"Fly high across the sky…from here…to kingdom come…"

"Prim-rose Everdeen.." She calls my name out in a sing-songy voice.

Slowly, I walk up to the stage, until I'm face to face with our escort.

"Our girl tribute!" she yells out, and I stare out into the crowd.

Then I realize that there is no crowd. Only dead bodies. Those of children my age.

"Whatssss wrong, sweetheart?"

I look back at our escort. In the place of her cotton candy colored wig, snakes protrude from all sides of her head, snapping at my face.

She slowly walks toward me.

"Whatsssss wrong?" she hisses again, then all of a sudden, the snakes begin to melt, gathering at the woman's feet in a puddle of blood.

I scream.

Then-

"Primrose, sweetheart, wake up!"

I open my eyes.

There, above me is my mother, in her old blue nightgown, sitting at the foot of the bed.

"Primrose, sweetie, It was just a bad dream…"

I believe her, but still I doubt that I'm not still dreaming. I look around the room quickly, looking for anything suspicious.

"Prim…"

I look up into her icy blue eyes. She sighs, and then motions for me to get up.

"Come on.."

Slowly, I make my way out of the bed and onto the lumpy old mattress where my mother sleeps. She puts her arms around me.

"Prim, nothing is going to happen sweetheart..it's only your first year, you won't get picked…"

I try to tell myself this as I drift off into another uncomfortable sleep.

Katniss's POV:
I wake up and see Prim sleeping on the lumpy mattress with our mother. Must've had more nightmares. Not surprising.

I sigh and pull on my old leather hunting boots. I stand, and slowly make my way over to Prim, and kiss the top of her head.

I step quietly around the hard wooden floor, trying not to wake them, then I slowly creep out of the door, being sure not to slam it.

Then, I run through the district, wind tossing my wispy brown hair, leading me right into the forest, where the calls of birds soothe me on this terrifying day. Reaping Day.

Quickly, I look around and spot a deer. I grab a stone from the ground and throw it at the creature.

A voice rings out. "What are you going to do with that once you kill it?"

Suddenly, an arrow shoots past me, and lands on the ground.

I frown.

"Gale!" I call, taking my bow and arrow from behind a rotting stump.

Then, a handsome young man comes out of the forest, leaning against a tall oak tree.

"Hey,Catnip." He smirks.

"Gale! I was going to sell it!"

"Yeah? Well here, I'll make it up to you."

He picks up a shiny stone from the little creek running through the forests, and chucks it.

Then, birds swarm near the forest's canopy, trying to get away from the nonexistent enemy.

Quickly, I pull out my bow and shoot one through the heart.

I smile at my clean kill.

"There, does that make up for that deer?" He walks toward me.

"I guess…" I walk towards him, slinging my arrow bag over my shoulder.

"Well, I know what else will if you're not satisfied with that goose."

He sticks his hand in his pocket, and slowly pulls out…a REAL piece of bread.

I quickly snatch it away from him, examining it. "Oh my gosh! Gale is this real?"

He laughs, running his fingers through his messy hair. "It better be. I paid a squirrel for it."

I smirk at him. "Hey, wanna have a little feast with this?"

We both laugh, and start gathering berries .I pull out a small goat cheese that Prim's goat Lady made for us, and we start to eat.

"Hey Katniss?"

"Hrm?" I ask, chewing carefully on a piece of the bread.

"You know the Reaping is today.."

"Yeah?"

"And.."

"And what, Gale?"

"Well, it's my last year…"

"Yes?"

"And I was thinking; since you're never likely to get picked In the Reaping, and since it's my last year, I was thinking that maybe we could just…skip it this year…"

I stop chewing and look at him seriously.

"Gale, you can't be serious…What if Primrose gets picked..or one of your brothers or sisters?"

"Katniss.. We both know that there's a very small chance they'll get picked…I mean, it's only Prim's first year, she won't get picked…"
I stand up, frowning.

"A small chance is still too big of a chance to ignore." I say, turning on my heel and starting to walk away from Gale.

"Katniss…"He pulls at my arm. "Please, listen to me. We both know that Primrose won't get picked. You know that, right?"

I'm screaming at him now.

"But she might, Gale! Anyone could get picked! You say she won't, but Gale, she very well could be picked!"

"Katniss..please…" His eyes are wide now. "For me?" he whispers it, but I can still hear it.

Should I? Or should I not? Prim could be picked, and I wouldn't be there to volunteer if that happened, but then again, Gale really wants me to stay…so should I?"

I sigh heavily. "Alright Gale, I'll stay. But only if you promise to give me an extra deer next Sunday." I smirk, and sit back down,

Little did I know that I had just made the worst decision of my life right then and there in the middle of the forest.