the Flight of the Bird

by DrowningInFandoms792

District 5. Power. To Lark Crossly, it is a home. There's a familiarity to it. A routine. But it all changes when her sister, Finch, is Reaped for the 74th annual Hunger Games. Suddenly, everything about the once homely place now seems alien, cruel. Everywhere she looks, no matter what she does, where she goes, reminds her of her sister. How will she cope with the rebellion in 5?

7. Chapter 7

A/n: It's been a while. Enjoy the double update!

Marvel.

Glimmer.

Cato.

Clove.

The first four older, intimidating teens who volunteered for their spot in the games as if it was some sort of honor or privlige. They, along with District 4 sometimes, formed an alliance in the games we like to call the Recruits.

Chase.

Amber.

Breck.

Marina.

Jayson.

My heart stops when the replays get to Finch. I let out yet another sob. That's all anyone in this household has been doing for the past few hours. Crying. Im curled up into my mother's side, leaning into her shoulder, her arm around me and Robin, who is on my other side. She's crying while clutching Wren to her chest. Father is on her other side, crying, trying. Jay is seated alone in a chair, curled up, face buried in his knees, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. His shirt is rumpled. I almost let out a laugh. Jay's shirt being rumpled should be the least of my concerns. Sparrow is in Mother's lap, face buried in her shirt. This house, which seemed too small a day ago, feels empty.

Henson.

Tamora.

Kristof.

Ivy.

Linus.

Lacey.

Bran.

Rosie.

Timmer.

Susan.

Thresh.

Rue.

Oh, Rue. She can't be any more than eleven. Jay's age. She shouldn't be in the games. She should be in school and making friends and living. Then again, so sould all these kids. Recruits included.

Peeta.

Katniss.

Katniss got Reaped by volunteering for her sister Primrose. I scream and sob and throw my shoe at the television, but it bounces off harmlessly. Why did this girl get to volunteer for her sister but not me? Why did this Katniss girl, a random girl from twelve, get to volunteer for her sister? Why not me? She was going to die anyways! She's from twelve! They haven't won since Haymitch Abernathy, who just fell off the stage, drunk! With the state he's in, they won't have much of a chance!

After the tributes are announced, Father turns off the TV. Nobody moves. It's too difficult to process the reality of it all. I suppose that at this point what keeps us crying is the constant realizations that Finch is in the Games. Perhaps knowing that she's still alive and not with us is what hurts us most of all.

Dinnertime.

I get up and enter the kitchen, only to find myself staring at the potato soup that we worked so hard to prepare for.

We.

The kids.

Finch.

We can't eat this without her. This meal is supposed to be a celebration that we made it. But we didn't. But Finch already knew what was coming for her as soon as the words Finch Crossly crossed the lips of Daphne Lauryeil. The look on her face was one of someone who already knew what lay ahead of then; one of someone who had resigned themselves to their fate. In that moment, I lost all hope that my sister would ever make it out of that arena alive. I knew that no matter the terms, no matter the circumstance, Finch was going to die. Why should I make it any harder on myself? What has hope done but hurt?