*Note* I know, it's been months since I uploaded the first chapter. I've been REALLY busy with school and such. Senior year of high school... gotta worry about my GPA and university and stuff.
Chapter 2
I find myself standing in large group of seventeen year olds. The reaping hasn't started, so everyone is socializing and chatting with one another. My family rarely socializes with anyone outside of the family. I see no advantage in making friends. It would only distract me from more important things. Survival is more important than anything.
I turn my attention to the stage. The mayor has begun speaking. He tells us about the history of Panem, from when it was once known as North America, to the Dark Days, the obliteration of District 13, and the present. Something we've all heard before. After introducing the past victors of District Five, he passes the microphone to Xavier.
"Happy Hunger Games," Xavier says cheerfully into the microphone. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" I'm sure he is the only one who finds the event 'happy'. He strolls over to one of the glass balls. My palms begin to sweat. "My name is written on a large number of those slips of paper," I think to myself. He reaches in, pulls a slip of paper out, glances at itI , and opens his mouth to read it out to the crowd.
"Fae Fennec!" he reads out loud.
I stood there, frozen, speechless, and terrified. My dream had come true. I force myself to walk toward the stage, one step at a time to my inevitable death. "Act calm, look serious, NO TEARS,"I tell myself. Every step, every movement I make for the rest of the reaping will be televised to all of Panem. I can't afford to be branded as weak.
I stand there on the stage, visible to everyone in District 5, and soon the rest of Panem. No one cheers, and no one claps. I hear a few sighs of relief from the crowd.
Xavier looks at me up and down. "Hmmm… he says. a little on the small side, but I do believe you may have a slight chance." He turns back to the crowd. "Now we get to choose a boy!" Xavier says. I am glad that Xavier gets straight to the point during the reaping. When I watch the other district's reapings, their escorts seem to stretch the ceremony out.
He walks over to the other glass ball and pulls out a name.
"Aether Sarfield!" he says.
I know this boy from school. He is a year younger than me. I watch him walk through the crowd and up the stage. He has dark brown hair and eyes and slightly tanned skin. He's slightly taller than me and has a medium build. He doesn't hold back his fear at all. He's obviously on the verge of tears.
"May I present to you, this year's District 5 tributes! And may the odds be ever in your favor." Xavier says once more. There was no applause. Nothing. Just silence from the crowd. Xavier then goes on with the rest of the ceremony, with us still on stage. He speaks of the Treaty of Treason, and turns his attention back to us. Aether holds out his hand for me to grasp, and we shake hands. We avoid eye contact. We are enemies, after all. The anthem plays, to mark the ending of the ceremony.
The crowd is now dismissed, and Aether and I are escorted by two Peacekeepers to the justice building. In my mind, they are escorting us to the next step of our inevitable death.
I hope you enjoyed it! I probably won't be uploading the next chapter very soon. Like I said, I've been busy with school. It'll happen eventually! Reviews are much appreciated!