softly.
Eventually she stops talking and looks at me. "It wouldn't hurt for you to say something, this is really hard for me you know. I just lost a daughter." She sobs. I feel puzzled for a second until I realize the daughter she just lost is me. So much for 'you'll be okay'. I continue to stare at floor, not sure what to say. I wonder if I'll be sad, dying and having this be the final moment I have with my parents. I imagine the whole room lights on fire and I die now. I don't feel too bad about it, I've never been close with them so why should now make a difference?
The peacekeeper comes in and says it's time for the next person, and leads them out. I watch them go feeling numb.
Lilly walks in, looking awkward and distressed. "I'm so sorry Flicker." She wails quietly, sitting beside me. "I….I'm so sorry." I finally stop crying, and instead my breath just becomes slow and uneven. "Why are you visiting me?" I ask, my voice shaking. She looks even sadder. "Because I care about you, you're my sister." She mumbles, "I don't hate you."
"Then why have you never even once told me before? Why did you always torment me?" I ask again. Her eyes widen. "I…I never really wanted you to get hurt." I can't help feeling somewhat annoyed by that comment. "Oh so I'm supposed to forgive you for all the times you have hurt me just because you never meant to?" I snap. "I never seriously hurt you…." She mumbles as though this helps. "You never tried to stop me from getting seriously hurt!" I scream, getting up from where I was sitting.
After ten years of abuse and never saying anything about it, I finally feel all the emotions I've pushed down and try to vent them out by screaming at her. "Like the time you stood by when we were kids and mom held my hand against the stove! Or the time I was fighting with Sunshine and she grabbed a FUCKING KNIFE! Do you know I still have the scar?" I shout.
Lilly just looks horrified and can't seem to do anything but mumble "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" over and over again. Eventually I manage to calm down, realizing I don't want this to be how I say goodbye to Lilly. I sit back down. "Flicker I never did anything about that because I was scared of them too. I wanted Sunshine and mom to love me, and they both do and I never wanted to wreck that. I'm not brave like you, I couldn't volunteer for you. I could never to anything for you!" She sobs.
"I'm not brave." I murmur. "You are so brave Flicker." She says. I don't know what she means by that. I don't feel very brave, in fact I don't feel brave at all. "So, I guess Sunshine isn't going to bring me roses?" I ask, trying to change the subject. I realize find the idea of Sunshine doing such a thing humorous and chuckle. Lilly grins and shakes her head. "If she did they'd probably be black. She's such a psychopath." Lilly says. We both start laughing.
Suddenly Lilly goes back to looking distressed. "Oh Flicker I don't want you to go!" She wails. "I should have volunteered!" I look at her seriously. "Lilly promise me if Anyia get chosen next year you'll volunteer for her." She hesitates then nods. "I will."
I feel disturbed for getting reaped myself now, as I can no longer volunteer for any of them. The peacekeeper walks in again and Lilly gets up and hugs me. A pang of sadness hits me and I wish I had been her friend before. It would have been nice to have someone I could talk to besides the people at school, which I'm not very close with. "Thank you." I whisper to her.
She is escorted out and the shrimps come in. They come and sit by me, looking confused except for Twilight. "They're going to take you away, aren't they Flicker?" She asks sadly after a few moments. I nod. Sylias frowns. "Why? I don't want them to!" He whines. "Are they gunna make you wear weird things like the peoples on the TV?" Luna asks. I nod again. "I have to go to the Capitol, and then go into the games." I say.
"When are you coming home?" Sylias asks. My eyes fill up with tears again, trying to bring myself to say 'I won't be able to come back'. "As soon as she can." Twilight says in sad but steady voice. "Not soon enough." Luna pouts. I smile wanly.
We talk for a few more minutes about simple things, things that don't have to do with the games. After the three minutes, I hug the shrimps goodbye and the peacekeeper lets in the twins. The two of them already have tears streaming down their face and run over to give me back-breaking hugs.
"Flicker you're going to win!" Anyia says, finally letting go. "You will. I promise." Asyga nods, letting go as well. I shake my head. "Whether I come home or not, I need you to do something for me. During next years reaping, tell Lilly to remember that she promised. Okay?" I say seriously. "What did she promise?" Anyia inquires, whipping her nose on the sleeve of her pretty silver dress. I shake my head. "It doesn't matter. Just tell her she promised." I demand. "Okay Flicker, I will." Anyia says. "And talk to Capernina… Caperno… Uh, you know the supervisor in our lumber section, right?" I ask. They both nod. "You can talk to him about getting a job, it's better than working in a factory. Or you can ask Lilly if she knows any shop owners that need workers."
"Should I keep selling bracelets to Mrs. Gemma for her shop?" Anyia questions. "Of course silly, they're great." I answer, ruffling her hair. "Oh that reminds me." She says, pulling back her sleeve to reveal a wrist covered in hand-made bracelets. She slides one off and hands it to me. A pretty one with red metal circles linked together, and attached to each circle a small round wooden coin. I hold it in my hand, looking at the design of the coin. Each one is painted dark green, with a purple blossom on one side and blue on the other.
It never stops amazing me how she can make such fine works of art from scrap metal Sunshine brings home from the factory, and wood scraps I bring home from the lumbering section. Sometimes she gets paint too, as my father works for an 'artist' who sells ugly paintings to the spoiled citizens at the Capitol. When they have paint they don't need she allows him to bring it home for his daughter. "It's beautiful." I say, sliding it on my wrist.
"It's a good luck charm. Asyga helped me, he bent the metal." Anyia explains. "It was supposed to be for your birthday but…" Asyga says, trailing off. "Thanks you guys." I say, hugging them. I wonder if I'll ever live to be 15 in about half a year. I'd have to win the games, as they usually aren't longer than a few months of dressing up the tributes and training them, then the actual games themselves.
Then the peacekeeper comes. "Goodbye Anyia, Asyga, I love you guys." I say as they're escorted them out. I'm surprised to see I have more visitors, four kids from my class that I talk to often at school and sit by at lunch. We talk for awhile before the peacekeeper comes back and this time escorts as all out. I wave goodbye as she leads me to the Justice Building steps where I get into a limousine with the other tributes, three peacekeepers, a chauffeur, and Chauncey.
I'm surprised to see that Vireo hasn't been crying at all judging by his clear face, where Chek's is red and blotchy and still wet. Was he going to volunteer or something like the kids from the rich districts who train for the Hunger Games? He could pass as one, tall and muscular. I wonder if maybe he has been crying and it just doesn't look like it. I wonder if it looks like I've been crying.
I turn to the slightly tinted windows and look at my face. My eyes are little red, but it could pass as being tired because of the purple beneath my eyes. My cheeks are red too but that could also just look like part of my injury because it's obvious something scratched my face. The only thing that really gives me away is my bangs aren't spiking out, they're wet and plastered to my face. I hastily dry them off. I don't need to be completely paranoid about my appearance to the other tributes and possible sponsors, but I need to put in at least some effort not to look weak.
Chauncey turns out to be a lot less happy then he appears. He spends the ride ranting about the most random things, like how much he hates our shoes. Apparently District 7 has the ugliest shoes he's ever seen. I find this ironic because he is wearing ten inch high heels with what looks like orange fluffy cotton balls attached to them. I can't believe this guy is in charge of me. He looks barely older than 18, but so does every one else in the Capitol.
We drive out of town, pass my lumbering section, pass the factories, and into the place where they send the lumber to the capitol and other districts. I haven't been here before, but there isn't much to see other than giant crates of wood. The car finally comes to a stop outside of a train station. Lots of cameras surround us as we step out of the car and enter the station.
The whole place looks new and shiny, and I wonder if they have another one that they use to send off the crates. They clearly have a different train I think as ours pulls into the up, long and silver. The sight of it makes me feel giddy with delight somehow, like I'm going on a fancy adventure. Chauncey gets up on the train first, and I get on after him, turn around, and wave goodbye. I wave to Lilly, Twilight, Anyia, Asyga, Sylias, Luna and to my co-workers and my classmates and Mr. Charles and Clara. I wave goodbye to District 7 and my house. I wave goodbye to my job and my school. I wave goodbye to my old life, then turn and step onto the train and into my new one.