Let The 69th Hunger Games Begin
CHAPTER 1: Thalia's P.O.V
My mind is numb. I don't really know how to feel anymore, after four years of this same routine on the same day, every year. Each year getting closer to the dead line of the age you must be to enter. Hope to live. But then adding one more slip into the reaping ball, is like giving away your own life. I feel hopeless as I see my little sister, who just turned 12, crying into my mother's shoulder. I am emotionless and I hate myself for this. I should be holding her right now, comforting her. I should be telling her that everything is ok, that she is safe. But I can't. No one can or is safe from this dreading moment. No one can escape the Capitol's grasp. No one can be safe on reaping day. No one can escape 'The Hunger Games'.
Those stupid games that have been around for more than 68 years now. Those Games that take 24 tributes/children, from the ages of 12-18 to be trained in the arts of survival and to be prepared to fight to the death. Those games in which 24 people walk into the arena, but only one walks out alive.
All of this is horrible. The sobbing children clinging to their parents. Everyone praying they won't get picked. We all tell ourselves that we won't. That our lives will be spared another year. But we have to face reality at some point. No matter how much we pray or cry or plead, two children will be forced into the games. Two innocent lives from each district will be taken. No matter how much we despise the idea. It will happen.
I look back at my sister. It's her first year in the reaping ball and she is terrified. I am too. But the odds are in her favor; her name is only in there once. As for me…not so much. My name was only supposed to be in there 5 times, but I had to take tesserae for my family. It is District 12 after all. We are the poorest of the districts and if I want my family to survive I had to receive tesserae. We needed the food and I wouldn't let my family starve. So now I have 25 slips in the reaping ball. The odds are not in my favor.
I'm suddenly woken up from my thoughts by the urging voice that can only belong to my mom. "Thalia, we should get going. We need to get to the square and sign in. If we don't we will have peacekeepers knocking out our door any minute now."
"But…what about dad? He isn't here yet. He needs to be there too," I mutter, worry showing in every word I speak.
"He is still at the mines. Don't worry; he knows what day it is. He will be there," She replies with a forced smile plastered on her face. She's doing this for my sister; she is staying strong. But I can see right through this act of hers. I can see the worry that lurks inside of her as well. We both know what the punishment for not showing up to reaping can be, and I'm afraid that if I do come home today… It will be to my father's dead body. No! I mentally beat myself up. Why would I even think that? My father is smarter than that. He will be there.
"Come on. We need to go," this voice doesn't sound like my mother at all. I feel tugging at my arm and look down to find my little sister, Zuley, suddenly composed and dragging me out of the door.
We walk to the square. It is really, the prettiest part of town. It is such a shame that it is used for such a horrible cause. We sign in and then are assigned to join the kids of our age group. I was about to report to the section where the 16 year olds stood, when I see my sister slowly shakily make her way to where the 12 year olds stood. I grab her arm, which makes her turn around to face me. I crouch down to be at her height and stare intensely at her eyes. Knowing that it might be the last time I get a chance to. Word tumble out of my mouth before I get a chance to process them in my mind…
"Look Zuley, I don't know what is going to happen today. Or next year. Or the year after that. I want to tell you the one thing I know is true, I love you very, very much! And no matter what happens that will never change. But right now you need to be strong. There are other children here that are as frightened as you are, as I am. You need to be strong, and set an example. Give these children a little hope…" I was going to keep talking, tell her that I know how cruel this is and how horrible the Capitol is for doing this to the children. But then notice the peacekeeper standing behind us. Rushing us to take our places. So I said good-bye to my sister. Lightly kissed her cheek and give her a reassuring hug. Then left to take my place and she took hers. Now began the moment that everyone dreaded, that everyone hated. The reaping began.
"Welcome, Welcome. The time has come to select one courageous young man and woman. For the honor of representing District 12 at the 69th annual Hunger Games!" chirped Effie Trinket, the District 12 escort, as bubbly as ever, "Ladies first!" She made her way to the big glass reaping bowl containing the girl's names. She shuffles her arm inside the bowl until she retrieves the one slip of paper, containing the name of the girl chosen to go into her own death trap. She reads the name but I can't hear a thing. My ears refuse to work and my senses refuse to react. There is a lot of commotion around me. I come to my senses as I feel hand pressing against my back. I turn to see who it is, and find my best friend Liam Mellark looking at me with sorrow in his eyes. I'm about to ask what happened, when Effie's voice booms in my ears…
"Thalia Aden, dear, where are you?" She questions as peacekeepers come to take me to the stage. What? No! It can't be! I'm going into the games.