Chapter 1.
I watch from the distance. The soft glow of the sun lightens her face; her beautiful features. She's
squealing, and laughing. He lifted her up in his arms, and I couldn't help to feel jealous of their
relationship. Her legs were around his torso, with her arms flung around his neck. A beige starfish
was pinned in her hair.
I grab the trident, from the floorboards of the boat, and grip it tight. I fling it into the deep blue
ocean, and watch as it glides through the water. I look up, to see her twirling around; him
standing there; smiling at her. I dive into the water, and spot the trident, glimmering under the sun.
I kick, and propel to where it is, and I grab it and pull it from the sand. Several fish are pinned to it,
lifeless now. I push up, and breathe in the cool air. When I turn back around, I see Annie and her
lover; kissing.
A pulse of anger surges through me. I grip the boat, and jump into it, throwing the trident to the floor.
The clatter disturbs their intimate session, and Annie looks out to where I'm at. She squints under
the sunset, and calls out into the distance.
"Hi, Finnick!" Annie waves at me. Her lover stands there, giving me a sly smile. Annie flashes a
smile at me, that's worth a million pearls. I feel mesmerized almost. I rid all anger and jealouy and
answer back.
"Hello Annie." I shout, over the incoming waves. She takes her lover's hand, and pulls him. She's running
towards me, with him. In a flash, she's standing on the wooden dock, inches from the small fishing boat,
we own. She stands there for a moment, and grabs a knotted rope, and double knots it around the
handle of the boat, to a leg of the dock.
"Thanks," I murmur, collecting the trident from the floor. I throw a previous net I weaved over my shoulder,
and step out of the boat, and onto the dock. It feels almost foreign standing on something so solid. I'm
quite used to the smooth rocking of the boat, riding the gentle waves.
Annie's gaze freezes me to spot. I stand there, and look down at her for the longest of time. Her lover
scoffs, and in a sudden, the connection is broken. He grips her hand tighter, reminding her that he's
still there. But she hasn't forgotten. Annie's too sweet and sincere to leave people behind.
I'm not sure if she sees the hurt in me, but before she could open her mouth, I decide to leave.
"Nice seeing you," I say, walking backwards, talking to her as if we were strangers. She looks at me, with
a dazed expression. I turn around, and walk up the small hill. Our small little beach house is just right
here. Before I open the door, I turn back towards the beach and catch Annie staring at me. Her lover's
talking, but it seems, she just doesn't care. And I wonder if she knows or not.
I slip inside of the house, and close the door behind me.
"Took care of the fishing?" My father's voice booms behind me. I turn around, and watch him, standing
there with a mug of something in his hands. I nod sheepishly, and set the trident down on the
floor, next to the door. I throw the net over a hook hanging on the wall.
"That's my son," he encourages, tousling my blonde hair as I pass him. In the drawing room, I see mother
sitting down in a recliner, perplexed on the television. My older brother, Fischer walks past me, into our
room. The house is small, with an exception of two bedrooms. Most people here weren't rich, but I could
say we were one of the more developed districts. Unlike tweleve.
Fischer never acknowledges me, in fact he loathes me. Because father see's better in me, rather than in
him, and it drives him insane. Fischer was a splitting image of me, but more masculine. He was taller,
just by a few inches, and had more define muscles, and a better build. We both shared the same
blonde hair, and green eyes. We could almost pass for twins. He closes the door behind him, and the
crack under the door indicates that he turned the lights off.
"Were the waters rough?" Mother asks, looking behind her. I stand next to her, and observe what she's
watching on the television. Some Capitol special. I look down at her.
"Nope. It was calm, for once." I shrug, taking a seat on another recliner. She nods, and turns back to
her program. Her long blonde hair is tied in a bun with a blue ribbon. A small barrett with a
seashell attached to it; clipped in her hair. She sips something from a mug, and I'm guessing it's tea.
Mother and Father were always interested in me, and the waters. Both of them knew that I was
an excellent fisherman, even better than most of the older men around our District.
"The Reaping is tomorrow." Father mentions, standing beside mother. The life drains from my face, as
I realize that tomorrow is it. I somehow forgot about it, probably because I was more focused on
Annie's loverboy; and how awful he seemed. I shook the thoughts from me.
"We talked to Fischer about it, and now it's your turn." Father tells me. He takes a seat and he interlocks
his fingers together, and places his chin on them. I look towards him, and watch as light from the
television flickers on his face.
"You're a fisherman, Finnick. A good one too. You know how to make makeshift fishing poles, and spears.
You know what lurks in waters, and you know about water quality. You know how to find water, and how
to preserve it." He tells me, as if I don't know this. It comes to me, that I know a lot more than I think I
know. I just nod, unable to speak.
"And if, you're name just so happens to be drawn tomorrow, we both believe you could win." My mother
encourges along. I doubt I could win. Other districts trained for this. Meaning, the boys and even girls from
those districts, were built toughter than the other tributes. The careers would have me dead in no time.
I turn to the both of them, and put on a small smile.
"Thanks." I mumble, not in the mood for a deep conversation. Both of them nod, and turn back to the
program. I just stare at the television screen for a moment, not saying a word, and not even watching
the show. I just stare at the moving pictures, thinking about tomorrow and all the things that could go
wrong. A knock at the door interrupts the thoughts I have.
"I got it." I say. Mother turns back, and Father relaxes in his chair. I open the door, and find Annie
standing there on the porch. It's dark outside now. The only light comes from the moon and the
stars.
"I'll be outside," I call back to them. None of them nod, or look at me. So I just slip out, and close the
door. It's quiet outside, and all I could hear are the crickets chirp in the underbrush, and tall grasses.
"Walk with me." Annie proposes, motioning me down the hill. I shove my hands into my trunk
pockets, and follow her. We're both barefoot, silence fills in, between us. All we can hear is the
constant noise of the waves, crashing onto the sand.
"What's Annie Cresta up to, tonight?" I ask, letting out a small chuckle. She's wearing a light jacket, with
some shorts. Her hair put up in a loose bun. She shrugs, and smiles, continuing towards the water.
Now we're both standing there, ankle deep in the water. The cool liquid laps around me, sending
shivers down me.
"Couldn't sleep. You know, The Reaping and all." She smirks, under the moonlight. Annie was one
Year younger than me, making her fifteen. I was sixteen, and Fischer was seventeen.
"Are you afraid?" She asked, looking up at me. I just stare down into the white foam on top of the
water. I'm not sure how I feel. Which was strange, considering the scenario we were in.
"Somewhat." I lied. I was terrified, I decided. Tomorrow would decipher life or death. I listened as
she exhaled, and stepped out of the water. She walked onto the wooden dock, and sat herself
down at the end, crossing her legs. I followed behind her and sat next to her.
"You were with someone this evening," I observed, talking in a whisper. I could feel her looking
at me, but I kept facing forward, off into the sea. After a moment, she turned her head the other
direction, and nodded.
"Lukka is his name. He's a nice boy. Comes from a background like yours." She describes, a small
smile in her voice. Lukka was his name? And he came from a background like mine? Whatever
that meant. I exhaled, and smirked.
"So... You're dating?" I asked, skeptical. Annie giggled, and slapped me with her hand; playfull.
"Finn!" She hissed. I laughed, and looked down. She recollected herself, and cleared her
throat. I thought she wasn't going to speak, until I heard her soft voice.
"We are. Since you wanted to know." Her voice was quiet, and ashamed like. I just nodded. A sliver
of hurt managed inside of me. What if precious Lukka got Reaped? Who would be there to walk
with Annie, hold her hand, hug her, or even kiss her? Well, I'd fill that postition fast. The odds are
he wouldn't get Reaped though.
"Well, good Luck Annie Cresta," I murmured in the darkness. I stood up, and extended a hand for her.
She pulled on it, until she was standing on her own two feet.
"Good luck, Finnick Odair." She murmured. And then we both took off in seperate directions.