Into the Game - A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter Two: Goodbye my Loves

Note: This chapter is a flashback to Quinn's past

I stand in the crowd of adults and young children, my father hugging me from behind, as I cross my fingers and beg silently that my sister's name will not be read from that slip of paper.

Isla stands on stage and opens it, saying the words that broke my entire world.

"The female tribute representing district 11 in the 80th hunger games is... Lilah Baker"

I gasp and my father tightens his grip, but I struggle away from him, running to the barrier, desperate to save my sister.

"Lilah! No Lilah, please no!" I cry and scream. She glances back in my directions, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"It'll be ok" she mouths to me and my father, before the peacekeepers shove her towards the stage.

The sight of my sweet, amazing, older sister walking towards the stage, her faded red dress being clenched by her fists and her braided black hair as she walked away from me towards the stage, was engraved into my mind.

Isla asked her age and my sister replied in her deep, beautiful voice that she was 16.

Tears continued to spill down my face as Isla got the next slip of paper.

I didn't even have the mind to comprehend what was happening when Isla read out, clear as day, the name of the male tribute.

"Oliver Baker"

I screamed agin, this time wordless, just pure agony, as my brother was forced onto the stage next to my sister, his faded red tie matching her dress and hairbow Isla asked his age, to which he replied 14, and then if he was related to Lilah, and he told them that yes, they were siblings.

Lilah looked shocked, even the tears too stunned to fall. Oliver stood right next to her, wrapping his skinny arm around her shoulders. 

By then my father had grabbed me, pulling me away from the barrier, cradling me to his chest. I felt the tears fall from his eyes as Isla asked if there were any volunteers. Of course, there were none.

My beautiful brother and sister were led off the stage while I sobbed into my fathers neck.

My father and I went to visit them before they were taken to the capitol.

First, I went to see Oliver while my dad talked to Lilah.

I ran into the room, straight into his arms.

"Ollie, you have to survive, ok, take care of Lilah but make sure one of you comes home ok?"

He simply cradled me in his arms, murmuring that he would try, until our time was up. Just before I had to leave him, he forced me to look into his eyes.

"It'll be ok, baby, ok? No matter what happens, I love you so much, ok? Make sure you take care of yourself, and I know you're only 11, but keep an eye on dad. You'll be ok, my love."

"You're gonna come back. I know it. You'll survive." I repeated. "I love you so much."

As we were dragged apart by peacekeepers, we cried out to each other how much we loved each other, and I looked into my dear brother's deep brown eyes for the final time, clutching his red tie, which he had given me before I left, to remember him by.

Next, me and my father switched.

I walked into Lilah's room and instantly ran to her.

"I love you, you have to survive, ok? Stay with Ollie and you can make it ok?" I plead.

"Quinn, I'll do my best to make sure Ollie makes it home to you, ok? but promise me that no matter what, you'll be ok, you and dad will move on. It'll be ok, I promise."

I knew, even then, that Lilah wanted Oliver to survive and that she would sacrifice herself for him in a heartbeat.

"I love you Li, I hope you know that." I told her.

"I love you too, baby, so much" She replied. I breathed in her scent, savoring the time we had left as she cradled me in her arms.

"Take this, Quinnie" she told me, taking the red bow out of her hair, letting it fall loose. "Keep this and the tie and they will keep you safe." She paused. "And they will remind you that we love you so much, my darling."

I screamed as the peacekeeper dragged me out of the lap of my darling Lilah, pulling me away from the comforting scent that I didn't know how to live without.

That night, I lay in my father's bed, him holding me close, as we both cried and tried to comfort each other, knowing deep down that we would never again see my siblings, the people who had been with me my whole life, again.

 We cried and cried all night, not sleeping at all. My father's comforting embrace was the only thing keeping me from simply giving up right then and there. I needed stay strong for him. But for that night, we could simply break down. 

I held the tie and hairbow close throughout that long, bitter night.

A/N: Thanks for reading!! flashbacks like this will probably happen quite often in this book