Dusk Above the Tribute

Chapter 1

Happy 93rd Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor. Both sides of my pillow stay warm. My brother asleep soundly in his single bed next to me. He's a 2 years older than I am, him being 18. His name is in the bowl 7 times. 18 years ago, the son of 2 victors was born. His name is Caspian Odair. 2 years ago, he was chosen for the 91st Hunger Games. No volunteers, which was surprising.

I hear my brother struggling to stay asleep. He's both tossing and turning. Finally, his eyes open in a scared, wide manner.

"Dylan, are you okay?" I ask slowly, reaching for the glass of water beside my bed.

"Yeah, sorry. It's just that it's reaping day tomorrow. I'm just a bit nervous." He answers in a deep rugged tone.

"May the odds be ever in your favor." I say, mimicking a Capitol citizen.

He groans. "The odds are never in our favor, Cora." Which I find oddly true.

Morning calls sooner than I expected. The water of my shower seemed to burn more than usual. I pick out a semi-presentable green dress and lay it on my bed. I let my hair loose. I like the freeing feeling of it brushing against my neck.

I put the dress on as the two gongs sound, marking the beginning of the reaping. I rush out the door alongside Dylan.

"Excited?" He asks.

"Never in a million years will I ever be excited for the Hunger Games." I reply, hitting his shoulder playfully. We both get our blood drawn and now we have to separate from each other, as I head to the girls side.
"Love you, I'll see you in a few." I say before heading off.

"Love you too. See you, Cora." He replies.

I'm stood next to two girls I've never seen before. One is trembling and fidgeting with a ring she's wearing. The other is breathing deeply, trying to stay calm. It's working. I'm not worried, though. I'm confident that I won't get chosen and I will be back home with Dylan and my father eating a celebratory meal on how Dylan survived all his reapings without getting chosen. Celestia Luxe steps on stage slowly, a deck of flash cards in her hands presumably containing a script on what to say. Celestia is new. She's a new escort for our district.

She explains to us how she will show us a video clip sent to us directly from the Capitol. Same as every year. When the video finishes, she checks her flash cards one last time before placing them on the floor next to her, abandoning them.

"Well then. Let's begin." She says loudly. "First, the girls."

Dylan looks over at me and nods, saying how he's confident that it won't be me. That I'll make it out another year. I smile back. Celestia's pasty hand reaches into the bowl. She scavenges around for a hot second, making sure she picks the perfect one. She clears her throat before removing the tape off of the slip of paper, slowly unfolding it. She changes her stance and steps closer to the microphone.

"Cora Lashh!" She announces. It sounds as if her voice is booming over every speaker in the world, how loud she is. But it all drowns out when I realize that it was me she spoke of. Petrified, I turn to Dylan, who's bug-eyed and on the verge of tears. Slowly I walk up to the stage, securing the fabric bow on the side of my hip. There, I see Annie Cresta and Caspian. Standing hand in hand.

"Cora, I assume?" Celestia asks. When I don't answer, she continues on. "Great... And onto the boys."

She yells out the name of the boy who went out of his way to be mean to me throughout middle school. Flynn Wayve. He walks up quicker than I did, seeming to be proud and confident.

"And Flynn." Celestia says. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor."