That Fine Line

Prologue - The Reaping

"I volunteer." My voice rang loudly across the silent crowd that stood around me.

Heads turned towards me as I made my way onto the stage. I could see glances of pity mixed with awe for my sacrifice in saving the old woman's life.

Nobody said it, but all their thoughts were unanimous: thank goodness for the Quarter Quell. A year where the Hunger Games were guaranteed to spare their own children and instead reselected victors who'd survived it once. Surely, if these people won once, they could win it again, right?

I wasn't complaining though. Even though what I felt was nowhere near relief, what I felt wasn't indignation, annoyance, or even anger. I felt excited.

As District Four's pretentious red-haired escort, Dan Rheese, grabbed my wrist, determination swelled in my chest. My chance had finally come. 

I spotted my mother in the crowd, her eyes murky with resentment towards the twenty-four year old who stood on the other side of Dan. But for me, there was nothing. Not even the worry you'd expect from a mother whose child was about to enter a death game. For the second time. Regardless, I smiled back at her with full confidence. The seventy-fifth Hunger Games was going to be my liberation. My redemption.

I'd been waiting for this so long. Waiting for a chance to finally get my revenge.

"A round of applause for this year's tributes--"

To kill Finnick Odair.