Interlude


Phoenix Pace, 22
District One
Victor of the 38th Hunger Games

Phoenix could see their sister Raven's hands shaking as the pair of them prepared for the reaping. For a moment, they considered saying something, but it was better to wait. If they brought it up, Raven might shut down, insist that she wasn't scared, that she wasn't having second thoughts. But if they let her broach the subject instead…

"I don't think I can do this." Raven's voice was barely more than a whisper.

Immediately, Phoenix wrapped an arm around Raven's shoulder. "You know you don't have to, right?"

"Mom and dad—"

"Already have one child who's a Victor," Phoenix finished. "And this isn't about them. It's about you. What do you want?"

"I … I want to live."

Phoenix held back a sigh of relief. So many Careers went into the Games without even considering the notion that they might not make it back. That there were others who were just as trained, just as prepared, and that there were other tributes who might just get lucky. But Raven understood. She knew her chances.

"But it's my last year," she said softly. "If I don't do this now, then…"

Phoenix waited a moment. "Then what?" they asked quietly.

"Then what have I been doing with my life? If I don't volunteer now, all this training has been for nothing. I've wasted all this time."

Phoenix cocked their head. "Is that what you would have said if I had decided not to volunteer? That I'd wasted my life?"

"No! Of course not."

"Then why should you be any different? You can find somewhere else to use those skills. Or not. You can do something completely different if you want. You can do anything, Raven."

"What would you do?"

"Me? I'd volunteer. I did volunteer. But that's not the question. I'm not you. And you're not me, or our parents, or your trainers. You don't owe any of us anything. This is your choice. What are you going to do?"

Raven hesitated, but only for a moment. "I'm going to stay here, in District One. I'm not going to volunteer."

Phoenix ran a hand through their sister's hair. "Okay." They finally let a smile cross their face. "I'm so proud of you."

Raven shook her head. "For being too scared to volunteer?"

"For being brave enough not to. For doing what you want to do, rather than what everyone is pressuring you to."

"Everyone but you. You never seemed to care one way or the other whether I trained or not, even after you won. Why?"

"You're my sister." That was answer enough. It would always be enough. Phoenix had volunteered because back then, it was what they had wanted. And if not volunteering was going to make Raven happy, then that was enough. Too many Careers these days felt pressured into volunteering for one reason or another – by their friends, their families, their trainers, or just the idea that nothing would ever measure up to the glory of the Games. But Phoenix had done their best not to pressure Raven one way or another. She had to be free to make her own choices. And now she had.


Hi everybody. In the interest of filling spots a bit quicker, I'm raising the tribute limit to three per person. So if you've already sent two, feel free to send a third. We're got eleven tributes so far, not counting reservations, so we're almost halfway there!