Chapter #2:
Year of the 63rd Hunger Games
Victor: Gloss Caverly
I stare at the plain white ceiling above my head, it's simple, and plain, nothing special. Except that it's mine. My ceiling. In my bedroom. At my house. Well, the house that I share with Finnick and Mags, and Sammy of course.
I slowly peel back the covers of my bed, knowing that I should get up because the sun is shining into my bedroom window, telling me that it's well past 7:30 a.m. Sammy has already gone downstairs, and I can tell Mags has as well because I can smell the pancakes and bacon. The smell warms me, and makes me shudder with excitement. I pull on my slippers, and check my hair in the mirror above my dresser. It's all over the place… but I really don't care.
As I trudge down the stairs I hear the sizzling of cooking pancakes, and the smell of warm syrup, and the fresh tanginess of the fruit.
I look to my right where I see all the pictures that we've taken over the last year. Finnick and I swimming in the ocean, Finnick, Mags, Sammy, and I all on the boat, sitting on the back porch with lemonade, all the good moments. As I reach the final step on the stair case, a rather large black labrador comes racing over to me, a sloppy smile stretched across his face. Sammy.
"Hi boy!" I say as I pet the top of his head. We got Sammy two months after I moved in here, and he was just a puppy then. He's grown a lot since then! We walk side by side into the kitchen where Finnick sits at the breakfast bar, and Mags stands at the oven, flipping pancakes. Finnick is wearing his pajamas: navy blue, light weight, sweatpants, and a gray t-shirt, his blond hair stuck up in odd places. Mags however is already dressed in a blue sundress, with her District Four token necklace hanging around her neck, and her gray hair pulled into a French Braid.
"Good morning." I sleepily say as I sit down next to Finnick on a bar stool .
"Morning," he says with a smile. He has a big bowl of watermelon, strawberries, rasberries, mangoes, pineapple, and grapes in front of him. He shoves one fruit into his mouth after another.
"Annie, honey would you like some pancakes?" Mags whispers.
"Please!" I tell her, her voice is still hoarse, however over the last year I have learned why. Finnick tells me that Mags had a weak voice to begin with, and then she was reaped into the Hunger Games when she was sixteen. Now, every year she has to go to the town square, watch children reaped, and mentor them through their games. She has been doing this for over 50 years now, and it makes me sad that so many have died under her wing, as she can't save them all.
Today, is Finnick's second reaping. I will go with him, but I have to stand in the back where the families are. He doesn't seem very afraid, but I know he is at least nervous. When he sees me staring at him he just gives me a sad smile, and eats more fruit. I too stick my hand into the bowl and pull out a handful of grapes and mangoes. Mags then brings over our plates of pancakes, her hands shaking a bit.
We sit and eat in silence, until Mags finally says, "Why don't you too go get dressed, and then we'll all go down to the town square." Finnick and I race up the stairs, I go into my room, and he goes into his.
I pull a blue dress out of my dresser, it's not like Mags, but has a sweetheart neckline, and it's navy fabric only goes to my knees. I then put on my golden flipflops, brush my hair, and pull it into a french braid, like Mags. Finnick exits his room when I do, wearing khaki pants, and a white button up shirt, with black shoes, and his blond hair combed nicely.
"Wow, you clean up good." He jokes, and I make my 'not funny' face at him, like almost every time he makes a joke.
"So do you." I smile
Mags and Finnick give Sammy a quick kiss goodbye and we all head out the front door. Mags carries her brown suitcase, and carries it with her to the town square. As we approach, Mags stops us. "Okay, you guys be good!" She gives me a quick embrace and kisses my forehead. "I'll see you again, real soon." She hugs Finnick tight, and kisses his cheek. Then she turns and goes to where the mentors are.
"It's probably starting soon, I should go by my group." Finnick tells me, and I nod, praying he doesn't get reaped. He gives me a hug, and a kiss on the cheek like Mags did and walks toward the admittance line. I can't see him after a while and fight my way to the front of where the families are, so I can have a hope of finding him.
Not yet.
From here, I can smell the salty water, making me think of the time Mags, Finnick, Sammy and I were on the boat. And about the time Finnick and I went surfing, and then swimming. It makes me think of my mom and dad, about Ariel and Ammon. About before they died.
"Welcome! To the 63rd reaping of the Hunger Games!" A voice roars through the microphone. Jasper Moreau, the escort for District Four. "Are we all excited?" He shouts. "Here is a video brought to you from the capitol." I watch the video that describes the Dark Days. President Snow's voice rings out, as he describes the war, and how the Hunger Games began. I finally find Finnick in the crowd, well the back of his head at least.
"Now to reap this year's tributes. For the girls," he walks over to the bowl of girls names, and selects one. He clears his throat, "Jaelyn Mercier." A girl with long blonde hair, no more than fifteen trudges up the stairs slowly. She has tears in her eyes as she shakes hands with Jasper. "For the boys," He says and walks swiftly the bowl of boys names. I hold my breath praying he won't pick Finnick's name. "Gallagher Falkov." A boy, maybe seventeen walks up the steps, and smiles while shaking hands with Jasper. "The Tributes for District Four, for the 63rd Annual Hunger Games." He smiles and raises their Jaelyn and Gallagher's hands into the air like they have already won. It sickens me.
As people start to clear out I run to find Finnick. He grabs my hand when he finally sees me, and we run back home. If someone sees us leaving without an adult we'll be questioned endlessly as to where our parents are, maybe even put in that stink hole of an orphanage.
We lock the front door behind us as we get inside, and try to decide what to do for the next few weeks until Mags gets home. Not a whole lot comes to mind. Finnick especially, looks drained. I know that he knew Jaelyn, I think they knew each other from school but he looks very upset over his friend being put in the games. I'm just happy it wasn't him.
"Hey," I say, putting a hand on his arm, "We have two weeks to do whatever we want!" I tell him, noting that he should be more excited about this.
"I know." he smiles, perking up a bit. Something tells me these two weeks are going to be fun.