𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 ° finnick odair ¹

1

Oɴᴇ
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑟

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The gravel beneath her shoes crunched softly, yet her eyes stayed trained ahead. She couldn't bring herself to look at the faces around her; the faces of children she had grown up with, all of whom would be going home to their families. Except two.

Needless to say, she didn't take her eyes off the back of her older brother's light overcoat.

The crowds slowly started to thin out into four long lines, the teenagers of various ages all gathering together for the check-ins. Every face looked the same. Free of emotion on the outside, but it was only to hide their true fear and worry.

"Are you alright?" A voice startled the girl out of her thoughts. Looking over, she saw her younger brother, Niles, looking at her with concerned eyes. "You're quiet."

"Yeah," She answered with a nod. "Just thinking, I suppose."

"About what?"

"What's not to think about?" The girl of merely seventeen snarked back with a small smirk, causing her brother to shrug and face forwards again, clearly ending the conversation with his older sister.

The line seemed to move fast, and before the girl could realize what was happening, the Capitol woman was yanking her hand and pressing the the electric shock against her finger. She watched with a blank emotion as her crimson blood seeped into the sheet of paper before she was ushered away.

The square was decently filled when she got inside the gated area, making her way silently towards the section of seventeen year olds. She ended up being put next to a girl she had seen around school multiple times; Carla, she believed her name to be.

The teen next to her merely gave her a reassuring smile, one which the girl didn't hesitate to return. Both girls turned to face forwards again as the square continued to fill up.

The blonde girl let her eyes wander over the crowd, searching desperately for even a glimpse of one of her brothers. After a few minutes, she was able to see the worried face of her youngest brother; it was his first reaping, but she knew that if his name was called, one of the older two wouldn't hesitate in volunteering for him.

The screeching of a microphone caused the girl to face forwards again, seeing the purple blob of the District Four escort standing in front of the stand. A sickly sweet smile plastered across her plum colored lips.

"Welcome, all." She said, her voice echoing loudly throughout the courtyard. "Happy 70th Hunger Games. And..." Her smile seemed to widen, if that were even possible. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

No one in the courtyard seemed amused at her statement. Her words were only met by cold, emotionless stares. Despite how she made it seem, the Games weren't anything to be excited about. Maybe if you were rich and living in the Capitol, but not in the districts.

"Well, let us get started then, shall we?" The purple woman questioned, somewhat awkwardly. "First up, as always; the gentlemen."

The soft sound of the woman's clacking heels sounded throughout the silent square. Everyone watched with battered breaths and racing hearts as she dug her hand into the glass bowl. No doubt everyone was silently praying to whatever God or Gods they believed in that the slip of paper wouldn't hold their name, or the name of those they love.

The girl's blue eyes followed Fleurie all the way back to the microphone, where she shot a wide smile out at the crowd of anxious teenagers. "The male tribute, from District Four, is..."

They all watched as her lilac colored nail broke the small sticker that kept the paper folded. And it honestly shocked the girl to her core when she felt a hand squeeze her limp one that hung at her side.

Looking over, she saw the girl beside her giving her a worried glance, and she knew why. Just like the blonde girl, Carla only had brothers. 5, to be exact, and they were all younger than herself, the youngest being only twelve.

The seventeen year old gladly took her shaking hand into hers, smiling softly at her before facing the front again. The gentle squeezing, whether they were friends or not, gave both girls some form of comfort as the name fell from the escort's lips.

"Vern Everest."

That was a name she hadn't heard in a long time. The name of her childhood best friend, who she saw slowly making his way out of the cluster of sixteen year olds and heading towards the awaiting Peacekeepers. The men clad in white silently guided him to the stage, where he was grabbed and dragged to stand next to the microphone.

"Wonderful, wonderful. Please give a hand for your male tribute."

The only one who clapped where those who were located on the stage, as well as a few scattered ones throughout the square.

Fleurie nodded sadly, slowing letting her hands fall, yet her smile remained. "And now, for the girls."

The pressure on her hand increased slightly, but it was met with just as hard of a squeeze. This slip of paper, which was now being dramatically plucked from the dish, would hold the fate of one unfortunate soul.

The girl's heart raced as she watched the purple woman make her way back towards her microphone at what seemed to be the a pace of a year. She couldn't even hear her first words over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. All she could make out what her fate.

"...Adrienne Sallow."

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