Cinna POV

I groan, rolling over in my bed. It's reaping day. I sit up, waking my softly snoring brothers. The four of us sleep in the same bed. My sisters and niece sleep in their bed across the room. My dad sleeps on our ratty old couch. Mama sleeps with Grandma on the third bed. Dad works in the mines for what little that can provide for us. My older brother and I put our names in the bowl extra for tesserae. "Ryder, Birch, EJ. C'mon. It's the big day."

Mama pulls out the fancy bread that we have to save up all year for. We each get a small piece. That piece of bread is what truly pulls us through. It's so good. The warm aroma of fresh bread covered in slick butter shows us how it could be one day. Dad has overheard rumors about District 13 having not actually been destroyed. I hope that they will save us someday if that's true. We always watch out for broadcasts from the capitol about District 13. We watch for that wing in the corner. Our only hope.

"Lacy, Sae, Maple. You're dresses are over there. Boys over there. Get dressed. Don't wanna be late." Mama swoops around us, nit-picking, and pushing back her swooping wisps of hair, tucking them under her cap. Grandma brushes out Maple's hair. Sae is trying to convince a scared and crying Lacy that Ryder and I won't be reaped. Sae is 30. She had just gotten married when her husband died. Lacy is their daughter. Sae makes soup with anything she can and sells it at the Hob. The Hob is like a black market of sorts. We try not to go there, but it does bring in some money.

We walk down to the square for the reaping. Shutters are drawn, houses are dark, and stores are closed. The crowd is already separating out by age. I kiss my mother and grandmother good bye and join my peers. I can feel the tension buzzing through the crowd. I wander through the crowd searching for my best friend Cole. "Hey." I say, spotting him. "Hey. Here's to neither of us being reaped. Yeah?" He responds with that wild grin he saves inly for when he's really nervous.

Cole has been my best friend for so long. We met in kindergarten and have been close ever since. I was always taunted by the others because I'm so small. Nobody in District 12 is particularly big, but most have some muscles. I sure don't. Cole is pretty big so he has always stood up for me. We stand with our age group laughing at the Capital accent we knew we were about to hear.

"Hello everybody!" The overly happy Capital lady shouted, shuffling across the stage in her huge heels. The movie begins while we stand around emotionless. The Capital woman gasps and cries in all the right places. "Okay everybody, let's get the reaping started! May the odds be ever in your favor!" She giggles strutting over to the bowls. "Ladies first! Willow Donner!" I spot a girl who looks about 16 paling as she began the walk to the stage. I pity her, but now it's my turn to worry. "And boys." She calls out in her silly voice. "Cinna Markson."

The voice no longer sounds silly. It sounds evil and ominous, bouncing around in my head in that voice. I am terrified. I stand in shock, revived by a call, "Cinna dear, where are you?" the woman calls. I deflate and take the first step. Hands shaking, palms sweating, I continue up the stairs to the stage. "District 12, you're tributes!" She calls. My district responds with the normal silence and somehow it is encouraging. It gives me some hope that maybe, one day, we might rebel and leave Panem.

I am rushed into the mayor's house and into a small room so that I can say goodbye. Cole walks in. "What do I do?" I ask, panicked. I don't know what I want him to tell me, but he's always been like my big brother, protecting me. "You'll be fine. Just be charming and get as many sponsors as possible. I'll try to get a group together and send something." I grin at him. "I'll miss you." I say as he pulls me into a hug. "Miss you too bud." He says as the guards tell him to go.

My family walks in next. "Mama, Papa!" I shout as they envelop me in a huge hug. "I love you so much." Maple comes running over, softly sniffling and I pull her close. "Ryder, please take care of them." I say trusting my big brother to take over my part of the work. "I love you!" the twins shout. "Love you too EJ, Birch." Sae tackles me into a big hug. "Keep making that soup. I hope business keeps up." She just grins back sadly. I kneel down and Lacy runs into my arms, sobbing openly. We have a big group hug and the guards come and usher them away. I shout my goodbyes and I love yous for the last time. I know that I will ever see them again. Never come home. The realization hits me and I break down sobbing.

I am led onto the train and into the dining car. I see Willow, the female tribute, and Haymitch, my mentor. Dinner is served the aroma strong and rich. I'm suddenly not hungry so I rush out of cabin. I walk to my room. I realize now that I don't know where my room is. I wander until I give up. Overcome by exhaustion I just curl up on the ground. I slowly drift off thinking about the day.