Survive

Chapter 2

Lively POV

This is utterly stupid. The son of the President came to threaten our family just minutes ago. How interestingly dumb.

Mum isn't talking at all. She told me only two words before she went up to her room. You can still hear her sobbing from the living room. The atmosphere is silent, quiet, and Dad pulls me away.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, just remember that we are here. Alright?" He mutters in a soft tone. Victor just stands behind, stiff as ever, and says,

"Dad. Lively, if tomorrow she's reaped...... She's never even been in the woods. She'll......"

"Victor, I'm as afraid as any of you." Dad trembles and I can feel him actually shake. He's actually scared. I can't say the same. He would probably have never expected to be reaped, being rooted in the Capitol for his whole life, watching this barbaric Games.

"Here, Lively. Take this." Dad passes over a locket, and I can still smell the strawberry perfume saturated with it. Dad claps it around my neck, while I can still hear his grief, he says,

"It was hers. You know."

I know what he was talking about. It's my Aunt, Carmen's. She was in the Games, and from Mum and Dad's victory, you should know the end result of her. I've never seen her picture, but Victor rumours that one of the photos standing on the mantel, looking at me with piercing eyes, is her. She loved strawberries, and that where everything started to change.

Mum once said that if I had gotten her grey eyes, I would have been the splitting image of her twin sister. I couldn't get more scared, however, I developed Mum's soft, gentle smile, and Dad's calm attitude. Mum called her reckless and impulsive, but had the best survival instincts in the family. The only good thing I could pick up from her, I didn't. I regret all of that.

"Lively, promise me one thing. If you get reaped, you at least try to come back, alright?" Dad says and I nod. If I die, I don't know what would happen to my family.

"Lively, I promise if you and I get reaped, one of us will go home. And it's definitely not me." Victor proclaims as I hug him. I look at the pictures on the mantel for a brief second and meet her eyes. Her eyes. She almost tells me that it's okay.

"Alright, run up. Dad will fight all the monsters for you today. But tomorrow, it's all up to fate."

Just then, the television flickers with light, and Katniss calls us over. It's the President.

"To all citizens of Panem, I welcome you. Tomorrow is a very important day for all of you, and you know why. It's Reaping Day! However, we have a special surprise tomorrow, and it is that to remind us that 118 rebels were executed after the war, we commemorate this Games with a twist you will not forget. To remind Victors that no matter what position you are, your children are in danger in rebellion, war even; that even as the strongest among 24, or even as a strong fighter, your children will have the same percentage of survival in war even as a fallen tribute's child. To remember that, we request the reaping to be surrounded over it, and the tributes are to be reaped in the pool of Victors' Children. Any volunteers should be either a fellow victor's children, or at least vaguely related to the tribute, and that is the only change in rules. Have a good night." He almost threatens with a calm tone before the broadcast is cut off.

"Dad, we're going in. It wouldn't be you."I coldly mutter, with my eyes trailing the ground, letting the realization sink in. I'm about to die. I'm about to go into these Games, with no prior knowledge on how to even use a weapon, and die. Yes. I'm going to die.

"Lively, all I want to tell you is...that you deserve to live more than me. I swear to God I will protect you, and if it comes down to both of us, I will do a needed sacrifice. For both of us." Victor vows. A tear drips down my cheek and all I can yelp out is two words;