Disclaimer: all rights go to Rick Riordan and Suzanne Collins.
You know how when something happens and somebody says, "I saw my life flash before my eyes," and you think they're being dramatic? They're not. They aren't being dramatic and they aren't lying because I see my life flash before my eyes.
I see myself and Tyson playing in the water by the shore. Splashing each other and laughing.
I see my mother tucking in Tyson while I stood by the door. Her telling him a story from her past and me just sitting by the door, in captured by her words.
I see Tyson and I rough housing. I see my mother making lunch with a smile on her face.
I am taken out of my trance with a slight shake from Grover. He looks as white as a sheet. I plan on staying alive and coming back to Tyson and my mom. Step 1 of Staying Alive: Make Yourself Worth the Money the Sponsors Should Give You. I look at Finnick, whose back is as stiff as a board in his seat next to the mayor. He has wide eyes and worry can definitely be seen in them. I wipe my face of all emotion and start walking up to the stage where the ridiculous capital woman is beckoning me to come forward. I look at the stage with steely determination to go up there not looking like a kid, but as a man. I start walking slowly towards the stage, chanting which foot to put in front of me in my head. Right. Left. Right. left. I'm stopped half way by a loud, "Percy!" I would know anywhere. Tyson.
Tyson runs up to me with tears already streaming down his face. I get down on my knees and open my arms for a hug I'm positive I'm going to get. He tackles me in a hug. "Don't go, Percy! Please, don't go!" I hear him murmur in my chest. His desperate voice tears at my heart; making me want to cave to his wishes and stay. I wrap my arms around his smaller body. And I hug him tight. I feel a tear drop but I wipe it off as fast as I can. I gently pull him off me, placing my hands on his shoulders. I glance at my mother and see her with a hand over her mouth by shock, with tears slowly falling down her sweet face. I turn back to Tyson and see his brown eyes red from crying.
"You are going to become the man of the house while I'm gone, ok?" He nods his head and I engulf him in another hug. "Now go back to Mom, I'll see you in the back room to say goodbyes." I cast a glance at Polly and see her giving me a disapproving look. I cast my sight back on my brother and he nods solemnly and turns around back to our crying mother.
I slip my cool and confident façade back into place, wiping my face of all emotion and make my way to the stairs. Once I'm up on the stage, I plant my feet in my spot and cast off a façade of being strong and proud to be here to go to the hunger games, but that is the exact opposite. I am signing my own death warrant. Polly asks to the silent crowd, "Do we have any volunteers?" Nobody answers. Nobody volunteers. Nobdy takes my place to get sent to death. Nobody does.
"Let's give it up for the tributes of district 4!" Polly yells into the microphone. The crowd burst out in cheers. The sick people. But there are a few those that don't clap and give me silent respect. In the back I see Gabe get money. The sick bastard, himself, bet on his own stepson to go into the Games. The peacekeepers escort us off the stage and I look over one of the peacekeepers shoulder and see my mom and Tyson crying and hugging each other.
They take Layla and me to the rooms to say goodbye to our families and friends
We're escorted, not forced or taken, but escorted to rooms across the hall from one another. I'm taken to the right; Layla is taken to the left. The room is old but with dark, navy blue velvet couches and chairs. I only know it is velvet because the uniforms the girls wear has a collar made of velvet and they always talk about it. I laugh at the irony; me thinking about school when I'm being sentenced to death. Unless I survive the executions by some miracle.