Die for You | Catching Fire

chapter four

"As you may know, we are less than four months away from the Seventy-Third Hunger Games." The man folds his hands neatly behind his back. "Today marks the day that we select our top three male and top three female students to continue and intensify their training. One month before the Games, we will select our final boy and girl to volunteer at the Reaping and represent our great District."

"That means, for most of you, this is your last day to prove yourselves. You will have your choice of stations to participate in for the majority of your time here. The last two hours will be dedicated to our sixteens through eighteens being paired to one on one combat. The loser won't even be considered."

Ptolemus gnaws on the inside of his cheek as he watches for several reactions. Most of the students maintain their steely gaze. For some, it cracks just for a fraction of the moment, immediately being recovered. Ptolemus doesn't miss standing where they are in that crowd of bloodthirsty pupils. He also doesn't particularly relish where his feet are planted in this moment either.

Corbel raises his chin. "Come back with your shield."

"OR ON IT!"

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Green Grove is the smallest town in the Dairy Sector, made up of various self-owned farms that range from fifty cows to two hundred. Even then, the number of cattle still outnumbers the population of people. Which also means fewer Peacekeepers to scour the grounds, one white suit per farm venturing at the end of each day to report the numbers. A luxury compared to the other towns of District Ten, heavily commercialized with cows packed as tight as they can, employees ranging from five to their deathbeds squeezing themselves beneath the animal's belly for milk. The meat plants in the Beef Sector are even worse.

The train drops Sage off the next town over, Falling Springs, easily a twenty minute ride on horseback from her hometown. As she staggers down the platform, a Peacekeeper waits. She hands him her backpack to inspect. He rummages inside, shaking the contents and unzipping all the zippers. Eventually, he hands it back to her, resuming his position. She begrudgingly zips all the zippers again before slipping her shoulders beneath the straps. She gets about ten paces before she spots a familiar figure down the street.

Coretta's eyes lock onto Sage's, a big smile tugging at her lips as she waves. Beside her, a smaller yet identical figure mirrors her mother. Sage doesn't even bother trying to hide her grin, running toward her niece and sister-in-law.

"Auntie Sage!" Erabelle cries, reaching her small palms up to the sky.

Sage scoops up her young niece into a hug she knows she's desperately needed herself. The little girl giggles when her aunt spins them around. Within a moment, she's gently placed her back down beside her mother. She carefully places her palm on the top of her dark head of hair, floating her hand to where the girl stands against her mid-thigh. She playfully gasps at the measurement.

"Jeez, Erabelle. You're getting taller by the second!"

The four year old smiles, mimicking her aunt with her small hand. According to her aim, she stands closer to Sage's hip. "I'm almost taller than you," she beams, showing the gap between her two front teeth.

"How was the ride down?" Coretta asks.

Sage shrugs, adjusting her backpack over her shoulders. "Same old. I'm glad to be home. Well, home home."

Her sister-in-law nods with a polite grin. "Everyone else feels the same way." She then ruffles her daughter's hair beside her. "Especially this one."

At that, there's an impatient stomp of a hoof behind them. A tiny cloud of dust swirls at the impact. Sage's warm gaze falls upon the ebony mare standing behind Coretta and Erabelle, her saddle perched carefully along the horse's back.