The Fandom Games

PART I: Chapter 12

          

CHAPTER 12 – DISTRICT TWELVE, BROADWAY MUSICAL UNIVERSE

Music was in the air. It was the way of life around here, but still, I wasn't into it.

Mrs. Lovett stood by me and rubbed my back while I stared vacantly into the crowd. Someone was talking at the front of the room but I found myself unable to listen.

A cheer rose up from somewhere to my right and I lifted my eyes for a second to see one of those girls in matching curtain outfits skip up front. I lowered my eyes again and thought about sleeping.

The lady said something else and another cheer rose up. Mrs. Lovett looked at me. "Sweeney, she said your name."

I raised my eyebrows. Slowly I pulled my heavy body from its place and forced myself to take a few steps. A couple of men in white with guns shoved me to make me move faster than I had the energy to, and I fell. They pulled me back up.

The girl from the large family was looking more and more nervous the closer I got to her. I decided not to introduce myself. I heaved a sigh and stared up at the giant screens they had held on us and where my hollowed eyes and pale face stared right back.

"Louisa and Sweeney, and to all of the reaped individuals this year, may the odds be ever in your favor!"

She led the crowd in front of us in some kind of salute and everyone did it in perfect unison with her. It may have been impressive if we didn't spend all of our spare time rehearsing for one thing or another.

I knew the general idea of the Games and maybe it meant I was about to die and join Lucy and everyone else I'd wronged in one of the worst ways imaginable. Or maybe I'd just end up killing more and more. It was about to get more real than I'd ever wanted and now I had a chance to prove myself somehow.

Sadly, I had nothing to prove.