Prim's Reaping
Chapter 1: The Reaping
I wake up from a terrifying dream. I lay in bed thinking about what would come tomorrow. The reaping. I keep thinking. What if I am chosen. Would I survive? No. All the kids in district 1 and 2 have trained for this all their lives. I have no experience in anything except medicine from working with my mother healing people who have been hurt by the Peacekeepers. I calm myself. There are thousands of names in there. How could I be chosen? There isn't a chance. I'm 12 so my name is only entered twice. Just then, my cat, Buttercup, hops onto my lap. The presence of him comforts me. I lay there snuggling him and finally drift off.
The next morning, my mother wakes me up. "Prim, it's time to get to get ready for the reaping," she says. Buttercup tops off and heads over to his water bowl for a sip. I get up and rub my eyes. She lays a striped buttoned shirt and a gray skirt on my bed. "You will wear this," she says. I take them and go change into them. My mother compliments me, "That looks beautiful on you, honey." I thank her but all I can think about is if I will be chosen to represent District 12 in the 74th Hunger Games.
I hear a knock at the door and go to open it. I open it and see Gale. He is one of our family friends. He's so kind to us and his siblings. He goes hunting with Katniss everyday to feed us and his family. I say, "Hi Gale!" and give him a hug. He laughs and says hi back. He asks for , my older sister and I tell him she's upstairs in her room getting dressed, she should be down soon. My mother comes over and greets Gale with a smile, "Hi Gale." He waves back, "Hello Mrs. Everdeen." "How's your family?" my mother asks. "They are doing okay," says Gale. "Good" she says. Then, she walks upstairs to get ready for the reaping.
Just then, Katniss comes down the stairs in a lovely white dress. She looks beautiful. She says, "Oh hey Gale!" "Hey Catnip," he responds. They both laugh. "You look beautiful!" I say to Katniss. "So do you," she responds. I smile back. Then my mother comes down the stairs in a striped dress. "Okay let's go" my mother says. We all walk out the door together. Katniss and Gale stay together and talk behind me while I walk next to my mother. She tells me, "It's okay Prim, your only entered twice. You won't be chosen." "But what if I am? I will never see you guys again," I say shakily. "Don't worry," my mother answers. I look down at the gravel beneath me. Mother puts her arm around me as we get closer and closer to the Justice Building, where the reaping is held. The justice building is a big white building with long pillars and big doors. There is a stage outside where everyone is gathering. My heart starts pumping faster and faster. We get to the justice building and it's time for Katniss, Gale, and I to go and stand with our age groups. I give everyone a hug and I walk to my age group. I start to feel butterflies in my stomach. I try to calm down by telling myself that I won't be chosen. There are thousands of names in that glass bowl. I can't be chosen. Then, a lady from the Capitol walks onto the stage. "Good morning! It's time to choose our two tributes from District 12!"
The crowd is quiet. Everyone seems nervous. The Capitol lady speaks again, ."However, thisyear the reaping is going to bAli little bit different. We aren't going to allow any volunteering." This scared me. If I am chosen that means I am definitely going to be in the Hunger Games. I start sweating with fear. I try to find Katniss in the large crowd, but I cant because there are too many people. I start breathing heavily and praying that I wont be chosen. "Let me in introduce myself. I'm Abigail Stout and I will be bringing the two tributes from District 12 to the Capitol for the annual Hunger Games!"
The crowd is still silent. "Okay, it's time to choose our tributes!" Abigail exclaims. "Lady's first." She sticks her hand into a big glass bowl and pulls out one paper. She unrolls it and reads, "Primrose Everdeen" My heart stops. I begin to scream. There is no way out of this. I have to go. Peacekeepers come up behind me and push me to the stage. Then, Abigail grabs my hand and pulls me beside her. I see Katniss in the crowd screaming and crying. Gale goes and comforts her. My mother fell to the ground crying. I began to cry too. This was my last time seeing them. How could I survive in the Hunger Games when people who have been training for this all their lives are going to be there. This can't be the last time I see them. I love them. I see Katniss calming down in Gale's arms. My mother was comforted by all the other parents who know what it's like to have a child in the Hunger Games.
"Okay, now we will chose are male tribute." Abigail says. She puts her hand into another glass bowl filled with papers and pulls out one. She slowly unrolls it and reads, "Gale Hawthorne."