Shattered (A Hunger Games Fan-fiction) (Wattys2015) (#feels)

Chapter 16

A week later, Annie and I are eating breakfast in my kitchen with Rosie. She won't be going yo school today; we'll drop her at Annie's house in a while so she can be with Mrs Cresta. The shops are all closed today. Even the Mart has it's windows shuttered down and the houses all have their windows shut. It is the day of the Reaping Ceremony. Today, one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen will be chosen to join twenty two other boys and girls in an Arena to fight to the death. I know I will be the boy.

"It'll be okay," Annie says more to herself then to me. She is trying to convince herself that everything will be fine: that we will be safe. I reach over and squeeze her hand.

"Yeah," I tell her. "It will be." She looks back at me from beneath her lashes and tries to smile a little. Her dark hair is pulled into a ponytail today and she is wearing a simple green dress that brings out the color of her eyes.

I lay awake all night yesterday, thinking about what would happen today. I imagined what it would feel like; climbing the stairs of the Justice Building and taking my place next to the girl tribute on the stage. I thought about Rosie, all alone without me to take her to school. She would be all alone, except for Annie to take care of her.

Last night, I had told her about what might happen today. Kids in the Districts knew about the Hunger Games from a very early age. What Rosie didn't know was that this year, I will be fighting in the Arena. I told her that there is a good chance of me being chosen as tribute this year. She didn't cry. But she knows exactly what goes on in the Arena. Each year, the Hunger Games are broadcasted live for all of Panem to see. So she has seen the bloodbaths, the fighting and people surviving in hard conditions.

I told her to be strong for me and she nodded her head without letting a single tear escape her eyes. She promised to be on her best behavior while she was at Annie's. Annie will take as much care of her as she can while I am gone.

"Finn?" Rosie says at last, putting down her piece of cold bread and looking intently up at me.

"Yeah?" I ask her. She fingers the end of her braid. Annie did her hair for her this morning when she came by.

"What if you're not chosen? What if...somebody else took your place?" I look down at her sadly. She doesn't know half of the story. I shake my head.

"I'm not sure how that's possible, Rosie," I admit and she frowns a little.

"It could be," she says. "You might not get picked and then you can still stay with me." Annie smiles sadly at her and I am silent for a minute. She is so optimistic for someone in Panem. Somehow, she believes everything has a chance of being okay.

"Okay," I say after we have all eaten. "Time to go." I hold out my hand for Rosie to take and she slips her small hand in mind while Annie takes her other hand. Sighing quietly, I lock the door of the Shack behind me and we step out onto the streets.

The streets are mostly empty. Everyone must already be in front of the Justice Building, I think. The few people that do swarm the streets around us are also hurrying in the same direction as us. The sidewalks are covered with a thin layer of golden leaves and the air is still. The few trees that are on either side of us don't make a sound as we pass.

"Finn," Rosie says. "Why do we have the Hunger Games?"

"Because President Snow is a...." I glance around and spot the white-uniformed Peacekeepers patrolling the District. The last thing I need is for them to catch me bad-mouthing the president. That could really get them angry. So I bite my tongue. "I'll tell you later, okay?" Rosie nods her head, her golden hair catching the sunlight.

"Finnick, you need to be strong. Don't show them any weakness once you're up on the stage," Annie whispers to me urgently and I nod my head absentmindedly. "You can do this. I have faith in you."

We pass the Mart and I spot Jane and Drew, our classmates. Jane was chosen last year as a tribute, but then her cousin, a girl named Cecilia volunteered for her and she won the Games. Jane and Drew are rich. Their father is the assistant of the head Peacekeeper so they live in Annie's neighborhood. They are about the same height but have very different features. Drew for instance, has light blonde hair that is cut short and bright electric blue eyes, but Jane has dark hair and grey eyes. She is also a little stuck up.

"Hey," Jane says, waving us over. Annie groans. She hates Jane. They've had a rivalry since they were ten.

We greet each other and they casually fall in step with us as we walk forward. After a while, Jane speaks up. "I hops they haven't started the video."

"That video is the same every year," Annie says. "Why do you want to see it again?"

"It's just fascinating, isn't it?" she says. Annie rolls her eyes.

"Oh yes. Watching how the Capitol rose to power and how they explain about the Games is very fascinating," says Annie sarcastically.

I clear my throat, trying to tell her that their father is a Peacekeeper and she might end up in trouble. Drew walks along beside me. "I'm sorry about your parents," he tells me. I glance back and see that Rosie is walking with Annie before turning back to Drew and nodding.

"Yeah, thanks," I say quietly. His dad is close with Maxwell so I don't think he is particularly sad about the news.

"It's sad about your mom really," he continues. "I wonder why she would do that. I mean she did have you and Rosie." Of course he believes my mom overdosed on her pills. But I don't. I think the Capitol is responsible for her death. I'm certain now. I grit my teeth and mumble a quick "yeah" before walking faster. I do not need this right now. Not when I have to appear strong.

We make it to Annie's house on the way to the square and leave Rosie with Annie's mother. Annie promises to bring Rosie to meet me once the tributes have been chosen. Rosie waves at me with a big smile on her face. Somehow she still believes that there is a chance I might not get chosen. I wish that was true, but it isn't.

After dropping Rosie off, we quickly make our way to the square. The streets are completely deserted now. Everyone is in front of the Justice Building. We get there pretty quickly and join the throng of people gathered there.

The square is usually a great place to come during the day, with the fountain, and the shops around it, but today it is so crowded that it is getting hard to breathe. Children are standing according to their ages, starting with the twelve year olds at the front and ending with the eighteen year olds at the back. Around the perimeter of the square, other people who are not part of the age group are standing, waiting for this year's tributes to be chosen.

Annie and I sign in after Drew and Jane, and I watch Annie clench her jaw as the Peacekeeper pricks her finger. We slowly make our way to the fourteen year olds and stand shoulder to shoulder, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

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A/N
I'm back guys!!! XD My exams are over so the updates will he regular now: once a week at least. I really hope you liked this chapter and that you've stuck around. Please vote and comment :)