There weren't many times Eve could say she felt whole, but drifting across the waves in the warm morning sun was certainly one of them.
Her muscles rippled when she lowered her heavy anchor into the deep blue water below. Years of dragging it through the sand and waves made it feel light in her hands.
A puff of sand dispersed around the solid steel mass as it landed on the ocean floor. She steadied her breathing, watching the sand settle before plunging into the water's depths.
Her hair darkened in the waves as her legs worked hard to push her downward.
A few brave, or stupid, fish swam her way, curious of the strange creature invading their home.
She paid them little mind as she drew closer to her target.
The vibrant colors of the reef made her heart swell and a smile line her closed mouth. The last time she ventured into these waters, the colors were dim and the fish were scarce.
Harsh storms had ripped the coral from their roots, leaving a graveyard of mangled plants and white coral.
The gentle spring had given life back to the reef.
As Eve looked over the thriving ecosystem, she knew she was stalling. Today was the day of the reaping.
She thought about letting the ocean take her instead of leaving her life up to chance. Her name was in that glass ball more times than she could count.
If she didn't need to put her name in more than once she wouldn't. But for a lot of people it was the only way they could live comfortably.
Her lungs felt heavy as she thought about the people she had lost. Her parents were what some people called vigilantes.
In other words, they were sick of fearing for their child's life every year.
When the capital got word of the uprising they were planning, they moved fast. Faster than any of them could have imagined.
They came in the night when Eve was only nine. The distant waves did little to drown out her mother's screams as she was ripped from her bed.
The peacekeepers dragged Eve out of her peaceful dreams and into the dark streets where she was forced to watch as her parents' lives were taken away from her.
They were used as an example to those who wished to follow in their footsteps.
Eve held her parents' bloodied hands for hours as they laid stiff in the street.
Before dawn a strong pair of arms lifted her from the ground. Her hand was pulled from her mother's cold fingers and her feet battered against the stranger's stomach.
Her throat was raw from crying and she was barely able to pull the scream from her throat as she struggled against the stranger.
She never saw his face. Not when he tucked her back into bed, nor when he left fish outside her door.
Eve's lungs burned as her body screamed at her for air. It didn't matter if she wanted to end it there, she couldn't. Her body's will for survival surpassed her fear of the capital.
She broke the water's surface and gasped into the warm June air.
She climbed onto the wooden boat that belonged to her father and pulled the anchor up with a grunt.
Her oar moved swiftly as she battled the current pulling her out to sea. Her arms were well defined from years of fighting against the water.
Every time she looked into the horizon she wondered how far she could make it before the peacekeepers found her.
She figured it would only take a day for her absence to be noticed. She had become quite the fisher over her years. She had to if she wanted to survive. There was no one to lean on.
Walking down the path towards home, her hair curled gently as the salt water dried into it.
She stopped outside of her front door, peering down at a small wooden box sitting on her porch. She knew what it was. It came every year since the death of her parents.
It was always the same. A single chocolate chip cookie. Every year she wondered who could possible have access to something so expensive, let alone give it her to.
She ate it every year as she prepared for the reaping. Silently thanking her secret helper.
She wore a soft pink dress. The large sash pulled tightly around her waist and she smiled into her mirror. If she faked it well enough she could see her mom smiling back at her.
Walking down to the arena that held the reaping, Eve hoped this year there would be a volunteer. It wasn't often, but from time to time a foolish few would take their chances at the glory that came with winning the hunger games.
The crowd was quiet as a young woman wearing a vibrant green dress stepped on stage. Her smile was somehow brighter than her eyeshadow.
Eve wondered how she could possible see through the fake eyelashes she wore as she blinked feverishly.
Her thoughts were cut short when the screen in front of her lit up. There stood President Snow and her eyes drifted to the ground.
She tuned out his words as her fists clenched at her sides. If he was one of the tributes she would be first to volunteer.
"Eve Dawnly."
Her eyes shot up at the sound of her name.
She thought she had imagined it as the arena grew silent.
"Eve Dawnly?" Her name echoed out of the speakers hanging around the arena and she felt her stomach turn.
Eyes burned into every inch of her and she felt her legs turn stiff.
It wasn't until a peacekeeper grabbed her arm harshly that she was able to move.
He pulled her swiftly to the stage and into the hands of the woman who looked more like a kid's drawing than a person.
"Congratulations!" She smiled, pulling her to the side.
"Now onto the boys!" Her voice sounded far away as she looked out at the crowd.
The girls looked relieved. Eve couldn't blame them. They were safe for another year.
"Ethan Jamieson!"
Eve watched the crowd part as a young boy stepped forward. His red hair curled thickly over his head and his green eyes were wide with terror.
Any hope for a volunteer was gone when the crowd held their breath. Every year was the same as they looked at the two children being sent to their deaths.
Peacekeepers led Eve into the building behind the stage. Her sandals padded softly over the tile floor as she was led into a small room.
The door was shut behind her and she took a shaky breath into her lungs. Her hands rushed to her face and she rubbed the smooth skin.
She knew this was the time when families got to say their goodbyes, but there was no one there for her.
From an objective standpoint she could see that she was the best case scenario when it came to who was sacrificed. With no one caring about her, there was no one to mourn her death. One less family was set to lose their child because of her fate.
She expected to see a peacekeeper standing in front of her when the door opened, but instead there was a man with sorrowful eyes hidden not so well behind his long black hair.
"Mark." She sighed at the sight of her boss.
"Eve." He pulled her into a tight hug.
Her eyes burned as she tried not to cry.
"I went to the reef this morning." She said, pushing down the lump in her throat. "It looks good enough to fish again."
He held her shoulders firmly as his piercing blue eyes looked into hers. "That's the last thing I care about right now."
"You're good with a spear." He assured her. "Find one and you can do this."
She shook her head. "I'm going up against trained killers."
"I don't care." His voice was harsh as he shook her from her sorrows. "You give them a run of their money."
She nodded her head. She knew she didn't have a chance, but for him she would pretend. "I will."
"Times up." A peacekeeper ordered as he barged into the room, pulling her into his grasp.
Eve didn't get the chance to look back as she was pulled from the room.
The train waiting for her was silver with sleek curves. The capital seemed to spare no expense on the interior. White carpet and beautiful silver wallpaper made the place look like a spaceship.
A door in front of her disappeared with a hiss into the ceiling, revealing the other tribute along with the girl in green.
"Welcome!" She beamed, standing to her feet and leading Eve to a white couch. She collapsed into the soft fabric with a sigh.
"I'm happy to see you're already enjoying yourself." She beamed.
"Excuse me?" Eve felt her blood run hot in her veins.
She pushed herself to her feet. The woman's heels made her much taller than the young girl, but she didn't back down.
"Say that again." She spoke through her teeth as she stared through the woman's false eyelashes.
"I-" the woman's eyes were wide as she backed away, heels clunking as she went.
"Go on." Eve followed her. "Tell me how much I'm enjoying being sent to my death."
"Calm down." The voice was firm from behind her.
The woman's eyes closed as a sigh of relief left her mouth.
Eve turned with blazing eyes to meet the woman's savior, ready to chew him out.
She paused when she met the deep green eyes of Finnick Odair.
He was something of a legend where she grew up. Her parents told her stories about him. At the age of only 14 he won the games he was destined to lose.
"Looks like we've got a fighter this year." The girl mused as she took a seat.
"Looks like it." Finnick said softly as he stood near the doorway.
"Take a seat." He gestured to the place beside Ethan and she took it.
He cleared his throat. "My name is Finnick. My job is to help you survive as long as you can."
The boy beside her shifted in his seat. Eve felt pity. He was so young.
"I wasn't much older than you when I won."
Finnick said to the boy. "We all have a chance."
"Aren't we lucky." Eve mumbled.
"My name is TeeLee." The green eyed witch said. "And my job is to make people like you."
Eve shook her head. "I don't want you people to like me."
"You do if you want to survive." Finnick warned. "You want them to not want to see you brutally murdered."
"Fair enough." She sat back in her seat, running her finger over the smooth fabric of her armrest.
"What are your skills?" Finnick asked.
The two stayed quiet.
"Oh come on." TeeLee giggled. "There has to be something!"
"Do I have to be around her?" Eve asked. The woman's voice was already giving her a headache.
Finnick chuckled. "Unfortunately, yes."
The woman gasped as her red cheeks shone through the piles of makeup on her face.
"I can tie knots." The boy spoke so softly Eve wasn't sure he said anything at all.
"That's good." Finnick assured him. "You need knots to make traps."
The boy smiled at his mentor.
"You're good with a spear?" Finnick's question sounded more like a statement to her.
"How do you know that?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
"You're one of the best fishers in the district." He said. "Word gets around."
"Stories are usually exaggerated." She said.
"I've seen you." His eyes ran from her head to her toes. "You're good."
She searched his deep eyes for a lie, but found none.
She still shook her head. She couldn't rely on false hope. "Not good enough."
"Make them believe you are." He said. "This is all about appearances."
She looked down at her soft pink dress. It belonged to her mother. The thought of the woman left a pit in her stomach. She hoped that wherever see was, she couldn't see her daughter's fate.
"Most of the farther districts are still picking their tributes, but we can watch one and two." Finnick said, flicking on their tv.
The announcer from district one looked eerily similar to TeeLee, besides her blue outfit instead of lime green.
"Ladies first!" She mused, pulling a slip of paper from the ball. "Rose McDoofle!"
No more than five seconds had past before someone stepped into the aisle. "I volunteer as tribute!"
The blonde girl's voice was chipper and she wore a beautiful dress.
Eve looked down at her own and felt self conscious. How could she compete with that? She looked back to the screen when the boy's name was called.
She didn't pay it much thought this time, knowing someone else would volunteer.
She was right. A boy with a flashy suit called out towards the stage. He stepped up to the stage with a smile on his face. "Marvel Smith."
"Not the best this year." Finnick mused as he changed the channel.
"How can you tell from just that?" She asked.
"Lots of practice." He winked.
Eve didn't know why her cheeks felt warm, but they certainly did.
When they tuned into District Two they were met with a similar scene.
The first volunteer stepped onto stage. The girl was small, but Eve knew better than to brush her aside. Her eyes were sharp as she looked out at her district. "Clove Conley."
"Perfect!" The announcer smiled before moving to the boy's ball.
"Phil Mahooters!" She called out.
"I volunteer!" The voice was stronger than anyone she had heard before.
Eve perked up in her seat. She wanted to see who exactly was so eager to volunteer.
When she saw him, it was no surprise why he wanted to get up on that stage so fast. He was going to win.
He towered over everyone on the stage and a sick smile spread on his handsome face.
"Looks like we've found your competition." Finnick said.
"You think?" Eve started to panic beside her mentor. "That guy looks like he could rip me in half!"
"Time flies when you're having fun!" TeeLee chirped as the capital came into view.
Eve's breath caught in her throat. Buildings taller than anything she had ever seen before blocked the distant horizon.
With a gaping mouth she stepped up to the window, trying to get a closer look. The buildings reflected the sun, reminded her of the ocean's surface on a bright day.
She looked down at the crowds of people lining the street. They all looked like TeeLee with their colorful hair and ridiculous outfits.
They frantically waved her down, trying to catch her attention before the train disappeared into the tribute center.
She didn't play along. They didn't deserve a wave from her hand.
"Play nice." Finnick scolded.
"Easier said than done." She didn't want to be part of their games. They're sending her to her untimely death.
"If they like you, they just might save your life."
"I'm not sure it'd be worth it."
Cato is huge and I want him to break my back❤️
I wrote this whole book while I was puking my brains out and sick asf but I'll edit it as I go.
Finished it in like a week too which has to be some kinda record considering I have like 6 different unfinished stories in my drafts