The air was still. A quiet hum from the cicadas filled the large, unmoving crowd of people. Pressure built as the man with the lime green hair stuck his painted, talon like fingers into the clear bowl, mixing the hundreds of small papers that had been jammed inside. A sob could be heard from an older woman standing off to the side, her tired eyes never leaving the small girl in the front row with the light hair pulled back into a clean bun. Drew Mapleton let his eyes wander around the lines of people in front of him. He cowered away from the other people, having been dreading this day since the moment he had turned twelve. Now, six years later here he was, for the sixth time, knowing his name had been written fifty-seven of times onto those papers. Today could most definitely be the day that ended his life. A small hand wrapped itself around his own as he looked at the younger girl beside him. Her light red hair fell in waves just passed her chin and her piercing green eyes were looking directly at him with a frightening expression. She could be dead by this time next year, Drew thought to himself, squeezing her hand in a sad attempt to not only comfort her, but himself.

The man with the green hair pulled a single piece of paper out of the bowl as a sinister smirk formed on his thin pale lips. He moved towards the microphone, his jaw set in a confidant position as he addressed the waiting crowd.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began to speak in a bubblegum voice. "Welcome to the sixty-eighth Hunger Games. The reaping has commenced, and we thank you all for arriving in such a...fashionable…manner." He spit the last two words out as he looked across the crowed, seeing the mass of people dressed mainly in old, dirty fabrics. "Now, I would like to introduce you to your first Tribute!" He grinned, showing off two rows of yellowed, pointy teeth. Drew cringed instantly, closing his eyes and praying quickly that his name would not be called later on.
"The female tribute for District Nine, I call to the stage…," he looked at the paper, and then continued. "Hope Clayton!"
Drew's head snapped up. Somewhere near the middle, a girl with dark blonde hair and kind eyes stepped forward. She was shaky, small and looked no older than fifteen. His eyes wandered from the girl to the large family on the sidelines that collectively looked like they had just seen something a lot more terrifying than a ghost.

She wont make it, Drew thought to himself as the girl shook the man's claw-like hand, standing up on her podium with a single salty tear rolling down her cheek. He wanted die. Having to watch people he knew from his classes disappear year after year. One by one, some years two by two, they'd never come home. Families would be wearing black until the day of the reaping a year later—where they were forced to wear white again. A voice on the other side of Drew tickled his ear. He glanced over to see the tall, lean figure of his best friend, who had taken his other hand.

"Good luck," whispered Todd as he looked back at the podium, his fingers twisting around Drew's.
"Make me a deal," Drew whispered back as the man started his speech about honour, only moments away from calling out their male tribute.
"What would that be?"
"Neither of us volunteers. If I get chosen, you stay here. If you get chosen…," Drew took a shallow breath and then glanced at him, wearing a nervous expression. "I stay here."
Todd Hendricks looked over at Drew with a sad expression. "Were both staying right here. Don't worry about that," Todd moved closer to him, giving an apologetic smile to the small girl on the other side of the blonde who had tears of joy in her eyes.
Drew tightened his grip and gave a curt nod as the lime green haired man dipped his hand into the glass bowl.

"Drew?" Whispered Todd.
"Todd?" He mumbled back, glancing over at him.
"I think now is as good a time as any to remind you th-…"
Both silenced immediately as the man's voice yelled into the microphone. Todd's eyes widened as he let go of Drew's hand and the tall blonde stood in complete shock, his face going pale.
Drew Mapleon. The man had said. Drew didn't move an inch as the people parted in front of him like the red sea. A clear path on top of the muddy ground had been formed for him as someone pushed his back, urging him forward. His ears got warm as he took a single step, lurching his body towards the stage. He hoped and prayed and wished that someone would scream someone would stop this and volunteer for him; anyone but Todd. Yet no one did. No one in the crowed cried, no one sobbed or fell to their knees as he walked forward. This was all part of the game. Death came like breathing to District Nine, and Drew knew that just because he was terrified, everyone else was happy it wasn't them. Todd tried not to cry as he watched his best friend step onto the stage. He shook the hand of the man and stood beside Hope, loosely taking her hand in his own.
"For the last time, Ladies and Gentlemen," the man continued. "I present to you, District Nine!"

A few people clapped, but not many. Suddenly, from the left side of the stage, a woman with wild curly brown hair stepped onto the stage, a clean dress flowing to her ankles. Drew knew this woman was to be his mentor. She was the one who would be training him and the small girl beside him until they died, or won the games. Her name was Arianne, he vaguely remembered. She had won the games for their district three years earlier and was one of very few who had. She firmly shook their hands and went to the front of the stage to give a quick speech. Most of the people had already left; taking their child home to celebrate the fact they had not been chosen. Drew looked into the muddy field and saw before him a group of only eight people. The six members of Hope's family, Todd, and the redheaded girl who had been standing beside him. She had moved now, tightly wrapping her arms around Todd in a way that made it look as though she was holding him up.

The sun was setting across the vast fields of wheat behind them, sending an orange-red light over everything the rays touched. Drew scanned through his room, looking for any comfort he could find. This was most likely the last time he would ever be in this room. Hope showed up in the doorway, followed by Arianne, who told him that the train was to be leaving in an hour and they had to go to their compartments for final goodbyes. Drew turned away from the two women, taking in a deep breath before he nodded, leaving all that he knew behind him. As he walked through the streets lined with people who had been let out of the factories and fields for the reaping, they waved, watching as he got onto the sleek looking train. He silently went to sit in his compartment, knowing no one would come say goodbye to him.

The sun had set completely now, and the bright light of the moon casted shadows across the walls of the pure white space. His door slid open as Todd crept into the room, his eyes red and his lip trembling.
"You've been crying," Drew said this because there was absolutely nothing else he could say. Todd was his best friend and this was the end. But he wouldn't say goodbye. He couldn't bring himself to do it.
"I'm going to miss you, Drew," Todd whispered in a raspy voice.
"You can't miss me. Don't. It won't make it easier for you," Drew stood from his chair, walking over to the brown haired boy. "Tomorrow you have to get out of bed and go to the factory and work…and you have to be strong."
"What if you die?"
"You keep working," the blonde pushed out the words through clenched teeth, willing himself not to cry. "No matter what, Todd, you keep going."
The other nodded weakly, shoving his hand deep into his pocket. "Y-you're allowed to bring one token from home, right?"
Drew swallowed hard but nodded, looking at his worn out, mud coated shoes. "Yes, I suppose we are."
Todd took a gold chain out of his pocket. It looked sturdy, like nothing could break through it. On the end hung a simple pure gold circle, a small scratch going down the side. Drew watched it send off a reflection of the moon's light onto the wall as he took it, fastening it around his neck.
"Todd," he pulled him into a hug once the necklace was in place. "Thank you."
"Live," Todd responded. "Just win this for me, okay?
"I can't promise you that," Drew said dimly. His blue eyes had lost every last little glimmer of hope but he held Todd's gaze for as long as he could without feeling ashamed.
"Don't give up before the games have even started."
"They started the second they called my name."
"And they'll end when you come home to me," Todd continued, pointing a finger at the blonde. "Alive."
"I'll try," Drew mumbled the words, seeing the guard appear at the door to escort Todd back to the platform.
"That's all I'm asking." Todd flung his arms around Drew and hugged him tightly, trying his best to remember every detail of him from his curly hair to his muddy shoes. When he pulled away he touched Drew's cheek once and whispered to him.
"Be strong, remember you're biggest fan is right back at home."
Drew covered his hand with his own, removing it off of his face. They shared one final look before Todd left the room, leaving the now extremely frightened blonde to fend for himself. After a minute, when the train doors had been closed, Drew looked out the window to see Todd waiting on the platform, waving back up at him.

Drew couldn't smile, he couldn't even wave back. All he could do was let a heavy breath escape his tightened chest as he began to roll down the tracks, leaving Todd, the redhead and the rest of District Nine behind him.

"Let the games begin." He said to himself, closing the blind on the window as he headed towards the Captiol.