a fools dare / [ flynn / nan }

[k!ah]

N A N E T T E   Ψ   C A R T E R

When I had first seen him I forced myself to look away. He had to be no more than twelve or thirteen. Only just entering adolescence, he would not experience life as a teenager. He still had that softness about him that would have slowly been chipped away as the years took their toll. As he grew into his adult body, the body of a young man- not a child. Sadly for him, the chances of him growing old enough to fit into his limbs that seemed slightly too long, would be slim to none.

From the moment I had seen him, I had wanted to forget him. It is not until you see the face of a child that you remember just how cruel, how twisted and disturbing this game was. I had vowed to myself the day my eyes had landed on his small frame that I would avoid him. I would learn nothing about him. Not his name. Why he was here- was it his choice like so many around them, or was it simply his luck of the draw? I had vowed that I would not speak to him and begged Ripred that I would not have to be the one to cut him down.

But as I had laid in bed last night, my brain unable to settle, my fingers running circles around each other I had found him on my mind and instantly slipped from my room. I had sat crossed legged on the large sofa, reaching for the remote and fiddling with the controls until his face appeared. Clicking confirm I had watched as I was transported to district Six. To the day of the reaping.

It was not his name that was called, but a name that had belonged to an older boy. He had volunteered. My heart had pounded in my chest, my body leaning over slightly, watching each and every detail of the events that unfolded next. Carefully as though if I blinked I might have missed the fundamental reason as to why this child had flung himself into deaths arms.

There is a commotion, something that I couldn't quite make out and then the boy is running for the stage, eyes haunted by a ghost that I could not see. He doesn't say anything, but I could see that he was nervous, that he was scared, and I had wondered if he fully understand the implications of the situation he had forced himself into.

After making my way back to my room I had been left with so many questions, and the next morning I might have made the biggest mistake I could have made so far.

I made it my mission to seek him out, to demand to know why he was so determined to die.

"Flynn Garner, district Six," I stand before him, arms folded across my chest. And in the next breath I broke my vow, demanding to know every reason as to why he stood before me, in the arms of the Capitol being groomed to meet Death. "Why'd you do it?"

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

► ► ►

There is hardly anyone my age. Everyone I have seen is like the boy I ran away from though much bigger, older, and trained in crushing my skull. What happens now? Other than having my eyebrows plucked and the stylist sighing with relief that I am too young to have substantial hair everywhere else. There is not much I can do other than flail about with the heavy spears. I did try one summer to grow a moustache. It never happened. Another failure to add to the never-ending list. I guess manic running onto that stage can now hold the place at number one of all time fails in Flynn Garner’s life.

Nobody is here to play games. Nobody is here to have fun. I have already heard the fancy Capitol folk call me ‘easy pickings’ and the ‘young lost boy.’ I have heard George’s voice replayed on the videos ’Better Run Flynn.’ It is fun watching them speculate on my reasons why. I did not even tell my parents in the Justice Building. Not that I had the chance. A bawling father and a mom’s fury were enough to silence everyone else in the room. They never asked why. Rather they explained…or shouted how stupid I was. They mentioned Tommy. Somehow, they had already been told about Tommy, really what were they told? That I pushed him? With the disgust entwined with every word of my mom’s, someone has really told them a lie… My sisters were not there. They were not there for me to tell them how I had sacrificed myself for them. I did not kill Little Tommy. It was an accident. Only an accident…

I have not done much in my short time in the Capitol. Other than being escorted to this place and that place. My only talk has been with Teddy Ursa, the stylist, the escort, and the girl who volunteered too. Poor District Six, the place is that much of a dumpster that the kids are volunteering to get out of it. A trainer has been helping me with…everything. I could maybe kill someone with an overdose of laxatives but that is as far as my knowledge goes. A son of two surgeons who specialise in gastroenterology. Not even something bone breaking like orthopaedics. My only weapon has been a textbook on body anatomy. Maybe I can dare people to fall to their deaths…it has worked before.

I wait by the trap making area for the trainer. It is so cool. All the different tools to play with. Maybe trapping someone in a net can be my thing. The swords are too heavy. I have no good aim with the throwing knives. There must be something I am good at. Or I just do not have any skills in killing people…

"Flynn Garner, district Six," The girl is not my trainer. Far from it. One of the big kids from the big scary career Districts. Oh damn. I am going to get skewered. "Why'd you do it?"

I look around, I have not touched anything. I have not talked to anyone. Why is this girl questioning me? ”I am sorry if I have broken something or looked at you funny. I did not mean it.” I step back a bit as my voice slightly breaks, anticipating all of the other careers to scurry over like rats to feast on their easy pickings a few days earlier…

[k!ah]

N A N E T T E   Ψ   C A R T E R

He shrinks away from me, taking a hesitant step back his eyes alight with fear. ”I am sorry," his voice waivers as he speaks and instantly I am hit with a wave of guilt. I shouldn't have been, I should have wanted him to quake at the sight of me. I should have wanted him to run, to scatter without a moments hesitation. I should have wanted all of that, but I didn't.

Quickly I soften my gaze, allowing my lips to turn up slightly at the corners. "If I have broken something or looked at you funny. I did not mean it.” I silently scold myself, realising that I had not mentioned anything about him volunteering, it had been presumptuous of me to assume that he would understand what I had meant.

I drop my arms to my side, placing a hand on his shoulder I direct him to a bench a few feet over. "Oh, no it's nothing like that. Here take a seat." I take a seat on the bench, my eyes turning to examine the room spread out before us. It was filled with a range of different people. I watch as career swings a sword with ease, barely breaking a sweat. I watch as other work by the fire station. A few sat by fires that greedily ate at the air, others barely even had a pillar of smoke, their wood just a pathetic pile of timber.

And then there was Flynn Garner, who sat beside me. I had only had to look at him the wrong way for him to be shaking in his boots. How would be respond when a tribute ran at him shining a swords with the intention of killing him? Why did he do it. Quickly I cast my gaze over him, silent for a moment before I sucked in a breath. I should have just walked away, now before I become invested. But I don't, instead my lips betray me, "why did you volunteer?" I pause for a moment, making a point at looking around the room once again.

"Tell me, Flynn, what do you see when you look around this room? This isn't a game. This isn't something that you can come back from unscathed- if you even managed to come back at all."

My teeth snag my lip, and I feel the split from the train reopening, blood dripping into my mouth. God damn it Nan, when are you going to stop that?!" Most likely not before I died.

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

► ► ►

I am quick to surrender to the older girl. My butt on a bench and now the whole room is in view. Maybe it will be another lecture, like the ones from the escort and the cook who keeps telling me, the son of two gastroenterologists, how I will suffer with indigestion from the food that I pile onto the plate at each mealtime. I would trade this mad situation for a full year of suffering with indigestion any day.

"why did you volunteer?" I can no longer count on my fingers and toes how many times this question has been asked since I did the volunteering. It is the thirteen-year-old kid from Six that gets them intrigued. I am not the first and will not be the last. I guess it is a part of my story now. I wonder if Syren has been asked the same thing as many times as me.

My eyes fix on the movement in the room as the girl asks of what I see in here. Of how none of this is a game and not a playground for little kids like me to play in. People forget that I am not seven. I am not blind and deaf to the shit that goes on around me. I am not dumb. Just because I am not the typical emotional tribute with a dark story of being a starved orphan for half of my life. I just lead a mediocre life where everything has been stable…up until now.

I still do not look at her as I reply to the list of questions. My hands rest on my knees, eyes distracted by the commotion at the combat station. ”I caused somebody to die. Now I am here. Now this is my punishment.” I only pick at the details. It is a lie. A lie. A lie. A lie that may make careers like her back off if they think I am responsible for a death. ”It is a game though, it is a game for all of those with eyes and cameras on us right now. I like playing games. This is the ultimate game I will ever play.” And it will probably be the last.