Chapter Text
Chapter One
The Promise of Food
Last year the war between the districts and the capitol was officially declared over and much to the disappointment of the districts the capitol had emerged victorious. Many changes have taken place since then. The capitol has put up an electrified fence around all of the districts saying that it is for our protection. They have banned the travel between districts unless on official duty and have sent in ‘peace keepers’ to make sure that the new laws the capitol passes are upheld. All the money that used to come in has now slowed to a trickle of its former glory. With the loss of coins for families starvation and malnutrition have claimed many lives. Somehow, my family has been able to fight off the starvation but nights that we are able to eat well are few and far between. Everyone in our small family goes out and fishes every morning so that we can earn enough for the stuff we need but even that is not enough and even though we could be hung at the newly built gallows we have to sneak a few fish in the house so that we can work the next day.
The capitol had a mandatory broadcast last month that told everyone there was going to be a competition between the districts and that the winner of this competition would be rewarded with lots of coin, food and prizes for there district and a place of honor with in the capitol. No one cared much about the capitol's honor but to have coin and food was something everyone was happy about. They told us that we would have to register everyone between the ages of twelve and eighteen and that from the pool of signed contestants two would be picked from every district to compete, one boy and one girl. The said that only those chosen would be told what the game was and everyone else would have to wait until they aired the competition live. The watching of the competition would be a mandatory event and no work was to be going on while it was aired.
My two siblings and I went to the town center and registered. There we learned that we could add our names in more then once and receive terraces of grain and oil but we could only enter are names in to equal that of the total number of people in the family. Since both of my siblings were girls I stepped up on behalf of my family and entered in six times once for the mandatory entry and five more for my mother, father, siblings, and myself for the terraces. When we got home with the grain and oil my mother and father praised me because it was very likely that I would get chosen and, at least for a while, we would not have to worry about the threat of the gallows.
The picking of contestants was set for today and we were told to look as nice as we could because they were going to film everything. My father went out and bought two dresses for my sisters and traditional event cloths for me. As he said, “We would not want to bring shame upon our district if you were chosen and only had you sea gear on.” It took me an hour to actually get everything on. There were many layers to this outfit each one with less fabric and more confusion as to how to put it on. When all was done I was wearing a suit that matched that of a calm sunny day on the sea. There were greens blues and grays that all blended together to make a stunning outfit. I have no idea how we were able to pay for something like this. I walked out into the kitchen and had some toast with my parents. My sisters took longer, but it was worth the wait. Coral, the older of my two sisters, had on a dress that had beautiful golds, reds, and blues running throughout the body and fanned out at the bottom with a slit that ran up to her knee. Discus was wearing an equally stunning dress of yellow, red, and white. Her dress did not have the slit like Coral’s but it was wide at the bottom and it was easy for her to walk in. I took a moment to look at my father and he knew exactly what I wanted to say but only offered a smile in return. After everyone had finished with breakfast we headed to the Town Square.
There were a lot of cameras encircling a platform that had two large fish bowls. In front of this platform were two roped off sections one meant for the guys and one for the girls. There were two funny capitol assistants ushering everyone into there correct places. We all stood in our sections waiting for our district representative to come out and kick off the event. She was a tall thin lady and was normal for capital standards. She had no dyed skin, now golden tattoos, as far as I could tell she wasn’t even wearing makeup. She was just dressed up in a simple red dress and had her hair done in curls.
The lady stepped up to a microphone that was placed between the two glass bowls. “Good afternoon District Two. My name is Avangeline and I have been selected as a liaison for this beautiful district. I will be with the two winners from today until the day of the game. To start of the festivities, I will pick the first person out of the girls container.”
Avangeline walked over to the glass bowl that was closer to the girls section. She mixed up the papers for a few seconds then grabbed one from the top of pile. She walked back to the microphone and looked at the girls. “Chrysaora Mauve.” she paused for a second as everyone in the crowd cheered for the first champion of their district. “Please come up to the stage.” As she walked up more cheers erupted. When she was standing at the foot of the stage Avangeline looked at her. “This is just a formality but do you want to give up your selection to a volunteer?” It only took a second for her to respond, “There is no way in hell that I will give up this chance for glory.”
“Well said young lady, now please come up to the stage as I select the second participant.” As Chrysaora walked onto the stage Avangeline moved over to the boys bowl. Again she mixed up the slips for a few seconds then grabbed one from within the middle of the pile. The only thing that went through my mind was “Please be me, please be me.” Avangeline walked back to the microphone where Chrysaora was now standing as well. It felt like years have passed as she unfolded the paper and began to speak the name. “Jhona Pelagia.” Everyone again cheered, everyone but me. They called Jhona Pelagia, a boy whose family boat was docked next to ours, but Jhona Pelagia was not me. He too walked to the stage and was asked the same question as Chrysaora. He had a different response though. “I know that it is a great honor to be chosen as one to bring glory to our district, but there is one here who would bring more glory and have a better chance at winning than I would. If possible, Miss Avangeline, I would like to give up my spot to a family friend, Typus Rostratus.”
That was my name. I may not have been called but I was give the chance to go to the games and Jhona had given it to me. Without even being told I start to move toward the stage, to Jhona. As I move closer I could faintly hear Avangeline talking to the crowd. “Jhona Pelagia has given up his spot to one he feels would better represent you in the district, your second champion this year will be Typus Rostratus.”