Beneath the Water, the 12th Annual Hunger Games: A Mags Story

Disclaimer: I don't own Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games Trilogy.

Beneath the Water: Chapter 3

X-X-X

The Peacekeepers brought me into the recently rebuilt Justice Building, which had been mostly destroyed during the Rebellion. They led me into a room that was used to let tributes say goodbye to family and friends. There was a small sofa made of plushy material in the centre of the room along with some flowers in an expensive-looking vase on a small wooden table.

The first people who came in were my parents. Mom was crying already.

Dad limped in and it suddenly occurred to me that he was quite old. He pushed my shoulders down and sat me down onto the sofa. He shook as he knelt in front of me. I told him not to kneel, but he refused to listen, even if kneeling strained his remaining leg. He had probably not kneeled for a decade and it made him groan in pain. Dad looked up at me before bowing his head.

"I'm…I'm so sorry. I know—I know that apologizing now will have no use, but I'm so sorry I didn't send you to Career training…we wanted to protect you….we never wanted to you to be chosen…"

Mom came over an enveloped me in a hug and tears started to run down my face. "Magdelene, you are our only child, and we love you so much…your father and I are to blame...for not sending you to training…we were so foolish—we…felt that if we didn't send you to Career training, you would never have pick up a weapon in your life, never have to kill…that you would never see the things we saw in our dreams at night…and that there would be no chance of you being chosen…if we pretended the Games didn't exist…"

Dad sniffled and wiped his tears on his sleeve. It was the first time I saw him cry. He wiped off my face too with his hand.

I wasn't sure what to say to them…I was a little mad that they didn't give me any sort of preparation and thought so foolishly. Then, I remembered seeing my parents crying, screaming, and thrashing around in their sleep and I know what they wanted to protect me from—being mentally tortured for the rest of my life. I remember how sometimes Mom just stayed in bed all day, cause she wasn't able to shake loose the yelling and explosions she heard in her head and that nothing could distract her from thinking about the war. I wasn't angry anymore.

"Mags, I'm giving you a crash course on what your mother and I learned during the war. First, remember, that survival skills, not fighting skills will keep you alive. Even if you are to fight, you need to have enough energy, nutrition and hydration. Tap into nature, but be wary of what you can and can't eat," Dad stroked my head gently.

Mom nodded. "Make sure to be always ready to run. Have your things pre-packed. Don't stay to fight."

Dad sighed. "The most important thing to remember is that we are all living things and nothing is the most powerful. People and fish mistakenly think that they are better than everyone else and come out when the predator's still there. Do not be like that, but rather, take advantage of other people's arrogance. Calm before the storm."

Mom also kneeled on the carpet. "Do not underestimate anything. Resources might appear merely to be just part of the environment—but medicinal plants and poisons alike can appear to be like any other tree or shrub. Anything can be used as a weapon and even your own knowledge of your craft and work can help you. Remember what you know…and stay beneath the water."

Mom and Dad put their arms around each other and hugged me for a final time.

"We're sorry that we could not give you the tools to help you," they said. "We love you so much."

"Mom…Dad…" I said, but my voice came out as a whisper. "I love you…"

"You will be okay," my parents said softly, as they shut the door.

As soon as the door was shut, my friends from school, Torie and Charmaine came inside.

Torie shook her head and her eyebrows were drawn together. Charmaine clasped her hands and stayed silent for a few moments before breaking down into tears.

I wanted to tell them that I wasn't dead yet, but I didn't have the heart to say that kind of thing.

"We're so sorry…Mags, you will always be our best friend," Charmaine sobbed.

I hugged her. "I love you guys so much…"

I knew Charmaine was being nice, but somehow her words sounded like a pre-funeral. 'You will always be our best friend'—it was like I was never going to come back from a far, far away place—wait, that is going to happen to me…

Torie suddenly took a deep breath and turned away from me. "Mags, I don't care if you don't have training or whatever, but you're going to win."

"Torie!" Charmaine exclaimed.

Torie took me by the shoulders and I could see the fear and concern in her eyes. She jabbed her finger at my chest. "If you don't try your best to get out of that arena, you're not my friend! Until the day I die, I will hate you if you get killed in there. Win…and please, come back to us, your friends."

Torie dragged Charmaine out before shoving someone standing outside the room inside.

Nick.

Oh, Torie…you knew Nick was standing outside…did you? The Capitol only allowed us a few minutes to say good bye, so I think Torie was hurrying to make sure I had enough time with Nick. Not that we ever had enough time for anything good to last.

I smiled sadly. Nick must have been visiting Gabe. His eyes were red.

"You were crying," I said, touching his arm.

He nodded and sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. After an awkward moment, he hugged me tightly. "I could've saved you and I couldn't! So ashamed of myself…I couldn't help…I could've gone into the arena with you and made sure you won…"

"Nick, your brother is competing in there too," I said quietly, stroking his back.

"I know…if…if I could've just volunteered in time, Gabe wouldn't have to participate and I'd be able to die for you if you were in danger…" Nick whispered.

I rocked him sideways and back, feeling his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Nick. Do you know how happy I am? I'm so glad that you thought of doing all this for me and Gabe, but please…don't be sad," I choked up.

I'm not sure what to feel about Nick's plan, but I want him to be happy…I can't show him how scared I feel right now. His plan was foolish and childish…but I know he wanted to help Gabe and me.

"Mags…oh…Mags…" Nick stroked my head.

There would be so many things that I couldn't tell him, like how I had liked him after that summer when we were 13 and I realized he was growing into a man…or how I couldn't even look at him when the school announced that there was going to be a summer dance when we were 15. I never actually went to the dance because I was too nervous and scared of embarrassing myself in front of him. All the jokes, the weird things I did in front of him, I'd never be able to tell him.

"Mags…please—" Nick paused in the middle of his sentence.

He knew that if he told me to come home, he would be asking Gabe, his own little brother to die. Nick sighed and breathed in deeply.

"Mags, fight. Fight the hardest you can, with every ounce of strength and force you have," he said finally.

I nodded in his arms. "Mmm."

"Fight. I love you, care for you. I'm so worried about you right now. Please…I beg you, fight for me. Everything will okay," Nick said. He was shaking.

I know that some people would be offended that their fiancé would hesitate between choosing between his fiancée and his little brother—but I understand. Nick and I took care of Gabe when he was young, walking with him to and from school, and playing with him when Mr. and Mrs. Momose were busy. We both loved Gabe so much, and it's easier said than done to let go of family.

"The ring…that I gave you…maybe it could be your token?" Nick asked.

"Yes…that is what I want to bring to the arena…thank you so much," I whispered.

"You don't need to thank me… because I love you, you know?" he said, as he wiped off the tears off my face with his thumbs.

He pressed his lips to mine and stroked my hair, before pulling away. He touched my cheek, as if he wanted to remember what my face felt like before giving me a small, tender kiss. Nick hugged me gently before the Peacekeepers came into the room, telling him to leave.

He left before I could say quietly back… "I love you."

X-X-X

People were rabidly trying to take Gabe's and my picture. Gabe appeared uninterested while I pressed my lips together into a thin, straight line.

We finally got into the train after a couple of photographs. Gabe entered first and I followed.

Gabe suddenly turned around. "You're not a Career."

"I know."

Gabe looked at me strangely before he walked into a corridor and slammed the door of his room behind him. I want to talk to him, but my gut tells me that it's not a good idea now.

I suddenly realized the presence of Bassania beside me, who somehow got there without me knowing.

"Jeepers, he's got quite the temper!" Bassania slapped me playfully on the shoulder.

I rolled my eyes and also slammed the door of my room behind me. The walls of my room were a rich red and the bed was small, but comfortable. A desk was next to the bed. The beach outside the window was beautiful, and I looked at District 4…home.

The train started to move and the ground shook. I've never been on a train before. I don't think any of the people in the Districts have ever been on the train…unless they were tributes. Falling onto the bed and sighing, I looked up at the ceiling. I want to live. But that means Gabe will die. I want to see Mom and Dad…my friends…Nick…

But of course it's not all about me… every tribute in the games probably wants to go back home too...and they miss their parents and friends and some of them might have boyfriends or girlfriends or fiancés too. We're all the same.

Even if Mom and Dad gave me all those tips, I'd die. I'm not a Career, and I don't have any extraordinary fighting skills, so I definitely won't win. I don't want to die…

But if I don't die…Gabe will.

X-X-X

AN: Thank you for the review, Fiona Siona! That was really a sad reaping. What a clumsy escort. Heh.

Sorry for the slow update, and to all those who have been reading, please, drop me a review! It means a lot.

A question for you all: What did you think of the Hunger Games Movie? I finally watched it yesterday (haha, I'm pretty slow…)

Thank you for reading and have a greeeeeeat day!