Countdown

01

Today is the day, the day where they draw the names. One boy, one girl. My mother walks in and hands me a dress, she tells me I won't get picked and that I will back in home in time for supper. "mom if I don't come back, you have to take care of Phoebe. You can't just back away like when dad left." Dad left us when I was 10 and Phoebe was 7, I was the one doing dishes, laundry, while my mother sat in her room and cried.

"Ok." she picked up my laundry and walked out.

My dress is simple and old. A grey tank top dress with a shaw to keep me warm. I start the bath water and walk back into my room. I walk up to the only picture that I have of my dad and pick it up, softly petting it and wishing my father were here.

I hear footsteps and my little sister, Phoebe, walks in. She is 14. She is too young. She crawls into my bed and starts to cry. "hey hey it's okay. it's okay." I wonder why I should even bother lying to her when she already knows the truth. "I-I'm not crying because I'm scared Charlie! I'm crying because I know that if I get picked, you will volunteer for me!" 

"Phoebe you know I have to, I can't let you compete, now go put on your skirt and get ready for the reaping." I shove her out the door.

I step into the soothing bath water and forget what is about to happen today.

 I slip on the dress and braid my hair. My dress feels uncomfortable, already I miss the feel of my khaki's.

All the Sectors do it, all of them compete. They choose ages 13-18 so that means I have survived 3 years without playing. I am 16 years old, I have brunette hair that reaches to my mid back. I am 5'10" and my weapon of choice is a bow and arrow.

"You look lovely, sweetie" I hear my mother say "And you look gorgeous!" she says messing up Phoebes hair. "Now go on, you don't want to be late."

"Hey look it's Jeremy." Phoebe says yanking on my dress.

I see Jeremy hasn't changed, he's over there being crowded by girls acting like he loves the attention. I know the secret, though. Jeremy hates attention. Ever since he was little he has always hated attention. Our eyes meet and he gives me a sort of, head nod. I never did end up thanking him for giving our family the left over bread and cakes, but he knew how thankful I was.

We redirect our attention to the long line of people waiting for their finger to be pricked. Next to me, Phoebe starts to shake. "Phoebe you have to let them prick your finger, okay?" I say as I stroke her hair. "But Charlie, it hurts." she starts to sniffle. "I know it hurts but it will be over in a minute." 

After our fingers are pricked I get shoved to the other side of the arena shaped area and I can't find Phoebe. As I search the sea of faces I hear the beginning of last years games play on the projector screen. I need to find Phoebe, she shouldn't see this.

I spot Phoebe standing with Jeremy's younger brother, Cedric. Phoebe has her hands over her eyes and Cedric is trying to comfort her.

Bessie walks out. They stop the video recording and the arena is dead silent.

"Good evening ladies and gentleman!" she waits a second. "Welcome to the 73 annual Countdown Games!" no one claps, no ones speaks. "Okay then, lets get started shall we?" she walks to the bowl on her left she takes her flamingo painted nails. "Girls first." her hand reaches in the bowl and she slowly takes out the tiny envelope and opens it. She clears her throat "The girl who will be leading the Countdown games is... Phoebe Ruth Dunbar!"

No. No. No. I push the peace keepers out of my way to try and run towards Phoebe who is still standing there in shock. "Come on now dear." Bessie says motioning her with her hands.

Phoebe yells my name, "Charlie! Charlie!" I shove the peace keepers onto the ground and scream as young as I can. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" I say running and hugging Phoebe.

"Ooh, a volunteer. What's your name sweetie?"

"Charlie."

"Well come up here Charlie."

I walk up there and see my mother in the background crying and Phoebe is there screaming at me to stop.

"Now for the boys." she walks to the jar on her right and reaches in to pull out an envelope.

I can hardly breathe as she reads off the name of the person I have to compete against.

"Jeremy Mallarck."

Jeremy looks very shocked and the girls that are surrounding him start to cry. He walks towards the stage. "Now shake hands." Bessie says.

I look at Jeremy and think one thing, I'm going to do whatever I can to keep Jeremy alive. We shake hands. "Here are our competitors for the 72nd annual Countdown Games!"

Everyone starts clapping, I don't know if it's because they didn't get chosen or if it's because they think we have a chance at winning. 

We are taken off the stage and to our homes to pack up. Bessie talks about how exciting this will be and how the next 3 days we will be treated like kings and queens.