You don't own me
No matter what district you came from September 4th was always a day to remember. Whether you were a district one elite candidate with the chance of securing a future as a capital hero, or a district twelve underdog who was striving for nothing more than a life without fear of homelessness or starvation September 4th had the chance to change all this, but who said change was always for the best.
September 4th seemed to arrive faster than any other day in the year, and as a district twelve potential candidate, fourteen year old Primrose Everdeen approached the day in only one way she knew how to. With hope and prayer that she wouldn't be chosen. As a member of the youngest category in the games the chance of being selected was always slim but being a district twelve candidate meant one thing and that was that the odds were never in your favor. No matter which year it was the day for each potential candidate seemed to follow a similar pattern. It was treated as if it was the last day any of the candidates would ever experience in Panem it was always a quiet affair surrounded by family anxiously awaiting the result of the draw. As noon approached the people or twelve including Prim made their way to the clearing and began to be processed. No time was ever wasted in twelve by the Capital representatives. They considered the people to effectively be a sacrifice for the games and to get the real contenders warmed up and quiet literally into the fighting spirit.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome"
cried annual draw holder Effie Trinket.
"Awaits for one lucky individual is a chance of freedom and fortune and the chance to become a hero of the seventy fourth hunger games".
As Effie looked out into the crowd for some form of reaction she was greeted by a cold stare that seemed to run across the face of every individual who stood before her.
"Well without further or do let's get down to business, we'll keep things correct and go ahead with our ladies draw first".
As Effie moved her hand slowly through the pool of names, Prim couldn't help but wonder how could the Capital be more focused on etiquette when the likelihood of a male killing a female in these games seemed to be a certainty. As she pondered on this thought Effie plucked a small white card from the bowl and moved back over to the microphone
"Congratulations miss Primrose Everdeen on becoming are female tribute."
As the words rang through the ears of every girl in twelve there was only one girl who was left with a sinking feeling, a feeling of how, a feeling of why me and that was Primrose Everdeen. As she gingerly made her way up to the stage, a sense a fear ran through her whole body and she made no effort to disguise it. As the draw continued Prim remained on stage unmoved by anything said or done by those surrounding her it. It was as if her ability to comprehend what had just happened had been completely stripped away and she was left as a lifeless soul on the stage waiting to be put to death.
After what seemed like hours Prim was finally removed from the stage and escorted downstairs into the tribute lounge. What had happened in that last hour on the stage had all been one huge blur, Prim was so dazed by the whole experience that she couldn't even tell who would be joining her in the arena. As family and friends flooded into the tribute area to say their final goodbyes Prim had become so disengaged and unresponsive that it struck a sense of worry through those that had come to support her. But as those around her pleaded for her to wake up and start realizing what was about to happen. Prim on the other hand couldn't see past how this had possibly happened to her and that her death was imminent. Despite efforts from her mother and sister Katniss, the reality of the situation has pushed Prim to the edge she knew she would not survive in the games, she knew she was going to die, and that she could not face.
As the families began to leave the tribute area and the night drew to a close, Prim and the rest of the tributes who remained distant from one another retired to their rooms to peace themselves together before they were to enter the arena that next day. As the night went on Prim constantly paced in her room tossing and turning when she tried to sleep and working herself into a state of insanity. Nothing could settle her mind, no one could save her, she was alone and she either accepted it or took matters into her own hands. The more she thought about it the more enraged she became, she was not a victim of these games, she controlled her life not the capital and she would not allow them to take her life as a representation of power. The next few hours that Prim spent in her room could only be described as preparation for what she was about to do. It was one thought, one action and one moment of sacrifice that would end this torment.
As the sun began to shine through the curtains of the capital dinner table and the tributes gathered for their last meal before the games commenced there was one chair which remained vacant throughout. The chair were Prim should have been seated. Although absent nothing was mentioned between the tributes about Prims whereabouts it was only until they were joined by Capital representative Effie that the question of where she could be was raised.
"Morning my lovely children, how are we on this fine day"
said Effie as she painfully tried to put a smile on each and every tributes face.
"Seems to me like we're missing one this morning, does anyone know where district twelves female candidate is?"
As Effie glanced around the table she was meet with nothing more than shakes of the head and the occasional grunt of uncertainty.
"Well we can't be having this, you boy from twelve go get your teammate, you're supposed to stick together".
As district twelves Peeta Mellark began to stand he stared straight into Effie's eyes with rage burning through him.
"Teammate".
"You want me to kill her in that arena but you want to tell me she's my teammate"
"This is sick" he screamed
" Your all twisted, you can have all the power in the world but you will never control what the people of Panem think of you, I'm not looking for her she's part of your vile game not mine".
As Peter returned to his seat he received a stern look from Effie who simply clicked her fingers, and uttered no more than five words,
"You will always be ours".
As Effie removed herself from the table she made her way towards the west wing of the building where Prim had chosen to sleep followed by a small army of other Capital officials. As she approached the room she took a firm grip of the handle and started to push on the door. Slowly entering the room she began to call out Prims name in hope of some response. What she saw next would stun Effie and every other Capital representative who began to make their way inside the room. As she entered the bathroom all that could be seen was the hanging body of fourteen year old Primrose Everdeen from the shower rail with a sign below her simply reading. 'You don't own me'.
Prim had believed her life was not worth risking for these games and instead that if she was going to die she rather do it herself. She believed her death would send a message to the Capital and President Snow. A message that no matter how much control the capital believe they have they will never truly have enough. September 4th will forever be known in the Capital as the tribute election but to the people of Panem September 5th would always be remembered as the day a fourteen year old girl proved that no one's controls your fate.