Overcome

chapter two

     I could've sworn my heart flew out of my chest. I had never considered that I could be chosen. Me, Dahlia King. Me.
"Dahlia, dear, where are you? Come on up," Olympe pressed.
Take a deep breath, shoulders straight. Chin up. Don't let anything show.
Those were the words drilled into me as a child, whenever I was in public and I was scared of something. I drown myself in the advice now, and thank my dad for saying them to me. I walk towards the stage.
There's a strangled cry from behind me, Camille, trying to fight her way up to me. I silently hope that someone stops her, as I don't know if I could keep my composure if she made it to me. I wonder if my parents and Marcus are having similar reactions outside the square, where they watch from huge screens. I climb the steps to Olympe. She pushes me to the front of the stage.
"Do we have any volunteers?" she asks the crowd.
The people of 11 are as silent as the grave.
"Very well. Now, our courageous male tribute!"
She twirls her hand around in the boys' bowl the same way she did for the girls'. Her hand snatches up a slip.
Olympe clears her throat, and then,
"Bailey Thorne."
I know him. A boy two years beneath me at school. His parents own the clothes shop in town. The place where mom bought my dress. But he works the fields, I've seen him enough to engage small talk, nothing more. I see his stony expression falter as he walks up the stage.
"Any volunteers?"
Again, no one answers.
"All right, then. You two, shake hands!" Olympe demands us.
We meet eyes, my blues to his golden browns. We shake swiftly, but long enough to be polite. I can't help hit notice how both of our hands shake ever so slightly.
"The tributes from District 11, Dahlia King and Bailey Thorne," Olyme says finally, and she ushers us into the old justice building. Where the tributes say their final goodbyes before the Games. Where I am taken into the fanciest room I've ever seen. I sit on a plush blue couch and wait for people to come in.
First, my parents, Camille, and Marcus. My sister barrels into me. She's bawling her eyes out.
"It's okay, Cam, I'll be fine, you're fine," I say.
"You gotta win," she begs, "You gotta win, Dahlia!"
I look over to my parents. Silent tears runs down their faces.
They engulf me in a hug, together.
"I love you Dahlia. Know that while you're in there," Mom says quietly.
"I love you too, Mama."
"I love my little girl. No matter what," says Dad. And I know what he means. No matter what I have to do in the arena. No matter who I kill.
Finally, to Marcus. I dread this one the most. I've always been close to him. He's my best friend.
He wraps his thick arms around me.
"You'll be alright," he says.
"I know, I'm fine," I lie, but my voice cracks.
"Just, stay alive in there, okay? Come home to me, to us."
"Don't let Cam take any tessarae," I whisper, so only he can hear. "Do whatever it takes to keep her from doing it. She can't go in."
He nods unconvincingly.
"Please, Marcus," I beg.
A Peacekeeper comes in, grabs Cam by her shoulder and says, "Time's up!"
"NO!" My sister cries. But the man drags her out. The rest of my family follows, heads still turned to me as they are dragged out of the room. "Goodbye!" I say as the door shuts them out. The last time I'll see my family. Ever.
Saniya comes in after. She engulfs me in a hug that we hold for minutes, maybe years for all I know. It feels like it.
"Don't cry," is all I say.
"You can do it, y'know," she replies. "You've got the brains to do it. That's all you need."
"I love you, Saniya."
I've never said it to her before. We've been friends since we were four, and I have never said it. I regret that now. She just squeezes me tighter before the Peacekeeper comes in again.
Saniya doesn't fight when he pulls her out the door.
No one else comes to say goodbye, and I'm thankful.
I don't know if I could keep the tears from spilling out if I had to do it again.
The next hour goes by in a blur. I'm taken to the tribute train, a place to stay on thw ride to the Capitol. I change clothes in the enormous room that I'm given. I go back into the main car and take a seat beside Bailey. We don't speak a word until the mentors come in.
I know little about the two victors when they first come in. The woman named Seeder who won when I was little. The man, Chaff, who won around the same time. He list gim arm in his Games. I hear he drinks a lot now, but when he walks in, he seems sober to me. Seeder introduces them.

"I'm Seeder, and this is Chaff, we'll be your mentors this year," she says. Her voice is soft and kind. I decide to like her. Chaff nods and shakes both mine and Bailey's hands. We sit at an expensive looking wooden table. Snacks are laid out for us.
"Here's the deal, you listen to us, we help you stay alive in that arena. You got that?" Chaff says loudly.
"Got it," Bailey pipes up from beside me. He looks as uncomfortable as I feel.
"All right. What about you, precious?" He asks me. "We got a deal?"
"Whatever you say," I shoot back, a little harsher then I intended. Oh well.
"I like her," he says to Seeder. "Fierce."
Olympe walks into the room and sits down beside me. I scoot my chair closer to Bailey, making sure to be as subtle as possible. To my knowledge, no one notices.
"So, you four have been introduced, yes?" she asks us. I nod.
"Very well! Now, we'll make it to the Capitol by tomorrow, if all goes well, and you'll be taken to the Tribute Center. Have you started discussing strategies?"
"Give the kids a break for a second, Olympe! They've just been ripped from their families, loosen your corset, have a drink. Don't be so eager!" Chaff replies. Bailey stifles a laugh beside me. I can't help but smile a bit.
"Well, I'm sorry for trying to boost their chances, then!" she exclaims. She turns to exit the room before saying, "Remember, dinner is at 6 o'clock!"