Chapter 1
Trees have always given me a great sense of calm. I lie on my back, studying the patterns of light created by the wind that blows gently through the foliage. The steady sounds of axes and trees crashing that usually provided the background noise of District Seven is absent today with everyone off from work. While the noise didn’t bother me, I enjoyed the uninterrupted sounds of the birds and rustling leaves.
Despite having to be outside for work anytime I wasn’t in school, I still found joy in being surrounded by trees. It was a relief from having to monitor my actions and the constant feeling of being watched whenever I was around others. My mom tells me that that is all just in my head and I need to relax. If I haven’t done anything wrong then there is nothing to fear. But she is the epitome of confidence, so what would she know about it? My dad is like me, cautious and preferring to spend his time alone outdoors or with his family. How the two ended up together is a bit of a mystery, but I guess everyone needs the balance.
“Sylvie! Time to come in!”
I let out a huff and sit up from my spot. “Coming!” I shout back. I take one more moment of calm and make my way back inside where my mom greets me by the door by picking a leaf out of my hair.
“Go take a bath and wash your hair. I’ll brush it out for you.” Though I feel too old to have my mom telling me I need a bath I don’t protest it. I know her extra mothering is her way of finding control in an uncontrollable situation. Regardless, reaping day calls for best behavior and utmost kindness towards loved ones. God forbid the worst happens and we are forced to leave each other after a petty argument.
“Yeah, sounds good.” I smile at her and head towards the bathroom. Taking a moment to fake-punch my brother as I pass him. He aged out of the reaping last fall and is working as a lumberjack full time now. Oliver palms my face to push me away. Right as I’m about to enter the bathroom I stick my middle finger up at him and quickly shut the door before he can do anything to retaliate.
As I said, nothing but utmost kindness towards loved ones on reaping day.
~~~
We’re quiet on the way to the square. I just have to make it through two more reapings then we can breathe a little more easy. When we make it to the end of the line where I need to queue for check-in I turn to give a round of hugs. Oliver’s cracks my back, but it’s the one of the few occasions he actually hugs so I don’t complain.
“See you soon, kiddo.” My dad claps my shoulder and they disappear into the crowd of spectators.
The line of reaping aged children moves along steadily, the process is a habit by now for the older kids and most of the young ones either have an older sibling or friend to guide them through the expectations. I allow my finger to get pricked by a peacekeeper then hustle over to the group of seventeen year olds, nudging my way around the other girls until I take my place next to my friend Parker.
“Hey” I slide my arm around hers until we’re linked.
“Hey” Parker rests her head on my shoulder, which really couldn’t be comfortable for her since she’s about my height and has to crane her neck down to where it meets my shoulder. “How’re you feeling?”
“Hmm, just incredible. Really, I am in a great mood today.” I reply, sarcasm bleeding through my voice. Parker snorts and jostles us a bit. We became fast friends at eleven when she noticed I was alone at lunch one day and decided to join me. We soon discovered how alike we were with our introverted tendencies and similar opinions, bonding over tough schoolwork and getting teased by older boys.
“Oh yeah, me too. Totally excited and ready for a great time” I smile back at her before bringing my attention to the stage where the victors of past games sit behind the podium next to the Mayor Hughes. Blight Jordan winner of the 52nd and Johanna Mason victor of the 70th. Seven’s Capitol escort, Valentina, steps up to the microphone. She sticks out from the rest of the district’s population with her bright magenta dress and pink tinted glasses.
“Ladies and gentlemen…” I tune out after that, it’s the same speech every year. Instead I think about the feeling of Parker’s arm through mine and the smell of her hair. She smells like pine.
I force myself to refocus as the yearly showing of Capitol propaganda ends. The anxiety I had been fighting off all morning hits me full force. My arm tightens around Parker.
“Now the moment you all have been waiting for.” Valentina reaches her manicured hand into the bowl containing thousands of slips of paper. She puts on a show of rummaging through the papers and pulls one out with a flick of her wrist.
“The young lady representing District Seven in the seventy-second Hunger Games is…” Valentina pauses for dramatic effect, slowly opening the folded paper.
“Sylvie Galland!” Parker lets out a squeak and time stops. My hearing becomes muffled with a faint ringing. I can feel my face flushing red as the eyes of the district look my way, my breathing becoming shallow. The girls directly around us take a step back, making my identity clear.
It takes a moment for me to regain my bearings and extract myself from Parker, but I eventually end up on stage next to Valentina who has a wide smile. I only hope that my panic is well disguised.
“Wonderful, and representing the boys!” Once again, Valentina puts on her show of rooting through the glass ball of names with a blinding smile.
“Emrys Young!”
Young is a fitting name for the boy that emerges from the fourteen year old section. Emrys is tall with a gangly frame and slightly hunched posture. He probably had a growth spurt recently, not seeming comfortable with the length of his limbs as he stumbles climbing the stairs to the stage.
“Shake hands you two” I offer Emrys my hand which he shakes once with a sweaty palm and just as quickly releases it, looking at his feet.
“Let’s give a hand for your lucky District Seven tributes!” Valentina raises her clapping hands above her head to prompt a scattered, lackluster applause. A loud snort startles me. Turning I see the culprit is no other than Johanna Mason, my new mentor. She slouches in her seat with her arms crossed. I wonder if it hurts to roll your eyes as hard as she does.
~~~
My foot creates a fast tempoed beat on the wooden floor of the Justice Building as my leg bounces while I try to remain seated. I jump up when the door slams open, revealing my family who is escorted by a peacekeeper. I throw myself into my mom’s arms. Assurances pour out of her as she holds me. I do a double take when I see my dad with tears in his eyes. The only time I’ve seen him cry was when his mother passed away when I was six.
“You’re going to be fine,” Oliver breaks the silence, “You could win.” He swallows and blinks hard. He’s holding back his own tears.
“Yeah, sure…” I wince, thinking about how woefully unprepared I am for a situation like this and what would be required in order to come home.
“Of course you can, I’ve been training you for years. You’re basically a career.” That brings a laugh out of me.
“I’ll make sure to bring up my experience with losing wrestling matches during my evaluation.” Oliver had always won our friendly fights being both older and stronger than me. He’s always had a decent amount of muscle, but that doesn’t bode well for me who is about to face tributes who have actually been training for this and won’t let me go when it’s time for dinner.
My dad takes his turn giving me a hug. “There are different ways to be a fighter, it doesn’t need to be through violence. You are resilient and smart. That means a lot in the arena, not all victors win because of their physical abilities.” Dad pulls away, keeping hold of my shoulders and looks me in the eye. “Just know that whatever happens, whatever you need to do. We will always support and love you.”
“I love you too.” I do my best to give a smile. I don’t doubt that some victors won because of their intelligence, but I have a hard time believing that would apply to me.
A peacekeeper opens the door and ushers my family out. Next comes Parker who is wringing her hands.
“Hey Parker” I whisper
“Hey Vie” She whispers back, she surges forward and hugs me. We stand there for a moment in the embrace.
“I don’t want to say goodbye,” she says quietly.
“It doesn’t have to be goodbye. It can be a ‘see you later.’”
“That means you’ll do your best to come home right?”
“I promise I’ll try,” is the best I can offer.
She pulls away and smiles at me. She briefly looks down and back up to my eyes. She opens her mouth to say something but then stops.
“I love you,” I say, “you’ve always been my favorite person.”
“I love you too.” She smiles, wiping a hand across her eyes and unclasps the necklace from her neck. It’s a small compass charm on a thin leather cord. It used to rest on a chain, but a few years ago it broke at school and the charm was lost. I spent all afternoon searching the floors until I found the charm and replaced the chain with the cord. I ended up getting in trouble for skipping my last two classes for it, but her excitement made it all worth it.
She reaches behind my neck and puts the necklace on me, brushing my hair back. “Here, for a token in the arena. That way you can find your way back.”
I give a wet laugh, “That was really cheesy.” I touch the charm, “I love it.” I use our last moments to memorize her face until the peacekeeper returns to guide Parker away.