Hello ! Here is the reaping I have decided to use a double POV and to imagine it in Finnick and Annie points of view. Enjoy :)

Chapter three - The reaping

The weather was hot and humid and Finnick was almost glad he had to wear his shirt open. He was standing on the stage right next to Mags, waiting for the reaping to start.

Next to him Mags seemed as uncomfortable as he was, she was sweating so much, water was dripping from her face like tears. Finnick handed her the rest of his water, Mags responded with a gentle pad on his hands and gave him her usual maternal and affectionate smile. And as usual guilt grew in in his stomach, he didn't deserve so much love from this woman.

Ten minutes passed. It was getting hotter as the afternoon was moving forward. Everyone on the place was sweating and little kids on the crowd were almost fainting.

For the love of god where was she ? The reaping was supposed to start at two thought Finnick annoyed. When it's two it's two not two and a half. Every year it was the same. The woman was always late.

Lateness was one of Finnick's pet peeve, he was a very punctual person and he hated when people were late. He hated even more when it was the same person every year who was supposed to come at two and always arrived twenty minutes late.

They have been waiting under the hot sun for twenty minutes now and as predicted she finally arrived.

At this point no one looked pretty, everyone was sweating so much a smell started to come from the crowd. Finnick felt bad for the two tributes this year. From the start they would look at their disadvantage. At this thought Finnick felt bad. No he shouldn't think like that. He had made himself a promise.

This morning Annie's words had hurt him and after swearing for an hour, he had finally calmed down.

He knew she didn't hurt him on purpose and was just being sweet but without knowing it she had hit one of his weaknesses.

Finnick had always failed to bring someone home because he was never giving himself one hundred percent to it, being too busy with the work he had to perform for Snow and then being too busy being drunk to forget work.

Finnick had always worn a mask, and no-one could see through it except from Mags. The woman was a medium, he could never hide anything from her and he didn't want anyone else with this ability in his life.

This is why he had to prove to Annie that he could do it. He was sick, it has been five years and he couldn't bring anyone home. And after another hour on the beach he had been more determined than ever. He would bring someone back this year even that meant staying sober and not forgetting. The winner of the 70th Hunger would be from district 4. And he could prove at this Annie he could be a good mentor and prove himself that she was wrong hurting him like that and making him feel guilty.

A punch on the arm brought him right back on the stage. He suddenly realised he was lost in his mind and had not payed attention on what was going on. Mags gave him a are you okay look. I'm fine he muttered back.

He turned his head and saw that the film had been going on for a while now, it was almost over. The famous shot of district thirteen ended it.

A little applause came from the crowd. Every year it was the same movie. The Capitol wanted to remind everyone why all of this had to happen every year. 70 years ago during the dark days, there was a rebellion. The thirteen districts had rebelled against the Capitol and Panem had burn to ashes. It had ended with district thirteen destruction, as the video witnessed it. The same image every year of ashes was shown of where once stood district thirteen.

To remind who was in power and how Panem could stay in stability the Capitol has decided that every year the twelve district will give one young man and one young women between age 12 and 18 to fight for their life in an arena. There would be one victor and they would come back home to live in the Victory village. The winner would become rich and would bring back one year of food and money to their district.

The green-skin woman clapped in her hands.

« Now time to pick up our two lucky kids who will represent proudly district 4 this year ! » said Magali Frod, district's 4 hostess.

She had painted her skin in a pale green this year and her wig was a curly dark green bun. She was wearing long false eyelashes in the same green as her hair and they made her look awkwardly like a frog. Her lipstick and eye shadow were amethyst green the same shad as her puffy dress and eight inches high heels. When she walked to the reaping's balls you could see sequins incrusted in her back. A ray of light caught it and revealed it was little amethyst.

Finnick felt sick when he saw the woman arrive. He had never been a huge fan of her, she was all he hated in the Capitol's citizen. Shallow, heartless and going into the games as if they were just entertainment and not twenty-four kids murdering each other. But this year Finnick was even less happy to see her as other years. Because to represent district 4 she had chosen to dress up in green ( she would always refer to district's 4 industry which was fishing and dress in green blue or both ). And green was the colour the last woman Finnick had to have sex with, was wearing.

She was a senator's wife and had a green skin, with a green hair just like Magali right now and she had dug her nails so deeply in Finnick's back he had bleed for a few days after. Three weeks after he still had bruises all over his body. He shuttered at the memory.

A gently pat on the hand from Mags brought him back again.

« Are you alright ? » she murmured discretely in his ear.

Finnick hadn't noticed he was clenching his feast so hard his fingers were white.

He breathed. « I'm fine don't worry » he smiled

The look Mags gave him in response said his smile wasn't convincing.

Magali walked to the girl's reaping ball with elegance and natural as if she wasn't wearing eight inches heels. Sometimes Finnick wondered if people in Capitol had to train in their childhood to walk on heels.

« Honours to girls » she said in a chanting voice

Her green hand dug into the reaping ball. Her long fingers were touching sensually every piece of paper and she was giving a look that goes with it to the audience. Finally after what seems an eternity she took a slip of paper.

She came to the front of the stage opened the paper, gave a look to audience again, waited a few seconds to build up the suspense.

« Annie Cresta » her voice echoed through the square.

A silence fall for a few seconds. And every head turned to the girl Finnick had met this morning above the pink sky.

Damn it.

When Annie heard her name being called she froze. For an instant she couldn't remember how to breath. All of her life she had been breathing but now it seems totally forgotten. How could she forget something as simple as breathing ?

After what seems forever she found back the ability to breathe at the same time as the one to walk. No one volunteered. Annie guessed that it was because not many people from her year had been training and she didn't have many friends anyway.

Her legs were shivering but somehow she didn't fall and arrived on stage standing still. On her way her eyes had crossed her father's and brother's brown and wrecked eyes.

« Sweetie, come here please » said Magali with a smooth voice. She pushed her on the center of the stage

« How old are you ? »

« I…I'm eight..een » responded Annie difficultly. Her heart was pounded so hard in her chest.

But Magali didn't care about her response and was already on the other side of the stage and searching for the slip of paper who would change (end) a boy's life forever.

« Wasper Beene »

The one behind this name was a boy, he was fifteen. Annie didn't know him.

He didn't look fifteen he looked ten, eleven max. He was so small, so tiny, and looked like skins and bones with his honey hair and eyes. His hands were black with what seems dirt. Annie didn't need to ask to know he was from the poor part of the district. No one volunteered for him.

« Perfeeeect we have our tributes for district 4 this year Annie Cresta and Wasper Beene » singed Magali pushing Wasper over, next to Annie. « You can shake hands »

They shook hands and instead of meeting honey eyes Annie held her head higher and met green sea eyes instead. They locked eyes for a second and quickly he turned his head to the old woman next to him.

Ray of light coming through the window were reverberating drawing a rainbow all over the room. You could hear the birds singing through it. It smelled like the sea and Annie was listening to the waves crashing away.

It was ironic to be in such a beautiful room before heading to death. Across the room there was a little door overlooking a beautify garden Annie didn't event try to stand up from the velvet withe chair. She knew it would be locked. The capitol would never let any tribute go away. As she was waiting the only thought crossing her mind was the fact that almost a year ago Pearl had sat on the exact same spot. She had never felt closer from her dead friend. The thought send a shiver down her spine.

The door opened and both her father and brother got in the room.

« You have two minutes » said the peacekeeper in a formal voice.

Peacekeeper were soldiers hired by the Capitol who were in charge to prevent peace all over Panem.

Her father threw himself in her arms ans started crying. Annie had never seen her father crying not even after her mother's death. He always kept it together so seeing hime like that made Annie sob a little bit and for the first time she realised what was going on.

Suddenly she was five years old and it was her first day in school and she didn't want to let her father behind. She hanged to their hug panicked rising into her chest.

But he pulled away.

« Annie, breathe, it's alright look at me » But Annie was sobbing and becoming hysterical suddenly. She couldn't do that. It was impossible. It wasn't real.

« Annie please, look at me, it's going to be alright okay ? You have an advantage you're going to be one of the eldest. Annie I already lost your mom, I don't want to loose someone else in the family. You have to win ! And also… I'm sorry I haven't been a good father this past year and a half. But I want you to know that … I love you »

Annie froze in shock for an instant. Her father had never told her he loved her. He was a very taciturn man and talked when necessary. And saying to his daughter or son he loved them wasn't a necessity in his opinion. Making breakfast or smile at his children was a way for him to say he loved them. Through years Annie had learn her father's language and had never excepted to hear him saying those words. But right here right now he was saying them. In response Annie sobbed harder. This time her brother came to hug to her and just said.

« Annie … I'm sorry, for earlier. Please say you forgive me ? Please… » begged her brother. She saw fear in his eyes and knew that if she died ( which was going to happen ) he would never forgive himself for being violent with her like that.

« I forgive you » said Annie automatically. But later she would understand she didn't mean it.

A violent grasp put an end at their embrace.

« Two minutes over » grounded the peacekeeper

And just like that she was seeing her family for probably the last time.

Octave came through with a last sentence.

« Annie you heard dad we can't loose another member of the family. Please try to win. You can do it ! You're the best swimmer. Promise ? »

« I promise » she whispered

And the door closed.

Annie realised there was a mirror in this room and met herself for the first time since her name was called. If she wanted to win that wasn't really it. She had been sweating earlier and her dress was swamped. Her face was red and her eyes puffy. She wasn't in any way threatening and could only imagine how people in the arena would made fun of her. She felt something rose in her chest. « No » she thought, « not the time to have a panic attack »

She sat down on the chair and tried to calm herself when the door opened again.

« You have two minutes »

Shelter was standing on the doorstep. They looked at each other silently.

« Annie… » he finally said

He walked the distance between them and embraced her. At first Annie got rigid but she finally slacked. Two minutes passed and they let go of each other he looked at her and just like that he left.

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