Her tearful eyes met with his. "How do you know that?" She genuinely asked, wanting the reassurance her brother granted like no other.
He smiled, placing the braid that was over her shoulder behind. "Because I'm here, aren't I?" He teased, gently playfully pushing Esther's shoulder. He saw the way her face didn't change nor contort into the slightest bit of relief. "Okay, listen, if ...—" He paused, not wanting to think about the chance of his little sister being chosen, being deprived of her innocence. "If you get chosen, I'm still going to be there for you. I'll be cheering you on because I know you have what it takes to win. Take it from the guy who won the games."
A tear trailed down Esther's soft-skinned cheek. "You really believe that?" Her brows creased at her brother's words, hearing the sincere confidence he had in his little sister.
"I know it," He replied just as assuredly.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Esther was guided through the crowds, going through the procedure the people endured on reaping day. The girl flinched when her finger was pricked, leaving a mark of her blood to stain the paper. Being neglected as she walked away from the woman taking their blood, she observed the crowds, following the women into their section. The boys and girls were divided into two groups as the tributes chosen were to be one of each gender.
The blonde teenage girl kept her eyes in the front, glued on Finnick. As he was a victor in their district, he was to stay in the front with the peacekeepers and their escort—the same woman who had chosen him years ago to participate in the games along with Annie and Mags. Finnick met her gaze, his lips reaching into a small grin. Seeing the gentle expression on his face, Esther's nerves slightly calmed down, replicating the same expression to the best of her ability in such a dire situation.
Esther's hearing was flushed while the escort said her greetings. It wasn't until the names were to be picked out that Esther's senses began to clear up. Her head was raised high with false confidence, straightening her posture like she saw Finnick doing. As usual, the ladies were to be picked out first. Esther never hated the saying: "ladies first" more than when it came to reaping day. It was a mockery—a taunt. Esther fidgeted where she stood, hearing the paper wrinkle under the escort's grasp when pulling it out.
A clear of the escort's throat, one of the girl's lined up lives would be changed forever, depending on whether they were to live or die. Time passed agonisingly slow, intently watching the woman unravel the paper, eyeing the name written. Esther closed her eyes, consoling her breaths, remembering the comforting soothings of Finnick. Yet, her mind came to a complete blank when the name was called.
"Esther Odair."
Esther was frozen, her skin becoming as cold as ice and pale as snow. Her widened eyes glanced down to the floor, missing the fear that plastered on Finnick's face—although he wasn't the only one, the same expression was on Annie's and Mag's faces, all being a survivor of the games. The woman cleared a pathway, giving her space to walk through to the front, where the escort awaited her presence. Finnick inched forward, seeing the way his sister was reacting to the devastating news.
As she began to gain feelings back into her legs, moving slowly at a hesitant speed, Esther's mind rambled. You're going to die. You're going to become one of the Capitol's play toys. Esther gulped, making it to the front where she was positioned to stand on the other side of Finnick with the girls, slightly away from Annie and Mags, who had tears brim their eyes at the thought of sending the fourteen-year-old to the games.
Esther didn't listen to the boy being called upon, being brought to the front. It was silent for her, despite seeing the escort's mouth moving, but she couldn't hear the words coming out. She couldn't hear anything else except for her mind repeating the same statement over and over again:
You're going to die.
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authors note.
THE PROLOGUE IS HERE !! it is short, but it is only the beginning. i love the fact that she was in the games at the same age of her brother, almost following in his footsteps as she does look up to him like her role model.
let me know what you think of the story so far ( despite it only being the prologue ). are we excited ?? i know i am !! i'm so excited to write catching fire as it is my favourite hunger games movie out of them all. the movie is just SOO good.
