4
Chapter 4
“Ava Roberts. Daisy Romanoff. Beatrice Clover. Aragog Greengrass. Jemma Granter. Axel Blaze. Violet Thorne.”
With the last name announced, Amelia gave an excited wave of her hand. “Would those following people come up!” I turned hurriedly to Aragog, whose face was hard and held determination to it. “Aragog,” I started, grabbing his arm. Aragog shook his arm gently from my grasp. I only held on tighter, not wanting him to leave me. “Let me go, Missy. You’re doing no good holding on to me like this.” My nails dug sharply into his arm. “Please, you can’t leave me! And you can’t leave me alone with her!” Aragog looked around him; the other chosen people were heading up silently, having hugged their family goodbye with tearful faces. Now, everyone was staring at us. I ignored them. “Missy, I’ll be fine.” Aragog tore his arm out of my grasp, gave me a quick hug and turned sharply around to Mother, who hugged him with a blank expression on her face. When Aragog started walking toward the stage, I grabbed his arm again, gently this time. “Missy, I told you to let go,” he told me harshly. I ignored the comment and said, “Aragog, listen. No weapons will be in the Place, so try for food. Use your magic. Survive.” I looked him in the eye and he looked me back. I ignored the stares and the impatient foot-tapping of Amelia Bennet. After a moment, he nodded. “I will.” With that, I dropped my hands and he left. Walked up to the stage and stood in a line with the other chosens. Amelia Bennet gestured to them with her hand and turned to the crowd. “And there we have! The chosens of this year’s Game! Give them some applause!” There was no applause. Instead, everyone looked at the chosens with respect and sadness on their face. It was that either one of them would come back alive, or none of them at all. After the ceremony, they would be taken to the government House where each chosen one would be assigned a mentor and a quarter to each District. As the chosen ones were prepared to be ushered off, President Trumpkin stepped up to the mike and cleared his throat. Murmurs spreaded around. It was very rare that the president would speak on such occasions. I took hold of Mother’s arm and gripped it tightly. She took no notice; her eyes were fixed on the president and there was a look on her face as if she knew what the president was going to say.
“There is another chosen one that we have not announced yet,” he began quietly. Amelia Bennet looked at President Trumpkin with confusement on her face, as did the chosen ones and the crowd. “A good friend of mine from the Fire District has suggested this tribute for this year’s Game and I am pleased to announce her to you.” Then he paused. I let out a breath that I didn’t know I had been holding and somehow had let go of Mother’s hand. President Trumpkin surveyed the crowd with hawk-like eyes, settling on me. A cold shiver ran down my spine when he smiled. We waited a long time. After what seemed like forever, President Trumpkin finally announced the name.
“Hollis Greengrass.”
With the last name announced, Amelia gave an excited wave of her hand. “Would those following people come up!” I turned hurriedly to Aragog, whose face was hard and held determination to it. “Aragog,” I started, grabbing his arm. Aragog shook his arm gently from my grasp. I only held on tighter, not wanting him to leave me. “Let me go, Missy. You’re doing no good holding on to me like this.” My nails dug sharply into his arm. “Please, you can’t leave me! And you can’t leave me alone with her!” Aragog looked around him; the other chosen people were heading up silently, having hugged their family goodbye with tearful faces. Now, everyone was staring at us. I ignored them. “Missy, I’ll be fine.” Aragog tore his arm out of my grasp, gave me a quick hug and turned sharply around to Mother, who hugged him with a blank expression on her face. When Aragog started walking toward the stage, I grabbed his arm again, gently this time. “Missy, I told you to let go,” he told me harshly. I ignored the comment and said, “Aragog, listen. No weapons will be in the Place, so try for food. Use your magic. Survive.” I looked him in the eye and he looked me back. I ignored the stares and the impatient foot-tapping of Amelia Bennet. After a moment, he nodded. “I will.” With that, I dropped my hands and he left. Walked up to the stage and stood in a line with the other chosens. Amelia Bennet gestured to them with her hand and turned to the crowd. “And there we have! The chosens of this year’s Game! Give them some applause!” There was no applause. Instead, everyone looked at the chosens with respect and sadness on their face. It was that either one of them would come back alive, or none of them at all. After the ceremony, they would be taken to the government House where each chosen one would be assigned a mentor and a quarter to each District. As the chosen ones were prepared to be ushered off, President Trumpkin stepped up to the mike and cleared his throat. Murmurs spreaded around. It was very rare that the president would speak on such occasions. I took hold of Mother’s arm and gripped it tightly. She took no notice; her eyes were fixed on the president and there was a look on her face as if she knew what the president was going to say.
“There is another chosen one that we have not announced yet,” he began quietly. Amelia Bennet looked at President Trumpkin with confusement on her face, as did the chosen ones and the crowd. “A good friend of mine from the Fire District has suggested this tribute for this year’s Game and I am pleased to announce her to you.” Then he paused. I let out a breath that I didn’t know I had been holding and somehow had let go of Mother’s hand. President Trumpkin surveyed the crowd with hawk-like eyes, settling on me. A cold shiver ran down my spine when he smiled. We waited a long time. After what seemed like forever, President Trumpkin finally announced the name.
“Hollis Greengrass.”
