Chapter 4

Shasta Vengari, 18, District 4 female, day before the reaping

You can tell by the way
She walks that she's my girl
You can tell by the way
She talks, she rules the world

~~ Supergirl by Anna Naklab feat. Alle Farben & Younotus

The spear hits his target perfectly. With a quiet impact, it penetrates deep into the dummy.

I breathe out relieved. My trainer nods contentedly and then turns to another student. Through the sweat, my clothes stick to me like a second skin. I drive myself through the platinum blonde hair. If the bloodbath in the games only starts, I shouldn't get out of concentration or stamina. A wrong step can mean my death. I take the next spear out of the bracket and continue training.

When I leave the academy in the late afternoon, Crystal is already waiting for me. She has put her blonde hair, which curls due to the high humidity, backwards.

'It took longer today than usual. They took you hard, didn't they?', Crystal asks and comes over to me. She gently strokes a loose strand behind my ear. She bends over to me and whispers in my ear: 'But not as hard as I do. Is your strength still enough for a round in the sea?'

I blush. Normally Crystal and I tried to hide our relationship. Sadly, District Four was still strongly opposed to homosexuality. Here one was insulted and excluded, treated almost like a leper. Besides, who would want one of the selected volunteers to represent his district, be gay or lesbian?

I didn't know anyone. Carefully I push Crystal off me.

She understood immediately. However, her joy at swimming in the sea did not seem to have slowed me down, as she pulled me energetically towards the secret bay.

The secret bay was a place that very few people in District 4 knew. High mangroves protect the bay from curious spectators. There was a sandy beach and you could fish here excellently. Most of the time I came here with Crystal and her brother Fen. But today we would be alone.

'Tell me what you practiced today', Crystal said as she took off her shoes and let her feet hang in the cool wet. I sat next to her on the jetty.

'You just ask because it's polite', I replied. She remained silent and looked at the turquoise sea.

'Do you still want to volunteer tomorrow?', she whispered.

I swallowed. I knew Crystal disliked it, but she also knew my family needed the money. Since Mum's death, it hasn't been the same. My father had to raise four children, so the money was running out. So I signed up for the academy. Last year after the Games, the volunteers were chosen for this year. Surprisingly, I was one of them. Of course, I was good with the spear and for some time I would also be able to survive in nature, but that it was enough for the games, I never expected. Despite the murders I would commit, despite the pain after the victory, I had decided to accept the office. With the money I would get, I could help my father.

'You know about the treaty. I can do that, too', I said. I kept my gaze stubbornly at the sea, where the sun was setting. Tears came into my eyes.

If I didn't win, I would never see my family again. I would never be able to smile at Crystal again. Never again would I go fishing with Fen on the small stream.

'The Treaty should be abolished. As I know Ravier, he will get cold feet tomorrow', Crystal said sourly. Ravier was my training partner with whom I would move into the games. But Crystal was right. He was an arrogant idiot who could perhaps handle the sword to some masses, but otherwise walked through world history without a brain. Tomorrow he would realize that you can't win the games with good looks and a bit of a chuckle.

'I'm going to do that tomorrow. You come to my farewell?', I asked, and the first tear ran over my cheek. Crystal took my hand and pressed gently. A promise without words.

'Before I forget to give you that tomorrow', she pulled a silver ring out of the side pocket of her dress and gave it to me. I turned around. Inside, our names had been engraved.

'It's beautiful. Thank you', I whispered, and began to cry. Carefully Crystal took it out of my hand. With a smile on her face, she put it on my left ring finger.

'You never forget me, even in this hell', she added.

Her voice sounded so solemn that I had to laugh.

'It just felt like a messed-up marriage vow', I said, laughing. Crystal smiled. 'Would you accept it?'

'Always. You know, if I win, we'll go to the Capitol and get married', I promised.

By now, the sun had completely set. Although it was dark, I could see Crystal starting to cry. I gently stroked her over her back.

'If we get married, please promise me that I will wear a dress and not an ugly trouser suit, yes?'

I looked at her in dismay. I bowed.

'I promise you high and holy that you will wear a dress. It will be embroidered with silk and you can wear pearls as much as you want. We just leave the suit wearing to Fen,' I said. Crystal looked at me happily. 'The suit must be sea blue, otherwise he will spin through'.

Then she pulled my face up to her and kissed me.

Fen Orta, 16, District 4 male, day before the reaping

I really need you
I really need your love right now,
I'm fading fast, not gonna last
I'm really stupid, I'm burning up, I'm going down
I win it back
Don't even ask

~~ Ok by James Blunt & Robin Schulz

When Crystal is ready in the morning with a bucket and the bows, I am still too tired to even notice that we are taking a longer way to our fishing spot.

We walk through the main town of the district, past the academy and the town hall, in front of which the stage for the reaping is already being set up. The air is salty. It's sultry and after ten minutes the clothes are already sticking to my body. Sometimes we meet people who work in the inner circle of the city and not in one of the factories or at sea. We wave to them kindly.

'Why are we going down this road? It's longer and I'm sweating', I ask. Hopefully I don't annoy Crystal. But she doesn't answer. She always keeps her eyes straight, not even to the boys in her class, who always turn on her, she turns around.

'Enjoy this walk', she says. Something is wrong, I know. But Crystal is not the type to tell others about their problems. She tries to displace them, until it goes. Then mostly Shasta, her best friend, speaks a word of power and Crystal tells.

'I'm sure Shasta will win. I mean, she's well educated and she doesn't look bad either', I say, biting my tongue. Crystal stops. Her eyes shine. She is either very sad or angry, maybe even both.

She hesitates, but then she open her mouth.

'I'm just terribly worried that she's not making it, okay? She's my friend', she says.

I stroke my sister's back as best I can, but the quiver hinders me.

Honestly, I'm also worried, because the Hunger Games are not child's play and you fear yourself here in a career district in front of the next arena. After the boy was ruthlessly beheaded last year, I had to run out of the house and hand myself in the bushes.

The games are brutal, but Shasta will make it. She has already achieved a lot and I have watched her at times secretly during training.

'Sorry, I didn't want to make you sad', I mutter.

Crystal beckons. 'Let's just go fishing now. Tomorrow night we can talk about it', she says. Her voice is brittle, but she tries to hide it.

My family are not normal fishermen. We don't fish or fish with nets and tridents or spears, no, we use bows. Some in my class have shown me the bird, but our method is much better. It requires high concentration and rapid reflexes. If you react too slowly, the fish is gone. With a practiced movement I put the next arrow on the tendon. I pull the tendon backwards and breathe deeply. For a short time I stay in the position, then I let go. The arrow hits the fish with a roar. Although the stream flows more slowly here, Crystal hastens to get the fish out of the water. That's how it always works. I shoot, Crystal picks up the fish and packs it in the bucket. We are silently working in front of us. She doesn't want to talk, you look at her. Crystal is pale and her lips are little more than a thin colorless line on her face.

The girl I have been in love with for years voluntarily goes to the games and possibly returns as an arrogant winner who no longer wastes sight of a poor fisherman boy like me. I shake my head to get rid of the thought.

'All right? You're a quiet guy, but today you're quieter than a dead man', Crystal says.

I lift my head and look at my sister. Her ice blue eyes shine anxiously. I am not allowed to say anything wrong now, otherwise she will burst into tears.

'I'm also close to the harvest. But, hey, let's see it as an opportunity!'

I give myself a baking pipe in my mind. A chance for a dead best friend.

She looks at me in question. Embarrassed, I rub my neck and get stuck on an arrowhead.

It tears up the skin on my hand. For every stupid thing you say, you get a suitable answer.

'If Shasta wins, she can take us to the Capitol. Imagine if we could walk along the main road and then smash our stomachs in a restaurant with a view overlooking it', I explain.

'Aha', Crystal mockingly raises her eyebrows close up, but then she shines.

Suddenly she hurls ice-cold water at me. I quickly wipe my face.

Crystal giggles. 'You should have seen your face!'

I throw the bow on the floor and the quiver right afterwards. If my sister wants a water battle, she should get one.

'Well, you monster', I shout and jump into the cool wet.

Shasta and Fen, ladies and gentlemen!

I love them. Next will be Lucretia and Paul.

By the way, please submitt to the new SYOT 'Justice' by Josephm611!

It's pretty cool and your character will be well-written!

Love Athena