Chapter 1 – Reaping

Dear diary…

I'm really scared. It's about nine in the evening and I'm about to go to bed. But I don't want to. I don't want it to be tomorrow, ever. Tomorrow's reaping day. I have never had to put my name in extra times, so since I am fifteen, my name will only be on four times. But there's still a chance. Not a very big one but still. My silver-white dress is already hanging on my door. It's my favorite dress, though right now, every time I look at it I get scared of what might happen.

Last year, some scary ruthless career boy from district 1 won. I'll probably never be brave enough to go up against someone like that.

Good night and hopefully I will write again soon.

Ginny…

"Goodnight!" I called through the door way. I heard my father shout goodnight back, but I could hear the cracking in his voice.

It was just me and my dad in my life. When I was four months old, my brother got reaped. From what my father told me, he was killed by a career two days into the game. He sliced every part of my brother open and then the career just let him bleed to death. My mother couldn't stand it, so she committed suicide. Reaping day always reminded my father off those two events. He was always very sad the days around reaping day, but who could blame him?

I woke up the next morning, sweaty and hyperventilating. Nightmares, like every year. I dreamed that I was reaped, but when I got in to the arena, I suffered the same kind of death. But once I died, I woke up and walked away unharmed. That happened again and again until I woke up for real.

No way I was going back to sleep so I got up and went into the shower to wake up and wash my hair. On the way back to my bedroom I heard my father. He was asleep, but he was moaning and said "No, no" over and over. He was probably having nightmares just like me.

Once I had put on some clothes, I went down the stairs and in to the kitchen to put on some tea. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't force down some sandwiches or porridge.

"Morning sweetness" said my father when he entered the kitchen and started to pour some tea for himself.

"Morning" I answered him instead. I chose to not mention that I heard him before. That would only make him more worried.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Not really" I answered. "I had a dream about Darren." Darren was my brother. Father only nodded. He almost never talked to me about Darren, one of the only times was when he told me how Darren died. Though, he could talk about mother.

"You should go up and get yourself ready" said father. "We don't want to be late."

"Alright" I answered. But before I walked out I kissed my father on the head.

The dress I wore had belonged to my mother. She had worn it on her reaping when she was fifteen. As I said, it was like silvery-white. The fabric was chiffon and it ended right below my knees. Strapless with an empire waist that was shown with a black ribbon.

I matched it up with a pair of simple black ballet sandals and quite wavy hair. The only makeup I wore were some lip gloss and a little silver eye shadow. No mascara, since I didn't own any.

After I decided that I looked good enough my eyes where immediately drawn to my desk. I had a picture of my mother there. The picture was taken after her last reaping, on a big celebration party.

I resembled my mother Kara very much. I had gotten her green eyes, reddish-brown hair and smile. Father always said that he "saw my mother's spirit inside me".

"Oh dear" said my father from the door. I hadn't noticed when he came so I was quite startled. "It's just like having Kara back. You're so beautiful Ginny."

"Thank you" I said and tried to hold back the tears. What if… Father hurried to my side and hugged me tightly. "I love you, father…"

"I love you too, Ginny. More than you know. Dear lord, is that the time? We have to go sweetness."

I nodded and we went out in the sun. I held my father's hand tightly the whole way. Never let go, I thought, but when we came to the square I had no choice. Father gave me a quick hug.

"Good luck sweetness" he said. " If you come back we'll have a very nice dinner. You and me."

"When I get back father" I answered, trying to reassure him. "When." Father nodded.

"When", he agreed.

I slowly walked towards the crowd with fifteen year-old girls and waited. Please don't let it be me! Please don't let it be me! Other children in different ages started to get there too. Two children, one boy and one girl were holding hands tightly and then separated to stand on each genders side of twelve year-olds. It was there first time and they looked so scared. At least they had each other. I didn't have anybody except father. I had no friends. None… Almost every kid thought that my family was scary because my mother killed herself and my brother died the way he did.

"Welcome everybody to another exciting day!" said a high-pitched voice with the silly capitol accent. It was Flower, district 5's "name caller". She got her name for always wearing something with flowers. She was only one from the capitol I knew that wore clothes that weren't completely dreadful. Today she wore a short dress, completely covered in blue Lily's and a giant hat that looked like a big pink rose on the top of her forest green hair.

"Welcome to the reaping of the 68th annual hunger games" she continued. "First we will all watch a wonderful movie and then we will choose this year's brave warriors." Like we hadn't done that before. I didn't watch the movie, I'd already seen it three times before and it was just as boring every time.

"Bullshit" I whispered quietly while the film was going.

"Ahh, it goes straight in to my heart every time" said Flower suddenly, she wiped a tear of her cheek. "Wouldn't you agree?" No one answered. "Alright then. Ladies first!" Flower took a couple of seconds to choose a name. It was so quiet you could hear a needle fall and my heart was pounding to hard I was afraid it would jump out. "The lucky chosen one is… Ginny Cade!"

No! No! NO! It can't be true! Surely it's a nightmare! It has to be one. It can't be me.

"Ginny dear, where are you?" called Flower. "Come up now darling!"

Slowly I made my way up to the stage. I knew that no one would volunteer, but I was still hoping. Just look neutral! Don't show any emotion and walk steady!

"Congratulations dear!" said Flower and placed me in the middle of the stage. "Let's see who your district partner will be. Boys are you ready?" Again, no one answered, but Flower didn't seem put down by that. She just floated on a cloud to the next glass ball and chose a name. "Alec Tron!"

Alec was in my class, an outsider just like me. Everyone knew that his name was a version of the word electron and everyone teased him about it. Though I thought it was cool. He was quite cute too, he had red, spiky hair and a lot of freckles. The eyes were a dark shade of brown. Like chocolate.

Alec made his way to the stage and our eyes met. Even in the situation I couldn't help but feel a slight tingle in my stomach. Silly huh?

"The tributes from district 5 of the 68th annual Hunger games! Give them all a warm applause!" said Flower. There was a short applause before Flower took us into the justice building.

I was seated in a very luxurious room. The walls were white and so were the chiffon curtains. There was a big red couch made of velvet with golden knobs. Something else that also was made of gold was the table in front of the couch.

Father was the only one that would come to see me off, I knew that. Since mother and Darren was dead and I had no friends. Suddenly the door opened and there he stood. My father… His eyes were red and swollen of crying and his beard was wet from all the tears.

"My girl" he said. "My Ginny… No!" He ran towards me and embraced me. Both of us let our emotions out. We cried and cried until father started to speak, his voice cracked all the time. "Listen to me Ginny. You can't die. I won't have anything left to live for, but listen; you can win! You're smart, fast and very nifty with your hands. You will easily learn the survival skills, then you just have to wait until everyone has died."

"That's all?" I didn't know what to say so I just embraced my father again. "I love you so much, father! You're the best dad ever and even if I don't make it out. Stay strong, for me. Okay? Dad, stay strong!"

"That's the first time you called me dad and not father. I like dad better."

"Okay. Dad…"

"I love you too Ginny. You have to stay strong too. For me."

Then a peacekeeper came and told us time was up. I yelled to my father that I loved until I couldn't speak anymore. By that time I sank down on the couch and waited for Flower to take me to the train that would lead to my death.