The Odds Are Not In our Favor

Chapter 2

"How much longer" I quickly asked.

My brother looked at me, and rolled his eyes.

By now we have arrived in the town square. All around us were stores and restaurants covered in colors of green and blue. As we walked through the square, people began to say hello and greet us by name.

They offered us free food and clothes.

"Hi, Tali! " I turned and looked to see Florins right behind me.

He owned a local seafood restaurant. Florins and my father have been friends ever since third or fourth grade. I think..

"Hey Florins," My brother and I say in unicent, freaky.

"Like two peas in a pod," Florins commented.

How has the fishing buisness been?" my brother asked. For the next couple of minutes they talked about fishing and how the tides change and a bunch of other things that I really didn't understand. To be honest, I prefered eating the fish over catching them. When my brother and I were younger, my father took us out boating. My brother is a fishing prodigy....I am the exact opposite. It became so bad, I just chose to swim while my brother and father went fishing. After 'we' would go fishing, we bring back the fish and cut them. Gross does not begin to describe it.

"I wish the best of luck to you two," Florin commented.

"By chance do you know what time it is," I quickly asked.

"About 11:40" He replied.

We had to be signed in and filed my age and sex by 12:00.

"What a shame," I said while trying not to laugh. "It looks like we do not have enough time to go to Rogers," I sarcasticaly added while pretending to shed a single tear.

"Two trout please," I turned around to see a squeeky voice behind me. It was a little girl, no older than 12.

She paid for two fish, and Florin gave her three. This was common on the reaping day. It was a common tradition is district 4. It is one of my favorites.

We bid our farewells to Florin, and we headed on our way. We arrived to the square. We seperate, and get in line to sign in.

I feel people's eyes lockonto me. I would turn around, and they would look somewhere else.

It has always shocked me at how different we all are. I look around to see people from different walks of life. There are the children's whose parents are fish canners, there are the children with sailor parents (the most common), then there were the children who had ship captains and victors as parents. The ones who never worry about where their next meal will come from.

"Name? " said the officer with a clipboard.

"Tilapia Sorin," I sterbly replied.

I surrender my hand to the officer, and he prics my finger. It hurts, but I have felt worse. I then walked over towards my section. A few moments later the ceremony began.

"Happy Hunger Games!!" said Ferosa Bilona. She is basicaly the escort for the tributes. This is her fourth year as escort.

There was some cheering, but not as much as districts 1 and 2. I have never understood the cheering; I find it stupid. Yay!!! We are sending loved family members into an arena and die!!! I just don't get it. 

Ferosa then began the regular speach. She talks about why we have the hunger games. After a few minjtes of speaking she then directs our attention to a video that describes what had happened to district 13.

Halfway through the video, Ibegan to look for familiar eyes. I was basicaly surrounded by strangers.My mother had wanted my brother and I the finest schooling. I quickly found Shaun's eyes who were staring right at me. We talked in silence for a few minutes by using our hands or by moving our lips.

"Wasn't that just lovely !" Ferosa gladly cheered.

"Now, let's begin. Ladies first," she commented while doing an overly exagerated hair flip.

She sticks her hand into the giant glass bowl, and she twirled her hand around inside it. Lightly touching every piece of paper she touched.  I knew that someone would voulunteer this year. At the school there are classes that can teach you how to fight and self defense stuff. The girl everyone expecter to voulenteer was Shoap. I have heard rumors that even the teachers told her that she should voulenteer.

Ferosa finaly grabbs a piece of paper and slowly open it. I felt that at any moment my heart was about to burst and fly out of my chest.

"Tilapia Sorin," she cheerfuly stated. My heart stopped. Everyone around me began to step away from me as if I was diseased.

I started heading towards the stage, waiting for someone to say 'I voulenteer', but that never came. As I stepped onto the wooden stage it began to creek. You could hear a pin drop. If I was in district 12, I would have thought nothing of it. In 4 we cheer for the tribute. At least they did.

"Any voulenteers? " Ferosa asked.

I waited for a voice that would never come.

"This is so exciting! " Ferosa commented to kill the silence.

"Now for the gentlemen," she squeeled.

I looked into the crowd, and I found my brother's eyes. I began to fight back the tears. How could this get any worse?  That question would soon be answered.

Ferosa grabed the next paper, and began to read it aloud.

"Gus Sorin," she said. No. No. No. No. What are the odds. My brother began to walk up the steps, and that is when I cought Shaun's gentle eyes.

I began to shake my head.

I knew what he was thinking,

"I will volenteer, so Tila wil not have to kill her brother."

"Any voulenteers? " Ferosa asked.

At that second my heart stopped.