After weeks of Capitol speculation, preparation and rumours, the time of the reaping had finally come around. I took my place backstage in the justice building, ready to comfort the new tributes or whatever. I just guess I was a good actor and good at winging it. The hands on the clock painstakingly ticked on for what seemed like an eternity whilst I observed the Capitolites swarm all over district four like the parasites they are. Whenever one of them tried to talk to me, I made small talk and if they brought Annie up, I dismissed them to keep myself from shedding tears.
"One minuet until show time!" A Capitol woman wearing a suit and headset squealed. "Can we get Savion in place please?" A skinny man flew in, draped in massive feathered sleeves, a purple waistcoat with a pocket watch and black skin tight trousers. He looked ridiculous.
"Oh, Ula, you look fabulous, my darling!" Savion addressed the woman in the headset as she brushed down his waistcoat.
"Not as fabulous as you, Save!" Ula shortened his name and did a hand sign to be quiet. She pursed her lips and paused for a moment. 'Three... Two... One.' Ula mouthed and simultaneously, ten screens flickered from the Capitol seal to the district four stage, one on the mass of boys one on the mass of girls. "Showtime." Ula enthusiastically whispered and Savion sauntered forward onto the stage, the door whooshing shut behind him.
"Welcome boys and girls to this wondrous occasion- the seventieth annual Hunger Games!" Whoops and cheers were strategically placed into the crowds. As if anyone from our district would really cheer. "Lets watch a video, a very special video, about our past." He said it as if we have a choice. We don't.
"War, terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came the peace, hard fought, sorely won. The people rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost and the traitors were defeated. We swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed, that each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute, one young man and woman, to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future." Of course that's it- of course once you step out the arena, your problems melt away.
"Shall we begin?" Savion encouraged. Fake cheers. "We shall." The Capitol freak lightly tiptoed across the stage- careful not to make a sound in his purple platforms to add suspense for Capitol pleasure. "Let us begin with our ladies." Savion nodded to himself and dramatically plunged his hand into the reaping bowl. Annie was written on eight slips of paper. My darling Annie was in eight times. Eight was strangely my unlucky number.
Savion must've forgotten his shoe rule and trudged over to the microphone once again. His nails, painted black, ripped open the seal on the crisp white paper- only printed for this 'wondrous occasion'. In this moment I caught Annie's blank stare on the screen. Her eyes were not sparkling at awe like the usually did- they were a blank canvas about to be painted on as the name got called. "The female tribute representing District Four this year will be... Annie Cresta."
Dismay. That is how I will describe the look in my beautiful girl's eyes as her name was called and she realised her whole life was about to come crumbling down like mine did.
"Come and join me, Annie Cresta, honey." Savion spoke down at her like she was two years old. The stunning girl looked up to the sky. As if to speak to her late mother. Annie and I had rehearsed what to do if she got chosen a hundred and one times, I just prayed she did what we planned. The yellow sundress she wore graced her beautifully as she she strode past the crowds, with a confident smile on her face. A young girl waved at her and she even waved back; she was even better than me at acting. "Annie Cresta, everyone!" Savion roared as Annie stood next to him, waving graciously as the fake claps were inserted.
"Now how about those men?" Savion almost asked Annie, who was dazzling the cameras like no other tribute could've. I didn't take my eyes off my darling until Savion boomed back into the microphone. "And the male tribute representing District Four this year will be... Tarsi Reedworth." A look of utter fear penetrated Annie as twelve year old Tarsi slowly and shyly made his way to the stage. "Wonderful wonderful wonderful." Savion exclaimed. "Our District Four tributes for the seventieth annual Hunger Games. Annie Cresta and Tarsi Reedworth." Tarsi stretched out to shake Annie's hand but she pulled him close and held their hands up, walking towards the justice building.