My scream echoed through the crisp air. The few mockingjays that had been perched, silent and watching, squawked and took to the sky. I watched their black and white frames get smaller, a tear rolling down my face. It was almost time for the Reaping. The 100th Hunger Games, another Quarter Quell. The 11 Districts were going to be put to the test today. Two kids were going to face their death if they passed. And, of course, it had to happen on my 18th birthday.
The zip line took me back down to the tree house that I had built when I was 11. I had been disappearing there ever since when things went bad. A bag was waiting for me, along with a small note – Duncan had been here while I was at the summit. I smiled to myself as I read our code, composed of programming short cuts. I crumbled the paper and shoved it in to my pocket. I had to get back to the District to shower and get ready for the Reaping.
I slid over the high cement wall and electric fences, landing softly on my neighbor's balcony. It was much trickier getting out than coming back in. A quick shimmy down their mesh of piping and I was on the ground. Duncan was waiting for me across the street.
He was tall, lean. Blonde hair was smoothed against his forehead in a messy chop; I was always reminded of wheat that we never got to see when I looked at his light hair. His light blue eyes shone with worry as he glanced around, checking his watch again and again. He was already in his Reaping clothes. I darted across the street, arms wrapping around his waist tightly as I impacted him. His breath left in a huff. He managed to stay standing though.
"There you are, Annabelle. You need to hurry up. They're going to start going door to door soon." He hugged me back tightly, pressing his nose into my hair. He smelled like oil and metallic shavings.
"Ok, ok. You go on ahead. I don't want to get you into trouble." I glanced up at him – his face looked grim.
"You get there as soon as you can. You hear me?"
"Loud and clear." He shoved away from me, hurrying down the alley to get to the District center. I turned and rushed to my house, slamming the door shut and bolting up the stairs to get into the shower.
