The Fisherman's Girl

The Reaping

Finnick's POV:

It's the Reaping Day for the kids. Annie and I find the Reaping barbaric. Kids don't deserve this. President Snow is insane. The Hunger Games need to end. We only go out as mentors. It sucks to know we've not had any victors for almost 10 years. Annie and I have been mentors for 4 and 9 years in a row.

I pull on my nicest outfit. A black suit with a bright blue tie. All Capitol made clothing. I walk into the dining room and wait for Annie. When she comes down, she's wearing a short black dress with bright blue heels and sea green jewelry. "Annie. You look amazing!" I twirl her around. Her bouncy curls fall perfectly. She smiles, "Finnick. We'll be back on that train with Izzie in a few hours. Different year, different tributes, same train."

When it's time for the Reaping, a squad of Peacekeepers come to escort us. I grab Annie's hand and squeeze it. As we walk onto the makeshift stage, Izzie walks out of the Justice Building. "Finnick Odair! Annie Cresta! My two favorite mentors! Come, come! It's been quite a year!" She walks to us and engulfs us each in a hug. Her bright purple curls bounce as she turns around and walks toward the Justice Building. Annie and I proceed behind her. She disappears inside and we sit on the chairs.

Soon the kids start coming. They check in and file in carefully according to gender, girls on the left and boys on the right. I remember the year I was Reaped. I was 14. Izzie called my name. Mags, who was the female mentor, jumped up and ran over to Izzie. She checked the paper and nodded to me. I slowly walked to the stage. Mags attacked me with a hug. My district mate was Reaped before me. I knew she wouldn't last long. She was a tiny 12 year old. During training she worked her butt off. She only got a 4 when the Game Makers saw what she could do. I got an 11. On the morning of the Games, I walked in her room and saw her sleeping. I called her name like 5 times. She didn't wake. I walked over to her bed and tapped her. She was cold. I yelled for Mags and Preston, my mentor. They ran in the room, along with Izzie. Preston, who was a medic at home, checked her. Mags and I went to the dining room while Preston and Izzie stayed with Katie, my district mate. While Mags and I were eating, Izzie ran to the elevator. She came back up with a couple men and women. President Snow and Seneca Crane, the Head Game Maker, were with them. Eventually they evacuated the apartment. Preston, Izzie, Mags, Snow, Crane, and I went to the President's mansion. Preston hardly said two words while we were there. When we were back at the Tribute Center, Preston explained what happened. Katie had committed suicide because she knew she didn't stand a chance. Most of the tributes were much older. She had been overdosing on her daily pills for days. The Games went on as usual, even though 4 was missing a tribute. I killed more than half of the tributes. The Careers almost killed me. It was a pack of burly 18 year olds who were ready to kill. I almost lost my arm during a fight against them. Luckily the sponsors helped keep me going. I won and carried out the legacy Mags had.

Eventually it's time for the Reaping. Izzie welcomes everyone, we watch the video, and start the Reaping. "The female tribute from District Four for the 74th Hunger Games is... Maisy Cresta!" Izzie smiles. Annie screams as the young, dark-haired child walks toward the stage. Annie gets up and runs to her. I freeze. She's Annie's little sister. The Peacekeepers surrounding Maisy point their guns at Annie. "Annie!" I run to her side. Now the guns are on me. Four of the eight lower their guns and grab our arms. Annie goes rabid. I relax as I'm injected with something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Morphling. Annie calms down when she is injected with it. The Peacekeepers take us back to the stage. I relax in my chair. Maisy comes on stage and stands by Izzie. "The male tribute for the 74th Hunger Games from District Four is... Jax Dennison!" A child in the front row steps forward. "I volunteer as tribute!" Jax must be his brother. An older kid runs to the front, "Evan no. You can't. You've seen it on the TV." Evan sighs, "You have your daughter coming. You can't leave Jenni alone with your child. She needs a dad more than an uncle. I volunteer as tribute!" Evan walks up on stage. "My name is Evan Dennison." He says into the mic. Maisy shakes his hand. "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!" Izzie says. I get up slowly. I feel like I'm having the worst hangover ever. Annie gets up, and almost falls. Her sister supports her.

I wince as we get into the small car to take us to the train station. Annie squeezes my hand.

Annie's POV:

I grab Finnick's hand. I can't believe Maisy was Reaped. It was all a part of Snow's plan. She leaning on me. Evan is avoiding Finnick. I wish Maisy wasn't here though. I hardly made it through my games. Maisy's only 15. But she can be lethal. She's dangerous at times. I believe she will last. At least a few days. Izzie won't shut up. As we pull into the train station, I groan, "Izzie! Shut up!"

Finnick grins and starts laughing. Izzie looks at me with digust, "Manners, Annie!!" She gets out of the car. The Peacekeepers basically pull the rest of us out. I groan. They treat us like vermin. As we board the train, I grab Finnick for support. He puts his arm around my waist. Evan and Maisy are right behind Izzie. We walk to the dining car, which is Finnick's favorite car on the whole train. I sit in the squishy chair on my left. I sink into it, relaxing. Finnick sinks in the chair on my left, Izzie on my right, Maisy across from me and Evan across from Finnick.

"How do we survive?" Evan says bluntly. "Get people to like you. You'll easily get sponsors that way. The Capitol people will find you adorable, Evan. You volunteered for your older brother. Maisy. Annie Cresta's sister. They love siblings. They'll eat both of you guys up," Finnick says. I nod. Izzie grins, "Evan. Maisy. Children eat. Please. It's all for us!" Maisy shakes her head. Evan gets up and goes to the table. "Izzie. Do you have any painkillers? I feel like I'm suffering a hangover!" I hold my head. She runs out of the room, heels clicking on the wooden floor.

Eventually, Izzie returns, "Go to the medical car. You know where it is. Finnick, go too. You are so pale." Finnick and I get up. I grab his hand. We walk down the train. Eventually we get there. A couple nurses have the beds ready. They take Finnick to a different bed. I lay on my bed. I hear struggling to my left. "Ann....," the struggling stops. "Finnick! FINNICK!" I scream. Suddenly I relax and fall asleep.

Finnick's POV:

When I stir, my body aches. I'm attached to a morphling drip. My arm stings. "Finnick. We are almost to the Capitol. I'm going to have to remove the morphling drip. You'll need to get off with the tributes. Annie too," a familiar voice says. "Preston? Is that you?" I ask. The man nods. He removes the needle from my arm. "Those clothes are for you to wear at the train station. Izzie brought them down here. Go put them on," Preston says. As Preston leaves, I look at the outfit. It's extravagant. Sequins, sparkles, glitter, fur, the whole nine yards. I pull the pieces on carefully. The shirt is bedazzled with blue and green sparkles. The jacket is black fur coated with glitter. The pants are covered with sequins. The shoes are sea green and heeled. Just a small heel but they won't work. I put my dress shoes on instead. I look in a mirror. This outfit won't work. I'm not wearing it. There's no way I'm wearing this. I change back into my outfit.

I turn around and see Annie. She's wearing her original outfit, "Izzie will never make me wear that outfit. It's like we are Capitol folk! I'm not going to become one, Finnick! I can't!" I hug her, "Annie. Calm down, love. I won't either. I promise. Do you wanna walk with me to the dining car? We are almost there." She nods and we work our way to the dining car.

Izzie, Evan and Maisy are eating at the table in the middle of the car. Maisy gets up and hugs Annie. Annie hugs her. "Annie! Finnick! Where are your outfits? I told Preston to give them to you!" Izzie shrieks. "We won't wear them Izzie," I say firmly. Izzie doesn't try to change our minds. Annie comes back over to me as Maisy and Evan go over to the window.

We are ready to start the 74th Hunger Games.

***************************************************************
Hey everyone! The picture is Annie's outfit!!! I hope you enjoyed this! If you did, please consider voting, commenting and following! Stay nerdy!

♡G♡