The soot in the air and the ashes that fall upon district twelve coated the ground and were layered upon everyone's hair. No one's face was set up in a smile and everyone's stance is stiff and serious. Nothing about this day was good and happy. To be honest no day was. This day was special though .Unique and thrilling as the capitol would call it. All I wanted to do was stay out of it and try and pretend I was sick so that I didn't have to attend the reaping. I am sure that everyone would like to but then again everyone knew that it wasn't possible. These peacekeepers were too smart.
My small frame would never ever make it in the arena. That's what everyone thought but no one knew that I trained just as much as the careers. Katniss from the seam had leant me her bow a few years back when she had retired from hunting to train to be a healer like her mother. I had been intrigued by the weapon but the one thing that I had been entranced by even more was the thought of being able to handle the sharp wicked knives. Their sharp edge promised protection and defense and I had always carried one with me. Every kid stayed away from me and flinched every time I got near. I didn't care that much but it still hurt from time to time. My mother said I always had a wicked gleam in my eyes and said that if I were to ever be in the games that I would be ready and could scare any tribute. I don't know how seeing that my small 5'6" male body wouldn't have anything on some of the other male tributes that would be in the games.
My father would always say to me "Dylan you have to have no fear of anything. You just have to let people know that." He had told me that on my very first reaping when I was twelve. Now I am 16 and this was my first reaping without my father who had been executed for hunting in the forests beyond our district fence.
The walk from my house near the bakery that the Mellark family lived in to the Justice building was short and quite quick but it still felt like it stretched on for hours. The tense silence that rang across the street was one filled with nervousness and pure terror. Everyone filed in different sections from age and gender. They pricked my finger wiped my bleeding finger on a napkin and ushered me inside the herd of 16 year olds. No one was here with me; they all stayed home not wanting to see the reaping. Every kid around me was either shaking, sweating, or crying. They were all scared for their life but I had learned that I had to try and keep everyone happy. Each time I did try they would all flinch and walk away from me slowly. The only person that would ever talk to me was Peeta Mellark my next door neighbor who was always there for me when I felt down or if my thoughts ever overwhelmed me. He didn't have a very good family life so when his angry mother got to be too much he would come over and I would comfort him and tell him that I would always be there if he ever needed me. We were always there for each other and he was the only one who saw me for me.
I shook away the pity that I felt for the people next to me and stared across the stage at the drunken mess that was the mentor for District twelve stumble and trip across the stage and to his seat labeled "Derek Hale". The escort Lydia Martin walked across the stage in her 6 inch red heels to the marble podium that rested upon the ruined stage with two glass bowls on each side. Her red lipstick was bright and her unnaturally blood red hair flowed down her back and stopped midway. She oozed sass but a caring personality as well.
Lydia coughed softly into the microphone and smiled widely.
"Welcome District Twelve and May the odds be ever in your favor!" Lydia exclaimed with a cheery voice. Without another word she played a clip from the capitol about the supposed beauty of the Hunger Games, and how it was our entire fault that we had to kill each other and die every year. Or for district twelve just die over and over again.
"As per custom, ladies first!" Lydia said as soon as the clip finished. She walked left to the bowl that held the girls name and reached a manicured hand in grasping a small slip.
Walking back to the podium she slowly read out the name, "Kira Yukimura" An average sized girl that looked as if she was of Chinese descent walked slowly but confidently up to the stage where Lydia was waiting with bright eyes. Once she was standing on the stage, Lydia walked over to the glass bowl that held all the boy's names, the bowl that decided their fate.
"Peeta Melar-"
"I volunteer!" She couldn't even finish his name before I had shouted out. There was no way in hell that Peeta would go through this. He would never have to deal with these wretched games.
"Well it seems as if we have a volunteer!" Lydia shouted into the microphone gleefully. Of course she would be happy there had never been a volunteer in district twelve and I bet she had felt immense pride knowing that she was the first person to get to experience a volunteering in District Twelve.
I walked into the center aisle that led up to the center stage. Two peacekeepers walked side by side with me making sure I got to the stage without any issues. I climbed up the steps and onto the stage only to look out and see everyone with their three fingers raised up in a salute that meant farewell and goodbye. I scanned the crowd of 16 year old boys and I spotted Peeta with tears running down his face and shaking his head no. I just smiled at him sadly and raised my fingers as well kissing them before raising them in the air. I grabbed the microphone from Lydia and spoke.
"Goodbye my district, and goodbye my brother." I spoke with a tone of finality and sadness. Lydia just smiled sadly and motioned for me and Kira to shake hands. I grasped her hand in mine and squeezed it for comfort and for assurance. Once our hands left each other's the Peacekeepers brought us into our rooms. Mine had a velvety colored couch and wooden shelves with small decorations on top. There were paintings of President Snow hung along the walls and I shivered slightly from the calculating gaze that his eyes were shooting at me.
I ran my hands along the material of the couch and I sat down slowly just thinking. Could I make it? Do I even stand a chance? Will I die immediately? I couldn't delve too far into my thoughts when the door opened and Peeta rushed in looking flushed, sad, and downright horrified.
"Why did you do that you idiot!?" Peeta shouted at me alarming me.
"Peeta I am not letting you go into the Games!"
"It's not your choice, Dylan!" By now we were screaming loudly.
"Peeta I could not bear to ever see you in those games." I dulled my voice to a whimper, begging him to let the subject go.
"I feel the exact same Dylan. I don't think I could live through it if I saw you in pain."
"I'm so sorry Peeta" I lunged forward and embraced him around his middle. He sniffled loudly and petted my short dark brown hair.
"Dylan... You have to win, for me, for our district."
"I will, I promise." He didn't say anything just pulled a golden necklace out of his pocket. The necklace had a charm at the bottom. The charm had an infinity sign with a wolf head on top of the sign. It was marvelous
"I wanted to give it to you on your birthday that was coming in a few days but I guess now is better than ever," Peeta whispered to me handing me the beautiful necklace. I clasped it around my neck and it dangled right above my chest. I would always keep it with me and it would never ever leave me until my dying breath.
