When Night Falls: A HungerGames Fanfiction

chapter two

I feel my feet walk underneath me as my body tries to handle the shock. This is real. This is real. This is real.

From behind me I hear a shout. Looking in its direction I see Wesley screaming as Patrick and the twins hold him back. I find Damion in the crowd just staring at me with a look of shock on his face. Peacekeepers grab me, turning me around and pushing me forward as screams echo around me. I hear the sound of a scuffle and I know the Peacekeepers have gotten a hold of Wesley.

They shove me on stage and I turn back around to see Wesley kneeling on the ground with a Peacekeeper holding him there. Damion was now with the twins and Patrick and was trying to get them to go back to their places, but they stay where they are.

I feel someone put a hand on my shoulder. It's Katniss. She grabs my hand and gives me a reassuring smile. I give her a small smile and face forward, still clinging on to her hand. By now, the Peacekeepers have forced my brother back to their spots, one right beside Wesley in case he tries to do something stupid.

"Well," the woman beside me says, "now on to the gentlemen."

She looks towards me for less than a second, pity shining in her eyes.

Thoughts swirl around my head. I can't survive the games. At least, not with previous tributes in it.

She digs around the bowl for a few seconds and then pulls out the last piece of paper.

"Liam Kane!" she announces.

An older boy with thick, long, blonde hair and light eyes walks up onto the stage. I knew him. He was one of my Damion's best friends. No one cried out for him or so much as looked sorrowful. He was alone.

"Everyone please give a round of applause for the next four tributes for District 12 in the 75th Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!" the woman says, her face plastered with a fake smile.

The audience stays silent until one hand raised in the crowd. It puts up three fingers and whistles a four-note tune. The crowd instantly all joins in, attacking the Peacekeepers and standing their ground.

The woman immediately ushers us off stage and Haymitch follows us through the halls.

"Um, okay," the woman says quite flustered as she turns to me and Liam, "My name is Effie and I will now be your escort through this process. You will have the next 15 minutes to say goodbye to those in your family. Please follow me."

She then walks us towards four rooms surrounded by Peacekeepers. We each go into our designated room and I wait in there until my family of five runs through the doors and tackles me with a group hug.

"You're gonna be okay," Patrick tells me, tears forming in his eyes.

I focus on making myself calm. If I cry, it will just make the situation worse.

"You're strong. You're gonna make it," Wesley says, already balling and embracing me like his life depends on it.

Damion holds onto both Wesley and I, "If there's anyone who's stubborn enough to win this thing, it's you, Lu."

I smile softly, still not fully comprehending what's happening.

We stand there and hug each other until a Peacekeeper comes through the door, "Time's up."

I hug each of them until it's Damion's turn.

"I'm so sorry," I say, feeling guilt overwhelm me from what I said the previous night, "I didn't mean anything I said."

He nods, "I know. I forgive you. Stay safe for me."

He then take off the necklace he had on and put it around my neck. It was my great-grandfathers dog tags. He fought against things being the way they are now.

"Thank you," I tell him, wrapping my arms around him.

"You'll need them more then me," he replies.