THE SIREN'S SONG 𓇼 F. ODAIR

42 ~ the volunteer

Peacekeepers let themselves into Carolina's house at exactly 1:30 p.m. on the day of the reaping. She was sitting in her living room beside Cyrus, and she had been in that same position the entire morning, staring at the doorway and waiting for them to take her away.

Carolina didn't fight it. She let the four men surround her and followed them out of her house without a word.

"You're going to be okay," Cyrus said as he watched his fiancée be taken away. "I promise, Darling. You are going to be okay."

The front doors slammed shut, and Cyrus didn't follow.

Outside, Carolina watched as Peacekeepers exited every occupied house in Victor's Village with each District 4 victor in tow. Every one of them, including Carolina, was well groomed and had bland faces, knowing that nationally streaming cameras were going to be pointed directly at them for the rest of the day. Even Annie kept her emotions at bay.

Fiona Selby followed closely behind the Peacekeepers surrounding her father. Silent tears streamed down her face and her bottom lip quivered as she walked. Carolina quickly turned her gaze away from the distraught teenager before she could let her worry show on her face.

Carolina followed the Peacekeepers silently as they walked to the Justice Building. Crowds of District 4 citizens flooded the street. The usual tension that reaping day typically brought was far lighter than usual. They knew their children would be safe for at least another year.

The town square went silent and split into two at the victor's arrival. Their stares burnt holes into the side of Carolina's head, but she kept her head straight, refusing to make eye contact with a single person. She just followed the Peacekeepers onto the stage and allowed them to move her to the right next to Mags.

All of the male victors were forced into a line to the left with Finnick being the last male to arrive. Carolina made the mistake of meeting eyes with him for a moment. He wore a white knitted sweater and a braided shell necklace.

Carolina knew that shell necklace very well. He had worn it every single day since his mother had passed away. She had stared at it for years, but now, it had a small, slightly pink pearl braided into the end of it.

She knew exactly where that pearl came from.

Finnick smirked at Carolina before moving into the line with the other male tributes. Annie was then led onto the stage and directed to stand next to Carolina. As she was the last victor to arrive, the Peacekeepers moved to the back of the stage, and all of the victors knew that the cameras pointed at them had finally turned on.

Lotus Lockflake's heels clicked onto the stage. Her hair was darker than its usual bright pink, but it was still pink, nonetheless. Her dress was a lighter pink and made out of puffy flowers that made her look like a bouquet. Before she fully turned to the crowd, her eyes flickered over to the victors with a sorrowful look.

Why wouldn't she be sad? Carolina thought at that moment. She is about to reap two of her prized possessions.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome," the microphone screeched as Lotus Lockflake began her annual speech, "to the reaping for the 75th Annual Hunger Games!"

Everything about the reaping that year was different.

Children weren't forced to the front of the square that year. Instead, men and women of all ages filled it. Pearl and Fiona had pushed themselves to the front, and Pearl was staring daggers at Carolina. Fiona was no doubt doing the same to her own father. Carolina struggled to keep her eyes forward.

There was no eccentric speech or video talking about how amazing the Capitol was. They just got straight to the point, as if they couldn't wait to get rid of the victors.