Till Death Do Us Part

Chapter 2 Picked

That song is, I think, Levy's and Esther's song. It's the youtube video. Yeah. Out Alive by Kris Allen.

Every part of me is shaking so hard I can barely tell the woman my name. "Esther Heyschel". She marks something on the paper in front of her and I move on. There's a Rent-A-Fence enclosing a section in front of a makeshift stage. Already so many people are enclosed inside the fence as if they were cattle getting ready to be killed.

"Wait." I hear Lydia's voice behind me. She grabs my hand and clings to me like I'm her lifeline. I'm holding to her in the same way. We go through the gate and I remove her hand from mine.

I look her in the eyes and say, "There are two pieces of paper that have your name. You are not going to get picked." I realize that this is the same thing Katniss told Prim, but that was a story while this is a real-life nightmare.

I leave her near the back of the mob and head closer to the front. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. It's Levy.

Where ru?

Inside. Wbu, I reply.

Coming.

I stand with the sixteen-year-olds and look for him. I finally see him and try to catch his eye. He sees me and makes his way to me. When he arrives, he hugs me and I hug him back as tightly as I can. I feel like he's the only thing that will keep me together right now.

"We're not going to get picked," I say, as if I can say it enough to make it true.

"Of course not," he assures me.

"Hey, Esther." I pull away from Levy to find my best friend, Christina, behind me.

"Hi."

"Frickin stupid huh?"

"Yeah."

"So many people here think they're going to get picked."

"As Katniss so accurately put it: "one slip in thousands"."

"Yeah," Levy says, grabbing my hand and moving his fingers between mine.

"You guys are so cute," Christina sighs. "How is it I've had boyfriends my whole life and when you get one, I suddenly can't?"

"I don't know." I shake my head.

"If she gets chosen, I'm going to volunteer."

"Oh my gosh that's so cute!!" She gets that face where something is just too adorable.

"I told him not to."

"And I told her I love her too much."

"And I'm telling you both your relationship is too perfect and too cute. It can't be possible."

"It is," I say.

"Hello, everyone."

Those words bring me back to the present. I may die. I might die. Esther Heyschel. Don't call that name please. I repeat these words over and over, tuning out everything else. I pray to anyone, anything that will hear me. Just please.

I'll repeat my name. I'll get it engraved in my mind so I can know the second she opens her mouth that it's not me.

Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel.

"Ladies first."

I'm in the movie. I am in the movie.

I can hear Effie's voice.

She picks one from the middle of the bowl.

Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel.

"The name is..."

Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel, Esther Heyschel.

"Esther Heyschel."

I sigh in relief for a second, realizing that it is the name I have been whispering for the past few seconds, until I realize that there will be no relief for me because I have been chosen.

Oh god no oh god oh god.

Christina screams. My sister screams. My mother screams. In that order? I have no way of knowing. Time is jumbled up as my mind freezes to compensate for the fear that has just consumed my being.

Levy squeezes my hand and sort of pushes me forward. When I barely move, he guides me to the front.

It's like a dream.

Once I'm on the stage, the woman asks for volunteers.

Her name. She probably introduced herself near the beginning but I was too busy mentally engraving my name into every scrap of paper in the bowl.

Her name. What is her name?

It doesn't matter now that I'm going to die.

Nothing matters.

I'm going to die.

"Now, the boys."

Boy. What's a boy?

Boyfriend.

Levy

No.

The name she calls is no one I know. He stands on the stage. I can hear him crying. He doesn't need to cry. At least Levy will succeed in saving one life.

She's barely gotten the words out of her mouth when he volunteers. I hear the sigh of relief from the boy, who collapses into sobs. He stumbles down the stairs, past Levy, who he gets out a "thank you" to.

Levy isn't crying.

Neither am I.

But I am in shock.

That's what it's called.

I am shocked. This Hunger Games fictional nightmare has come to life and I'm in it.

I feel arms around me.

Levy.

Suddenly, my legs give way and I collapse into his arms, choking on sobs that rack my whole body.

I can hear him crying too. "Be strong for me, beautiful, okay? Don't give up yet. I love you."

I know he loves me. I know it too well. I know the greatest expression of love is giving your life for your loved one. He loves me.

But no one should be put in the position to do that. It's horrific.

"And now for the second raffle," the lady announces. Pairs of people appear on the screens. I count at least twelve others.

I might not get picked. I might not die.

My sobs quiet to tears as I watch the one screen that has a man next to two bowls with way less papers in them.

He picks the girls first.

Name... name...

My name is Esther Heyschel.

Don't pick that name.

"It is... Esther-"

I scream and cry harder. No no no nononononononononono.

Why is this happening?

I don't hear Levy volunteer but I know he does. He did it the first time, he will do it the second time.

I fall to my knees on the stage, weeping. Levy kneels with me and hugs me as tight as he can.

But it's not tight enough. It is not tight enough to block me from everything happening. All I want is to loose myself. I don't want this.

I want him to hold me so tight nothing will get between us.