THE SIREN'S SONG 𓇼 F. ODAIR

2* | THE MENTOR (REEF'S PERSPECTIVE)

"After my games, I wasn't really there. But when you were reaped, Marv approached me."

"Because of me?" Carolina assumed.

Reef nodded. "He begged me to take care of you."

- the lost daughter

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

"The female tribute for District 4 is Carolina Seymour."

The name nearly flew over Reef Selby's head, just like the names of the tributes do every year.

Never get attached.

It was his one rule. If he didn't get attached, then he wouldn't mourn, or worse, get stuck acting as some sort of father figure for yet another traumatized victor. Marina was enough for him during her time, and Fiona is already a handful enough as it is.

But then a squeal rang through the entire town square, and Reef looked up. It was loud, like a wailing siren, and the boy it was coming from was quickly picked off the ground by his father and hushed.

It was a scene Reef had watched over and over through the years. The begging. The crying. The screaming. And the memory would have been long forgotten, shoved into a box with the other mourning families, if he hadn't recognized the man who was now carrying away the young boy.

Carolina Seymour.

Seymour.

The girl reached the stage, and he could see Marv in all of her features. The way she walked with her head held high. The way she fiddled with her hands nervously. The way she was already looking at the male tribute protectively.

By the time the reaping was over, and the rest of the victors were starting to make their way towards the train, Reef still couldn't wrap his mind around it—around the fact that this girl is little Carol Seymour. The same girl who used to be babysat by him and Althea, who used to try to catch fish with her bare hands in his own back yard.

He knew so much time had passed, but surely it hadn't been that long.

But it had.

Althea had been gone for nearly 10 years, and he hadn't spoken to the Seymours since.

Reef's rule echoed in his mind as he made his way to the station. This year couldn't be different. Not with Fiona turning 11 in less than two years. He couldn't risk anything, not even for his old life.

But it was Marvin. His childhood best friend. The man who had stuck right by his side for years. The man who was walking up to Reef right now, calling out his name.

So Reef stopped, despite himself.

Marvin looked almost shocked to see that Reef was actually giving him his attention and quickened his pace. The years had aged his old friend, and his two children had as well, but he still looked like the same boy he went to school with. Strong and stable Marvin.

Then he opened his mouth, and the man Reef knew so well vanished.

"I just... I just saw Lina," he said with a broken voice. His entire world was shattering around him. "And I– I know we haven't spoken in years, but Reef, that is my little girl."

Reef thought of Fiona—not his daughter, but his sister. He thought of how he reacted when he saw her name get drawn.

"Please," Marvin begged. "I can't watch her go."

"Marv, I don't know what I can–"

"Take care of her," he said, rushing his words out. "I would do the same for you. You know I would."