Thank you so much for reading the first chapter! This chapter is a bit longer than the first one. I hope you enjoy :)


Light bursts through the window and I'm forced to wake up. I try pulling the covers over my head again to go back to sleep, but I know I can't. It's reaping day.

After my victory, the reaping days didn't affect me that much, since I became immune from ever getting reaped again.

That is, until today.

I stretch a bit and get up. I put on a green dress that almost touches my knees. It's made of a soft, silky material. I brush my hair out and put on my matching shoes. Then I go downstairs to the kitchen.

The windows are all open to let the cool sea breeze and warm sunshine come in. My parents are sitting there with untouched breakfasts in front of them. They look at me as I enter and immediately there's a flicker of sadness on my mother's face. My father tries to look like he's fine, but I know he's only doing that to keep me strong. I sit down silently and starting chewing the food slowly. After a few bites, I give it up. Might as well eat on the train later on.

I get up and walk over to my mother, who's been staring at me ever since I first got here. I hug her tightly and bury my face in her hair. She grips me tighter until I finally let go. Then I walk over to my father, who's been sitting in a very tense manner, and wrap my arms around his neck. I sit on his lap, the way I used to so long ago when I was little. His eyes become glassy and I know it's all he can do to not cry, so I whisper to him, "It's going to be alright. I promise." I let go and start my journey to the Justice Building.

I stand under the summer heat with Mags in a roped off area in the front. Finnick's there as well with 4 other tributes. I never really bothered to know them, and right now all their names are jumbled up in my head. One of them should be Harold Sear, or was it Cory Sear? Or maybe it was Harold Tress. Ugh. See what I mean?

And then Lyka is there onstage, camera-ready as usual. She's in a lime green outfit with a matching wig. Then all too soon she's saying the usual line that she says each year.

"Get ready, ladies." There's only 2 slips inside, but her hand scrapes around the bowl, as if it's filled to the brim. Finally, she chooses one and reads it out.

"Annie Cresta."

I take a deep breath and try to calm down. I make my way to the stage. Right, left, right, left. I can't lose control.

"Any volunteers?" she asks.

Mags' hand slowly and shakily rises above her head. I close my eyes in an attempt to calm myself again. I can't believe she's actually volunteering. I thought she wasn't going to do it. When I open my eyes, Mags is being escorted towards the stage. I look at her face. She's definitely scared.

"Mags," I whisper to myself.

I'm going to lose it soon. I try to hold on to reality, but I fail.

"Mags!" This time is scream. "Mags! You can't go. No, please don't Mags!"

She's on the stage now. She looks me in the eyes and nods, as if telling me that she's going to be okay. But I know better.

I grab her wrinkled hands and tell her, "Mags, just get out of here. I'm fine with going. Please."

Her lips curve up just the slightest bit in a sad smile. Suddenly Peacekeepers are holding me by the arms, forcing me to go back down.

"NO!" I scream and thrash around trying to get back to Mags. "NO! LET. ME. GO! MAGS DON'T GO BACK IN THERE!"

All my anger gets directed to the Capitol.

"I HATE THIS. THIS WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN! NO! JUST LET ME GO!"

They're carrying me now. I try to put my feet back on the ground but their grips are iron-tight. I kick in every direction, trying to free myself. I look to Finnick for help, but he's just staring at me. I'm really on the brink of crying now. Finnick's not doing anything at all to even calm me down. This just makes me angrier. I kick harder and my arms are also flailing around now. I'm in the roped area now, but they're still not letting me go. Then I feel a needle in my arm and everything becomes blurry.

I open my eyes. The pillows are on the floor. The blanket and bed cover are twisted around me. There's a searing pain in my throat. My head hurts with the smallest movement. My sleep was restless. I look around. I'm in an all-too-familiar room. The room in the train. But... I thought I'm not going back. Then why am I here? I'm searching for reasons when I realize that I'm going to be a mentor. I thought I was never going to be a mentor. I'm too crazy to be one. I'll probably get the tributes killed. Something in my mind clicks. That's exactly what the Capitol is trying to do. But why now? Why not last year or the year before? Then it hits me. What if... Finnick's a tribute?

I quickly get up even though my vision is still blurry and my head is throbbing. I stagger to the door and open it. I go to the dining room.

Oh no.

Finnick's there, watching television. So he did get reaped. That's why they want me to mentor. To make sure he's dead. I take another look at him and realize he's staring at the television so intensely. I walk closer to see what it is. He's watching the reapings. I walk over and sit down next to him. I put a hand on his hunched back.

He jumps a bit. "Oh hey Annie," he says while wrapping his arm around me, "You're awake."

"Yeah, I guess I am." My voice is raspy. I guess I was screaming when I slept. "What happened?"

"Well, you got a bit angry when Mags volunteered."

"Oh right," I say. "So, are you going to tell me how to be a mentor?"

He hesitates. "Ummm... I'm actually gonna try to, well… ask one of the other mentors to... help you," he says, choosing his words carefully.

"Oh ok." I guess he just doesn't want to offend me. I turn my attention back to the television. They're reaping District 3 now, which means I haven't been out for that long. Beetee and Wiress get reaped. Finnick lets out a sigh. I realize it's going be hard for most of the tributes. They've known each other for a long time now. Then it's District 4's turn. I see Lyka reading out my name. I look angry, sad and scared. But mostly angry. Then Mags volunteers. She goes on the stage and I'm screaming. The Peacekeepers carry me off and someone sticks a syringe into my arm. I really do look crazy. I am crazy. So how am I supposed to protect Finnick if my mind's not even right?