My father had gone in before me through the door I now waited behind and come out through another one a couple of meters away. He didn't get to even say a word to me because the peacekeepers opened the door and shoved me in, muttering 3 minutes under their breath. I stumbled into the room and ran towards where Finch sat shivering on a scarlett couch.
"Finch," I murmured, throwing my arms around her and holding her like I would never let her go. For what was about to happen I might not get a chance to see her ever again so I wanted to make the most of my few minutes left with her.
"I'm sorry so much... I should have just volunteered," I whispered in her ear, chin on her shoulder.
"No! Don't even say that!" she withdrew from my embrace and shook me by my shoulders.
I shook my head in disagreement and continued quickly before Finch could speak, "Listen. I'm going to try my best. No matter what happens I'll find a way home. You know how much I love you and why I could never let you go. That's why I have to do this. In a few weeks you won't even be able to run and I don't want to say this and it breaks my heart but I am stronger than you. Maybe not mentally but physically. I will do this for you father and mother."
Finch suddenly looked incredibly confused and frowned, "I don't understand..."
I carried on as only about a minute was left, " You have always been the one that everyone can't help instantly loving. Your so beautiful and kind and you don't even realize it. Your innocence is one of the things that makes you so and I'm not going to sit at home and watch such a sweet and caring person be put through hell."
"Ember what are you even talking about?!" she said staring desperately into my eyes, panicking.
I heard the door open as the peacekeepers called that the time was up and I broke away from her and left a quick kiss on her cheek.
"I love you and always will. No matter what happens I promise I will come home. I'm sorry but letting you go in the games would hurt me more than my death," as I pushed her into the peacekeepers and they herded her out the door she finally got it.
"No Ember! No!" she began to scream and the tears that streamed down her face and the desperation was clear in her voice and eyes, her hand reached out towards me.
The door was slammed shut and the realization and relief hit me both at the same time. I slumped down on the couch with my head in my hands. Although I couldn't speak for myself, at least now Finch would be safe. I couldn't of let her go into the games and us looking exactly the same no one would ever know what I had done. Except the ones who could tell us apart, however they were only the people closet to us.
It was a few more seconds before the doors opened and a few peacekeepers approached me telling me it was time to depart from the building and go on the train to the Capitol. I was almost surprised when no one started to punish me for breaking the hunger games rules yet I suppose no one but my sister and father would realize that it wasn't the right tribute standing in front of them.
Once before I had been inside of the large vehicle that was known as a car, another way of transport like the train that involved not walking. The vision is really blurred considering I was so young at the time but I was told that it had to do with me being a witness to an old man we called surly sarge killing his fellow neighbors and putting human flesh into his stews.
Unlike how I thought it would be, there were surprisingly no crowds or cameras around as I was led roughly through some tall doors that led out of the back of the building and into the massive metal contraption.
I slid in next to Rufus, not even giving a glance in his direction. He was either going to kill me in a few weeks or die himself so I saw no point in getting any closer than the meter I sat away from him now. The door slammed as soon as I got in but the engine did not start yet.
The seat was a rough black leather and had a row opposite that could hold three people just like the worn row that Rufus and I sat uncomfortably upon.
The car door opened yet another time as Patricia hopped in, squishing into the seat opposite us in the middle. Her knee clashed a little with mine on the way in and I recoiled defensively as if she were an infected unearthly being. Another glance back up at her hair made me actually begin to believe that that theory wasn't entirely impossible.
Her smile was stretched too tightly over her shining white teeth as she began to speak to us, stopping at the end to pat me on the cheek, "Oh how delightful! You'll need a little work done but not much on those eyes, dear! They're a real killer!"
Rufus just stared at her and I shuffled a little closer to the window and asked without looking at her, "Are you a stylist?"
She seemed quite baffled at that, "Well no but as you can see by my clothes I do quite consider myself my own kind of st-"
I held up a hand and heard her become quiet, "Then don't ever touch me again. Especially not with the hand that is the reason why I am here."
Patricia began to stumble a bit as she tried to get a word out but later decided on saying nothing.
I could feel Rufus' eyes staring at me in shock but I didn't care at all. I wasn't here to make attachments with people, especially the person who had called my sister name. This whole thing could still go wrong if anyone found out that Finch Markison wasn't actually here. I swallowed my fear and braced myself for the worst as the car drove.