Snow Falls || F. Odair

Chapter 5:

Unedited*

The morning of the sixty fifth hunger games could not come soon enough for Rosewyn Snow. She had woken up far before the sun had risen, anticipation coursing through her veins. She usually awoke with nothing but excitement coursing through her veins and a wide smile spread across her face. The hunger games had always been one of her favorite times of the year. She would sit next to President Snow and discuss each aspect of the tradition. It was knowledge and entertainment combined into the perfect mixture. However this morning as she watched the sun slowly ascend into the sky all she felt was dread for the day to come.

Across the quiet streets of the capitol within the tribute center Finnick Odair sat awake in his district's apartment. He was trembling as he watched the sun slowly peek out from behind the tall building of the capitol. Anticipation coursed through his veins, the hunger games had always seemed like a twisted tradition. He had been sent to the academy three years prior to his reaping and even with his education his stomach twisted. His mind spiraled as he stared absently outside his window, he always loved watching the sunrise on the white sand beaches of district four. It had been a moment of peace in his life. However this morning as he watched the sun slowly ascend into the sky all he felt was dread for the day to come.

...

Rosewyn was seated towards the edge of the brightly lit room. She had been given specific instructions to not touch any of the screens in the room as it could interfere with the gamemakers work. She had nodded her head in understanding not wanting to ruin the show that the brilliant men and women had slaved over during the past year. Rosewyn sat patiently, hands folded in her lap and gray slacked legs crossed gracefully under her. The games would begin within the hour and her fate would be set in stone. She knew she couldnt interfere with the fate of the tributes but being in the presence with those who could made her feel more in control of her rather helpless situation.

The arena had been powered on and white clad men and women began tapping at the holographic desks in front of them. Rosewyn was finally able to get an idea of the layout of the arena as the hologram buzzed to life. The cornucopia was on a large plain of sand, the ocean crashing lightly a few hundred yards away further into the sea was a small island and the other side of the arena was covered in a mass of trees that didn't seem to match any ecosystem currently in Panem.

The large screen directly across from her showed dozens of different cameras almost making her dizzy from the multitude of perspectives. She rubbed her temples lazily trying not to appear as overwhelmed as she felt.

"Don't worry love" Arthur chimed leaning over to the girl who was sat next to him, "It gets easier" Rosewyn simply nodded not knowing what to say. So much was happening in the room she wasn't sure what to listen to or where to look.

"The tributes are rising" A voice cuts through the chatter silencing the room.

"Okay let's start the countdown" Benedict stated, hand resting across his mouth as he stared at the lowering numbers. As head gamemaker the responsibility of providing an entertaining hunger games rested on his shoulders. Rosewyns breath as the clock slowly ticked down another gamemaker voicing the numbers being displayed. Rosewyns eyes however were locked onto a monitor that was focused solely on the cornucopia.

"There's no trident" Rosewyn whispered to herself eyes wide as she frantically searched the monitors for other angles of the cornucopia, "There's no trident" She whispered once again just as the countdown ended.