When Children die

"Тhere isnʹt much I wouldnʹt do for you.Тhe stupider, the better."
―Richelle Mead,Last Sacrifice

Prologue: Rigged Reaping

I stand tall and still with my head held high. My blue and green eyes don't even blink as I watch the Mocking Jay walk across the stage along with her troop of war heroes; they were more like a congress of terrorist in my eyes. Effie Trinket teeters behind them with a practiced sense of joy spread across her too pale face; that drunk from District 12 isn't too far behind.

Effie dressed in her favorite color pink, places herself in front of the microphone and quickly glances about the crowd and finally down to the rainbow-hued kaleidoscope that is us; the Capitol's Children. She taps the microphone once and clears her throat to silence the already pin drop quietness that was already spread us a people; as if some seamstress had knitted together all the people's lips in an attempt stop us from speaking about our fears and how this moment will change our lives.

"Welcome and happy 76th Hunger Games!" Effie greeted in her most counterfeit joyful voice ever. Her enthusiasm wasn't greeted with ours, instead we remained mute.

"Well then Ladies first!"

Here we go Athena, stay calm.

Head High, shoulders back.

Stay calm.

She put her hand into the glass bowl and fished out twelve slips of paper. We weren't stupid though, the few of us who held kinship to those who had a hand in the games, knew that this lottery the had been set up to be as dramatic and as unfair as it could be; it became destiny the moment Snow died and set into action the second Coin was pierced with an arrow by their own Mocking Jay. Effie smiled and began to read off the names.

"Aemilia Winders"

"Catina Troyson"

"Honoria Marxs"

The list went on and on, my ears were slowly losing their ability to hear as I listened to each girl that I knew get called to their fate. My mind began to wonder such ideas like 'what if they spare you' and 'maybe it isn't rigged.'

"and last Nora Snow…"

I snapped out of my trance like state that had left me dazed and confused to what had just happened and stared at my best friend who was just two rows down from me. The atmosphere seemed to thicken with tension as Nora just stood there; her surgically enlarged doe eyes were wide and were beginning to fill with light blue tears. Her frail pale frame moved quietly like a ghost up to the stage where those monsters were waiting to rip her limp from limb.

My eyes couldn't look away from her as she got closer to her death. I open my mouth to scream, but words don't fly out; all I could do was push myself forward in a desperate sprint to her side. I break out of the seventeen group of girls and sprint towards Nora. I didn't care that the peace keepers had grabbed my light green dress and ripped off the train to it. My hand reached out and grasped hers and we both fell; the shock of the fall sent the hearing back into me. The sound of Nora's sobs greeted my eardrums; I held her closely, fighting against the peace keepers that tried to pull us apart.

"No!" I shouted, "You're not killing her, I won't let you-"

"Let go of me Athena, you have to!" she tried to pull herself away from me.

My heart was breaking, not my friend, not my little Nora, not the person I worked so hard to keep safe.

Nora with the help of the peace keepers, pulled herself away from me. The keeper who held me back wrapped his arms around my waist so he could hoist me off the stage. I elbowed him in the groin and shot out of his arms; I grabbed Nora again flinging her behind me protectively.

"I volunteer!" my heart was pounding furiously, my breathing sounded like the hum of a thousand tracker jackers. I could feel the fear in my muscles and all through my face; I became scared because what if they wanted Nora's blood only?

"I volunteer as trib-" I was about to say the phrase but I stopped. "No, I volunteer to replace your sacrificial lamb in your memorial games." I spat angrily at them.

Effie's eyes were wide as she turned to look at Plutarch's shocked expression. It seemed everyone in the square was in true and utter astonishment at the turn of events that had taken place. My eyes scanned those on the stage; searching for anyone who wouldn't disagree at my outburst. The back of my dress became wet from the only audible person who was sobbing. Nora held on to me tightly, her bony arms digging into my sides; I broke my stare from the congress of terrorist and looked down at the arms that hugged me. If you looked close enough you could see the scars, the light purple bruises that I had tried to cover up with my two shades too dark makeup.

I could feel the stares from all of them, I'm positive that every screen in Panem had my face on it. That everyone was looking into my left green eye and the blue eye on the right. They were trying to see if I was sincere or if I was true to the former president and only wanted to protect his heir.

"I Athena Rosalina Crane volunteer as tribute." I stated a bit more clearly this time; I was trying to regain my composure. I stood up straighter, shoulders back, head held high but my eyes; I was sure my eyes were betraying the rest of my body.

I turned my gaze to Katniss, the girl on fire, the mocking jay, whatever the hell you want to refer to her as; my eyes met hers and held the stare for only a moment before she looked away nervously.

Effie smiled, "A volunteer, how wonderful!"

Prying Nora's arms from me I stood in her place at the back of the line.

"Next we have our gentle men." Effie sang as she pranced over the other side of the stage.

Breath in, stay calm Athena

Life was always going to be rigged this way, not for you

But for Nora

Athena….you have to realize that you may die.

A/N: Hello this is my first fanfic, feed back is always welcome. :3