The 69th Hunger Games

Chapter 2

-Chapter 2-

Silent tears start to roll down my face.

" You said you wouldn't be called. " whispers Fish.

" Come up here." The Capitol lady motions for me to come to the stage. I stagger to the stage. Hot little jets of fear coursing through my veins.

When I got to the stairs, I fell up the stairs and bruised my shin.

"Agh!" I wince and I pick myself back up. I finally make my way to the girls side of the stage.

" Now for the boys." She totters to the boys Reaping Ball. She rustles around the slips of paper until she at last, plucks one out.

Back at the microphone, she announces the name.

"This years District 4 make tribute will be," She reads the name and after a moment of suspense, she calls out,

"Reef Feildmark."

A 16 year old boy steps out of the crowd, with a look of disbelief in his green eyes.

" Happy Hunger Games!" Our escort calls out. And then we are taken into Peacekeeper custody. We are directed into separate rooms, the rooms that our families will give their final goodbyes to us.

Almost immediately, Fish runs into the room and hug-tackles me. He looks up, tears streaming down his sunburned face. My mother follows behind, her face full of sorrow.

" Atlantic, win. One word. Win. " A new found seriousness is in my brothers voice.

I stroke his hair. My voice breaking.

" I will, Fish, I will. "

He lets go of me, trying to be strong, like a boy should be. But you can tell, he is heartbroken.

" Oh, baby." my mother kisses my forehead, salty tears dropping into my hair.

" Goodbye." I whisper. If only my father was here. But he had drowned 6 years ago, when I was Fish's age. Only 7 years old. My mother hands me something. A token. It's a necklace with a tiny sand dollar as a charm. She clasps it around my neck.

" I love you." These are the last words I can utter until the Peacekeepers drag them away. Fish wailing and flailing like a fish out of water. I giggled at my own bad pun. My mother silently sobbing so Fish won't be worried.

A group of Peacekeepers take me to the Tribute Train, where we will stay until we get to the shining Capitol, where they watch the Hunger Games. This is where the most bloodthirsty, eccentric people live and breath the Hunger Games. I'm so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I don't hear Reef talking to me.

" Uh, hello? Atlantic right?" His brown hair looks nice close cropped.

" Yeah." I'm looking out the window, marveling at how fast the train is bring us to the Capitol.

" Yeah what?" He asks.

" My name. You got my name right." I say absently.

" Oh, thanks." He seems nervous.

I turn around, agitated. I don't know why. " Look, Reef, I don't want to make friends, I'm sorry, but I you die, I don't want to cry about it. And if I die, I don't want you to miss me. "

" Sorry." He apologizes.

I don't reply, I just turn and look out the window again.