( 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔 ).
sixteen.『 back in the mix 』
NOTHING. She felt nothing as she lied on the floor, her hair spread out underneath her as she simply did both, staring at the ceiling and trying to block out all thought. All she wanted was to feel numb and she was tempted to go and find the liquor, as a few feet away from her Stephanie did exactly that, sitting and leaning against the wall, a dazed look in her eyes as she stared forward into the emptiness. In the background, the holographic image was still playing despite Indie's attempts to get it to stop, continuing to roll as if it was mocking her. It seemed very likely that it was.
With a burst of cold air the door burst open as Indie had been expecting. It was part of the reason she wasn't drinking, so she could be in the right mindset when her sister inevitably ran in in a panicked frenzy. She closed her eyes though at the sound, still unmoving, and if you had been watching from a distance, it would look like she was dead, but her chest continued to rise and fall steadily, even if she wished it didn't in the moment.
Katherine dashed over to check on Indie, bending down over her and getting a good look at her face. There were tear tracks on Katherine's cheeks as Indie looked back up at her, not really knowing what to say in a situation like this, so she just lied no her back, suddenly wishing the bottle of liquor was in her own hand. God, she couldn't deal with the hovering her sister was doing at the moment.
All she wanted was to feel nothing.
Indie breathed heavily as she ran a lap around the District. It had been months since the announcement had been made and she had started to train along with the other victors for when they went back in. Technically they weren't supposed to train but at this point no one cared anymore. After corresponding with a few victors in other districts, she had come to the conclusion that those she talked to were also taking time to train, prepare for the moment they entered the battle field and could possibly die.
It was the day of the Seventy Fifth Reaping. The Reaping that would decide the fates of her friends. Of her family. All night, Indie had been unable to sleep and so she had gotten up early. Even now the sun was barely peaking above the horizon as a cold thin layer of wear covered her skin.
She slowed to a walk upon reaching the community of victors and noticed both Stephanie and Zach sitting on the stairs of one of the houses. Stephanie held a cigarette in her hand and Zach held a bottle of beer. She nodded in their direction as they lounged on the steps and both have stiff nods back, all clearly anxious of what the day would bring.
The pair hadn't been as focused on training as the others, Stephanie telling her it would be what it would be. Indie could tell they'd given up at this point.
She had a few hours to kill before it was their turn for the Reaping. District one would be starting around right now, then it would be two then three. And then Finnick's district, district four. She felt sick at the thought, scared for the inhabitants of each district as she knew even the victors if one and two were nervous as they knew from now on it was no longer play time. The people they'd outlasted in their games were just people. Not like them. Victors were victors, they had fought, they knew how to kill and her best guess was they wouldn't hesitate on killing as long as they could live.
"Nervous?" A voice spoke up as she entered her kitchen and she looked to see Freda, leaning against the counter. She looked relaxed but Indie noticed the tense in her shoulders, the way her jaw was slightly clenched. Like Zach she held a bottle of liquor in her hand, and drank from it.
Indie nodded, pulling the thin jacket she was using from her shoulders and nodded, tossing it to the side and walking forward, "I'm always nervous on this day. Even if I was just a victor, I would still be nervous." Freda hummed in agreement before taking another swing out of the bottle. Indie leaned her back against the counter and breathed heavily.
"No matter what, the fear will never leave you. Even if you are one hundred and dying, when you wake up on this day you'll always be scared." Freda said wisely and looked over at Indie who made eye contact with her. "There's no escaping the games. The only ones who are really safe are those assholes in the Capitol. We are dolls to them, they get to play with us for a while and then when it's time they throw us away."
Indie looked down at her feet, her jaw clenching slightly and then she nodded before saying, "For a whole there... I thought there was going to be some change. Everyone did. And, maybe there still could be change." She pauses before saying, "But we may never see it."
"Who knows." Freda laughed before saying, "There are a few in the Capitol calling for the games to be cancelled this year. So they don't have to throw their favorite toys away."
"Next year they'll be picking sides and rooting for their favorites again." A silence filled the room before Indie finally said, "Enjoy your... breakfast." She have a look to the liquor in Freda's hand before giving into the temptation as Freda gave a half smile and handed it to her.
"I won't tell Katherine."
"Trust me, she knows."
Her heart was pounding in her chest as she walked next to Jasper, her hands clenching and unclenching at her side nervously. She was at the back, walking behind Stephanie who was behind Freda. It was silent as they marched forward and part of her screamed at her to run if she valors her life. But on the side of her was a guard, as well as behind her. If she ran she'd only cause a commotion, and there was no where she could go now.
So she held her head high, trying not to give away the fear that settled in her chest as she knew these next five minutes may determine her fate. It was a sickening thought but she continued to march forward and not think too much of what the future had in store for her. The only thing she could do was go along with it, like she had her whole life, march within the lines.
They hadn't needed to take blood this time or any toll all of sorts as they were all accounted for. It felt weird walking the same path she had years before, walking up the steps and being met with the eyes of the people of her district and she strained not to maintain contact with any. Just look forward at the back of Stephanie's head even if this was the last time she saw any of their faces.
The path was long and at the end in the corner of it was Katherine, tears in her eyes as she looked at them, cradling a baby in her arms and Indie looked down at her feet, clenching her jaw as she was sure Jasper was staring at his wife and newborn baby who he may never get to see again, although she had heard Freda and Stephanie talking about how Isaac and Zach had agreed for one of them to take his place if necessary, both agreeing that a daughter should grow up with her father.
Indie continued to try not to make eye contact with anyone as they were lined up in front of the stage for a final time. She was closer to the aisle and therefore closer to Jasper as both gazed up at the identical glass bowls.
Both had only three slips in them.
It was a few minutes before Estella Godfrey walked out, heels clacking on the wooden stage. She looked slightly less preppy than usual, and Indie could see a sight sadness in her eyes even as she smiled, but otherwise she looked fine. Well... weird as usual with her signature black and pink colored clothes and she may be slightly insane but... fine in the Estella Godfrey sense.
"Welcome. Welcome. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary and third Quartel Quell of the Hunger Games." At least her voice sounded perky. "Ladies first." She announced and Indie felt her heart hammering in her chest as she stared at the bowl. She could practically hear her saying her name once again, and she remembered how she had done this six years ago. Memories she didn't exactly want to remember. Estella walked back over to the microphone while unfolding the slip. She took a deep breath before announcing to the entirety of district five, "Indigo Marsh."
Indie's jaw clenched as eyes turned to her, and unlike the first time she stayed calm, and started to step forward but when she did, to her right Stephanie started to say something.
"I-"
Knowing what it was, Indie grabbed her arm looking wildly at her and stopping her from stepping forward. "Don't do this, Steph." She said in a hushed voice as Stephanie looked down at her, her own jaw clenching as Indie said it. "I won't let you."
A hush had fallen over the crowd as they watched the exchange but neither cared about the eyes watching them as Stephanie said in a hushed (and almost broken if that was possible) tone, "I won't lose you."
Indie didn't say anything, letting go of Stephanie and taking a step back, as a guard stepped forward and took her arm, guiding her toward the stage where she walked up the steps as she had done six years ago. She walked up, feeling the eyes of her District on her as she ascended, before she made her way to stand in front of the glass bowl on the right side of Estella.
"Well," Estella started, "On to the boys." She walked over to the glass bowl and Indie turned her head to watch Estella's movements, watching the woman draw a slip from the group of three at the very bottom of the bowl. Like before, she held it in her hands, unfolding it as she walked back to the microphone, held clacking as she went. "And for our boys, we have Isaac Gerald." Without as much conflict, Isaac stepped forward and was guided to the stage like Indie was. As he reaches his place, Estella begins again, "The tributes from District 5, Indigo Marsh and Isaac Gerald." Estella said and Indie turned her whole body towards Isaac, both meeting in the middle and taking each others hands to shake.
She looked up and met his eyes, feeling a sudden urge to do something spontaneous, and he seemed to know what she was thinking. Both turned towards the cameras who had been watching them, and gave the same three fingered salute that had been spread as a sign of rebellion in the past year, what had gotten many people killed. No one may ever see it outside of their district, but she knew it was necessary. It was important.
And with that, they were dragged from the stage and thrown back into the mix.
𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆:
I know it's been a few weeks since I last
updated but I was focusing my attention
on the first college class I've ever taken
(online obviously). But I hope you liked
this chapter and you'll be seeing Finnick
soon.
(And thanks for 20k reads, I never
expected it to get this far)
1988 words
votes comments appreciated and
have a good day / night!
. . . 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 . . .