The Children on Fire

Chapter 3: I Insult the Capitol. In public.

       Eunia Cronin is the most screwed-up woman I've ever met. Everyone knows that people from the Captiol dressed in the most absurd clothing ever, wore a comical amount of makeup, and spoke in the silliest accents ever. The Capitol people have always been our allies, but now I couldn't help but hate them.  They were the enemies that I thought only existed in stories. My stomach started to turn as she spoke, about the Capitol, about District 12, about how Panem was formed. About how the Dark Days existed. And most recently, when my parents defeated the Capitol. But they reminded us that they were older now. We had no savior. This was our life now. My heart stopped cold when she smiled a childish smile and said,

"Ladies first." In her stupid, ridiculous Capitol accent. She reached into her glass bowl with thousands of names in it. 5 have my name on it. I was not going to be reaped. I looked over to my mom, who mouthed the words to me:

"It's not going to be you." I wanted to scream. To escape. To run.

"Hope Hawthorne," Eunia announced cheerfully. My heart stopped together. I searched the crowd for Uncle Gale. And I saw his face. He was going to lose another child. He lost Lily. He was going to lose Hope. She was going to the Hunger Games. I watch in horror as Hope walks up to the stage, terrified. I finally find my voice and shout.

"I VOLUNTEER AS A TRIBUTE!" I scream at the top of my lungs. A hush falls over the crowd. I saw my mom's face. It looked like she was going to cry.

"Oh! We have a volunteer!" Eunia said, delighted. I realized that I was giving the Capitol exactly what they had wanted. Juicy drama. Perfect for gossip. So they could blab their silly looking-and-sounding mouths off. I push my way out of the group of girls my age and take the stage.

"I volunteer for Hope Hawthorne," I say, loud and clearly. My mom looked like she was going to go insane. Someone had to take her away. My dad didn't look any better.

"What is your name, miss?" Eunia asked, smiling. She looked like a clown.

"Willow Mellark," I say. A hush falls over the crowd as I announce my name.

"Your parents are Katniss and Peeta Mellark?" Eunice asks with joy. I nod, clenching my fists. "You really do take after your mother! What relation do you have to Hope?" Eunia asked. 

"She's like my sister. I'd do anything for her. I'm here to protect her, even if that means me dying. You are the ones who killed her sister," I say as bravely as possible. Eunia looked shocked. My parents started to break down as Peacekeepers took them away. I wanted to... hurt them. How dare they handle my parents like that? I didn't even recognize my own toughts as mine. I heard Peacekeepers load their guns. This was the end for me. I'd insulted the Capitol in front of them. Instead Eunia waved her hands and the Peacekeepers lowered their guns away from me. What was she doing?

"Well then!" She said, giggling as Peacekeepers escorted Hope off of the stage. She started to cry. "How about the gentlemen?" Eunia asked, digging her hand into the bowl. She pulled a piece of paper and read from it.

"Not Rye," I whisper so quietly that no one could hear me.

"Hunter Galloway!" Eunia exclaims cheerfully. Hunter stood up from the crowd. I knew him from school. He had light blonde hair, like my brother, and clear blue eyes. He obviously came from the better parts of District 12 that were left. He walked sadly up to the stage and joined me and Eunia. He looked very pale and sick to his stomach. I didn't blame him. He knew that we weren't going to get out alive. Nobody in District 12 ever won. My parents were lucky. There was one victor many years ago who won. And there was the drunk man that my parents had a connection to, but I have never met him personally. My parents said that we weren't allowed to meet him, as drunk as he was. Eunia concluded her speech with her stupid accent that everyone hated so much. It was time for the goodbyes.