A/N: I AM SO SORRY THIS IS LATER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO! I had so much to do this week. ANYWAY, Hello! The past week I (like many of you,) watched the Hunger Games! Although, I watched it 6 times.. Going on 7.. OKAY! However, I do feel pathetic because I forgot to mention a couple key points, the fact Effie (here, Emma,) is only the spokesperson (is that the right word?) for District 12 Since I've already written this with Emma, if you'll bare with me and keep in mind that this is fan fiction that would be supercalifragiawesome. ALSO! Thank you SO FREAKING MUCH for your R&Rs, your alerts, telling people about this, everything. It really means a lot.
Okay, I'm done. Enjoy Chapter 4!
Chapter Four: District Four; Finn Hudson
Finn stood at the District 4 East Side school's training ground, hurling a sack with a weight of 150 pounds. The sack flew in the air until it landed on the crimson target. Perfect. The lanky boy smiled a bit, for he knew that he was getting better. No doubt about that. It was a good thing that he was getting better, too.
The reason? He was volunteering as tribute for The Hunger Games.
Really, he always wanted to attend the games, to carry out the legacy, or something like that, and the legacy would be about his father, who attended the games a long time ago. For a brief background, his mother was 20, and his father was 18. Carole gave birth to Finn when she was 19, and for a year, they lived together with Finn. It was perfect, until Christopher Hudson's name was called. Christopher Hudson fought, and was even in the top three, until a male from District 2 stabbed him multiple times, causing for him to bleed to death over night.
Even as a young boy, Finn understood why his father fought, and because of that he wanted to show everyone the Hudsons were a force to be reckoned with. That they weren't losers, that they could be winners. In a fit of rage, he picked up another sack, throwing it far beyond the target. He looked at the flying bag and turned away. If he was going to volunteer, he at least need to look decent.
There, however, was one problem about volunteering, especially his' volunteering. The motivation for the problem lay in the fact that Carole Hudson, his mother, had no idea that Finn was volunteering himself at the reaping. "This... should be fun," he murmured to himself, walking down the sandy shore to his home. He kicked the sand as he tread, inhaling the salty air and observing the reflection of the blazing sun on the water. Once he completed the journey home. As he approached the house, he greeted his mother with a nod and walked straight to his grey room. He put on a suit and tie, fixed his hair, taking in a large amount of air, holding his breath, trapping the air inside his lungs, and releasing it in a relieving wind.
This was it.
Harmony Necare
"I'm home," Harmony bellowed as she walked into the Necare household. Grinning, she looked up at her mother who greeted her with a warm smile.
"D'ya know what today is?" questioned Harmony enthusiastically.
The mother nodded at Harmony, answering "Yes, in fact I do," and pausing, she stammered, "Are-uh, are you sure you're ready? I mean, you have 3 more years to volunteer."
Harmony closed her icy blue eyes, smiling coyly and chortled, leaning her head back. When everything got silent, Harmony opened her eyes. "Wait. You weren't kidding? Mother, I already have more experience than everyone else. I mean, none of the other Districts volunteered. So that means I must be more experienced, right?" She paused, clicking her tongue, "And even if I'm not, mom, you know as well as I do that I work amazing under pressure."
Harmony's mother opened her mouth in protest, but before any words could get out, Harmony pivoted on one foot and walked to her room. Once she arrived inside the blue room, she walked over to a small cardboard box, covered in a small ripping of a old fish net. She removed the net, carefully opening the box. Inside the box lay a pad of personalized stationary. She smirked, taking out the pad, and skimming through the pad with words etched on with pencil, her notes on all the other Districts from years past, and the ones she has heard about thus far for this year's games. Placing it in her purse, she walked to her closet and picked out a dress to match her eyes. She loved the color blue, anyway.
She beckoned when she heard a faded whistle in the distance. A horn-like whistle, the one that could only belong to the alarm for the reaping. It was time to show everyone what she had. But first, she needed to put on her dress.
The Journey to the Square
Harmony felt like skipping- or running, really. Whichever would get her to the square faster. She was so overwhelmed with excitement, she ran across the sandy shore, not thinking to take in anything whatsoever. Her mind raced exuberantly, not looking back. She would be back, anyway, wearing a victor's crown! Besides, why should she care about the District, if the games were about her winning?
It was a callous thought, not that she cared. The Games were (more or less) solely about her victory. To savor the bittersweet victory, to drink from a deadly poison, an alcohol that the addiction could never be cured. To feel the sensation of being the best, a constant lust that could not be controlled. The thought of this made her smile coyly again, speeding up to the square that was now in the distance. Just a short while, and she would be off to the Capitol. She was exhilarated.
Meanwhile, Finn took his time toward the square, looking around and doubting himself as to whether this was the correct choice. He needed to focus on why he was doing this. Christopher Hudson. He kicked the sand, sighing. As he got closer and closer to the square, he closed his eyes, picturing his father, who he had only seen in pictures and the Games which he was forced to watch even as a young child by the capitol. He quickly opened his eyes, taking a short breath, trying to take the image of his father dying out of his' head. Finally, he was at the check in, and he sauntered to the lady taking blood. He held out his long arm as the lady pricked his finger, saying "Okay, you can go now." Finn nodded, filing in with the boys as Harmony held out her hand, placing her blood on the paper. Once the lady dismissed her, she walked to the girl's side. Both the young adults looked up at Emma, who stepped up to the podium.
The Reaping
Emma tapped on the microphone with her gloved hand, grinning widely. "Is it o- Oh! Oh hello! Happy Hunger Games! And, may the odds be ever in your favor." She scanned the crowd, perching her lips and crinkling her nose, she noted the District 4 smelled of dead fish. She tired to put the thought to the back of her head as she eerily smiled again. "Anywho, let's get down to business! As always, ladies first!" She began to clunk toward the boy, when out of the silence broke out a single, yet confident "I volunteer!"
Emma's smile got even wider as she clasped her hand together, walking back to the microphone. "Oh, goody! Look at that! It seems that District 4 has a volunteer! Come on up!"
Harmony strode up the path to the stage, waving.
"What a charismatic girl," Emma exclaimed. "What would your name be?"
"Harmony Necare," the girl replied exuberantly.
"Well, it's a pleasure, Harmony Necare. I look forward to you representing District 4!" Emma exclaimed, nodding. "But the fun's not over yet! We still have to pick our male tribute!"
Finn's words caught in his throat, and he cleared his throat, as heads turned toward him. "I, uh, I volunteer. Yeah, I volunteer," Finn said, looking at the stage, nowhere else. In the distance, there was a outraged "NO!" by Carole.
She looked at her son. Her only son, her only hope. She felt betrayed, dejected, bewildered, enraged. "NO! That is my SON."
"Well, come on up!" Emma said, clearly ignoring Carole and motioning up to the stage. Finn numbly walked with the Peacekeepers who escorted him to the stage.
"And your name is?"
"Finn Hudson. That's my name."
"Hudson? As in Christopher Hudson?"
Finn nodded.
"Well, carry on the legacy!" Emma said, nodding. "Now, a word from your mayor."
The mayor stepped up, clearing his throat. "From the Treaty of Treason:" He said, getting out a piece of paper, and reading; "In penance for their uprising, each district shall offer up one male and one female between the ages of 12 and 18 at a public 'Reaping'. These tributes shall be delivered to the custody of the Capitol, and then transfered to a public arena where they will fight to the death, until a lone victor and furthermore, this pageant will be known as The Hunger Games." He nodded, and the two young adults were escorted inside the doors, waiting for family to come visit.
Finn was first. He was scared, as his mother barged in. "What are you thinking?" She questioned, anger facading her true, hurt feeling. She couldn't lose another boy, her only one, the one that helped her get by day to day.
"I just want to show everyone that we're not dumb, and we're strong. Do you know how much shit I get for my father's death? A lot, mom."
Carole took in a sharp breath. "Listen, I want you to win. I want you to show everyone what you can do. Don't get too cocky, but I know you can do this. Just.. please. stay alive."
The Peacekeepers barged in and Carole clung to Finn, kissing him on the cheek. "Never scare me like that aga-"
The door slammed shut.
Harmony looked at the door as it creaked open. "Mom?"
Her mother and father walked in. "Mom and Dad." She smiled, opening up her arms.
"Do us proud," the mother managed to get out, nodding. "You can win this, Harmony."
"I know," she looked at her father. "Dad?"
The father looked at her only daughter, crushed. "Yeah, uh, do us proud pumpkin. You can- uh. Yeah. What your mother said."
Harmony stood there, arms still spread wide. "Can't I get a hug?"
"Sure," the father said coldly. "once you win."
"Richard!" the mother said, looking at the father intensly.
"That's all I need say," He said as the Peacekeepers escorted the parents out.
"Bye," she murmured, looking around. What the hell was the matter with her father? It didn't matter. She needed to look through her notes.
Shortly after she skimmed them again, they were off to the Capitol.
