Chapter 1 – Names Are Called
Even though I spent the morning crying I still shed a few tears as Ritisha Dunsoncary coughed and prepared to announce the girl tribute from District 8 in her typical Capitol accent. As Ritisha took a deep breath ready to announce the female tribute my life seemed to flash before my eyes. When I was eight I could clearly remember the day when I met my best friend, I knew Odic would be my best friend from then on. I remembered my reaction on my face on my eleventh birthday, I saw my little sister Ivy being brought home from the hospital, only a tiny newborn child. I saw myself meeting my biological father for the first time when I was 16, only a few months ago. I snapped back to my senses just in time to hear Ritisha announce the female tributes name from up on the stage. 'Delphi Yule!' chirped Ritisha When I heard the name Delphi Yule my knees couldn't seem to hold my weight, my legs buckled underneath me, luckily I managed to hold at least part of my weight. Delphi Yule, that's my name. I slowly made my way up to the stage. When I reached the stairs I took a deep breath and sighed, standing just in front of the female's glass ball, the one in which my name was pulled from. 'Let us continue….' said Ritisha slightly slow. I panicked to think the male tribute might be one of my friends, Villus, Freudian, Colton, Alkies…but it wasn't them, it was Odic Lullwa – my very best friend. As I heard the name of my best friend a horrible roaring filled my ears. I didn't think I could do it but I obviously could, I fell to the ground my head in my hands crying my heart out. I couldn't believe it but I clearly heard people sobbing, maybe because they felt sorry for the fact I will be fighting my +best friend to the death. I have no idea how long I sat there and cried but by the time I was roused to move there was close to nobody there, only me, Odic, Ritisha and the male mentor Wilco. I automatically knew where we had to go because I'd seen the other tributes do the exact same on the television, we had to go to the Justice Building, the last place I might ever see my family and friends. I have no idea how Odic dealt with it but I found it incredibly hard to say goodbye to all my loved ones. 'I'll miss you…' said Freudian a tear running down his pale skin. 'We'll all miss you Delphi.' said Alkies a dull look on his usually bright and cheerful face. I smiled slightly when everyone nodded in agreement. 'Time is up!' boomed a peacekeeper making a moving motion towards the door. 'Bye Delphi.' said Villus and Colton both hugging me swiftly one more time. As they walked out I felt something tug at my heart strings, for once in my life I hated being alone. I wanted to run back out there and hug the boys all one more time when suddenly my mother rushed in kissing my forehead over and over before settling down on the plush silk couch next to me. 'I'm so sorry.' My mother cried brushing my chocolate hair away from my face. I gave my mother a quick kiss and mouthed the words; 'I love you.' Because my voice has been out of reach since I was born. My mother spoke to me for a while before a peacekeeper entered the room and said; 'Time is nearly up, hurry along.' My mother nodded before staring at him and waving a little as if to say 'You can go now.' When the peacekeeper had left my mother just sat and stared at me for a while before taking her Fijian necklace off and putting it around mine. I nearly cried when I thought about the history behind this necklace, it was the last thing my mother received before her own mother died. I felt the shell gently then hugged and kissed my mother one more time before the peacekeeper entered and escorted my mother away. For a moment I was alone but that didn't last long. Another two peacekeepers burst through the door grabbing each of my arms and taking me out of another door I hadn't noticed. I was taken out and down a glass hall until we reached a tiny car which would take me away to the train, where I will quickly travel to my death.