2. Goodbye Forever? I Hope Not

       I had to be dreaming this; there was no way I could have been picked. There had to be some other girl named Bridget with her last name close to mine, only the woman pronounced it wrong. I couldn’t get picked for the last Hunger Games. The chances were still slim! There were a whole bunch of eligible girls to be chosen!

            Why me?

            The woman scanned the children for me.

            “Where are you, dear?” she called.

I didn’t move at all. I was just waiting for some other girl to volunteer and take my place. The slow moments passed, and no other girl was brave enough or eager enough to volunteer. I was on my own. Damn it.

I wanted to shrink into the crowd if it meant avoiding detection. However, I knew I couldn’t do that, because the Peacekeepers would eventually seek me out and drag me to the platform. I also knew that I couldn’t pin my name on some other girl; I’d get into trouble for that. It was bad enough I got reaped, but to pin it on some other girl just so I could possibly avoid being thrown into the Hunger Games was downright horrible.

I inhaled shakily and released both boys’ hand. Daniel tried to grab my hand again, but I gently pushed it away. I stepped out into the narrow path that was made. All eyes were on me. It was dead silent, making me very uncomfortable. I never liked being the center of attention among strangers. I especially never wanted to be the center of attention in the Hunger Games.

Each step felt small as I made my way to the stage. It was torture. I wanted to get to the platform quickly to end my pain, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate. Please, you call this torture? You’ve got worse things ahead to deal with, I told myself.

            Once I finally made it to the stage, I stood mutely, my legs quivering, trying not to make eye contact with anybody in town. I really didn’t want to be up here. I would have loved it if it had been anyone but me who had been chosen as female tribute for District 7, as awful as it sounds. Any girl here I’d trade lives with right now if it meant I didn’t have to participate in the Games.

            I scanned the town, searching frantically for faces I knew could calm me down. I saw Ewan’s body completely stiff and tense, and Dan looked really uneasy, like he was going to be sick or something. I managed to find my father in the crowd.

The look on his face…it pained me so much. I would have tried focusing on finding Troy, but I bet he wanted to keep his head down so I wouldn’t spot him. He didn’t want to be noticed by me or Dad. He wanted to be forgotten.

            The Capitol woman dove her hand into the opposite bowl this time. My fate was decided. Now who was going to be joining me in the Games? I knew immediately the two boys I didn’t want to be chosen. Thankfully only one male would be chosen. But still, one would possibly get picked.

            “Daniel Kinsley,” the escort read.

            My heart dropped. This cannot be happening. I really felt like fainting at this point. This felt like some horrible nightmare come true.

Everyone looked around just like they had last time when the woman had called my name. I wheezed quietly. I was ready to pass out from shock and horror.  

Ewan and Dan looked at each other. The look on Ewan’s face was utter horror. I couldn’t imagine how he felt. That was his twin brother that had just been called up. First his best friend and now his brother. I wasn’t sure who was having a worse day: Dan, Ewan, or me.

If I had to think about it, we all were pretty even.

            Reluctantly, Daniel stepped out from our age group and made his way up to the platform to stand by the woman’s other side. I saw the rage in Ewan’s eyes as his brother stood up here on the platform with me. He had to be screaming in outrage on the inside. I know I was. I wondered if Dan had thought about trying to blend in with the crowd too, when his name was called, like me. But Dan was a smart kid; he knew that wasn’t possible to do.

            “Here are our tributes from District Seven! Daniel Kinsley and Bridget Melina!” the woman squealed. “Make District Seven proud, both of you. Come home the victor and may the odds be ever in your favor!”

            Nobody clapped, nobody spoke. The eerie silence that presented itself before remained above the town center. Why would anyone want to applaud this? Nobody ever applauded for the tributes here.

            Immediately following the reaping, guards slowly pushed the crowds out, urging them to get back to whatever they were doing. Our escort scuttled away just in time for four guards to come up to the platform. My two snagged an arm each of me.

 I didn’t like that.

            “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” I screeched. I could see Dan squirming around a bit as well.

            “You are to be taken away from here,” said the one guard who held my right arm. “You’ll be in a visiting room in the Justice Building. You’ll be able to have some time with any visitors before you leave.”

            “So we’re not in trouble?” I always viewed as being nabbed by guards as being tipped off that you got in trouble for something, whether you were aware of it or not.

            “No, you’re not. The Capitol only has us here to ensure you don’t try and escape your duty.”

            I didn’t consider being a tribute a “duty”; it was more like a horrible fate. But knowing that we weren’t in trouble settled me down, only very little. It was enough to make me stop struggling as the guards led me to my visiting room. Dan complied with his guards as soon as he saw me pass calmly without throwing a fit.

            Daniel and I got separate rooms for visitors. I wanted to see Dad more than anything now, to hopefully try and be able to connect with him before I had to leave for the Capitol. I wanted to see Troy too, since there was a very good chance I wouldn’t come out alive from these final Games.

            I sat on the floor, hugging myself tightly. I could feel tears welling in my eyes, my lower lip trembled. I wasn’t Hunger Games material, anyone could see that. I didn’t think Daniel was either. We were both screwed; we were being thrown into a territory that we never wanted to go into. No matter how much training we’d undergo, it wouldn’t be enough to help us out.

            Our fates were sealed before the Games truly began.

            My head snapped up as the door creaked open. I staggered to my feet, sniffling. I was so glad my first visitor was Dad. I couldn’t contain myself. I ran right for him the moment he shut the door. I tackled him, sobbing into him. He hugged me, rubbing my back.

            “I want to apologize, Bri,” Dad said. He was one of the few people who called me that. “For everything. For wallowing in pity ever since your mother died. I shouldn’t have become so hollow. I wouldn’t have if I had known this would happen…”

            “Dad, we didn’t know something like this would happen. Apology accepted.” I sniffed. “All I care about is that you’re here right now with me.”

            “There’s something I want to give you.”

            “Oh?” I looked up at him. I could tell Dad had been holding back tears at the reaping; his green eyes were a little puffy.

            Dad bent down to my level since I was on the short side. He had his palm out, a woven bracelet in it. The colors, blue and white, wound around each other in harmony. It looked to be handmade, there was no way anything could look so well-crafted.

            “It was a gift from your mother,” he whispered.  

            “When did she give you that?” I asked. I didn’t recall ever seeing that bracelet on Dad or anywhere in the house in general.

            “It was on our very first anniversary. She had made one just like it for herself. The two colors represent our favorites: Mine blue, hers white. They say you’re allowed a token as long as it’s not breaking any rules. I doubt this is breaking any of them, there’s nothing dangerous about it.”

            “Dad, I can’t do that to you,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s yours that Mom gave to you. She made it for you.”

            “And I want you to have it.” He put it in my hand, closing my hand with both of his. “When you’re in that arena fighting for your life, your mother and I are with you. Or if you ever feel alone, this will remind you we’re with you.”

            I felt a single tear leak from my eye. Dad really loved me to give up his special one year anniversary bracelet that my mom made him. It must’ve taken him a lot of time thinking it through. Did he somehow know this would happen, or had he planned on giving this to me anyway for a later occasion, like pass it off as a family heirloom?

            “Thank you,” I whispered. “Did you manage to catch a glimpse of Troy during the reaping?”

            “No,” he sighed. “I know what you’re going to ask. I don’t know if he’s here, baby.”

            “I want him to be. This might be the last time I get to see him.”

            “Well, we both know your brother. He’s a smart boy. If he knows that, he’ll probably show.” There was a moment’s silence between us. “I have to go; they only let us have a certain amount of time for visiting.”

            “I wish it was longer,” I whined.

            “I do too, sweetheart.”

I hugged him tight one last time, bracelet still in my hand. “I love you.” My voice cracked.

            “I love you, too,” he whispered. He wiped away a stray tear. “Be strong, okay?”

            “I’ll try to be.”

            “Don’t try. Be.” Dad kissed my forehead then left me.

I had a feeling I’d have at least one more visitor. During the time I was alone again, I slipped the bracelet into my pocket. I’d put it on soon.

            The door opened once again. Dad was right, Troy was smart. Despite the horrible fate was I pushed into, things were actually looking a bit bright. First my dad and I patched things up, and now Troy was here.

            “Hey, squirt,” he teased. I snorted a laugh. I hated to admit it, but I missed Troy calling me that. There was a considerable age gap of four years (he’d be twenty this year), so he had reason to call me it.

            “You finally come back to see the family?” I asked.

            “Yeah. I just saw Dad outside not too long ago.”

            Troy came to me to hug me. He’s taller than me by a foot; he resembled Dad just like I did Mom. Troy possessed the dark brown hair of our father, along with his soft green eyes. Of course, he’d really represent Dad, if Dad wasn’t graying.

            “I thought I’d never see you again,” I murmured.

            “I was going to visit home sometime.”

            “I’m just glad you came here now. Oh, while I have you here, can you do me a huge favor?” I knew I didn’t have much time. The idea just popped into my head. This would be my only chance to keep the only parent we had left sane. I wished I had thought of this sooner.

            “Sure.”

            “Can you please go back home and take care of Dad? I just have a feeling he won’t be himself while I’m fighting for my life in the Games,” I said. “The last thing I want is for him to do something stupid.”

            “I’ll have to see if Ria approves.”

            “Ria?” My head cocked to the side.

            “My girlfriend.”

            Well, this was news to me.

            “You must’ve gotten her during the year we didn’t see you, because I don’t remember you ever having a girlfriend.”

            “She’s nice,” Troy said defensively.

            “I didn’t say anything bad about her. I hope she understands why when you ask her.”

            “Oh, after seeing the reaping, I doubt she’ll say no,” Troy muttered. “In fact, if she knows how much this means to me and you, she’ll probably even come down to help me.”

            “So, you will?”

            “Of course.”

            “Good.”

            “She’s still got one more visitor,” called a guard from outside. “Wrap it up.”

            “One more visitor? I thought you and Dad would be it,” I mused.

            “I guess not. Do us proud out there, squirt.” Troy tousled my hair like I was a little girl again.

            I gave a weak, crooked grin as Troy left the room. One more visitor? Who else could it…? I smacked myself mentally. Why did I even bother to ask that question? Just because his brother was in the Games with me didn’t mean he’d only visit his twin. I was his best friend, of course he’d come see me too.

            Just like I thought, Ewan was the last visitor for me. Daniel probably got as many visitors as I did: three. His parents and his brother. I got my brother, Dad, and one of my best friends.

            “Didn’t get enough time with your brother?” I tried to tease.

            “Sadly, no,” Ewan huffed. “Rough luck, huh?”

            “Some crappy odds,” I agreed.

            “If I could, I would pull you and Dan out right now,” he said seriously. “If I hadn’t been so stunned I would have taken his place!”

            “I know you would have.” I leaned against the wall. “Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t escape.”

            “I need you to promise me something, Bri.”

            “What is it?” I asked hesitantly.

            “I want you to protect Dan at all costs.”

            “Ewan, you realize I can’t forever, right? What if we end up as the final two in the Games? We can’t pull a Katniss-Peeta deal, not again. The Capitol wouldn’t allow it.”

            “But you won’t kill him.”

            “I know I won’t. The Capitol probably would if they saw our alliance,” I whimpered. “There are twenty-four of us, only one comes out alive.”

            “That’s not an option for you both,” he growled, hovering over me. I looked up at him. I hated seeing Ewan in such pain. He looked about ready to punch the wall I was leaning against. “I can’t lose either of you. Dan’s my brother, and you’re my best friend.”

            “I wish they made the one victor be two since it’s the final Games, it’d make it more interesting.”

            “That’d be a dumb move for the Capitol. A fight to be the last one standing is what people want to see. Besides, they want the final Games to be the best ever witnessed.”

            Sadly, I knew Ewan was right. The last year for anything always had to be the best. Now it made me wonder how bad the arena would be once we tributes were released into it. I’d have to train to be at least efficient in every area the Training Center had to offer. You never knew what you were up against until you were tossed into the arena. But even then you’d have to keep an open mind, because the Gamemakers could throw anything at you.

            “One more minute,” called the guard from outside.

            “Listen to me.” Ewan lowered his voice. “Do whatever it takes to keep him alive. Find a way to end the Games so that both of you live.”

            “We can’t guarantee anything,” I whined.

            “Please try.” He took both my hands gingerly in his. I didn’t take this as anything, him holding my hands. It didn’t seem awkward to me. Besides, he already had a girlfriend who he was attached to. It wasn’t like he was holding my hands and giving me an I’m-in-love-with-you speech.

            “I’m really going to miss this place, everyone…” I sniffled. “I’m going to feel so alone out there.”

            “You won’t be,” he assured me. He was only saying that because he was convinced Daniel and I would come out as two victors in the final Games. There was no way the Capitol would allow it, not unless we pretended to be in love with each other.

The last time two winners were crowned, the Head Gamemaker had been murdered. As much as I hated the Capitol for creating these wretched Games, I didn’t like the thought of someone dying because of me. That was just one more reason why I didn’t want to be in the Games: I hated death; I didn’t want to kill anybody out there.

            I was not going to last long.

            “Not many people make allies. Those who do end up killing each other in the end after all their opponents are wiped out,” I said darkly. Ewan knew this was true.

It wasn’t a myth, it was just fact. There was only one survivor; allies had to turn on each other to win. When it was every tribute for himself—or herself—allies meant nothing. You’d kill the people who put their faith in you if it meant you’d live.

            “You’ve had enough time,” called the guard just outside the door. “You have ten seconds to leave or you’ll be escorted out.”

            “You better go,” I told Ewan. “I’d rather not see you dragged out against your will.”

            “I’m not in the mood to be taken away again,” he muttered. “I got dragged out when I visited Dan.”

            Reluctantly, Ewan showed himself out just as guards were appearing in the doorway. He didn’t dare take one look back at me because—I was sure—he knew the guards wouldn’t let him stay a second longer. If he had the chance to look at me one last time, I knew he would have.

Now I felt horrible, realizing that I didn’t even hug my best friend one last time.

            I hated to admit it, but I knew I wouldn’t come out the victor in the final Games. Hell, I doubted Daniel would either. We’d both die. As pessimistic as it sounds, it’s life. I was looking at this from a realistic standpoint, and it seemed pretty accurate.

There’s only room for one victor, not two or more. The odds of either of us winning were pretty slim, given that we both didn’t train for the Games, let alone dream of being picked to partake in them.

            “You need to come out too, Ms. Melina,” said the guard who had always remained near the door from the moment I was thrown into this visiting room.

            “Why?” I asked carefully, feeling the urge to press myself against the corner farthest from the door.

            “The Tribute Train leaves in five minutes. You don’t want to get left behind, do you?”

            I want to. I really want to, I thought. I knew I couldn’t give that answer, because they’d take that as resisting, then they’d have to pull me out of the room and drag me to the Tribute Train.

            Even though I really wanted to run back to my house and lock myself inside my room, I followed the guard with two flanking me as they escorted me to a car that would take me to the Tribute Train. Daniel was sandwiched on the other side of the car, our escort in between. It was a very quiet ride to the train. Even our escort was quiet, and I had expected her to be chatting away while I tuned her out.

 Already I was worrying about so many things: how much time we had before arriving in the Capitol, if Dad was ever going to be alright, just how rough the competition in the Games would be…

            I felt for the bracelet that Dad had given me. That was the only piece of home I had with me now, besides Daniel. I shielded my eyes against the sun as I climbed out of the car with Dan. The long Tribute Train stood before us.

Peacekeepers flocked me once again, tensed and ready to grab me should I think about fleeing last minute. What was the point in trying when I knew I had no chance of escaping? Though the idea was extremely tempting, it was impossible. One girl couldn’t evade armed Peacekeepers.

 Cameras were perched all around as they watched me. I had no doubt that Dan was feeling uncomfortable like me. We walked up a ramp to go inside the train. The moment the door was shut, I could hear the train move under my feet. I didn’t bother to look over my shoulder as my home passed me by. Daniel went past me, leaving me alone in front of the door that had just closed me off from home.

I hoped I lived in the end to tell the tales to everyone, or my kids even. But with my lack of fighting experience, that reality seemed very unlikely.