Voices of the Dead: A Hunger Games FanFiction ©

1. Bodey

“Wake up Bodey!” I heard a faint voice call out. It was a sharp and reedy sound, so immediately I knew it was Kaleb, the second youngest brother. I blinked my eyes groggily and grabbed my pillow, hiding my face underneath.

“He’s ignoring you. Mom!” I heard a second voice yell. It sounded almost exactly like Kaleb, but I heard the difference. It was slightly muffled but I knew it was Dune; Kaleb’s twin.

“Narcs,” I muttered under my breath, still refusing to get out of bed. It was only when I felt something whack me that I peeked out of my blanket-cocoon. I glanced around the small room and saw where the blow had originated from; a pillow. “Hall? What are you doing?” I demanded, annoyance leaking into my voice.

Hall grinned a little, and then gave me another playful thump with his fluffy weapon, “Come on, get up kid. Don’t you know what day it is today?” he said slowly, suddenly serious.

The room went silent for a moment as we all took in what he’d said. “Yeah, of course I know…” I whispered. Today was the reaping; the day where twenty four unfortunate souls would be placed in an arena to fight to the death.

“Well, get up then. It’s time to get ready, remember, Mom said to dress nice,” he said, then he ruffled my hair, as he and everyone else in the house usually did.

As I watched Hall leave the room, I finally rose and realized that both Dune and Kaleb were already dressed. I was the one that was horribly behind. They snickered at the look on my face and then ran down the stairs to the dining room. I jumped up and gathered my best hand-me-down slacks and button up shirt. Coming from a home with five siblings, hand-me-downs were all I could ever expect from clothes.

I dressed quickly and brushed my teeth, then I grabbed my shoes and practically fell all the way down the stairs when I stumbled over my pants. They were too long, having once belonged to Hall, and I’d forgotten to roll them up. I sat at the table and chewed on a spoonful of oatmeal, all while trying to put on a sock and then tie a shoe. I was a mess.

“Hey, one thing at a time pal,” said a low, gentle voice. I glanced up at Beau; my oldest brother, the money maker, and the source of my complete admiration. Ever since our parents had fallen ill, he’d been under the burden of keeping us alive. Being the oldest and the strongest had been to his advantage in keeping us fed.

In district nine, the most common job was to be a grain harvester. So common, in fact, that if you weren’t the fastest, and hardest worker, you weren’t paid squat. Beau, being only eighteen, was one of the few harvesters who was fast enough that he was being paid a reasonable sum that had been enough to support all of us for months. It was beginning to affect him though. I could tell. He’d been coming home every day with darker circles under his eyes, his skin red and raw from being out in the sun, and his hands were calloused. Still, he always maintained a cheery demeanor.

 I grinned at him then and nodded. “Right, one thing,” I agreed. I finished lacing my shoes and then devoured my small bowl of food.

When we were all done eating, and Beau had gone around “fixing” us up, I cast a quick glance at the door to my parent’s room. They were so weak, they’d been unable to walk for weeks, only just a few days ago had either of them managed to stagger a couple of steps.

“They’re sleeping?” asked Hall as he bit his nail nervously.

Beau nodded, “Yeah, let’s goes then. We don’t want to be late.”

Quietly, we all filed out of our small house and made our way to the town square. The sun was scorching; already I could feel sweat trickling from my neck and down my back. My hands felt clammy and I wiped them absently on my shirt.

After we’d signed in, Beau kept up his responsible role and escorted each of us to our sections; he left Hall with the fifteen-year olds, Dune and Kaleb with the thirteen-year olds, and then me, with the horde of fretful twelve-year olds.

Beau gave my head a pat, but before he could turn to leave I held his hand. “Beau, I’m scared,” I admitted, shaking a little as I spoke.

He looked down lovingly at me and smiled, “Don’t be little guy, it’ll all be fine,” he assured me. Then as he studied my expression, and saw that I didn’t believe him, he reached into his pocket. “Here, this has always helped me. Just hold it tight and thinks positive thoughts,” he said as he handed me a little folded piece of laminated paper.

I opened it and grinned, it was a picture of all of us, from before; when we’d all been healthy, happy, and, for the most part, safe. “Thanks Beau,” I murmured, holding the photo tightly.

He grinned then made his way over to the eighteen-year old section. The reaping went as it usually did; the treaty was read, and then a female was picked. I clutched the photo tighter as the escort pulled out the male tribute. I prayed it wouldn’t be me.

“And for the male tribute…” she paused for suspense, “Beau Jacks.”

I froze, my heart literally skipping a beat. No, how was it possible? No, it wouldn’t be. The seconds that passed my seemed like ages as my mind realized what would happen. My beloved brother would be in the games, he’d surely die, and if not, he’d return a different man, he’d be changed. My parents, my other brothers, we’d starve. We were all sentenced to die.

Something clicked in my head then, as I put all the pieces together. No, this wouldn’t happen, because I’d have the power to change it.

“I volunteer!” my voice rang out above the crowd. I raised my hand in the air and waved it wildly. Beau shook his head angrily and made a move like he was about to pounce on me, but it was too late. As I ran up to the podium, a pair of peacekeepers caught a screaming and thrashing Beau in their arms.

“No Bodey! No, no, no!” he bawled, fighting against the restraints. It hurt me to see him this way, but it was for his own good; if I wanted him, and the rest of my family to live, this had to be done. I was of no value here, but if I could save Beau from the games and keep my family fed, then my life would finally have some meaning.

I got on the podium and with a shaking breath, presented myself. It all flew by fast after that.

I got to say my teary good-bye to my brothers. Though they all called me stupid and thoughtless, I knew, I knew that they knew I was right. Without my parents, without Beau, they were all dead. Kaleb and Dune said good-bye first, embracing me tightly. Then Hall showed up, he’d been gone for a couple of minutes and he told me that he’d told our parents.

“What did they say?” I inquired.

Hall scratched his head, “They umm… they said good-bye…”

I nodded slowly. Good-bye huh? I understood. They had no hope for me. I sucked in a sharp breath then relaxed when Beau wrapped his sinewy arms around me.

“Why Bodey? Why, huh?” he murmured, not really asking me, but the universe. Why indeed.

“You know why,” I whispered.

He held me until the peacekeepers came, then, before he was gone, he looked me in the eye and spoke with confidence, “Try, Bodey. Try.”

When I boarded the train to the capitol I decided then that I could at least try to keep that promise. I gripped my photo tighter. Yes, I’d try.