Chapter 7- Terra Coppersmith
I hope Iry is alright and not worrying. She was really jumpy and anxious this morning. Who can blame her? I'm glad she's not eligible this year, so I don't have to worry about her. Before I signed in, I handed her over to Mrs. Underfall.
"See you in a bit, munchkin," I said, pulling one of Iry's braids that I did this morning. "Thanks, Mrs. Underfall."
"It's not trouble. See you after. Good luck you two," Mrs. Underfall replied, shooing Deecey and me off to the rest of our group. Now, Deecey and I stand side by side with the rest of the sixteen-year olds, hands interlocked.
"We'll be alright, you know we will," she says to me in a low voice. I nod back to her.
"Two more years and we won't have to do this anymore," I say.
The mic crackles into use, filling the square briefly with static. Deecey holds my hand tighter.
"Hello, hello all!" Our idiotic representative from the Capitol walks out onstage in such a vibrantly orange suit I have to blink. Deecey giggles next to me and I bite my lip to stop from laughing too.
Postumius Opiter, which I think is the stupidest name ever, has been our representative for the last two years. I have no idea what happened to the woman before him, but she wasn't half as interesting as Postumius. He seems to favor orange this year, with a bright orange suit, orange eye shadow, and a massive head of orange curls that stand out like he's being constantly shocked. He's the only good thing about the reapings.
"Well, welcome to the reapings for the Thirty-sixth Hunger Games!" he says, expecting us all to cheer. Most of the crowd claps, including myself, but Deecey is more daring than the rest of us and lets out a "Whoop!"
The people around us glare at her, but I dissolve into giggles. Deecey looks at me and starts laughing silently too.
"We have some enthusiastic people in the crowd!" Postumius says cheerfully. "I think we're ready to get started!"
The reaping bowls full of the little slips of our names are carried in and placed on either side of Postumius in the center of the stage. All hilarity has gone out of the situation and Deecey holds my hand tightly in both of hers. This is it; the next moments could make or break us.
"Let's start with the ladies, shall we?" Postumius says, reaching into the bowl with white gloved hands. I hold my breath as he catches one, pulls it out, and reads it aloud.
"Terra Coppersmith!"
Deecey lets out a little shriek. What? Is that me? Did they choose me? This can't be happening.
"No! No!" someone shrieks behind me, far behind me, and I know it's Iry, and what is she thinking now? I can't leave her, I'm all she has!
Deecey squeezes my hand again and pushes me forward. I have to jostle my way through the crowd of eligible tributes, all of whom look at me with wide eyes. Their eyes say, "I'm glad it's you, not me," like I've been thinking every year before now.
I have to be strong. I can't show weakness now, not now that I've been chosen. So I climb the stairs to the stage and stand next to Postumius, who doesn't look as humorous as he did before.
"How old are you, my dear?" he asks, still cheerful. Doesn't he know he's picked me for death?
"Sixteen."
"Do we have a volunteer, any volunteers?" he asks the crowd. The crowd stays silent, all eyes on me. There's no escape.
"I give you the female tribute of District 8!" Postumius shouts, raising my hand in the air. Like I'm supposed to do, I back up a little after he drops my arm, giving him room to chose the boy tribute.
Another crisp, white piece of paper with someone else's doom written on it.
"Fletcher Wellrock!"
Today is not going in Deecey's favor. That's the boy she's mentioned she's going to marry one day, or was. I don't think she's going to be marrying him any time soon if he's dead.
He comes through the crowd, solidly built and handsome, and ascends the stairs to stand next to Postumius as well. He's good at keeping emotion from his face, but when he came up the steps, I could see the terrified look in his eyes.
Nobody volunteers for him either. So it's him and me.
"The tributes of District 8! Terra Coppersmith and Fletcher Wellrock!" Postumius shouts, linking our hands as per tradition. I look out at the crowd before me, knowing that this is likely my last look of my home. Then all thoughts turn to Iry as Fletcher and I are taken into custody.
We haven't been arrested, but we're not free to go either. Our freedom was taken away with those little paper slips. I want to say something to him, but we're marched up separate stairs of the Justice Building. I'm put in a sort of office area with nice seating. Much nicer than anything we've ever had in my house.
This is where I say my final goodbyes.
Iry comes first, pushing past the Peacekeeper at the door and running into my arms, sobbing.
"Don't go! Don't go!" She says, hugging me fiercely. I'm blinking back my tears; I refuse to be seen as weak. There will be cameras at the train station too, and I won't let them see me cry.
"I have to, munchkin. Listen, I love you so much. I can't tell you how much I love you," I say, choking a little.
"I'm going to get out, and I'm going to win for you, Iry. Okay? Then we'll be rich and we won't have to worry ever again. We can live in one of those fancy houses in the Victor's Village and have everything we want. I promise."
"Really try to win, Terra. Please."
For a minute I just rock my little sister back and forth. Then she whispers, "Where am I going to go while you're gone?"
"To Deecey's. They'll take you, I know they will."
"If you don't come back, the Peacekeepers won't let me stay with them, though! They'll put me in the home!" Iry wails.
"So, I'll come back. Don't worry. I'll win this thing and come back to you. I won't let you go to the community home, not if I can help it."
I sit back a little and pull the house key out of my pocket. "Take this, it's the key to the house. You can go with Mrs. Underfall and Deecey to our house and get your things. Don't forget to lock the door, okay?"
Iry nods. Then she pulls out the necklace she always wears, undoing it and handing it to me. "Can you wear this in the arena?"
It's my mother's wedding ring on a chain. My father gave it to Iry when she was just little, to remember Mother by. I swallow hard, then I nod. I've just clasped it around my own neck when the Peacekeeper comes back.
"Time's up."
I squeeze Iry one last time and kiss her cheek. "I love you! I love you!" I say, and she's crying, and I'm trying not to cry. Then she's gone, the door shut.
A minute later it opens again; Mrs. Underfall comes in and sits next to me on the couch.
"I want you to know that I'll take care of Iry," she says in a soft voice. I nod. "Deecey and I will make sure she gets to school and work on time, until you get back."
Through my choked throat I whisper, "I don't know if I can win."
"You can, I know you can. And even if you don't, I'll find a way to look after Iry."
"If I don't come back, she'll have to go to the community home," I say.
"And I'll make sure she's alright there too."
Mrs. Underfall stands up, her voice cracking a little. "I'm very glad to know you, Terra, and I want you to know that you are like my own daughter to me. We'll be watching for you and praying for you."
She gives me a giant hug, one that says everything. Then she's gone too.
Deecey comes in last, crying her eyes out already.
"Don't get me started, Deecey! I can't be crying at the station!" I say, hugging her hard. "Did you see Fletcher?"
She shakes her head. "Go tell him you're going to marry him. You don't have much to lose," I say, and she laughs, wiping her eyes.
"So, you're going. I can't believe they picked you," she says, both of us sitting down together for one last talk. I can't believe I won't ever see Deecey again. The pain of losing her is red hot in my chest. Don't cry, Terra! Don't cry.
"I can't believe it either. I'll get to see the Capitol, at least. Remember when we used to wonder about it when we were kids?" I say. She nods.
"Can you get in with the Careers? You're strong enough, they'll want you."
"I doubt it. But I'll try."
"And try to win. You've got to win, Terra!" she says, looking me in the face with a sense of urgency I've never felt from her before.
"I'm not going in to give up. I'm going to give it my best shot. I've got to come home, for Iry. And you."
"You're the best friend I could ever have," Deecey says, hugging me tight.
"You too. Take care of yourself. I'll be back, you'll see."
Then the Peacekeeper is here, and the time is up.
"Be brave," Deecey whispers. Then she's gone.
Nobody else comes, so I sit, looking around the room, blinking back tears, until the hour is up.