Chapter 2 - district 10 Feliciano

"Ludwig! wake up!" The man's eyes shot open at the sound of his name being called. He rolled onto his side, staring into the eyes of the man calling his name. "What is it Feliciano." He said it more like a command then a question.

Feliciano lay next to him, chocolate eyes wide open. "Good morning! Can you believe that after today I'll be free!" Ludwig knew what he meant. If Feliciano did not get called at the reaping this afternoon then he would be safe.

Ludwig himself was 19 and was already safe from the calling of the names. "ja after today you won't have to worry." Feliciano smiled trying to show Ludwig that he was trying to be brave.

Last night Ludwig had been woken up in the middle of the night to a crying Feliciano, scared that he would be reaped the next day. Ludwig had calmly held the shivering boy until he fell asleep. "Ludwig, can we just lie here a little longer?" Feliciano said after a few moments of silence.

"Of course." ludwig said although his face was red and he was dieing to get up and start his usual morning routine. And so they laid there, Feliciano cuddled into Ludwig's strong arms while Ludwig just held him, knowing that Feliciano was still scared.

Before long though, the door creaked open and Ludwig's grandfather peered into the room. "Its almost time." he said gruffly, closing the door on his way out. Feliciano's grip on Ludwig tightened.

"Feliciano, we have to get up now, besides your brother is probably angry that you are missing again." Ludwig's gruff voice did not come out as comforting as he would have liked. Yet unlike his usual bubbly self, Feliciano slowly detached himself from Ludwig.

Feliciano walked towards the door, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder, looking up his brown eyes met Ludwigs piercing blue ones. "Listen, I'm not really good at this kind of thing but," Ludwig's face was surely red by now, "You'll be Okay."

Feliciano reached up on his tip toes to place a small kiss on Ludwig's cheek. "I'll be safe with Ludwig next to me." And with that, Feliciano left to go back to his house, getting an earful from his older brother who also escaped the reaping.

Feliciano stood alone among the few other 18 year olds. All he had to do was get through this day, he was just a thirty minutes away from freedom and Ludwig's strong arms around him again.

The lady on the stage did her speech and finally it was time to select the tributes. The girl's name came first, she was 14 and worked in the bakery, thats all Feliciano knew. Poor girl.

"Time for the boys~!" She said walking over the second glass ball, snatching up another card from the pile. She flicked it open with ease and read out the name. "Feliciano Vargas."

Feliciano's blood ran cold. This wasn't happening. There was some screaming from the outside of the ropes. Lovino, his brother was being held back as he tried to fight through the crowds to him. Be strong! you have to be strong! Ludwig wants you to be strong . . .Felciano felt his legs propelling him forward, one step at a time.

He held his head high. He shakily walked up the stairs to the stage. "Welcome dear." the woman placed a small hand on his shoulder. But that wasn't right, Ludwig should be standing next to him with his hand there, they should be celebrating the fact that he was safe. Nothing was right!

The tears sprung up in Feliciano's eyes. Making his vision blur. "This year's tributes!" The woman announced. Feliciano's stomach dropped at the words. He wouldn't be able to hold his own against anybody. this was the end of the line and he knew it.

He was numbly lead to a room in the capital building. He didn't feel like admiring the plush room, his eyes planted to the ground. The tears started falling. Feliciano made little move to wipe them away. The door opened and someone rushed over to him. "Feliciano!" It was his brother's voice.

Feliciano looked up to see Lovino rush toward him, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to look up into his brother's eyes. "Feliciano, you can win, it will be alright." Feliciano just shook his head, the tears streaming down his face. "You can win Feli!" There was desperation in Lovino's eyes. "Feliciano please!"

Tears were brimming in his brother's eyes, Feliciano had never seen his brother cry. Normally his brother hid his feelings behind swear words and a colder demeanor. It was rare to see his true feelings. "O-okay brother." Feliciano stuttered.

His brother hugged him. "Please come home Feliciano, run away I know you can, escape and get sponsors, i know you have it in you . . ." Feliciano just hugged back. "Okay brother . . . Okay. . ." The guards pulled Lovino away a moment later.

Feliciano wondered a moment if Ludwig would come through that door next, but he didn't. It must have been family only, things have changed over time. A guard came next ushering him along to the train, cameras bombarding him as he boarded, the tears had gone dry on his cheeks, everyone would already perceive him as weak anyway.

He let the guards lead him into the darkness of the train, the shock of the days events slowly seeping in.