Aloe Mellark: The Hunger Games Epilogue

Chapter 9:

Rye looks at me, his small grey eyes reflecting the sky's color. I manage to smile, despite my feelings. I look at the stage as President Paylor sits in a chair off to the side of the stage talking to a young man in a white uniform. Effie is here and is talking with a couple of news reporters. She checks her watch and starts towards the podium. She's wearing her hair in a braid down her back and ends at her lower back. I know it's just a wig, but it looks so real it's scary. Her makeup is decent. She's not wearing scary green and orange colors and wearing a purple dress. Instead, she wears a beautiful peach colored sundress that has little birds all over it. Her knee high boots have a cute strap and laces. I must admit, Effie looks amazing!
"Good morning, District 12!" She cheers into the microphone. I smile at her constant giddyness. She talks about the rebellion that my parents were in and the dark days. I feel my stomach flip as she mentions the death of Snow and Coin. So many died to stop this, yet here we are. Planning to kill each other again.
She says that she's going to announce the Victor tribute first and heads in the direction of the bowl with 2 slips in it. She plucks a piece of paper from the jar and heads back to the podium.
"Happy hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor." She looks right at me and gives me a sad smile. She unfolds the paper and reads it aloud.
"Rye Mellark." My heart skips a beat, but why? I knew this would happen. Just the sound of his name is enough to shock everyone. My bother is pretty popular with the town folk. Him and dad would go to Hob to trade with him. Greasy Sae would always give a little extra for little Rye, even though we have tons.
I feel my hand get dropped, and see Rye walk slowly forward to the stage.
"Rye!" I scream. "Rye! No! No!" I push through the crowd and find my way to Rye and push him behind me. There's no way they can take him, not with me around anyways. I stand tall and puff out my chest to look bigger.
"I volunteer as tribute!" The crowd has gone silent. I stare at Effie and catch a hint of a tear falling. Before anyone can notice, she wipes at it and continues speaking. Less cheery and more saddened.
"Sweetheart, you can't." She holds her composure and stares back.
"Why not!" I snap, stepping forward, Rye still behind me.
"You can't volenteer for him becouse.... well..." She stops for a second as if in thought "Your a girl. You can't volenteer unless it's for the same gender. I'm sorry." I shake my head, dumbfounded.
So I can't save him. The only people who would volunteer are over the age limit. A voice breaks my silence.
"Well, then I volunteer for little Rye then." I turn to the source and find Gale standing in a row with the adults. Gale? My brain has forgotten how to tell my body to breathe, and have been holding my breath. I decide breathing is mote important. Gale walk forward and takes a stand next to Effie, and when she walks over to the female bowl, she reaches in and pulls a slip of paper and walks back to the podium.
"The luck female tribute is..." I hold my breath again, even though my chances of being picked are very, very slim, but there's still a chance. I cross my fingers and wait for her to say the name.
"Aloe Mellark."
All I remember is hearing my name and the earth falling rushing towards me.