The scream of my mother was deafening at the back of the crowd, but no heads turned to her. That was a normal reaction. But the scream of terror that left my lips had everyone looking at me in dismay, and some rushed over to keep me on my feet. Venna fell to the ground in a wreck, gripping my hand even more tightly in her angst. People pried her hands free from my own and led me to the isle that led to the stage, but that didn't go without a fight. Peacekeepers rushed over to me, judging that I would make a run for it. I did. I saw Ash dash towards me, reaching for me as he yelled my name.
"Ash!" I shrieked so loudly it didn't even sound like a word, just an awful screech. Peacekeepers came to stop him but he thrashed out towards me and I tried to leg it for him. But a Peacekeeper, a man, gathered me into his arms and carried me to the stage. I tried to fight him, screaming as loud as I could, and still tried to reach for Ash. He was being dragged back to the others, still bellowing my name. I knew how awful I must have seemed, how pathetically weak I was, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to live! The twist in my gut was so painful I screamed some more. The panic, the terror, the need to run was so overwhelming I simply wept on the shoulder, reaching hopelessly for mother, father, Myth and Ash. They were so far away. They were blurred in my vision. But still I reached for them, sobbing uncontrollably, but we all knew my time was up. This time next week, I was going to be dead.
The Peacekeeper placed me down on the stage but didn't release my arm. However, knowing that there was no way of escape, I collapsed to the floor, weeping into the wood. How pathetic I was, but how else was I supposed to react? I was weak, everyone knew that, and to be sentenced to my death was beyond handling. I was already seeing my death before my eyes. Beheaded, torn apart, speared, blow to the head, beaten to death, loss of blood... all of it consumed me with fear. I trembled like a leaf in a gale, and through my weeping I heard Evey give a sound that resembled her clearing her throat. I was glad she felt awkward, the stupid Capitol escort. I hoped she felt guilty enough to hate herself.
"Well, let us not waste any time is choosing our male tribute, shall we?" she said to the audience. Brilliant, she was going to pull out the name who was probably going to kill me. Someone from my own District. Perhaps they'll become my ally, but then they'll backstab me anyway. I pictured a shadows boy, coming up behind me in my sleep and slitting my throat. Already the nightmares were beginning. I listened to Evey rummage her hand through the boys' names, and then she took a breath so she could read it clearly to everyone.
"Loki Thicket, come on up!" she called, her voice happy again. I lifted my head in shock and utter terror. Loki, Loki Thicket, was the boyfriend of my own sister! No! Myth gave a wail of distress, screaming in even more agony. No, no, no, no! This couldn't be happening! Loki, the boy who was eighteen and always looking out for me. Loki, the boy who met Myth through me when I tripped and fell at the age of nine, and carried my crying form to my sister. The boy who played games with me, who came for tea every other night, who helped me with homework. The boy who was my sister's whole world.
I watched him walked to the stage, his horror reflecting my own. Jet black hair that curled around his ears, like Ash's, and eyes that were as black as coal but as warm as fire. He was tall and lean, his normal handsome strong face twisted into a look of self loathing. He wore black trousers and a blue button down shirt, looking dashing on this depressing day. He came on stage and lifted me to my feet without hesitation, holding me close. The Peacekeeper didn't try to pull him free, only left us be. The sound of Myth's cries were heart retching, enough to make me want to curl up into a ball and sob for the rest of my useless life. Loki, the boy I would either have to kill, be killed by or watch getting killed.
I heard the announcement of our mentor, Cian Blackwell, a man who won the Games twenty years before. He was now thirty four, and our lives rested in his hands. He won his Games by creating a den in the ground, living and preying in it for the majority of the Games. When a tribute passed, reaching a fresh lake for water, he leapt out and slit their throats. Quick. Simply. But when it came to the final five, and the other tributes caught onto his strategy, he had to face them in head to head combat. He killed each one without being scathed. I had seen his strategy on the victor recaps played now and then, and because he play his games so lethally and silently, it stayed in my mind. And now he was going to teach us how to kill.
The anthem began to play and Cian led us silently to our Justice Building, the place where we would have to say our goodbyes. Loki hand my hand tightly in his and refused to be in a separate room, refused to leave me alone. I was equally clingy, despite the fact that he was now my enemy. But I couldn't bring myself to let go of his hand, so I let him pull me along as we followed Cian, crying quietly into his waist. Once inside, surrounded my brown walls, bookshelves and two red arm chairs, Loki picked me up and hugged me so tightly I nearly choked.
"I'm sorry, kiddo." He whispered. I sniffed and buried my face in the crook of his neck. Gently he placed me down in one of the red chairs and sat on the arm beside me. Cian had disappeared, not having said a single word to us yet. I didn't care. I was too busy thinking on how Loki would end up being the one to kill me. A few minutes passed, and then Myth, Ash, mother and father slammed through the door, followed by Loki's family. We have an hour to say our farewells. I reach out my arms to my father, who instantly takes my from my seat and holds me to his chest, crying into my hair.
"How could this happen?" Myth was wailing. Her voice was muffled, because her face was in Loki's chest and she was also trying to reach for me at the same time.
"Coco, we're so sorry." Ash was also a wreck, but his face was flushed with rage. "We would have volunteered for you, we would have!"
"Ash, there's nothing we can do." Mother murmured. Father settled me on the ground and I went into her embrace, crying silently into her chest. I heard Loki's family, just his parents and older brother, murmuring to him, Myth now crying into father's chest. I received kisses, hugs, tears, the whole lot. Loki's family also came over to embrace me, murmured how sorry they were for me. After fifteen minutes, everyone had puffy red eyes and red noses, sniffling endlessly. And then a Peacekeeper came in to usher everyone out. Ash put up a fight, as did Myth, but they were shoved out forcefully.
"We love you, Coco! We love you so much!" was the last thing I heard from them. Loki's family left in calmer manner, giving him last hugs, kisses and loving words. They left in a huddle, the Peacekeeper shutting the door quietly behind them. I buried my face in a cushion, yelling into it. Loki simply rubbed my back. I was never going to see my family again. I was never going to live my normal life again. I was going to be trained to fight, beautified for public appearances, and then stuffed in an arena like a piglet read for slaughter. I was done for.
The door barged open again, and Masis and Venna dashed through it and leapt onto me. They were both crying, and no words could be said. The three of us simply hugged each other, and Loki was soon occupied with a few friends of his own. But the times they left, I was all cried out, and I sank to the ground with an empty heart. And then there was nobody else. Me and Loki were alone, waiting for the train that would take us to the Capitol. I staggered slowly over to him, now sat in the red chair, and collapsed into his body. I listened to his heartbeat, a sound that probably had a short time limit.
I won't forget when I first met Loki. I had been running around, playing tag with Myth. She was gaining chase on me, threatening to tag me and win the game. I was laughing hysterically, looking back to see where she was. I ran through the many farm animals, even leaping over some cows, to ensure my escape. I weaved in between homes and hid behind homes, and sure enough I had lost Myth. It was when I turned to run that I fell, and at the same time there was a distressed horse that got spooked from my sudden appearance. It had shrieked and stood on its hind legs, kicking its front legs and wailing down at me. I was paralyzed with fear, waiting for the hooves to slam down on my skull, listening to the horrified rider on the chariot. But one moment I was at the horse's mercy, and the next I was being dragged free from it range. A fifteen year old Loki had practically saved my life.
"You okay, kiddo?" he had asked me, cradling me to his chest as he stood. I was crying, stricken with terror of what had just happened. "Hey, hey, it's alright, I'm here now. No horse is going to hurt you."
"Coco!" Myth had bellowed in horror, seeing me crying in the boys arms and the frightened horse a few meters from us. "What happened? Is she alright?"
"She's fine, just a little shaken." Loki had said. Myth let out a shaky breath and made a move to reach for me, despite the fact she was slightly weak when it came to carrying me. "It's alright, I've got her. Names Loki." Loki had told her.
"Thank you so much, Loki." Myth had said gratefully.
"Thank you." I had also whispered, finally controlling my weeping. He had then carried me home with Myth and stopped for tea. Once he was in our lives, he never left.
And now, curled up on his lap, I had never been more terrified. That horse was like facing a mouse compared to this. My heart was heavy in my chest, my eyes bulging with fear, my cheeks stinging to no end. We remained silent for the rest of our time in the room. And then before we knew it, we were being stuffed in a car and taken to the train station. Once there, we were swarmed by the reporters and cameras, desperate to capture our faces to broadcast all over the world. Loki shielded me from them, keeping me close to his side as he led me through the crowd. We piled onto the tribute train, and the chaos was silenced once the door slid shut.
Fancy and charming, the train was too posh for my liking. We were met by Evey, a huge grin on her face, as she explained that were had our own chambers with a bedroom each. She also said that we were to meet for dinner in two hours. But I ignored her completely, shoving past her and followed the Capitol assistant, a woman with long blue hair, to my room. Once there I slammed the door shut, hearing Loki's slam just moment after down the aisle. I went straight to the double bed waiting for me, shoved my face into the pillow, and screamed until no sound could escape my lips.