Little Puppets with Broken Strings

"I Was an Ocean, Lost in the Open"

"You know I will. They're my family too." He hugged me and I hugged back, he truly was like a brother to me and there wasn't anyone else I could trust with my family.

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I woke up in the morning to Maddie's cries and pleas. She was thrashing around on the bed from her nightmare. I could only imagine what was haunting her. 

"Wake up, Mads, it's over, I'm right here, you're safe." I whispered soothingly, gently shaking her shoulder. She sat up and gasped, coughing roughly. Her eyes were wide with terror, but softened when she realized it was just me. 

"I just want it to be over, but it won't, it's never going to end." It broke my heart to her the hopelessness in her voice. 

"Let's just get through today, okay?" She nodded, but instead of going to get ready for the Reaping, she crawled into my lap and buried her face in my neck just like she used to when she was a little girl. 

After a while, she went into her room to get ready while I did the same. I was almost downstairs when she came out. She was wearing a dress, but one that made her look beautiful not sexy. I had to laugh at her shoes, she always hated shoes, so growing up, she would only wear a pair of old white converse and that's still her favorite. She gave me a hug and of course made fun of my 'girl sweater.' 

"Are you kids off to the Reaping?" We both turned around, surprised to see our mom. 

"Yeah, we were just about to leave." I replied. 

"You were going to leave without saying goodbye." She asked, laughing. 

Maddie gave her a hug first, then I followed, lingering a little bit longer, knowing the next time I hugged her would be to say goodbye forever. 

"What was that for?" Mom asked.

"Nothing, I just haven't seen you a lot lately and I've missed you." 

"Don't worry about today, there are tons of other victors." She gave me a small smile. 

"You're right." I lied. 

I held Maddie's hand tightly in my own, knowing I didn't have long left with her. 

"There's something you're not telling me." She said, catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" 

"The way you acted with mom this morning and now you're holding my hand as if I'm a little girl again and trying to run away." She looked up at me and I had to fight back tears. It felt like she had suddenly grown up. She was so beautiful, so kind and caring, but definitely had her fiery side. I was going to miss her so much. 

"It's nothing. I-" I was cut off by one of the Peacekeepers directing everyone to their places. "I don't have time to explain. You just have to stay strong, no matter what happens. I love you." She tried to argue, but we were being led in separate directions.  

I slowly walked over to join the other victors, settling in between Julian and Annie with Mags, my mentor, on the other side. 

I looked over at Julian and he gave me a simple nod, he was going to protect them with his life. I reached for Annie's hand and squeezed it. I couldn't think of the right words to say to her. There was so much. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, get married, have kids, and I thought that someday when I escaped the Capitol, I could do that, but now I know that someday will never come. 

--Maddie--

I got checked in and went to stand with the other girls my age. I had a horrible feeling in my stomach, I knew Finnick wasn't telling me something and I knew it was bad. The whole time the video played, I just stared at him, his hand was holding Annie's and he was whispering to her. I smiled, Annie was my best friend and sister. I loved her and to see the way they looked at each other made me believe in love, there was no way you could call that anything else. Something was different today, he looked sad. Julian caught my eye, but immediately looked away, something was definitely wrong.

"Our District was lucky enough to be selected as the special district from which there will be one tribute from the normal pool in addition to the two from the Victor pool." Coco, our district escort, sounded believable; however I knew her well enough to know it wasn't real. She hated the Capitol just as much as Finnick and I did. "First, our female Victor tribute."

She reached her hand in the bowl and pulled out a name. I just hoped it wasn't Annie's. "Annie Cresta." Finnick held tighter to her hand and she started to cry. Mags immediately raised her hand and pointed to herself. I felt guilty because of the relief I felt, there was no way Mags could survive, but it meant that Annie would be safe. Finnick hugged Mags and then she took her place on the stage. 

"Next, our male Victor tribute." She reached in the bowl labeled 'male Victors.'

I looked over at Finnick, but this time, he was looking at me too. He gave me a weak smile. That was when I figured it out, he knew that he was going to be picked, but that wasn't possible, maybe he was just nervous.  

"Finnick Odair." My heart sank. This couldn't be happening. Not again. I felt terror, I saw what the games did to him last time and I didn't want him to go through that again. I was right, he knew something was going to happen. Snow set this up and I was furious. I placed three fingers to my lips and held them up as high as I could. I caught Finnicks eyes, he was begging me to stop, but I was not going to let Snow get away with hurting my brother again. Soon after, many more followed suit. That was until one of the Peacekeepers started shooting into the crowd. I heard Finnick scream my name, but I couldn't see him anymore. 

Someone roughly grabbed each of my arms just above the elbows and forced me toward the Town Hall. 

"Let me go!" I struggled and tried to break free, but another Peacekeeper placed a gun to my side. 

"Stop fighting, Miss. Odair. You have been selected as the additional tribute for the 75th Annual Hunger Games," said the guy with the gun.

"What?" I didn't know what else to do, so I simply let them force me inside the Town Hall. 

"Hey, get off her!" I was shoved forward, causing me to stumble and start to fall, but Finnick caught me. "Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded my head.

"Get them on the train and take them to the Capitol immediately." The Peacekeeper who spoke to me earlier ordered. 

Instantly we were all shoved toward the train, Finnick and I were frantic.

"Wait, Annie!" Finnick yelled!

"We have to say goodbye!" I protested.

No one paid us any attention. We were simply shoved onto the train with Mags, Julian, and Coco, the escort for our district. 

"Someone tell me what the hell is going on!" Finnick yelled once the doors slammed shut and we immediately started moving. "Why can't we say goodbye and why isn't there a third tribute."

"You've already caused too much of a scene. They were barely able to cut the feed before everything happened, so you're leaving now." Julian replied

"That still doesn't explain why it's just Mags and I." He retorted

"Maddie. Maddie is the additional tribute."  

"What? No, that's not possible, he can't-" Finnick rambled, pacing around the train. "He can't do that!" He slammed his fist into the wall causing everyone to jump. After that he stormed off to the back of the train with Julian following right behind him.