･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽
˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐟𝐨𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ┊✦ ˚ · .
▬▬ 03 ∙ 𝙸𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎
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NOBODY SPEAKS as we prepare for the Reaping except Moxie, who revels in commanding us to line up like she does every year. By now, I have the order down, since I'm in the same spot every year—behind Shelly, in front of Annie, positioned by our gender and victory year.
As we wait to go on stage, I scan the thin crowd, where a handful of kids have begun to file in. I make eye contact with a few who notice me and give them what I hope is a comforting smile, like they'll be able to get through this. Most of them only look away, unsettled with the fact that a victor is paying attention to them, perhaps, but a few return the smile or wave. Particularly, a girl runs to her little brother, who's standing with their parents, and points me out in the crowd. The boy finds me and starts jumping up and down, blond curls bouncing as he speaks animatedly to his sister. She ruffles his hair, looking at me once more, and rejoins the fourteen-year-old girls.
I wonder if any of them will end up being the tribute I mentor. I wonder if any of them will become a victor.
When it comes time for us to go onstage, I scan the crowd, which is now overflowing in the town square, and at each age group barricaded in their roped-off sections. Two kids here are going to have their lives changed and I'm helpless against that. Two kids are going to be sent to their deaths because of a war 74 years ago.
There is nothing fair about it and there is nothing more I can do than wave and smile for the cameras, for the Capitol, for Snow.
As we take our seats, I keep the small smile on my face and lean over to Shelly. "Watch out for her, will you? Both of them."
Names aren't needed because the flash of understanding crosses her face and she nods, a tiny movement that only someone paying extra attention could see.
"Of course." Usually Mags helps calm Annie down in case of a flashback, but now she's weaker from the recent heart attack. Shelly seems almost worried for a moment, and I debate reassuring her that she'll be fine, they all will, when the clock strikes 5.
The Reaping begins.
The mayor reads the usual pre-reaping speech, introduces each of the victors, and lets Moxie take the stage. Annie's hand finds mine and she squeezes—even after being in the public's eye for years, it's not something that someone gets used to naturally, and being on stage scares her sometimes, though she never says so. But it's not difficult to tell by the way her eyes keep darting around and her breaths are irregular. I spare a quick, comforting glance at her direction. She relaxes a little.
For someone who's been an escort for more than a decade now, Moxie certainly doesn't get sick of the job, even when she swears that we're all driving her to insanity, tributes and mentors alike. She approaches the microphone with her usual excitement, even doing a little curtsy and laughs. I have a feeling that she's a little drunk; maybe we've rubbed off on her.
"Welcome, welcome citizens of 4, to the 74th annual Hunger Games! No time to waste now, let's get started with the girls as usual!"
YOU ARE READING
Seafoam and Stars
Fanfiction･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ ❝If I told you about the 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 inside of me would you still look at me like I'm the 𝐒𝐮𝐧?❞ ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ The victor from 4 learns that the game can end, that hope is a chance, that change is possible and incoming. T...
