THE ARENA BABY

CHAPTER 1

It was the day of the reaping. It was blowing a gale, pouring buckets and the rain was flooding the whole town. It was impossible to go very far without being swept off your feet by the wind… Apparently it was the worst weather ever seen by district twelve in living memory and it just happened to be the day of the Reaping but I wasn't really scared about it. I didn't really feel that it had anything to do with me I was only 14 and had my name it that bowl 27 times but I still felt that the chances of me being picked were slim, and even if I was picked I could have always have counted on my bigger sister Georgia to volunteer for me. Well she's actually my cousin I do have a sister through, Emily she's twelve this year but only has her name in the bowl once and as mum keeps saying she has as much chance as anyone else. Well my cousin's 19 now so too old to go into the arena or volunteer for me and you can't even volunteer anymore, not after that trouble they had with Katniss Everdeen. Suddenly the chances of it being me seemed certain still I felt unbelievably calm while Effie Trinket pulled a girl's name out of the bowl, the silence swept through the town, everyone seemed to be holding their breaths. She slowly opened the folded piece of paper, Eiffel looked around the crowd, trying to add more suspense as if teasing us was something she actually enjoyed. I just wanted her to just say the name; it even made me a little angry. Suddenly and strong gust of wind tore through the town centre ripping the paper from her hand sending it skywards and Effie's wig falling on to the floor in a muddy puddle.

She screamed in horror and quickly grabbed the wig trying to reposition it on her head, which was somewhat lacking in hair. Everyone including the mayor were wetting themselves with laughter. The rain had stopped as well almost as if it had been planning this all day. And the sun was fighting its way through the clouds. For a moment I wondered who's name it was on that piece of paper, I wondered if it was mine, maybe that gust of wind had saved my life, for this year anyway.

By now Eiffel had slumped herself down on a chair her cheeks glowing red with embracement, she was angrily talking to the officials about what to do, either go find that little piece of paper that could be in district two by now or pull out another name from the bowl. Everyone had started to talk among themselves as if believing that it was there name on that piece of paper and that they were now safe. Even if it was my name there were still about 26 others that also could be me so I knew I was anything but safe.

The mayor's voice interrupted the crowd and again the whole town fell silent.

"We are going to redraw the name and whoever it is will be district twelve's female tribute." The mayor plunged his hand into the bowl pulling out the first piece of paper he came to, none of this suspense business. He instantly read out the name strong and clear "Morgana Callow"

Me!

For a moment I thought about making a run for it but deep down I knew that would never work. The peace keepers would just catch up with me and drag me back, and then I'd be in even more trouble I stood there completely motionless like It wasn't even my name that was called.

"Morgana Callow" The mayor repeated "Please make your way onto the stage!"

The crowd around me dispersed and I was left stood completely on my own staring into the eyes of The Mayor. I took a deep breath; trying not to show any emotion, the whole of the Capitol would be watching this live and I didn't what them to see my fear. I made my way onto the stage a silently shook Eiffel's and The Mayors hands. The mayor turned me to face the crowd,

"Round of applause for our female tribute" Said Eiffel from her seat at the back of the stage. At least a hundred people just stared at me and it made me feel sick. In about two weeks' time I would be on my own, inside the arena and the only way out would to be the Last one standing.

My Dad died in the Arena when he was 17. He got my mum pregnant (with me) and was sent in as a punishment (my mum was only 16.) I never met my Dad but I have seen his death so many times. It's recorded as the most gruesome death in the history of the Games EVER. The Image crossed my mind now. How He was caught in a rabbit snare and had to cut off his own hand with a blunt knife in order to free himself and then dying slowly and painfully from the infected wound… how the careers group found him and tied him to a tree. How they pulled out his teeth and burn his skin daily until he died of sheer pain. The screams stayed with me and mum forever and haunted our dreams. This image made me feel even more ill. I looked around for Mum but couldn't find her; everything must have been just too much.

"Are you alright girl?" The Mayor asked

"Yeah I…I think It's just nerves Yeah…. I'm… Fine…".I turned around and threw up all over him.

I apologised and started to wander around the stage like a drunken man. I couldn't figure out which way I should go and my vision was very blurred I stumbled to and fro and then tripped. I nearly fell off the front of the stage but surprisingly the mayor quickly grabbed me before I fell he pulled me onto his chest and I smelt the potency of the sick that covered his suit. I could barely stand up and was so dizzy that he had to basically carry me into the town hall

I had never really considered the Mayor as the caring type. I always thought that it would be his worst nightmare to touch anyone who wasn't of the higher ranks of district twelve but here he was looking after me as if he was… My farther… It was a stupid thought and I knew it couldn't have been true but in a way I wanted to be. He laid me down on a huge bed with silk sheets and told me to rest.

"Sorry about the suit" I mumbled as he left.

"Don't worry I have five others just like it… would you like to see your family now or will I ask them to come back later?" He asked in a soft tone. I thought that he would hate me for what I did but it seemed that he didn't hold anything against me.

"I would like to see them… please."

"Right away" The Mayor left and for a moment I felt like life was O.K. Then I remembered, I was going into the games.

I cried for about twenty minutes until the mayor came back in with my cousin Georgia and my little sister Emily They both ran straight to me and hugged me so tight I could barely breathe. I buried my head into Georgia's shoulder and cried.

"Where's Mum?" I asked after I had recomposed myself

"Gone…" replied Georgia "She said say goodbye to Morgan for me"

I wanted to scream for her. I wanted to tell her how much I loved her. I understood how she had had to watch dad die in the arena and now she had to face that all over again with me… I had to win. For mum.

We didn't say a single word after that he just held each other as tight as we could until it was time for them to go… Nobody else visited me. I had no one else I just sat on the bed and thought… about how I had no idea who the male tribute was or if I even knew him. About how the Mayor had been so kind to me even after I'd threw up on him but mostly about mum. Why didn't she come and say goodbye. Where is she? Is she O.K? Did Georgia mean gone as in DEAD. Even if she was dead. Even if she did kill herself I had to win the games. For mum…`