Life is cruel.

It took away my parents. It made my sister go insane. It makes 23 children die every year.

I hate it.

Well, not completely. I should be grateful Annie is still alive. Grateful I still have Aunt Jen. Grateful that this is the last year I'll be eligible for reaping. But what about Nico? Tyson? Jason? Piper? Leo? What if there was a chance one of them would be chosen for the Games? How could I be able to stand it if one of them died?

All these things run through my head as I wake up in the morning of Reaping Day. For a moment, I just lie still on my bed. It's my last day. I will never again be eligible for reaping. The chances of dying in the Hunger Games will never stand by me again after today. And the same thing for Percy, Thalia, Grover, Travis, Connor and Katie. This will be our last day praying that we will not be chosen.

I force myself to swing off the bed. And as I do, I find out clothes have been laid out for me: a pretty white dress and white sandals. Reaping clothes.

I wash up, change, and head downstairs. I find that Aunt Jen, Annie and Finnick have already started eating. I pass by Finnick and ruffle his hair. "Mornin'!"

"Hey!" He protests. "Watch the hair. It's Reaping day!"

"Yeah, like people are going to be lined up in the square to look at your hair."

"Coming from someone who barely remembers to brush hers. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if-"

"Cut it out, you two," Aunt Jen grins. "It's a mournful day. No bickering." Aunt Jen was my mother's best friend, but she's more of an aunt to me that just Jen.

"She started it," Finnick mutters. I stick my tongue out at him, and Annie manages a smile. It's nice to see Annie smile. Especially after what happened two years ago.

"Everybody already out?" I ask as I start on my toast.

"Yeah. The square's decked out in banners and camera crews are already taking place," Finnick answers.

"The early bird gets the seed," Annie says.

"And we're the seed," I say. No one replies.

"Well, we better get moving," Finnick says a few moments later.

"Don't want be late," Annie adds. So the four of us leave the house and head for the square.

District 4 is a very fishy place. Literally. Everywhere you go the smell of fish and underwater plants follow you; men and woman lugging fishing nets around, discussing with others how much the Capitol will take this time. I used to come home smelling like tuna and codfish until Annie won. Then I didn't need to work anymore.

As we reach the square, Finnick's brother Percy runs up to me. My heart does a little gymnastics routine in my chest when I see him. He looks so handsome, wearing a white button-down shirt rolled up to his elbows and black pants. His dark hair is tangled as usual and his green eyes don't have that sparkle they usually do most days.

He looked at me and wolf-whistled. "My, my, Bethy, how gorgeous you look today. Hoping to please someone in the crowd?"

I punched him playfully. "Shut up," I say, blushing. He just grins his cute grin. Okay, maybe I do have a tiny crush on Percy. But that doesn't mean he'll like me back. I'm just one fish in the sea (which means one girl out of all the others in District 4, where we spend most of our time at the sea.)

"We better get going," Finnick says.

Annie hugs me. "Good luck," she whispers. "I know you won't get chosen."

I smile at the only family I have left in the world. Annie smiles back and walks off hand-in-hand with Finnick. Aunt Jen also hugs me and heads for the sidelines.

"Where're the others?" I ask Percy.

"Over there," he jerks his head to the right. "Travis and Katie got into a fight again. Apparently, Connor and Travis trampled her petunias yesterday while chasing after Nick."

I chuckle. "Typical Stolls."

He laughs with me. "Let's go."

So we head over to them, and sure enough, Travis and Katie are arguing like there's no tomorrow. I'm glad Aunt Jen isn't here. She would've given them both a lecture on the 'ripe language' they were using.

When Thalia sees us, she shouts "Oh, thank goodness!" and drags me away.

"What is it?" I ask.

She blows her black hair out of her face. "Nothing, nothing. It's just… I want to see my best friend before I die."

"That's a joke."

"No. I heard the camera crews talking about how the drawings might be rigged. And then something about Zeus Grace…." She says. "I'm scared Jason's going to get chosen."

I wrap an arm around her. "Thals, you won't be able to volunteer for him."

She looks frustrated. "I'll dress up as a boy if I have to. I don't want to lose my only brother."

"I know how you feel."

We stay in silence for a couple of minutes before the District 4 tributes' chaperone, Madison Vera, comes forward to the mike. Madison looks terrifying in her green wavy hair with red rubies at the end that somehow suggest snakes, and her blue-gray eyes are as beautiful and cold as ever. Everybody calls her Medusa.

Anyway, Medusa goes on and on about the honor of drawing the tributes from District 4 after the mayor introduces her. Then they introduce Finnick and Annie, amid to applause.

Then Medusa says, "The time has come to pick our tributes for the honor of representing District 4 in the 72nd annual Hunger Games!" She beams. "And of course, ladies first."

She crosses to the big glass ball on the left. Percy's hand slips into mine and gives a reassuring squeeze. Annie gives me a nod. Medusa's hand digs in deep and comes up with one slip of paper. The crowd seems to be holding its breath. Medusa clears her throat, Percy grips my hand tight, and all I'm thinking is that it's not me, please don't let it be me, please don't let it be me….

Medusa speaks in a loud clear voice:

"Annabeth Chase."