The Arena

Chapter 2 - The Songbird

Two

The Songbird

The classes urgently suspended. Our names are already registered after that very announcement from our previous records. So all young relatives of victors just entering and not yet in the age restriction, including Asha were need to register immediately. And all I waiting for is who will be called. It is exactly one when a swarm of thousand constituents of district 13 gathers around the uncovered amphitheater.

 There were fifteen of us. From the bloodline of Angelus Vocabrix, the 57th Games victor, his son, Cruiser, a forty-one-year-old miner together with his seventeen-year-old twins, Tycho and Taejo. Nivea Hungens’ daughters, the victor of 66th Games, Airai, 25; Vea, 22; and Raven, 13. A victor, who clutched the 71st Games, Henson Voyager, includes his family. Raina, his only daughter, 36; with her children, Voicen, 13; Vixen, 20; Voltar, 19; and Vivienne, 11. And her brothers, Reveric, 34; and Romenik, 27. And of course Asha, 12 and me, 24.

From a newly painted, chocolate brown door, a woman dressed in a fabulous, annoying, silver-and-gold dress with a huge feathery headdress named Bijoux welcomes the people and the officials with her overwhelming speech. A short film played and after a while, she now begins the program. “Good day everyone!  Today, you will witness the official announcement of our centennial tributes, which will be reaped from the bloodline of victors.” I took a deep breath as I expect what she will say next. “As we usually do, LADIES FIRST…” She twirls around the bowl with her gloved hands and grab a single folded strip of yellow paper, raised it in the air, and she opens it while she was going into the front of the microphone.

We all take a deep breath and Bijoux hold her breath for a second. “The first centennial female tribute of district 13 is…” she opens the last unopened flap of the yellow paper, my heart jumps as high as the tension rises the atmosphere of the amphitheater, I look at every faces of the other female nominees and everyone of them shows the darkest agony I ever saw except Asha. Asha didn’t show any fear on her face, unlike me, my nervousness almost kill me. “…is from the bloodline of…” I love the way how Bijoux make the announcement more suspense. “…from the bloodline of Aiko Frankencense, the victor of the most recent quarters, the 3rd quarters, celebrating the Diamond year of the Games.” WHAT? IT’S MOM’S NAME!  I shock! My probability gets even tighter to be a tribute. I have the probability to be safe, but my sister would be harm if I am not been reaped. Therefore, if ever I was not the name to be announced, of course, I volunteer. Asha was still so young to get into the Arena with 29 tributes you will fight for your life. “Asha Frankencense…” I was startled. A gush of tears fell from my eyes, paving its way to my cheeks. We never talk to each other that very moment. Instead, we just stare each other and that’s the time that she just realize that we will be separated because it’s either one of us will be a tribute and so as mine, she cried solemnly and since her name was called, she stops crying, showing to me that she’s already grown up to be brave.

“…say goodbye… to your sister…because she will be the centennial tribute of district 13! Sumner Frankencense…”

I relief myself from nervousness, I know that my sister was now in safe. She cries and screams my name as the peacekeepers brought her down the stage and bring her to my best friend, Oleander. She interviews me about my age and what I was doing. I replied senselessly and she announced “It is the gentlemen’s’ time! Good luck!” She get a green strip, same way how she did on the yellow one.

“Without formal announcement and further ado, from the bloodline of Henson Voyager, the victor of 61st Games by hiding and using deadly traps, and that’s you, Romenik Voyager,  the male centennial tribute! Let’s give them both a round of applause. Here are our centennial tributes, Sumner Frankencense and Romenik Voyager.” We shrink down from the podium where we stand down to the last visit room and I still hear Bijoux say as I shrink down. “Again, Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor…”

That songbird, it’s song let me hallucinated that time. I repeatedly heard Asha’s scream synchronized with Bijoux’ horrifying, mellow voice to have the farewell remarks. It’s harmony, let me have my first nightmare, while I’m wide awake.