𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐄; The Hunger Games

𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐)

Malic looks at me, a face of despair. He tried to stop me from walking to the path, which had four Peacekeepers waiting to take me to the dock/stage. 

"Why...why?". He questions me; I shake my head.

"Well, hurry up now, please." The announcer demands as the Peacekeepers rush through the crowd.

As I stare at Malic, he's trying his best not to break down. A Peacekeeper grips onto my upper arm. My natural instinct leads me to flip him over my shoulder, causing him to hit the ground, splashing mud all over Malic and me. 

Malic's eyes widen as do mine, realizing I made a terrible mistake. 

The Peacekeeper who was aggressive with me earlier appears.

The Peacekeeper gets his baton, hitting my back, causing me to fall on the muddy ground. 

"AGH!" I shout in pain as I struggle to sit myself back up. The Peacekeeper attempts to go for another hit; I cover my face with my forearm. 

Malic steps right in front of me, gripping the Peacekeeper's wrist, which causes him to drop the baton.

He then punches the Peacekeeper in the face as the crowd gasps and screams. The screams are from true terror, terror at how they will punish Malic. 

"Malic!" I shout as the Peacekeeper that he punched holds me down. Malic looks confused, his knuckles bloody as the Peacekeeper's blood drips on my shoulders. 

"Get 'em' boys!" The Peacekeepers drag Malic out from the crowd.

"Get off him!" I shout as two Peacekeepers, much taller than me, drag me out from the crowd. 

We are both dragged away from one another, our heels scraping the ground. They put Malic on a bus with fishing supplies and other equipment. They're taking him to prison.

The bus takes off as Malic mouths, "Win for me." 

I scramble to get the Peacekeepers off me before I get to the stairs. I shove them off me as I walk up. 

The announcer is terrified. The crowd is silent. I wonder where my parents are, better yet, Malic's. 

As I walk closer to her, the more tense she gets.

"Y-your name, darling?". The announcer asks. "Silver, Silver Nereus". I say as she claps, the crowd terrified to clap for me. The act I did could be seen as rebellious. Anyone who participates may be in the same situation as Malic.  

I can't lose Malic, and Malic can't lose me. We both pay the cost, I suppose. 

"Very well, this years, tributes representing District 4, River Daylight, and Silver Nereus!" The announcer shouts into the mic, the ringing of the crowd weakened cheers. 4 is very well known for its split ties between honoring the district with sacrifice and not wanting their kids to fall into the system. Right off the bat, I can tell River is one of those girls who truly wants victory, not solely for survival, but for riches and dominance. 

As the announcer nudges our shoulders, causing us to face each other, River gives me this demising glare with a perked smile. I squint my eyebrows at her, confused about why she's viewing me, trying to dominate me...That's not how this is going to work.

We shake hands; she lets go slowly as she waves to the crowd, skipping to the back of the stage. Her brown braid flocked with each skip, holding onto the end of her blue-checkered dress.

The announcer guides River and me to the back of the dock/stage, where a bullet-proof truck awaits us. 

The reason it's bullet-proof? Ask the rebels.