Forbearance • A Cato Hadley Story

1.02

It was now or never. Everyone was lined up in their sections by age, as well as gender, ready for the reaping to start. Chloe had been placed toward the front of the crowd with all of the other twelve year old girls while Livia stood with the sixteen year old girls. A few rows up Livia could see Clove and her group of friends chatting excitedly.

Clove seemed a bit nervous but everyone who volunteered for the games seemed nervous so the girl's behavior was nothing new. Livia kept her focus on the ground as the District Two escort, Augusta, walked onto the stage. The crowd went silent in her presence. You could practically feel the tension in the air, the nervousness radiating off of everyone's bodies.

Augusta stopped when she reached the microphone near the end of the stage. Even with her eyes on the ground Livia could feel the escort staring at her, along with everyone else down, examining each person. After a moment the woman smiled down at the children. Yes, children. Ages ranging from twelve to eighteen. It was completely horrifying knowing that such young children could be sent into an arena to fight to the death.

Appalling. It was the only way Livia could describe it. But she knew the capitol didn't care how young the tributes were. It was pure entertainment to them. "Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor." the woman welcomed, earning nothing in return from anyone. Nothing but silence.

It was clear that no one other than herself was any sort of amused by her cheery attitude and she picked up on it quickly. "Now, before we begin, we have a very special film brought to you all the way from the Capitol." she reminded. They played this same video every year. Livia could practically recite the video word for word by now.

Talking of what was once thirteen districts, now twelve, and how they rebelled against the capitol. Livia had always noticed how their country would 'never know this treason again' yet here they were, killing children one by one. She also noticed how it was mentioned that the winner of the games would be bathed in riches.

All they were doing by showing this video was making these children think that they had a chance to win. To give a better life to their family. When in reality all it did was trick them. Bribe them into thinking that if they entered they would bring back glory to their family name and glory for their district. Just so the Capitol could kill them for pure entertainment.

"Now the time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District Two in the 74th annual Hunger Games." the Capitolian woman asked, looking around the crowd. On Livia's side, she could see Clove's friends nudge her, whispering for her to volunteer. Nothing. She stood as still as a statue in fear, no words. She wasn't going to volunteer.

On the males side, on the other hand, a blonde boy around 6'2 quickly shot his hand up and started yelling as loud as he could so Augusta could hear him. "I volunteer! I volunteer!" he called out. All heads turned in his direction. The peacekeepers who heard him calling out walked over to his section and escorted him onto the stage on Augusta's right. Augusta smiled at the boy next to her and nodded her head in his direction, earning a nod back from him.

"And what might your name be, dear?" she asked the quite attractive boy. A smirk spread across the boy's face as he looked at the crowd, most likely thinking of the glory he would bring to his district when or if he came back home. "Cato Hadley." he spoke into the microphone. A few hollers and cheers came from the crowd at his name, Cato's smirk growing bigger at the attention.