I made my way up to the stage in a haze. Nothing felt real. I was dimly aware of Maloze talking to me, or at least about me. I did not return to reality until he left me alone and walked over to the boy's side. Who gets to die with me?
"And this year's male tribute is….." Another dramatic pause. "Charon Wavoss!" Charon…I recognized the name, but I couldn't put a face to it until he walked up to the stage. It was then that I remembered him. We had been friends when we were younger, until he moved to the far side of the district. I hadn't seen him since. I hadn't thought about him much, but this was not how I had imagined our reunion. I could tell he was in the same state I had just been in, so I didn't bother to make eye contact.
The mayor stepped up again and read the Treaty that ended the rebellion so many years ago. It was a boring document, but relatively short, so before long he'd finished, and all that was left was for me and Charon to shake hands. He met my eyes as we did, and I knew that he recognized me.
I won't be able to kill him, I realized. I can't kill my old friend. I didn't let it bother me long though, since there would be twenty-two others ready and willing to get the job done. Of course, those twenty-two would also be out to get me. We faced the crowd as the anthem of Panem played. My eyes searched for Mayte, and I finally found her and met her eyes. Just before they whisked us away, she burst into tears.
I was escorted into a large room with a velvet couch and a couple chairs. I sat carefully and tried to prepare myself for the hour of visitors I will soon have to deal with. I knew that I could not cry, for walking out with puffy eyes would have been like painting a target on my back. I had to be strong.
My first visitor was Lerex. I wondered if he was also thinking of my teasing and our conversation from the morning that had been oh so long ago. He sat next to me and took me into his arms, neither of us saying a word.
I finally broke our ominous silence. "You've got to help Jezzi's family. They'll die without her."
"Of course." The silence filled the room. "You're gonna be fine, Leray." I could tell he was trying to keep up his normal optimism, trying to be strong for me, but he had to believe himself before he would convince me.
"No, I'm not. There's going to be twenty-two people in there who will all want me dead, most of which will come from much wealthier districts, and they'll all be well-trained. I'm doomed." I was sure my words would bring him to tears, but it seemed my pessimism had only fed his optimism.
"No. You're going to be fine, Leray. You know animals better than any of them, so as long as you stay out of sight and use those speedy legs, you'll be fine."
I was about to make my cynical response, but a peacekeeper, one of the law enforcers of Panem, had come in and told us his time was up.
"Goodbye. I love you." I whispered into his ear as we hugged one last time. He repeated my words, and then he was gone.
My parents came in next. I reminded then to take care of Jezzi's family, and they tried to be optimistic, finally breaking down to tears when the peacekeeper wouldn't give them more time. They left in a flurry of tears and goodbyes.
My next guest was unexpected. Mayte cautiously opened the doors and peered in. As soon as she saw me she rushed to me and buried her head in my shoulder. I did my best to comfort her until she finally pulled away. She struggled with something around her wrist, then presented it to me.
It was a bracelet, orange like the sunset, that Taere had given her in this very room. It had been her lucky bracelet until the day of the reaping two years ago. She had given it to Mayte, saying it was no longer lucky for her.
Mayte looked me in the eye. "I haven't been able to yet, but maybe you can bring the luck back." The rest of our time was spent with her in tears, me trying to comfort her. At last, the peacekeeper insisted she had to leave. "You've got to win. You've got to try. For Taere." And she was gone.
Finally, Essta walked in. The entire time she was there, she shed not a tear, even though I could tell she really needed to. That's why I love her. She knows I can't deal with emotion. She knows me. We just talked. Finally though, we could no longer ignore the elephant in the room.
"So you're going to the Capitol."
"Yep."
"Mayte was here." It was more of a statement than a question. "She gave you Taere's bracelet?"
"Yeah. It's…a big step for her."
"I'll be watching. Every day. I'm going to watch you win."
"You mean watch me die."
"No. You won't die. You are so strong and brave. You're smart. You will win." And then the peacekeeper escorted her out, leaving her words echoing in my mind.
You will win.
