The 250th Hunger Games.

Chapter 5.

Was that my name he just called? I doubt it- considering I only had 8 slips of paper with my name written on it out of thousands... But why is everyone staring at me? Is it someone behind me and I'm just facing the wrong way? Maybe. I turn round, expecting to see other people facing towards the back also, but much to my impasse all I see are sorry faces looking back at me.

"Ember Miller? Don't be afraid, darling. Come on up now", Roj calls from the stage.

He emphasizes "darling" very obviously and I can't tell whether he's being sarcastic or it's just that pesky Capitol accent. Everyone in the vicinity of me forms a circle that creates a considerable sized gap between them and me and I truly believe, that like Benjamin, I am diseased with bad luck. I focus my eyes and slowly look around to observe the people that I once was on the same page with, but now the separate novel I have just been plonked in is shared alongside all the people I will at least have to consider to be murder. To take away their lives and their families. I remember Demetrius earlier and his guilty outburst. This time next year that could be me. If I do manage to miraculously survive, that is.

I feel the people behind me give me a strong shove and I have to step into the large, empty space that separates the boys from the girls to stop me from falling over and making even more of a fool of myself. I may have already decreased my chances of survival by freezing up in front of the cameras that I now conveniently notice surrounds the centre, cornering me into an arena where I have no choice but to be sent to my death... No. I'm not going to let the Capitol decide how my life ends. I don't want to die in an area where everyone will celebrate that i'm one less to kill. I am going to beat the system, break this endless cycle once and for all; I have no idea how but I will. But first, I come to the realization that need to salvage as much of a good impression as I can get.

I look up at Roj and meet his eye as I stride down the open path to the stage. My sudden revelation to move seems to have surprised people as the girls and boys in my peripheral vision look at me with inquisitive expressions- or is it admiration? I don't care, I don't need to be admired, I need to survive. As I climb the stone steps that connect with the platform, I decide that i'm not going to survive because I want to, I'm going to survive because I need to- and not just for myself. For the whole of Panem. If I can change the perception of the Games in the Capitol, I may just save the lives of many in the future and I consider that this is my purpose. My vocation. Because once I get up on that stage and face the whole of District 5, my whole being is consumed with a mix feelings, including peace and adrenaline, knowing that I could be the one to make a change and impact so many lives. This is the reason why I walk directly towards Roj, grab his microphone, look straight into the camera in front of me and tell them, "I will not disappoint you Panem. And that's a promise."

I survey the people in front of me, making a pledge that I will succeed. Then, I let go of the mic and escort myself in the direction of the Justice building. But before I'm fully inside, I notice the Mayor smiling at me in the corner of my eye; like that's what he expected me to do, what he expected me to say. But I can't be sure as i'm quickly grabbed by peacekeepers and whisked inside, the door slamming rigidly shut behind me.

Hello guys, I've decided to keep this chapter short and sweet considering the last chapters have been pretty long so ~Enjoy~ The next few chapters will definiately give a lot away in terms of where the story line is heading, so stay tuned! Many thanks for all of the reads and votes! ~K_caffyn (: