(The OC is not based on anyone and I just made up a random name.)
"The winner of the 70th Hunger Games is Elizabeth Rose!"
The nightmares keep me up every night. I wake up screaming, probably waking up the resident across from me in the Victor's Village. I hope she doesn't mind too much. They're the worst when it gets close to the annual Hunger Games even though I know I'm safe, and that I'm not going back. Last night they were especially bad. It's getting close to that time of year.
I decide to turn on the TV to get my mind off of these terrible dreams.
The glass of water I had just poured slips from my hand and shatters against my hardwood floor as the announcement of the third Quarter Quell is made. Was my mind playing tricks on me? Surely they wouldn't do this, it would be insane. I expected something different for the Quarter Quell but nothing like this ever crossed my mind. The tributes for this year's Games are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors of each district. There are only two female victors from District 7, me and Johanna Mason. As tears fill my eyes, I sprint outside for fresh air. The only other resident in the Victor's Village is Johanna Mason herself, who seems to have done the same thing. I look across the central garden and spot her sitting down, hugging her knees with her head hung. She's just as devastated as me. I run over to her to check on her, my own feelings can wait.
"Johanna!" I shout as I run over to her.
"Lizzy? Lizzy!" She called back, finally raising her head as she recognized my voice. We're not exactly close friends, but we both need comfort from someone who's in the same situation right now.
"Fuck Snow." I whisper in her ear as I sit down next to her, I don't want to risk being overheard by a peacekeeper.
"I don't know how they could do this, we won our Games and that was supposed to be the end of it." She says to me, angrily.
"I'm so..." I struggle to find the right word, Johanna helps me out though.
"Pissed?" She suggests.
"Yeah, I'm pissed." I agree.
Johanna invites me into to her house for some privacy, you never know when a peacekeeper might be around the corner.
"You should sit down." Johanna offers.
I quickly accept and sit down on the couch in her living room. I look around and notice the lack of pictures around her house. No family, no friends, not even herself when she was younger.
"You don't keep many pictures up, do you?" I ask, my mind trailing off.
"No, not really. Not after what Snow did to them." She replies.
"Them?" I question.
"My family." She responds.
"What? What happened?" I ask, unaware of what she was referring to.
"You're a victor. You're good looking. Snow must've tried to get you to... do things... for people... sell you... do you know what I'm talking about?" She asks.
"Oh... yeah, I know. I had to do that for a while." I mumble back, the memories returning.
"Well I didn't. I refused. He killed anyone and everyone that I loved." She says in a monotonous voice, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
"I'm so sorry Johanna, I had no idea." I quickly reply in attempt to comfort her. She's not exactly the type that can be easily comforted, though.
"It's okay. That's why I don't have pictures. They remind me of them... how it was my fault." She says.
"Johanna," I begin, "It was not your fault." I tell her.
"If I had just done what he wanted me to do, they'd still be alive." She says, taking a deep breath.
"It's not your fault Johanna, no one deserves to be bought and sold. You had every right to refuse." I comfort her.
She sits down next to me without another word, refusing to continue feeling these strong emotions. I wrap my arm around her shoulder, causing her to tense up, but only for a second. She quickly relaxes. She's always tried to seem cold, emotionless. But right now, she needs the comfort more than ever.
"You and I are the only female victors from 7." Johanna says quietly.
"Yeah, I don't know how we're gonna get through this one." I speak to her as if she was my best friend.
"Snow is so fucked up." She whispers. Like me, she never misses an opportunity to curse his name.
"I know." I whisper back.
We stay like this for over an hour, comfortably silent.
"Do you want something to eat?" She offers, breaking the silence.
"Sure, thank you."
"No problem."
Johanna makes us something to eat and sits back down next to me.
"The reaping's at 12." She says blankly. I look up at her clock and read the time, 11:15. Peacekeepers would be coming no later than 11:30 for us.
"Damn. I still can't believe it." I say back.
"Neither can I. It feels like one of the nightmares I always get, I thought it actually was until you came over. Then I knew it was too real." She explains.
"I'm gonna miss you. No matter who gets reaped." I tell her.
"I think I'm gonna miss you too." She replies. This might not seem like a lot but this is Johanna Mason. The same Johanna who refuses to feel anything after what happened to her loved ones.
Those 15 minutes pass by way too quickly and there's a knock on her door. Peacekeepers.
"Johanna Mason?" A deep voice calls into the house.
"Yeah I'm in here!" She shouts. "Elizabeth is in here too, don't go thinking she ran away!"
"Exit the building!" Is the only reply we get.
Johanna and I stand up and walk towards the door, we walk out together and reality sinks in. At least 20 armed peacekeepers guiding us to the reaping. Everyone staring at us as we walk up to the stage.
"...and may the odds be ever in your favor." A familiar voice rambles on.
"As usual, ladies first." They announce.
"The female tribute for the 75th Hunger Games and 3rd Quarter Quell is..." The announcer says as they carefully choose between the two small paper envelopes inside the glass bowl. You could hear a pin drop in this moment. No one daring to make a sound.
"Johanna Mason!" My hearts drops.
"I volunteer as tribute." I announce as I step forward. A collective gasp is heard from the audience.
"Lizzy, stop. I can't let you do that." Johanna tells me.
"You can't stop me. It's okay. I'll be okay." I reassure her.
"Well alright then! Our female tribute is Elizabeth Rose!"
"Now time for the male tribute. The male tribute for District 7 is..." My mind wanders and I hardly pay attention to whoever's name was called. My eyes are stuck to Johanna's. I think we're both in shock. I volunteered for her.
