Nightfall

Six

"Our female tribute is a waterbender named Katara!"

It seemed like time had slowed down when Katara heard her name called. Most of the people around her cheered, but their movements were very sluggish. The noise filled her ears, blocking everything else out. The only thing that was louder than the cheering was her heartbeat echoing through her ears. 

This was her worst nightmare come alive. It was bad that Sokka volunteered for the Games, but it was even worse when her name was drawn. She knew Sokka could make it because he was strong and smart. However, she didn't think she could make it at all. She didn't really have muscles; she didn't know how to use any weapons. All she had was her waterbending, and she wasn't even a master of that.

A couple of Dai Li agents made their way toward her. She allowed them to take her by the arms and lead her out of the crowd. Her mind had fallen away where she had stood before, and all that kept repeating in her head was, "Our female tribute is a waterbender named Katara!"

She stood limply next to Sokka up on the stage as District 4 cheered and hollered. They wanted a tribute to win this year because it had been some twenty years since the last tribute won. There was only one Victor alive now, but Katara hadn't really seen her before. Rumors had spread around about the last Victor, saying that she had gone berserk in the Games. But there were other people who said that she was cold and calculated, that she had used an advanced form of waterbending on her kills to get them to die.

All Katara knew was that she didn't want to meet her.

The Dai Li agents shepherded Sokka and Katara toward an inconspicuous building. Right behind the building sat the train tracks. A train waited on the tracks for them, but the Dai Li agents pushed them inside the building first. They entered a hallway that led toward a set of stairs. Brown doors ran down both sides of the hallway. The plush carpet was a sharp change from the gravel outside that Katara tripped forward and had to catch herself on a table that was pushed up against the right wall in the corner. 

"Sokka -"

One of the Dai Li agents shoved Katara toward the first door on the right and said, "No talking." He opened the door for her. "Wait in here."

"Why?" Katara asked as the door slammed in her face. The sound of a lock could be heard, so she gripped the doorknob and twisted as hard as she could. It wouldn't open. "What's going on?" she shouted, banging her left hand on the door. "Let me out of here!"

Her voice was the only one that answered her. It echoed around and around in the empty room, bouncing off the walls and ricocheted against the window. She thought she would be ready if they called her name for the Games, but she was wrong. Her heart hadn't stopped hammering in her chest since she heard her name being called. It felt like an earthquake had been going on since the Reaping, but it was just her body quaking. 

Katara faced the window. People strolled right on by, oblivious to the terrified girl in there. Bars covered the glass on the outside, so she wouldn't be able to break the window and try to sneak out. Somehow, they knew she would try to sneak out. 

The door suddenly opened, and Katara whirled around. She was about to bolt around the person when she realized who it was. Her father stood in front of her, a look of horror on his face. His tan skin had paled, and his hands shook slightly. The last time she him like that was when the Dai Li took her mom away. He looked so devastated then, and it had somehow reappeared on his face like he was actually going to miss his children.

"I can't believe that both of my children are in the Hunger Games," he said softly. "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know," Katara whispered. "I'm so scared, Dad."