Chapter 10- The Reaping
Today is the day. 24 innocent children will be chosen at a lottery and forced to murder each other… otherwise known as the Hunger Games. My nerves immediately start buzzing as soon as I open my eyes. I wake up to find a note on the counter.
Goodmorning Annie! Sorry, all of the victors have to meet up at the square at around 10:00 for a boring meeting about mentoring. I laid out a nice dress for you to wear for the reaping today, it's on my bed. Finnick will come at around 12:00. Don't worry about the Games Honey, you'll be fine.
~Mags
I know that letter was supposed to soothe me, but it just made my anxiety grow even more. It was like a hard slap in the face. I have to come out of Finnick's and my world and face the Capitol today. Even worse, they might rip us apart.
I walk upstairs and see the dress that Mags laid out. I am relieved when I see that it doesn't have any of the Capitol fashion statements. It's just a simple white lace dress that comes to my knees with a trail of white pearls in the middle. It fits perfectly. I braid my hair back into a bun and give the face in the mirror my approval. Trust me, I am not looking to impress the Capitol in any way…I just want to see Finnick's face when he sees me.
I have been working on a present for Finnick. Since reaping day is technically a holiday, I might as well play the act. It's just a small hand-made necklace. It's a simple string with a seashell dangling from it. On the seashell, I carved a trident that took 3 hours to look accurate enough to be called one. At first it looked like an arrow, then a candle, and then finally it took the form of a trident. How? I have no idea.
I walk downstairs at about 11:45 and see that Finnick is already here. He looks up from the couch and smiles at my appearance.
"Annie, you look beautiful," he says with his eyes wide.
I giggle. "Well you don't look too bad yourself."
He really does look handsome. His golden waves are jelled back and he wears a light green button up shirt with black pants. Everyone's usual attire is dialed up on reaping day. For some reason, the Capitol calls it a holiday even though everyone dreads it. We have to put on our best clothes and march to the square as if we are cattle. On the other hand, the students at The Academy of Volunteers can't wait for this day and practically run to the square.
"Are you still afraid?" he asks.
"How can I not be Finnick? The only person I have left is you and they might take that away." Tears threaten to come, but I force them down.
"Nobody is going to take us away from each other, Annie. Never."
He then hugs me. I hug back immediately because with our arms around each other like this, nobody can break us apart.
"Can we go to the Oasis, Finnick?" I beg. The Oasis is practically our own little world. I want to escape in it just one last time before the Capitol comes. To my surprise, Finnick shakes his head no.
"The amount of Peacekeepers has doubled overnight. We are technically not supposed to step foot in the woods. If we get caught…" he trails off because the punishment for that is too unbearable.
"You're right. Better to be safe than sorry." I add. No distractions for me today. As far as I know, I am facing the Capitol head on.
For the next hour we just stay at Mag's house. We try and absorb each other's presence as much as possible. It's like we are holding onto each other for dear life. Although Finnick doesn't seem as nervous as I am, I can tell that his nerves have multiplied. We both try and bury the topic of the Games under small talk for the next hour. I don't know if it is for the sake of my sanity or his, but we both play along for the other's benefit. As the clock strikes 1:00, we snap back to reality.
"I guess it's time to go then," he says in a low whisper.
"Like we have a choice," I mumble and he chuckles.
"Let's just tape on smiles," he replies as I give him an overenthusiastic smile which we both laugh at.
We both grasp each other's hands and head out into the reaping. It's amazing how much of a set-up they put out this year. The stage of the Justice Building has been nailed together and the District 4 banner dangles from it. Jumbo T.V screens have been put on either side of the stage so that nobody misses a second of the cruel event. Decorative seashells atop of sand have been placed around the edge of the stage, and the podium is covered with the stuff. Then, the most important staple of all, the Capitol Logo has been plastered on our simple brick behind the stage as a mural. Don't want to forget the Capitol I say sarcastically to myself.
My breathing becomes inconsistent as we walk closer and closer to the place that harbors my nightmares. Finnick senses my nerves and stops in the middle of a crowd of people. He grabs my shoulders and faces me.
"Annie, don't worry about this. I'll be right over there on the boy's side. After all of this is done, I promise that we will dance again. Do you remember that?" I nod and he continues in a fast pace, "Well we will dance all around District 4 and then swim for two days straight if you want to. Just look forward to that okay? I owe you a dance."
I offer a smile. This relaxes the both of us.
"Oh! I forgot to give you something," he says, but a Peacekeeper rudely pushes us forward and Finnick mouths 'after'. I nod and walk with the crowd once more.
"Name," says a Peacekeeper in charge of keeping record of all the girls in District 4. They do this every year so that they know that everybody has arrived. If you aren't present for the reaping, parents included, the Peacekeepers will hunt you down and kill you on the spot.
"Annabeth Cresta." Girls giggle from behind me as they hear my full name. I shoot them a glare and they immediately shut up.
"Go on." The Peacekeeper says.
And suddenly I am a game piece. Just like that, I am now at the hands of President Snow. He controls my fate now, and I cannot do anything about it. I search for Idelia in the crowd of girls and instantly take my seat next to hers.
"They actually cared to put seats down this time," she says. I am taken aback. You cannot say anything against the Capitol in public…there are too many eyes and ears. I do admire her courage and offer a light laugh in response.
Next I search for Finnick and am relieved to find his seat directly across from mine. He gives me a smile and mouths 'Don't worry'. I nod and smile back. Of course I fake my courage for his sake and partly mine.
The clock strikes 2:00 and everyone quiets down. Cheers from the students of The Academy of Volunteers begin and a light applause is given from the rest of us. The past District 4 victors of the Hunger Games quietly walk to their seats onstage. Mags uses her cane, but still walks strong while some others drag behind, their bodies brutally damaged by alcohol, steroids, drugs, or self admiration. It's a disgust to see so many of them barely tolerable, but I have to admit that we have a great number of Victors while some Districts have fewer than 5. We have a grand total of about 20 victors. Some pump their fists at the cheering. Those are the types of Victors that I hate the most: the kind that are proud that they murdered so many.
Next comes the mayor of District 4, Erebus Thonter. He is a short man that has had way too many operations to perfect his face. He can barely smile without looking like a plastic doll. Then lastly arrives Asteria, the representative from the Capitol. This year her fashion is themed around butterflies. Her bright orange wig is decorated with them, her lips are drawn on in the shape of one, and her suit is entirely made up of them. I can't pretend not to admire her shoes. They look exactly like butterflies and with every step, their wings go up and down. Oh the enthusiasm of the Capitol's fashion.
The mayor is the first to speak, "District 4, may I be the first to announce…Happy Hunger Games!" This gets a great roar from the 16-18 year olds who cannot wait to take the stage.
Then the mayor goes on to talk about the greatness of the Capitol and his admiration of President Snow. He then starts his great speech that he reads every year. It basically explains the struggle of the Dark Days when the Districts of Panem rebelled against the Capitol. I hear it every year and it still puts me to sleep.
After that, Asteria pops in with her bright Capitol accent that immediately gives me a migraine.
"Once again, Happy Hunger Games! Now, I can't remember if I should choose boys or girls first so why don't YOU help me decide?" she starts with a fake confused look on her face. "Boys?" A loud roar from the boy's side rumbles the ground. "Girls?" A louder scream comes from my side. Of course, the enthusiasm is only coming from the blood thirsty students of the academy. Even the Victors jump in to root on their favorite gender.
"Well then it is decided. Girls shall go first!" And with that, Asteria takes off her gloves to reveal butterfly nails and walks over to the girls bowl. My heart is beating out of my chest. Her hand goes once around the edge of the bowl and then final chooses a slip. Not me…Not me.
"Idelia Scrooner!" I look to my left and see my only friend's face turn white pale.
Then, before she can even stand an 18 year-old girl yells "Why don't I take her place?"Her friends surrounding her chant her name as she pumps her fist in the air.
As she runs up to the stage, Asteria asks, "So who is this gladiatorial princess?"
She pushes the microphone towards the girl and she yells, "ERO LIMENTA!" and her friends cheer again.
She is probably the biggest girl I have ever seen. She has rippling arm muscles, stands at least 6 foot, has dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. She looks more like a boy due to her muscles that pop out at every possible angle. I breathe a sigh of relief and glance at Finnick. He grins his Finnick-grin and I think: It's not over yet… they could still take you.
"And now for the boys," asks Asteria. She does the same routine to pick out the boy's name as the girls and all I can think is Anybody but Finnick…Please.
"Finnick Odair!" She yells. And nobody volunteers.
Note from the Author: This isn't the last chapter! I still have one more left! Don't give up on me yet! Thanks for all of your support!