Ever in Your Favor [the Hunger Games]

i: thrust's pov

THRUST'S
perspective

I technically could be publicly whipped if the Peacekeepers found where I lived. But I'm deep in the woods where no one knows I'm here. Except for Venus. But, nonetheless, the government knows I exist, and it's mandatory for me to go to the reaping. Plus, I can't live of dead animals, so I put my name in forty-six times for the Tesserae.

Effe's never going to stop saying "Now, the boys," when she may or may not draw my name from the jar. Venus is seen as a girl more than I was. This is just fine. If anything, Effe seeing me as a boy was good, it made her even easier to disrespect.

Sadly, I have to come to the reaping. I'm not afraid to get picked, but I am going to be highly disliked by the Capitol. My parents lived in a little shacklike excuse for a house back in the Seam. But they're both oblivion now, so I'm not obligated to live there. Occasionally, I go back just to get a change of clothes, but Effe wants us to look fancy.

If you want us to look fancy, Effe, give us money to buy clothes.

The crowd is sullen and dead silent. Some of the young twelve-year-olds are crying. Hell, I cried when I was twelve. I had my name in sixteen times. I imagine these kids do too.

Effe walked up to the stage, smiling in a obnoxious way. "Hello, people of District 12! Happy 75th annual Hunger Games, may the odds be ever in your favor!"

I sighed. Get it over with, Effe. She did. In her stupid accent, she said cheerily, "Ladies first!" She aggressively shoved her hand in the jar, pulled it out.

The crowd waited anxiously in anticipation.

"Venus Mercury!" She called the name of my friend, the girl named after two planets, the best knifewielder I know. I shrieked but batted my hands over my mouth and choked tears. Everything was silent and Venus shakily stepped up. She was opening crying. All nine if her sibling were yelling and screaming stop! And VENUS!

Effe quickly and exitedly ushered to the "males" jar. She dug her hand into the container. Then read the words, "Awanita Nerwenye." I stood up. I wasn't a male, but at the same time, Effe wasn't too bright. Plus, I go by Thrust. Or, if anything, Ani. Not Awanita.

As I walked I found short arms from the crowd. Quickly following was cries and screams. Then, following that was my twelve-year-old sister, Alwen, jumping out of the crowd and holding me. She kept me from walking. I turned calmly as she screamed, gently prying her arms off me. "Alwen... Let go. Please, let go or they take you away."

She held tighter. "NO! NO, THRUST, STAY, I VOLENTEER! I VOLUNTEER! DON'T TAKE HER!" Alwen was shrieking and punching the Peacekeepers and squirming in their arms.

"No, Alwen." Effe said in a condescending voice. "You're a girl. Those aren't the rules."

Alwen turned to the crowd. "VOLENTEER FOR HER! DON'T JUST SIT THERE-" she was taken away by the Peacekeepers. I violently stepped up on the stage and stood, the skin around my eyes unnoticeably wet and teary.