The Tribute of The Sea

Part 1: The Tributes - Chapter 2

I stood stiffly next to Katniss and Gale in the roped off area for possible tributes. Most of the kids in this line I knew, many of them had been part of the families that I gave tessera, that's how I earned the nickname: The Big Brother of The Seam.

I watch In amusement as Haymitch Abernathy, one of the only ever victors from District 12, stumbles onto the stage and tries to give Effie Trinket a hug. 

Gale covers his mouth with his hand to stop himself from laughing, while Katniss just snorts.

The Mayor scrambles to peel the attention off Haymitch by introducing Effie Trinket, the Capitol official who is in charge of the Reaping for District 12, who then gives her: "Happy Hunger Games! And let the odds be ever in your favor!" 

I roll my eyes, most people have no chance in the hunger games. They aren't fit, have no idea how to hold and use any type of weapon, and compared to the Careers, they're like flies. At least Katniss, Gale and I know how to use weapons and are pretty fit and at least get enough to eat, add the fact that Gale and I aren't exactly small either would make us at least possible opponents. but there is also the factor of having to watch people commit murder, and even do it yourself, hell, most people don't even know how to commit murder.

I sighed, I had my name in around..... 530 times? Yeah, around that. I took out a lot of Tesseras for the simple reason of making people's lives better, knowing that I would willing go into the Hunger Games if it meant someone else didn't. Sadly, I knew that Gale would never let me volunteer.

Effie Trinket walks up to the glass ball with the girls' names in it, and says, "Ladies first!" before pulling out a name.

I hold my breath, as she reads it out.

"Primrose Everdeen!" Trinket announces, and Katniss doesn't doesn't miss a beat.

"Prim!" She cries and runs up to her sister, the kids around her just move out of the way. She pulls Primrose behind her before she can even get up the stairs. "I volunteer! I volunteer to be a tribute!" Katniss gasps.

Why? Why did it have to be the Everdeens? I was only had 3 people, Katniss, Gale, and Prim, only them. I had no-one else. Now Katniss was in the Games. "Lovely!" Effie Trinket cries, "But I believe there's the small matter of introducing the reaping winner and....." I tune out Effie's voice. I don't want to watch this. I hear Prim screaming at Katniss not to go. Gale sighs and walks over, picking Prim off Katniss's back, She turns and Gale gives her a weak smile, "Up you go, Catnip." Then he turns and carries Prim towards her mother. 

Effie gets Katniss to introduce herself, which she complies and does, but when Trinket asks for applause, she only gets glares in return. Then Haymitch breaks the silence, "Look at her. Look at this one!" He hollers, throwing his arm around Katniss's shoulders, "I like her! Lots of..... SPUNK!" Then he turns to the camera, pointing at it, then shouts, "More than you!" then falls off the stage, knocking himself out. He kinda reminds me of Gabe. 

"What an exciting day!" Effie says, straighten her wig, "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" She walks over to the other glass ball, one hand on her head, and pulls out a slip, "Gale Hawthorne!"

Katniss's eyes brim with tears, and I pull Gale into a hug, and whisper into his ear, "Your not going there." He looks at me sadly, probably thinking that I've lost it.

But no, I'll volunteer, I'll go to the slaughter house. I can't make Gale go there, not to see the love of his life die, maybe even at his own hands.

"So, any volunteers-" Effie says, and I raise my hand. The whole addance goes quite as I speak, "I volunteer to be a tribute in place of Gale Hawthorne."

Gale whips around, along with Katniss. Prim is screaming, and the Hawthorne's have tears in their eyes.

"Two volunteers from the same District! How exciting!" Effie says happily. I walk up the stairs calmly with my head held high, looking at straight ahead. 

"What's your name?" Effie Tinker asks me, "Percy Jackson." Effie smiles, "Alright everybody, a round of applause  to Percy!" 

She met with silence. Then one by one, all of District 12 touch's the three middle fingers of their lips, and holds it out to me. It's a gesture not used much anymore, only seen sometimes at funerals. It means thank you, admiration, and good-bye to someone you love. I smile at the District, then three words almost make me burst into tears. 

"Goodbye, Big Brother!" Those three words, said by a boy that I gave a rabbit once, started cheer. Honestly I don't know how I didn't break down right their. Effie Trinket seemed to realise after more and more people started saying (shouting) 'Goodbye, Big Brother', that it was a nickname, and that the boy wasn't my brother. I walk over to Katniss, we hung, shake hands, then listen to the anthem as it starts to play.