The Hunger Games from Peeta's point of view

I do not own the Hunger Games

Chapter 1 – the Reaping

I was awoken by my mother yelling at me to get up. It wasn't unusual to get woken up this way.

"Mother, why do we have to get up so early today?" I ask, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I check the clock. 4:30 in the morning; early for even a baker.

"Don't you know what day it is, stupid boy? It's the reaping day and if you're going to be sent to your death, I want you to have cooked some decent bread first! Now get out of bed, or your dinner will go to the pigs tonight!" she screams.

Ah yes. The reaping. How could I forget? You'd think something so nerve-wracking might stick in my head.

Many years ago, a place once called "North America" had been destroyed, and out of its ashes arose Panem, a country ruled by the Capitol. Panem had 13 districts to supply the Capitol everything they wished for. District one was in charge of luxury items, two was masonry, three was technology, four was fishing, five was power, six was transportation, seven was lumber, eight was textiles, district nine was grain, ten was livestock, eleven was agriculture, twelve was mining and thirteen was graphite mining and nuclear weapons. The Districts thought that the Capitol was too powerful, so they rebelled and lost the war. District Thirteen was destroyed. These times were called the "Dark Days."

To make sure that this never happened again, the Capitol came up with the concept of the "Hunger Games." The twelve Districts of Panem were to select a girl and boy tribute by "public reaping", meaning that all of the children between the ages of 12 and 18 had their names wrote on a slip. Your slips of paper built up over the years, meaning that at twelve years old, you had one slip, at thirteen two slips, so on. If you were on the brink of starvation, like many residents of District Twelve were, you could apply for "tesserae", where you would put your name in more times and in return, the Capitol would give you a supply of grain and oil for a year. You could enter for tesserae as many times as necessary. An escort from the Capitol had to call a name out and they would be whisked away to the Capitol to prepare for the Games. You were allowed to volunteer for your family or friends, but the word "tribute" was a synonym for "corpse" here in District Twelve, seeing as we only had 1 living victor, Haymitch Abernathy. Volunteers are rare.

At first, I think the Games were a practical way to warn the Districts about rebelling again, but now they are a source of entertainment and something to be celebrated by the Capitol.

They enjoy watching us die.

With these grim thoughts running through my head, I get up and start work.

At about 6 in the morning I see Katniss, and I can't help staring. What is it about her that makes all men in District Twelve love her? It most definitely isn't her personality; she is quite cold and unforgiving. Is it her looks? She is quite pretty, but there is nothing special about her. Then it hit me. It is her voice. I remember, on the very first day of school, my father pointed her out to me. He said, "See that girl over there? I wanted to marry her mother."

I was shocked, and I said, "Why didn't you?"

He replied, "She ran off with a coal miner."

This was even more surprising, so I said, "A coal miner? Why would she pick a coal miner over you?"

He chuckled lightly and replied, "Because when he sang, even the birds fell silent to listen." Later on in the day, the teacher had asked the class if anyone knew a song, and Katniss' hand shot straight up. She sang a tune about the forests and outside all of the birds fell silent, and I knew, from that day forth, that I was in love with Katniss Everdeen and that I would do everything in my power to make her mine.

I hear a bell ring, pulling me out of my day dream. Katniss' friend, Gale Hawthorne had walked in with a squirrel in his hands. "Got anything to trade for this?" he asks, holding out the squirrel.

I know we have some extra bread in the back, so I say, "Yeah, wait here." I know that he is going to share it with Katniss, so I think I'll get the best bread I can find. I come back, we trade, and he leaves without a word. I don't even notice he had left until the bell on the door rung. It was eerie how quiet he was. Must help with his hunting, I guess.

At about 1:00 I leave the bakery to get ready for the reaping at 2:00. Mother doesn't like us leaving until absolutely necessary, even on reaping days. When I get home, I hop in the bath and wash off all of the four that has somehow found its way onto my body. I then get out and get dressed in a blue shirt and some dress pants that had once belonged to my eldest brother, Jeffrey. I smooth back my hair and make my way to the square, where the reaping is held. I sign in and make my way over to the 16 year old males section.

"Hey, Peeta!" I hear. I turn around. I smile. It is my best friend, Logan. He is wearing a red shirt similar to my blue one, and dress pants. "How's it going, Logan?" I ask, shaking his hand. Hugs are also a rare occurrence, even between friends.

"You know same old, same old. Thinking about the very likely chance that I will compete in the Games may very well force me to an early grave," he says, dismissively waving his hand. "What about you? Gotten your dream girl yet?" he knows about me liking Katniss.

"Shut up, Logan," I groan, elbowing him in the ribs.

We hear the squeal of the microphone and everyone falls silent. "Welcome, welcome," says Effie Trinket, District Twelve's escort. They play the usual video about the dark days, and then the Mayor speaks. Now is the time for the reaping. "May the odds be ever in your favour," trills Effie. She moves over to the glass bowls with the slips of paper in them. "Ladies first." She puts her hand in and digs around for a little bit. Please not be Katniss please not Katniss please don't be Katniss. The thoughts are running through my head over and over again. "The female tribute from District Twelve - Primrose Everdeen." I let out a sigh of relief. It isn't her. Then I realise.

It is her sister.

Before I know what was happening, Katniss steps forward to volunteer for her sister. I have to bite my lip to keep from calling out. Her sister won't let go. I can tell Katniss is on the verge of crying. Gale comes up and takes Primrose away, muttering something to Katniss. "How exciting, a volunteer. And what's your name, sweetheart?" Effie asks.

"Katniss Everdeen," she replies, trying to sound bored.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister! Wouldn't want her stealing all of the glory now, would we?" asks Effie. I hate how the Capitol turns something so sweet into something so selfish. "Now for the boys," Effie says, moving towards the boys bowl. Again, she digs around for a while before pulling out a slip of paper. I am so shocked by Katniss volunteering that I almost don't hear it.

"Peeta Mellark," she says. No! I can't go in an arena with Katniss! I can't kill her! But I walk up to the stage anyway, and when Effie says so, Katniss and I shake hands and are escorted to the Justice Building.