More raw, unedited, two year old Hunger Games fanfiction that has been sitting in my notes like the pan in my sink that I left to "soak"
"Natalia Wilson!"
Her heart stopped. The applauding people around her seemed to be miles away and every sound dulled in her head.
Natalia felt the other girls around her scream happily and hands were grabbing at her, congratulating.
She couldn't move. Her mind raced and her stomach twisted with every second.
Some girl she knew from class pushed her forward, laughing encouraging words. Natalia numbly stepped onto the stage, Tikkie Decóurs smiling proudly and waving the girl to keep moving.
There she stood, silently dumbfolded. Tikkie clapped with a wide smile. It felt like every eye layed on her appearence.
Natalia could see Tikkie gesturing and talking again. She grabbed the girl's shoulders with her clawlike nails, shaking her slightly.
A loud ring brought back all the sounds, crashing upon her like an ocean wave.
Natalia blinked as if her eyes needed to reajust to the view. The masses of people were still cheering and clapping.
But Nat's eyes found her small family blinking from the crowd like a Lighthouse. Lillian cried, burying her face in her husband's chest. Magareth had a pale face and she looked older than ever.
"Wonderful! Just wonderful!" Tikkie's voice pulled her away from her parents. "Our female Tribute this year, how lovely!"
She waited until the last people shut up so she would have all the attention again. "Very well. Gentlemen, it's you turn" she smiled once more and got ready to take out a name from the boys' bowl.
Clearing her throat, she unfolded the little paper.
"Our male Tribute in these year's Hunger Games will be..." The dramatic pause again.
"Mike Jackson!"
"No!"
Even before the first cheers erupted, a loud shout came from the group of older boys.
Natalia saw William loosing himself from the crowd and running over to his brother, who stepped back.
"Will, what are you doing?-'' hissed the younger boy. William grabbed his arm. Peacekeepers were already moving towards the two persons.
"Mike, please. They can't take you-" William was roughly pulled away from his little brother. The Teenager fought desperatly against the men. "No, stop! STOP! I volunteer!"
They let go instantly.
Mike Jackson looked shocked. Will stumbled forward. "Mike, you don't want to do this, trust me-" "No! You planned this! How could you?!" The little boy screamed enraged. William looked heartbroken.
But he clenched his jaw and made his way to the stage where Natalia and Tikkie where already waiting. The whole market place was silent, watching the argument.
"No! This isn't fair! It should be me!-" Mike got taken by the Peacekeepers, dragging him back into the rows of boys. "I hate you! You hear me? I hate you!"
The voice died out when Tikkie started speaking again.
"Well if that isn't dramatic. What's your name, young man?" She held the microphone under William's nose.
He looked into the waiting crowd, his eyes searching for his brother. "William Jackson." He mumbled.
Nat exchanged a quick look with the boy, trying to read his emotions. Will's expression stayed unreadable.
Tikkie let out a small huff. "Well I guess he's not very fond of your actions huh?"
Natalia needed to surpress the urge to throw the woman off the stage.
As William didn't respond, Tikkie finished the Reaping with the same words as always: "May the odds be ever in your favour"
The two Teenagers got led away from the clapping people, into the City hall where they got seperated into rooms to say goodbye to their families.
Natalia paced around the wooden room, trying to comprehent with the events.
She would be part of the Hunger Games. And she would need to kill William Jackson. The tall, strong boy who would always win during training. The boy who cared so much for his family that he was willing to die for them.
"Three minutes- yes" A voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
She spun around to see her mother already running towards her.
Lillian Wilson embraced her daughter while small sobs escaped her lungs. The unbearable pain of loosing another child burned inside of the woman's chest.
"Oh my love, I am so- so sorry..." She cried. Magareth next to her seemed to have lost her colour but her eyes had a wild spark.
She patted Lillian's head with a face filled with grief.
Natalia hugged back her mother and locked eyes with her father who's face seemed to darken.
James stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders, shaking slightly. "Thalia, listen. You're strong, you're fast. I saw your training. You're smart enough to survive. Mr. Coulson is a great mentor, he'll help you in any way." His voice was serious. "Stay focused. You will win this."
Natalia has never seen her father like this. Now she could imagine the soldier he used to be. The clear tone of a warrior. The fierce expression of a survivor.
"Do you understand me?" He looked urgent. Nat nodded quietly. Her father smiled proudly and hugged his daughter.
A Peacekeeper entered the room signaling for the three adults to leave. "Remember, we're so proud of you. Take them down" James smiled as the Keepers pulled him away.
As if a button went off in Lillian's head, her eyes widened and she suddenly started shouting, fighting against the soldiers who were trying to get her out of the room.
"No... NO! THIS IS MY DAUGHTER! YOU CAN'T TAKE HER- NO!" Her voice turned into a desperate scream as she was dragged away from her girl. She trashed and cried and laughed at the same time, knocking out one of the guards. "THAT'S MY DAUGHTER! NO!" The woman scratched and fought with everything she had, just to get back to her child.
Natalia couldn't move in shock of how her mother went crazy. "Mom-" she wanted to step forward but a Peacekeeper held her back.
Her Grandmother left the room without any words, as if the fire inside of her had died out.
Her family got ripped apart so brutally fast. It hurt her soul and heart.
She couldn't bare seeing her granddaughter getting turned into one of the Capitol's games.
Without glancing back, she stepped away from the girl, leaving her alone once again.
💃Shakira, Shakira ~
