( 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔 ).
one.『 the reaping 』
𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐔𝐏 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐏𝐑𝐍 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃, blasting through District 5 creating a long lasting, echoing noise that brought shivers to the fifteen year old's body and to anyone who heard it. She sat on the edge of her bed, which was already made as she got nervous and had cleaned up, wondering if she'd be home by the end of the day to tidy. She knew this was the way that every child in the District was feeling, or in any District. With the exception of the first three, who would've been done with the reaping by now, district four in the middle of it or just starting their's.
Katherine Marsh walked into the room, to see her younger sister sitting on her made bed, clenching and unclenching her fists that rested on her legs. "Relax," she chided, although she was just as worried. Her days of having her name put in a class jar were over, but her sisters certainly weren't. "I have a feeling that they won't pick you. I feel we are in the safe zone." She tried to reassure, but from the look of Indie's face, she didn't believe her.
"You day that every year." Indie argued before standing and walking to Katherine who handed her a jean dress that she wore every year. Katherine tried for a smile to help her sister, but it came out as a grimace instead.
"And every year I'm right." Katherine said, and Indie frowned, pursing her lips as she felt Katherine's soft hands reaching out for her, to bring her into a hug. "I love you, you know." She whispered softly and Indie nodded against Katherine's chest, accepting the embrace.
"I love you too."
"Now put that dress on, want you to look nice even if you don't go." Katherine says, pulling away and Indie lets her sister slip through her arms. "I'll help you with your hair. After years of experience in doing this thing, I think you'll find I know a little something." Indie smiled slightly, despite the absolutely awful situation she was going into.
She just hoped her sister was right in believing she wouldn't get picked in the reaping where her name rested three times, seeing as her sister wouldn't let her put her name in any extra, despite the fact the it would provide them with more food that they definitely needed since they hadn't had a lot to eat for a while now, and perhaps it sounds a little dramatic but Indie thought she was starting to get tremendously thin, but she never told anything to Katherine who worked hard for the food they got, also not letting Indie drop out of school to help her sister design new techniques of getting energy to the beloved Capitol.
This was the one day of the year, that Indie ever actually focused on how she looked. She remembered when she was little, and stood in the crowd of adults and young one's, holding her neighbor's hand as she watched the reaping take place and crossing her small chubby fingers as she watched her sister stand among the rows of kids. She might've been young but she remembered knowing the fear of what was going on, feeling dead roll off the people around her. She also remembered how nice the girls and boys that walked up onto the stage were dressed. Not a hair out of place. Wearing their best clothes for the special. . . occasion.
She walked into the tight bathroom, with a small tub that they normally washed in and a dirty sink with grim stuck to it. She turned it on, and having taken a bath the previous night was able to just splash the water onto her face to wash the dirt from it. Indie scrubbed on her hands, hoping to wash away the dirt from under her fingernails as she bit her lip nervously, trying not to think about what the day would bring. She would just have to listen to her sister, and her sisters thoughts on the matter. And until then, she'd have to look pretty.
The brunette glanced to the denim dress that lay on the bed, with no sleeves and it came up to the knees. She always hated that stupid dress. For one thing, it was so plain she wanted to puke and for another it signaled the worst day of a teenager's life. The day you could be sentenced to death. And like every person in the universe, Indie was not to ready to die. Or kill. But that's what the reaping was. A competition to ruin a persons life, and while they were at it dim the hope that rested inside them.
Shaking out of her thoughts, she quickly got dressed. When she had started to wear it, it was several sizes too big but now it fit perfectly, reminding her of all the years that she had slipped by, without her name being pulled. Indie was quick to walk out, not wanting to be late incase they got in trouble. Katherine showed up behind her handing her a red apple which she took before sitting in a chair at the table, letting her sister run her fingers through her hair and braid it.
"Everything will be fine." At this point it was Katherine reassuring herself, Indie could feel her sisters shaky hands behind her and wanted to comfort her but didn't know how. There was a little voice in her mind, and it was telling her her sister was wrong. She elected to ignore the instinct, and listen to her loving older sister.
She swallowed, before saying, "I know." Her sister smiled, letting her hands rest on Indie's shoulders and leaning her chin to right there too and they sat in silence.
☆
Indie tugged at the loose fitting dress as she waited patiently in line, heart beating as she waited to give her blood to the woman at the desk. She glanced up, to see the rows already forming, at least five in the girl's section. She clenched her fists, feeling her hands start to get clammy and sweat as she moved forward, before a woman grabbed her arm, gently pricking her finger (as gently as she could) and guiding it to the paper that she showed Indie, already with other people's blood on it.
"Name?" She asked.
"Indigo Marsh." Indie stated watching the woman shoo her away and leaving Indigo to rub her finger lightly to scrub off the blood so it wouldn't get on her dress. She found her feet carrying her to join the other girls in the line that they had created where she stood like a statue, trying to force out breaths as she nervously waited. She had learned it was best to look nervous, just in case you were chosen.
Finally, it quieted down and Indigo found herself staring up at the stage, where the past five victors sat, waiting rather patiently with their hands crossed. The mayor was also already seated. But it was the clicking of shoes that had turned everyone's attention to the stage to see a woman with her hair dyed half black, half pink, ridiculous makeup and, well, if Indie had to ever wear that, she wouldn't let herself be seen in public.
"Welcome, welcome!" The woman sang into the microphone as they all stared up at her. "As we celebrate the Seventy First Hunger Games as the time comes around." Estella Godfrey said into the microphone and Indie grimaced heading the high pitched whining of the microphone, as did everyone around her. She cleared her throat before continuing on with her little prepped and prepared speech. "Now it's time for our lucky boy and girl to be picked to represent our District in the Festive Hunger Games." She said, the smile never straying from her painted lips and unconsciously, Indie started to chew on her lip, even as it started to bleed, digging her nails into the palm of her hand. She watched each move of Estella's closely as she walked to her right, to pick from the boys glass. She switched it every year. Last year girls went first. She reached a manicured hand down, before pulling out the folded slip and walking to her original spot to announce into the microphone, "Mark Hamilton."
It was as if the boys let out a collective sigh, and Mark was pushed forward. He was a scrawny boy with not a lot of flesh on his bones. His hair was a dark, dark brown. No one cared. He didn't have friends and his only family were his parents, who both breathed in deep breaths, holding tears back as they watched him stumble onto stage, Estella Godfrey urging him up and positioning him as he stared out into the crowd, scared.
Indie didnt moved her eyes from the boy until she saw that Estella was heading back into her spot on stage. Indie could feel her heart pounding, and it was a gut feeling that something was about to go horribly wro— "Indigo Marsh." —ng.
Eyes turned toward her, as her name was read out loud, the girls around her taking a few steps away. She could feel her heart racing as she looked around. It seemed like the lights were all brighter than before as, if being controlled like a puppet, she took a step. Her legs felt like led. And they were leading her to her death. Another step. Just keep walking. Another step. Almost there. Another step. Oh my god, you're going to die. She breathed heavily as she took a step into the stage moving up one at a time, Estella taking a hold of her arm and pulling her forward, to position her the same way she had done for Mark.
"We are so glad to have the two of you competing," Estella said happily, tugging on both their arms and Indie glanced over at her. "And let the games begin!"
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄.
1,679 words
first chapter officially up, even though I wrote this months ago and never posted it. I'm pretty sure I specified that this would take place before the hunger games so if you wanted to see Finnick immediately you are of luck so fuck off (sorry, I'm in a crappy sort of mood today). votes and comments appreciated, have a good day / night!
. . . 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 . . .