Panem's Secret - The Hunger Games Fan Fiction

Chapter 3: Saying Goodbye

Me. It's me. Why? Why does it have to be me? I feel dizzy and forget what I'm supposed to do.

"Where are you?" Effie says.

I can't think straight.

"Well, come on up."

The crowd of 12 year olds make a pathway for me, almost like they are eagar for me to go up. They're probably just happy it wasn't them. I don't want to go though. I can't move. I can't.

"Come on!" She squeals, beckoning me with her hand.

I slowly move forward; shuffling through the children. I come to the front of the crowd and whip my head back; searching for Katniss. I see her close to the front of the 16 year olds. She looks to the ground; tears streaming from her face. I plead in my head for her to do something. Anything. To swoop me in her arms and take me away from here. She doesn't look up.

A tear escapes from my eye as I slump up the stairs up onto the stage. Effie puts her hand on my back and pushes me towards the microphone.

"Now, for the boys!" She says.

She walks over to the boys' bowl and picks out a slip and opens it.

"Peeta Mellark."

Who's that? A boy with a white t-shirt and light brown trousers is pointed out in the crowd of 16 year olds. He bewilderdly walks up to the stage. He has slick back blonde hair and blue eyes. I've never seen him before in my life. Effie also brings him to the microphone. He doesn't look at me.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this year's tributes of the 74th annual Hunger Games, Primrose Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!"

The crowd doesn't cheer. Effie sighs and leads us into The Hall Of Justice.

"I don't know why they never cheer..." She mumbles to herself.

We hurry through to the other end of The Hall Of Justice. I've never been in here before. We come to a hault. There is one door on my left, and one door on my right.

"Right, you will both wait in each room for your family to come and see you. Spend as much time as you can with them, you will only have an hour." She shoos me and Peeta into the separate rooms and slams the wooden door.

There's a small table with chairs surrounding it in one corner of the room, and a long, cushy sofa in the other corner of the room. I slowly creep over and causiously sit on it. Its velvety softness makes my fingers tingle. I've never felt fabric like this before; we've never had it in District 12.

I still can't take in what's happened. The door swinging open makes me jump. My mother runs in and hugs me tight.

"Oh Prim. Why did this happen to you?" I hear her voice shake.

"It's not fair mum." I wimper.

"I know darling."

We stand there for about 10 minutes, just hugging each other. Katniss walks in. She looks tired. Her hair is messy in her braid, and her dress is crumpled. My mother steps away from me.

"Prim, I-" I run and hug her, interrupting what she was about to say.

"I'm sorry, Prim. I'm sorry you got chosen. I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm sorry." She bawls.

"You said I wouldn't get chosen." In a way, i'm angry at her for giving me false hope, but on the other hand, I know it wasn't her fault I got chosen.

"I thought I could protect you. I'm sorry Prim." She pulls away, grabs my mother's arm, and drags her out the room.

"Katniss, no, I want to stay." My mother pleads.

I watch my sister haul her out. I want her to stay, but I can't find the strength to make Katniss see sense, so I let them leave. I'm going to die in those games, so what's the point in prolonging the goodbyes?

I wait on the sofa for the next 45 minutes; stroking the softness of it. I regret letting them leave now. I didn't spend as much time with them as possible, and now they're gone. I will never see them again. I'm about to cry again when Effie bursts into the room.

"Time to go!"

I slowly lift myself up, and walk out the door.