The Quarter Quell
Part I: The Voting
Chapter 2
I couldn't believe what I heard, a tie? Honestly, what are the odds of that? I quickly look over at Gale, he was looking rather nervous. He knew, as well as I did, that he and I were the ones voted to get into this year's Hunger Games. Throughout the audience people were eyeing at both Gale and I, so we knew for sure that it was definitely both of us.
"Yes citizens of District 12, you have all voted and your votes have tallied up to a tie between Klaborn Everdeen and Gale Hawthorn," Snow continued, "and as a result the mayor, the mentor and I will be voting ourselves to decide the male tribute of your district."
Snow went off stage with the mayor and our district's mentor, Undersee, to begin discussing and voting themselves whether Gale or I would be the tribute for our district. As I watch the rest of the guys who were nominated to be tributes depart the stage, I could hear Gale next to me starting to breathe uneasy. I turn to him, and I see tears starting to form from his eyes, but he's trying hard not to break down.
"Don't worry Gale, you're not going in," I say to calm him down. "We both know that all they want is a show, and I said I would give it to them."
"I don't want neither of us to go in Klay, and I don't want to leave Posy here," Gale says.
"I know, I know, but that's how it is Gale, and there is nothing we can do about it."
"But you can't go, you don't have the experience of fighting that I have."
"Doesn't matter Gale, no matter what, I would still volunteer myself than let you go in. The odds are in your favor my friend, so don't try and think you will be the one that has to fight for his life."
I can see Gale starting to cry now. Even if Gale got chosen, I wasn't kidding when I said I would volunteer myself.
"I'm going in, I know I am," I hear Gale whisper as he tries to wipe his tears off his face. "I'm the one who's built for it. You are barely 18, and you look younger than the rest of us."
"All the more reason they will choose me, because I'm scrawny and young looking. They'll make me a big token in their games, and everyone knows that all the tributes this year will be past 18, maybe even17."
It was true; I was the younger looking one in the group. People who wouldn't know me would think I'm 15 or 16 years of age. This year, each district had a chance to save the young ones from going into the Hunger Games for the year, so the ones that would be their last would be the ones voted in. But like I said before, if Gale got in, I would volunteer instead. He would be with Posy, happy, and that's what I wanted.
After what seem to be like an hour, the mayor, Snow, and Undersee come back on stage, ready to announce their votes for this years male tribute. Our mayor, who was a scrawny looking man, with his white beard and aging skin, goes up to the microphone and announces his vote.
"As mayor of district 12, I give my vote to Klaborn Everdeen. I know he will make our district proud this year and hope he goes far for the first Quarter Quell."
Zero for Gale, and one for me. The mayor moves to stand behind me and I see the mentor for District 12 go up the microphone.
"As the mentor for District 12, I truly believe that Gale Hawthorn will be a great tribute, and will fight his way to victory this year, for our first ever Quarter Quell."
Alright, that makes it back to a tie. One vote for Gale, and one for me. I look at the anticipation the crowd is showing, some are in tears now, and others just stand there with no expressions on their face. Undersee moves over to Gale, and stands behind him while Coriolanus Snow walks up towards the microphone to make the tiebreaker and finally announce who the male tribute was.
"As the escort for District 12, I have made my decision based on the one that would bring the most excitement and more hunger to this years games," I close my eyes ready to hear once and for all who it was going to be. "And this year's male tribute for the first Quarter Quell is…. Klaborn Everdeen!"
I open my eyes, smiled and I felt a droplet streaming down my cheek. It was now official; I would be the male tribute for the first Quarter Quell. All the people of district 12 just stood there, hands covering their mouths, some crying, others in shock. I never knew how much of an impact I had on these people, but I must have if they felt so much sorrow for knowing that I was going in to fight to the death.
Snow is still standing by the microphone with his murderous smile. His cold eyes staring at me, as I walk towards him. I never felt so much hatred fire up inside of me, but there it was, the man who had voted me into the games. I shouldn't be angry with him, for it was inevitable, because either way I was going in whether I was voted in or not. Still, I had this fury enraging over me.
"Our tributes Annabeth Hallow and Klaborn Everdeen," announced Snow. The crowd does not clap for us, they just continue staring, some shaking their heads with anger and others with defeat. It was like this every year, no one clapped, they all just stood there, not wanting to praise the ones that would go in the arena to die.
As Snow leaves the section of the stage, the mayor comes up and motions Annabeth and I to shake hands. Hopefully I wouldn't have to kill her because she was so sweet. I've only spoken to her once before, it was two years ago after I watched my best friend Ariella getting drowned to death by the water trap that the tributes from District 4 had made for any person trying to get some fresh water from the lake.
It was torture, all of this was torture and I couldn't handle watching another bit of it. I just lost my other best friend and now I had no one that I could truly talk to about anything. I ran, as fast as I could, I couldn't watch Ariella breathe her last breath. I couldn't just stand there and be ok with the Capitol to do this to us. Why did we deserve this? Why did we have to be punished like this?
I was out in woods, the only portion where it wasn't blocked off by the wires. I climbed up the tree and sat on the huge branch where my best friends and I used to sit up on. All I did next was cry, cry all I could. I was 16, and alone, without any friends. I was never an easygoing person; I kept to myself, especially after Flint died in his games. Ariella was the one I had left to count on, to just talk to, tell everything to, but now she was dead and there was no one.
"Are you ok Klay?" a sweet and innocence voice came from below.
I looked down and I saw a small blonde haired girl, with these remarkable brown eyes looking back up at me. Annabeth Hallow was one of the lucky girls that lived in the wealthier side of District 12, which in our district, not many wealthy families exist.
I wiped my tears before responding, but more just started to produce and I couldn't stop.
"I know we never talked before, and I know Ariella was one your best friends and I just wanted to say that she was a lovely and beautiful person, inside and ou…"
"Why are you here?" I brutely interrupted her.
"I just wanted to say…" she began.
"You have never spoken to me once ever and now you start, shouldn't you be your wealthy, spoiled friends and talk to them."
I was harsh, maybe to harsh because this girl that I've never spoken to didn't deserve what I was saying. The anger inside of me just took over. All I wanted was to be left alone. But maybe alone was not something I needed right now.
"I'm sorry, that's why I came over," the girl says, about to burst into tears herself. "I just wanted to see if you were alright."
I watched as the blonde started to walk away, and I see that I've definitely hurt her feelings.
"Wait, wait, please don't go!" I get down from the tree branch and started after her.
I wipe the tears off my face, but I couldn't help the next wave of them coming out. Annabeth turns around at me and she is also crying. I can see her eyeliner starting to smear her face.
"I'm sorry, ok, I'm sorry," I quickly added, "I just… I just…"
More tears, I couldn't help it, but they just kept coming and all I could think of was Ariella and Flint, and wishing that they were both here with me, but they weren't. My two best friends were dead and gone and I was alone, with this girl that I've never spoken to in my entire life, apologizing to her for being such a crude person.
"I know Klay, she was my friend too," Annabeth responded.
I embrace Annabeth, crying on her shoulder. She was a bit taller than I was, but most people my age or younger were taller than I. I felt her hug me right back. We both had lost a friend, and right now we both needed the support from each other.
I look at Annabeth now and I see that very same girl I met two years ago. Sweet, innocent, and now she must become deadly if she ever wants to survive this Quarter Quell. I just hope that I won't see her die, and that I won't be the one responsible for it.