-The Hunger Games

Chapter 2, saying goodbye

I slowly open my eyes. The girls who are standing next to me turns around and stares right at me. This can't be happening. It can't be me. I try to walk away, but my feet are stuck to the ground. My sister grabs my hand. She tries to say something, but she can't get it out. I blink my eyes. Everyone is staring at me. I start moving my legs and I manage move forwards. When I get out from the pack of people, I straighten up my shoulders and walk up to the scene. Cheval smiles and walks over to the other bowl of names. She picks up a note. It is dead silent in the square. "Xaiver Qwert." I hear a silent cry from the crowd. A boy, probably eighteen years old, walks out of the crowd. He has got red hair and is very muscular. He looks over at the girl who is crying. She has also got red hair, it looks like it could be his sister. He nods towards her, and get up on the stage. He stands next to me. I must look very small with my 5 foot next to him. He has got to be at least 6 foot. He is standing completly still, just looking straight forward.  "And now," Cheval says. "It's time for the third and final tribute. Mayor?" Everyone looks confused, even I and Xaiver Qwert do. A third tribute? The Mayor of District 7, a small man with grey hair, takes the microphone. "Hello everyone. As you all know, this is the start of the New Hunger Games. As of this desicion, the Gamemakers have made a few new rules. The biggest one is that it is now going to be 3 tributes from each district. This is to remind everyone of the three first rebels that died; Katniss Everdeen, Plutarch Havensbee and Haymitch Abernathy. Two of these tributes are picked randomly. The last one is chosen by the people. So now, everyone is going to get a note from the peacekeepers and make a small cross next to the name of the person you nominate. We will count the votes and we will announce the tribute in ten minutes." I look at the peacekeepers as they start handing out notes and pens for the children in the crowd. After ten minutes, the Mayor, whose actuall name is Wence Ambrogi, takes the microphone again. He reads the note and smiles. "We have our third tribute." He says. "Jannah Qwert." Qwert? The boy standing next to me start to mumble. "No. No no no no." I hear him say. The redheaded girl that cried comes walking out of the line. She looks scared. She walks slowly up on the stage and stand up between us. She takes her brothers hand. I look at my sister. She is crying. Suddenly, a wave of fear washes through me. My hands starts to tremble. Then tears come running down my face. Cheval Quosol stands up in front of us. "These are the tributes from District 7: Genevive Lace, Xaiver Qwert and Jannah Qwert!" She puts on a big smile as she leads us off of the scene and into the building. We walk through the hall. Cheval opens the door to a room. "Here is for you Xaiver. You get to say goodby to your family and friends," she says. Xaiver shakes his head. "No, my sister and I will say goodbye together," he says and takes his sisters hand. Cheval nods and smiles sadly. "Of course you can honey!"  They walk into the room, leaving me alone with Cheval. She looks at me. "Do you have any idea how lucky your are? You get to represent District 7 in the first New Hunger Games! It must be a big honor!" I stare at her, too shocked to answer her. Honor? It is not a freaking honor to be chosen to kill innocent children! It is not an honor to be chosen to die to entertain the people in the Capitol! I feel an anger grow inside me and I want to scream at her. Instead, I bite my lip, keep my mouth shut and follow her to the next room. She opens the door and smiles. "This is for you, darling," she says. I smile quick and walk past her and into the room. It is quite small, with dark grey walls and a big, green couch in the middle of the room. I walk over and sit down. The couch is soft and I feel like i can sink down trough it. I lean back and look up at the roof when I hear the door being opened. I look down and see my siter come running towards me. Tears run down her cheeks, and I feel her shoulders shake when she hugs me. She keeps saying my name over and over again, almost as if she says it enough, I won't have to go to the games. I won't have to die. My head spins around and I close my eyes. The tears are pushing behind my eyelids, and I let them out. I cry and cry, till I don't have any tears left. My sister lets go, and my grandmother hugs me. "You'll be fine, Vive. Just do your best, and remember, we will always love you," she says and let me go. She wipes away the tears, and try to smile. A peacekeeper open the door. "Times up," he says careless. "I love you,"  Mila says and leaves. My grandmother smiles, and the peacekeeper closes the door. I am left in the room all alone. About five minutes later, a new peacekeeper comes in. "Follow me," he says, turns around and start to walk away. I rush up and hurry after him. I see Jannah and Xaiver step out of the room next to mine. Jannahs face is red, and she is shaking. Xaiver has got blank eyes, but keeps a steady arm around his sister. We follow the peacekeeper outside. A big train is parked outside the building. We board the train, and start to move. I take a last look at District 7 before it disappears behind trees.