Waves Breaking Over Rocks Part 1

Chapter 1- Annie

Annie

I wake up sweating.

District 4 is always hot and very humid, but I love it. Every day, I go and get shells from the beach by our house, and make them into jewelry. But today is different.

"Cora! Cora, wake up!" I say, shaking my older sister. "We're going to be late to the reaping!"

She wakes, sitting straight up; Coral, or Cora, is always all or nothing about everything. She's very beautiful, with red wavy hair, not like mine, which is not nearly as shiny and manageable. Her eyes, instead of being my aqua green are a warm brown that attracts boys like honey-drawn flies. She is very responsible, taking up all the things mom used to do before she died. She's getting married next month. We're very happy for her, and so is she. She's fanatic about her wedding, picking out dresses and making lists. Her fiancé's name is Spencer, and he's very nice, a bit awkward, and rich.

I hear some yelling coming from downstairs. I recognize it as Arnav. He and Dad come up the stairs and Arnav is crying.

"But what if Annie gets picked?!" Arnav yells as tears flow from his rosy cheeks. I am the only member of my family eligible for the Hunger Games, with Arnav at 7 and Cora at 21. I'm 17.

Arnav has always been worried that I might get picked for the Games. My family and I always tell him it's very unlikely, but as we leave the house, I start getting worried, too.

We arrive at the Town Square, in front of the Justice Building. I can see Garcia, the District 4 escort and the other victors: Mags, a very nice-looking woman around 80, with white curly long hair and a kind smile, Gabriela, a dark-haired twenty-three year-old with tan skin who won using a smart strategy that Mags used: putting poisonous berries in parachutes so tributes would eat them, Triton, a thirty year-old victor with startling sky blue eyes and blonde hair that won using a sword, and, of course, the famous Finnick Odair. He has beautiful golden hair and eyes of the same green as the ocean. He is muscular, but not intimidating, and extremely sexy. Coral had been obsessed with him from when she was 10 to 17. He just seems arrogant and selfish to me.

Garcia clears her voice on the microphone and I get more nervous. I tell myself that's crazy, that the odds are in my favor.

"Welcome, welcome. To the 70th annual Hunger Games, where we choose, one fortunate man and woman, to compete in this luxury event! Now we will choose our two tributes. As usual: ladies first!" She walks over to the glass urn, sashaying with her blue dress. She picks up a paper and clears her throat. "Annie Cresta!"

Everyone turns to me, but I don't see them. My feet move before I can register the fact that I am going to die. Tears are flowing down my face and I want to crawl in a hole and die. I get up on the stage, next to Garcia and look around me, but I can't register any sound.

Finnick Odair doesn't look as arrogant now, only sad and regretful, Mags looks like it, too. The other victors look fine with my situation.

I look at the ocean one more time, where I grew up; my home. Then I feel a hand on my back, pushing me and whoever is the other tribute into the Justice Building.

Inside, I am out into a room where my family is supposed to meet me. They have three minutes to say goodbye.

Cora comes in to first, her eyes dry. Coral never cries, not ever.

"Annie, be brave, be strong. Listen Annie! Try to win!" Cora says, shaking me. She gives me a hug that lasts the remaining two minutes. Then the door opens and the Peacekeepers take her away.

Arnav crashes into me, almost knocking me off my chair, giving me a big hug. Arnav has always been the sweetest of his age. He loves playing with mini-figures, unlike the other boys, who play that they are in the Hunger Games. He wants to be a lifeguard when he grows up so he can rescue any stray whales or fish. Cora says he's sort of like me. She thinks I am too soft, too nice, for a seventeen-year old girl. I think so too, but I wouldn't change me, except to maybe take away my freckles.