THE SIREN'S SONG 𓇼 F. ODAIR

2 | THE MENTOR

Pearl's grip on Carolina's hand loosened immediately, and Carolina thought she would topple over because of it.

The girls in her age group, the girls she had grown up with, all turned to look at her. Most of their faces showed expressions of sorrow. Some showed guilt, and they couldn't even look her in the eyes. But, they all took a step back from her. Like she was just diagnosed with a deadly disease, one that they could get if they stepped too close to her.

Carolina looked at Pearl one last time. The girl's face was red and blotchy as she cried silently, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe what was happening.

First her brother. Now her best friend.

All Carolina could do to comfort her was squeeze her hand and let go.

Each step Carolina took towards the stage took too much effort. It felt as if she had a fifty-pound weight tied to each foot. When she made it to the aisle between the boys and girls, she heard Pearl scream, followed by a loud wail. It took everything in her not to turn around and go hug her best friend, but she knew she couldn't turn back. She wasn't even allowed to freeze.

But, she did. However, it wasn't Pearl that had her stopping.

"LINA!" A small, squeaky voice screamed from behind her.

Carolina stopped. She knew that voice well, and it had her pausing in her steps. She turned around and saw Charlie wailing in their father's arms. When Charlie screamed, her father immediately picked him up and started walking away.

If the six-year-old caused too much of a disturbance, who knows how the Peacekeepers would react?

She watched as her father carried Charlie away with her mother silently crying behind them. Peacekeepers approached her frozen figure, guns tight across their chests. Carolina quickly turned around and continued her walk to the stage. Her mind was blank.

She made eye contact with Finnick when she arrived at the stage. It wasn't hard. His eyes were already shooting daggers at her, his expression was hard and angry.

Even when I am being sentenced to death, Carolina thought to herself. Not an ounce of sympathy.

Carolina turned her head away from him almost immediately and faced the crowd.

"And now for the boys," Lotus Lockflake continued with an abnormally chipper smile. She waved her hand around the bowl that contained the boy's names. It was clear she was enjoying her time on camera. "The male tribute for District 4 is Marsh Rosebloom."

Carolina watched as boys towards the back of the crowd circled a boy with curly blond hair. Marsh looked down at the ground and started walking up to the stage. All Carolina could think was that the boy was too small.

He shook hands with Carolina when he got on stage, but he didn't let go after. Carolina didn't either.

"Our tributes from District 4." Lotus Lockflake said before waiting for a thunderous applause that never came.

Peacekeepers came up from behind the two tributes and escorted them to separate rooms inside the Justice Building. It wasn't large. It only had a worn-out leather chair and a recently dusted bookshelf. Carolina sat down in the chair and put her head in her arms.

Not long after her arrival, the door swung open and little footsteps came rushing in. Charlie crashed into her arms and held onto her for what seemed like dear life. Her parents followed him in and knelt next to them.

Her mother brushed her hair out of her face but didn't say a word. She continued to comb her hands through her daughter's hair, looking at her as if it was the last time she would ever see and touch her. Carolina's father did the same, rubbing his daughter's arm.