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If Tango’s head weren’t attached to his body, it would have probably wandered off on it’s own that morning. He was so busy thinking of the mysterious closed off entrance he’d found the night before, he barely clocked his mother berating him at breakfast for having spilled some water on the floor. He walked out the door only to realize he’d put his shoes on the opposite feet and he stumbled to fix it quickly, hoping he’d have a few minutes to thinker in his new hideout before having to go to the Reaping. That clearly became impossible as soon as he made it to the main street. Even the outskirts where Tango lived where crawling with Peacekeepers, one for every ten people, at least. He wondered what had happened as the worried crowd got shuffled towards the square. even if the Reaping would be in over an hour. Tango approached one of the Peacekeepers that he recognized, one that usually worked in District 6 and that was rather friendly.
“What’s going on? Why are there so many Peacekeepers?“
“Honestly, I haven’t got a clue. They got sent in this morning from the Capitol and have been acting as if they own the place. Something about a change of plan in the Reaping. Now hurry!”
And he did hurry, making it to the square while the stage was still being set up, but soon the area was full with all the other kids ready for the Reaping. They sat close together, the Capitol Peacekeepers pushing in and soon Tango realized that their usual Capitol Escort was nowhere to be seen. Alina had been generally beloved by District 6, as far as Capitol Escorts went. Tango had known her personally during the years his father used to Mentor in the Life Games, before his passing. Alina had given him a small bag of candy at the funeral, telling him to stay strong because his dad would still be watching over him everyday. As Tango stepped up on his toes, trying to see if there was any other person that could have taken her job, dressed in the fancy Capitol garments, he only saw Zed, their latest Victor, pacing anxiously on the side of the stage. Only after waiting over an hour in the sun and heat, did he finally step up to the microphone to speak up, his voice shaking and anxious.
“Hello District 6, I- uh- Am not Alina, clearly… Basically I am covering for her, because she has- uhm, fallen ill unexpectedly.“
He tried to adjust the mic, causing an ear shattering noise, before he got it under control again and with a forceful swallowing motion, he began speaking again.
“So, yes, I am gonna be doing the Reaping… Happy Life Games, yeah happy 149th Life Games, District 6.”
Zed made his way over to the bowl containing all the paper slips with the names of the kids, his hand shaking uncontrollably at the idea of having to be the one to send one of those kids into the arena like he’d been sent not even a decade before. He pulled out a name, and without the usual ceremony of the Capitol people, he read it.
“Tango… the District 6 Tribute for the 149th Life Games is… Tango.”
Tango froze on the spot, soon Peacekeepers where grabbing him, carrying him over to the stage with little interest in being gentle. He hoped for a moment that his mother would scream, that she would be sad even for an instant, that she could care for him, but all that he heard was silence. Zed had recognized the name, and quickly he looked through the crowd to find the child of his former Mentor. The child he now would have to Mentor.