My name is Lissa, I am 16 years old. I live in the seam, the poorest part of District 12. I have dark hair and gray eyes. I have one sibling, an older brother named Liam. He is 18. Our parents work in the coal mines. District 12 is in the country Panem. In Panem every year we have the Hunger Games. Every year two tributes, one boy and one girl, are reaped to fight to the death in a televised game. These tributes are aged between 12 and 18 years. When you are 12 your name goes in the reaping once. When you are 13 your name goes in twice, and so on until you are 18 and your name is in the reaping 28 times. If your family needs food you can put your name in one extra time for each member of your family for tessera. Tessera is a meager supply of grain and oil. We get tessera every year. Today is the reaping. Mine and my brother's names have been in the reaping more than most people's. I am terrified. Not that I will be reaped but that Liam will be. He is my favorite person in the world, he is my best friend.

Liam comes to tell me it's time to go to the town square. It's time for the reaping. We walk to the square together, as usual. We have to check in and then go stand with our age group. The mayor walks up on the stage and tells the traditional about the revolution and why we have to have the Hunger Games. When he is finished the District 12 escort walks up to the microphone. Starling Mayes is our escort. She has bright orange hair and bright yellow skin. She is talking about the games and how excited she is to be here and how much of an honor the games are for the tributes. Finally she goes to pick the first tribute. The girl tribute is a 16 year old girl from my class. Her name is Holly. I don't really know her too well but I have seen her around town. Her parents are merchants, she has bright blonde hair and blue eyes. She is beautiful. Starling goes to call the boy tribute. Liam Marks. My wonderful, smart brother has just been reaped for the games. The world has fallen apart. Nothing makes sense. How can this have happened? I watch him walk to the stage and climb the stairs, he walks over to Starling and shakes her hand and smiles. I can see the fear in his eyes, the worry behind the smile. I am going to have to watch my brother fight and kill other kids. My worst nightmare is coming true right before my eyes and I can't stop it.