ＷＩＴＳ | ＭＡＲＶＥＬ ＨＵＮＧＥＲ ＧＡＭＥＳ ✅

ｆｏｕｒ

Despite the smallest smirk on Rye's lips, she can feel her feet wanting to drag. The only reason they don't is because of the peacekeepers that walk behind her. The thin layer of rubber that she glued to the bottom of her shoes echo with each step she takes up to the stage. They continue to echo as she walks to the center of the stage, standing a foot or two away from the Capitol woman.

Her eyes frantically move from left to right, looking over the crowd of boys while trying her best to keep the smirk on her face. However, when she finally sees Cook, her face is slowly drained of color. He's being held back by boys his age in the front row. She watches as his face twitches every few moments before it dawns upon her that he's sniffling, tears cascading down his face at a rapid pace. It makes tears form in her own eyes, but they never cascade. No, she would never allow that. Not in front of him.

  "Here we are!" Rybbon's shoulders move up the slightest bit at the Capitol woman's voice, her eyes being pulled away from Cook's and now on her district partner. "Your tributes from District Three!" She takes a step back from the two, waving them forward to shake hands. Rye is the first to move after a few moments, turning her body towards the boy and placing her hand out to be shook. He cautiously follows suit, taking a few steps to meet her hand.

His grip is soft, as if he believes she's frail or if the boy is frail himself. Her head is tilted up the slightest bit to make complete eye contact with him, and she can see the fear on his features. His button nose is a flushed tinge of pink, as are his cheeks like he has a fever. His hair looks soft compared to Rye's knotted locks, his dark chocolate hair brushing right over his eyes ever so lightly.

"May the odds be ever in your favor!" The Capitol woman's voice echoes once more, and it seems to trigger a chain reaction. Someone yanks Rye's hand from the boy's before she's pulled off stage to a private room in the mayor's building. As soon as she's tossed in the door shuts behind her, leaving her in a near-empty room. The only light she is given is from the outside light peeking through the drapes, which hang in front of a very long window. She watches as the dust in the room flies in the air, seemingly more in the room than oxygen itself.

The door behind her opens with a loud groan, gaining Rye's attention. She watches as a small figure runs towards her before colliding with her, arms wrapping around her waist and squeezing the life out of her.

"Don't leave me! Don-Don't leave!" Cook's sobs pull Rye from her cloudy mind. Tears begin to form in her eyes, making them look glass-like.

"H-Hey," she stutters, her voice beginning to fail her. She sniffles silently before clearing her throat, ignoring the tears wanting to cascade down her cheeks. Her fingers wrap around Cook's small wrists and pull him off her, forcing him to stand as she kneels in front of him. "Don't cry, Cookie." She tries her best to form a smile, wiping the tears from her face with her thumbs. "Do you remember Mrs. Halls?" she asks, cupping his face. She feels the heat radiating off of him, his face red like a raging fire. He nods his head at her question. Rye takes in a heavy yet hurried breath, needing to say everything she has to as fast as she could. "She'll help you while I'm gone, just bring her something in return. I have extra money hidden beneath the bed in a small wooden box. Use it if you're desperate. To apply for the Tessera you'll need to-" Footsteps are heard down the hall, cutting Rye off. Her eyes are drawn back to Cook when she sees him crying once more, his body shaking under her touch.

"Please come back," he cries. She pulls a hand away from his face and places it over her mouth, feeling a sob coming up from her throat. She doesn't mean for it to happen, but the tears hiding behind her lids begin to fall at a quick pace, blurring her vision.

  She takes her hand off her mouth, bringing it back to Cook's face, trying her best to wipe away his hot tears. "I love you." Her voice is barely audible, even to Rye herself. However, she knows he heard it when his sobs become even louder. His knees buckle beneath him as he falls into her hold. All she can do is cradle the little boy, holding him with such care like she'll break him in two. "I love you my sweet, sweet Cookie."

The door swings open, hitting the wall with a loud bang. Neither sibling looks over, wanting to hold each other for a little longer. Few more minutes. Few more seconds. Few more moments. They receive none, as Cook is yanked from Rye's grip, the child kicking and screaming. Rybbon doesn't know if she's screaming or not for sure, but her throat burns violently as she swings wildly at the peacekeeper.

At some point she's on the floor of the musty room, only hearing a ringing sound. She's forced to breathe it in, her lungs burning like her throat. She doesn't know how long she stays there, lying on the floor like a filthy animal, but by the time peacekeepers come back to grab her, the ringing has almost resided completely and the hot tears once falling down her face have gone cold, making her tremble slightly.

She's forced into a car with her district partner, one that rides through the entire district. Rye knew tributes were driven from the majors building to the tribute train, which was across the district. However, now that she's in their position, she feels like some type of display, watching all the eyes of people follow the car as they drive past, witnessing their demise.

And when she steps foot into the metal tube, all Rybbon can do is look for the closest seat she can spot, noticing her legs slowly becoming numb. A quiet gentle whine leaves her lips without restraint, the cushion of the seat unlike anything she has felt. Despite this unknown comfort, her senses are still clouded, finding it hard to speak or even think properly. And when she feels the train shift, any coherent thoughts she was beginning to form escape her. She brings her head up in an instant, seeing what she called home disappear in a few split moments. The air in her lungs burns up, leaving her out of breath as a single thought finally forms in her head, and it's that she's alone.