You probably know me. Well, if you don't know me, then you've heard of me. I'm Finch. Well, okay, that's probably not the name you've heard me by all the time. Most people refer to me as Foxface.
I can guess what you're thinking. And yes, I actually am dead. But just because I'm dead, does that mean that I don't get to tell my side of the story too? I hope not. So you'll stay? I'm glad you're willing to listen.
To start out, I lived in District 5 of Panem. I grew up in a small home. District 5: Power. I know you all think I'm supposed to be mighty smart and clever, (and I am!) but honestly, I don't really know what they did. I just know that my dad came home exhausted every day and I tried to cheer him up by playing riddles. He enjoyed them. He had been teaching them to me ever since I was old enough to talk. Babble, actually. I was a watcher and a listener when my dad was not around. Most people thought I was dumb, the way I usually didn't speak. It wasn't because I was shy or afraid to talk. There were just too many things to see and learn! Why was the sky blue (I know, stunner question, right?)? What made the sun hang in the sky? Why was my hair red? Why did yeast react with sugar and water? What made bread 'rise'? What made the world go? How come reduction involved the stealing of electrons? If something steals anything, it shouldn't be called reduction. It should be addition. What was life? Why did we live in District 5? Why did daddy have to work? Why did the Hunger Games exist? Why couldn't we all live peacefully?
Now that makes me sound very talkative, but truth to tell, I never asked these aloud. I watched and I waited. I learned quickly: it was a matter of light, gravity, color pigments, atoms, energy negative charges, money, survival, rebellion. The answers came to me as I observed. I didn't learn by incessantly chattering, like a fool would. I kept my mouth shut and watched what my mother did to make food, so I learned how to as well. I studied my father's hands as he lit a fire, so I learned as well. I was quiet and listened as old men talked about science. And I learned.
My dad told me once: "Listen, girl. The fool lets his mouth flap. The wise ones, the survivors, watch and listen, and so they will learn. And that's why you'll go far Finch. You're a survivor."
So I lived, peacefully if not happily, for a while in District 5. I went to school with my younger brother. I put my name in for tesserae. My fifteenth year rolled around. It was time for the reaping.
My mother brushed my foxy-red hair and I put on a clean dress. I took my little brother by the hand and we made our way to the square. I don't remember too much of that day.
I sent my brother to the boy's side and I went to my place. Whoever-it-was came up and drew the boy's name first. I don't remember the guy's name. But I remember the fear in his eyes. Then the lady put her hand in the bowl and drew out a slip of paper.
"Finch!" she said.
And the words echoed around the square. Of course it was me. I walked quietly to the front. No one volunteered. I went into the Justice building and waited for visitors. The first to come was my family.
I jumped up and rushed into my mother's arms, determined not to cry.
"You can do it, Finch!" my dad said over and over, "You're a smart girl. You're a survivor. You will win the Hunger Games and you'll come home safe."
"Think of all the food we'll have then!" my brother piped, trying to cheer me up.
I laughed. "I'll try." I said.
"No, you won't try." My father said, taking me by the shoulders, "You'll do it. I believe you, Finch. You can do it."
"I will," I replied, swallowing hard as tears filled my eyes, "I'll make you proud."
My mother enfolded me in her arms again and I just wanted to stay like that forever and forever. But then the peacekeepers came and took them away, still crying god-bye and good-luck. And I sat and waited. No one else came. No visitors. Did no one care that I got reaped? Now I worried about sponsors. The peacekeepers brought me to the train with the boy tribute. The ride there was not very long. When we arrived at the Capitol, the roar of the crowd greeted me. I looked out of the window and then turned away in disgust. They looked ridiculous with their white powdered faces, puffy wigs and extreme lipstick. Then I remembered that I needed sponsors, so I went back, grinned and blew a couple of kisses. They took me to that building where the tributes stay. I didn't bother to find out the name. My apartment was on the fifth floor.
I have to admit, the chariot ride was fun. I was dressed in some sort of sparkly white costume. The crowd didn't pay much attention. They were too infatuated with Districts 1 and 2. And District 12, of course. I wish my designer had thought of cool clothes, like Katniss and Peeta had. And I wish I had the guts to talk to Katniss. She seemed like a brave girl. I heard that she volunteered for her sister. Maybe I could've formed an alliance. But I was too shy.
The interview was fun too. My designer had me in a short turquoise dress. My mentor told me to play evasive. So I did, and it wasn't hard. I danced around all Ceasar Flickerman's questions. I was clever. I was smart. I was brilliant. So I think I may have won a few sponsors. The training was fun too. I played an interesting computer-like game there. And I snuck around and helped Rue steal Cato's knife to make him mad. My overall score was rather unimpressive, however.
And finally, it was time; time for the games. A creepy robot-like person came to me and injected a tracker into my arm. It hurt. They brought me to my stand and I was slowly raised from the ground. I was terrified. My heart pounded like a hammer against my ribcage. My head hurt and I felt cold sweat on my forehead. The other tributes were raised on their pedestals. I noted the ones I needed to watch out for. District 1, Marvel. Not Glimmer, she was too blonde. District 2, Cato and Clove. District 11, Thresh. District 12, Katniss. And probably Peeta.
The countdown began. I hoped my legs wouldn't give way and I'd fall to the ground and cause an explosion. I heard the canon go off. I kept my wits with me. No running for the Cornucopia. I dashed forward like a fox, grabbed a nearby backpack. A knife, probably thrown by Clove, landed next to me, and I swear, I nearly died of fright. I got up and ran as fast as I could into the woods. I tried to ignore the bloodshed I had seen going on at the Cornucopia. For several minutes, I kept up my sprint. Then I saw someone running nearby. I turned around a bush and slammed into Katniss. We both sat and stared for a while. Then, I got up and ran and I heard her do the same. For a moment, I was afraid she was going to come after me, but she didn't. I climbed up a tree and hid. And so my first day passed. I survived. The boy from my district had gotten killed. When their faces showed in the sky, I admit I cried. It was too much, just too much. All this death and bloodshed. I just wanted to go back home; back to my District where I could watch and learn quietly. Back to my mother and her cooking and my annoying little brother. Back to the riddles I played with my dad. The thought of my father made me stop. I had promised him I'd be brave and make him proud. And I would.
The next few days passed uneventfully. It wasn't until Katniss blew up the Career's pile of supplies that I really did anything. I got wind of her Tracker Jacker escapade. I wish I was just as brave as she was.
So on that day, I found the Career's camp by the Cornucopia. Rats, I was planning on using it as a shelter. I needed the food. But obviously, they weren't going to just pile of the supplies where anyone could take them. I scanned the area. The Career's had gone off in the direction of a spiral of smoke. There was one left. The ground somehow intrigued my interest. It was lumpy. Lumpier than usual, that is. I looked at it carefully. A clod of grass was turned over here and the dirt of the ground was piled in an odd way over there. I listened carefully with my foxlike hearing. I heard a faint noise. Aha! They had set up the landmines again, had the? No problem. I could deal with that. I stepped gingerly forward. The ground was untouched here. Right in front of me, the grass was newer than another patch. So they must have dug the mind under there. I stepped to the side. Like this, I gradually made my way to the pile. It was scary and tedious. At one point, I tripped and my hands hit the ground. I squeaked with fright and my heart stopped beating. But nothing happened. I reached the mound of supplies. A grabbed an apple, a piece of bread and some strawberries. I was tempted to take a knife, too, but they would notice. I went back the way I had come. The next day, I went back for more supplies. But there were none! The whole pile had been blown up! (So that's what that huge bang was yesterday!) Oh, good. So the careers were now out of food and forced to go somewhere else. I was free to take the empty Cornucopia. I laughed loudly, before I realized someone might have been around. I bet myself five strawberries that Katniss had done it. After several days of living in the Cornucopia, I had finished my supply of food. Seneca Crane's voice came onto the speakers to announce that there would be a feast and we would be given supplies that we needed. Food was what I desperately needed. Wait, what was that he just said? Top six? I had made it to the top six! On the day of the feast, I waited in the woods. As soon as the table rose up enough, I rushed forward, grabbed my backpack and ran away again. But I decided to stay and watch. I watched Katniss run forward and grab her backpack. Clove tackled her. I couldn't see what was happening, but I guessed Clove was probably torturing her. Part of me wanted to run forward and help Katniss and most of me told me to sit where I was. With Katniss dead, it would be major threat gone. But I couldn't help feeling glad when Thresh picked Clove up and mashed in her skull with a rock. Then he grabbed his and Cato's backpack and took off towards the woods where I was. That scared me. He was coming straight towards me! I shinnied up the tree and Thresh tore underneath, with Cato at his heels. I sank back in relief.
I went back to the Cornucopia and stayed there for a little bit, enjoying the food that was in my backpack. There was a great thunderstorm several nights later, and Thresh's face appeared in the sky. I felt sad that Cato had probably killed him, but at least another threat was gone. So now I was in the top four. I was almost happy. There was a chance I could win this thing yet, make my family and my District proud. When the weather finally cleared, I started out to the woods. After traveling a little way, I saw Katniss and Peeta up ahead. I hid in some bushes and watched as Katniss left Peeta by the bank of a small stream. He spread out some food and then disappeared into the stream. I almost crept forward, but he suddenly popped up again with a handful of berries, which he dumped beside the food. Then he went back to the stream. I wasted no time. I crept forward as quietly as a ferret and snitched a bit of cheese and bread. Then I took some of the berries and left again. I quickly ate the cheese and bread. It tasted good and I soon felt better. Top four! Not too many people can say that. I was close to home, almost there. I could just see myself running back home to my family. I'd just hide somewhere and let the other tributes kill each other off. Then it would be 'Hello, District 5!" I popped a berry in my mouth.
The taste was strange. A sudden warning flashed through my mind. It was Nightlock! I quickly tried to spit them out, but it was too late. Their poison was working through my veins already. I was a goner. I fell backwards, tears seeping from my eyes as I felt the toxic substance already beginning to affect my limbs. I failed my district. I failed my family. I failed my dad. I was too good at stealing for my own good. I had been just too clever.