Day 1 – day before reaping day
Tomorrow is reaping day and Prim is so nervous about it, she keeps having bad dreams and screaming in her sleep. She is afraid her name will be picked out of dozens of names. I keep telling her that she doesn't has to worry about it, her name is in there once, but she won't believe me. I will be glad when reaping day is over because I can't be there for Prim every day and my mom doesn't do anything since my dad passed away. But Prim has a goat and she loves to take care of her and walk a while with her. That will distract her.
When I went hunting in the woods with Gale, we had a good conversation on a little hill. I brought some cheese that I made from the milk of Lady, Prim's goat. And Gale had bread! Real bread! I couldn't believe it, bread is way to expansive for us, but Gale has some connections and exchanged a squirrel for it. Once we finished all our food, we talked about reaping day. Gale's name is in it 46 times, the odds aren't really in his favor… I just hope he doesn't has to go into the arena, because I can't stand the thought that Gale would be killed out there. I couldn't miss him. No.
Now I think about it, there is still a chance my name would be picked. And then what? I have no power against all the other kids from other districts that have trained for this. But now I just go to sleep and wait until it's over, just as always.
Day 2 – reaping day
Now I know what Prim meant, you have to expect what you don't expect. Like Prim's name picked.
When Prim's name was spoken trough the square something in me just snapped. I looked at Prim, and saw a little girl that was shocked, and she knew she wouldn't survive these games. Before I knew it is was running at Prim and screaming at her. They couldn't take her away from me, they just couldn't. Guardians grabbed me by my arms and pulled me away from prim. And then I screamed that I would volunteer. I volunteer as tribute. Whole district 12 was quiet. It has never happened that someone volunteered in district 12. No one. I was the first. But I did it, because I love Prim.
The boy who came with me today is Peeta Mellark. His parents work at the bakery. You could see on his face he didn't expect this. But I didn't expect this to. Especially not in this way, that I would volunteer. Peeta's father came to me when we got 10 minutes to say goodbye to our family. He gave me cookies, but I didn't ate them. I wasn't hungry. I felt horrible at the thought of never seeing my family again. The goodbye was horrible. Prim was crying and couldn't stop holding me. My mom said goodbye to. I became angry at her, saying that she would take care of Prim, even when I die. She couldn't fall back into her old pattern of sitting in the chair the whole day. She had to be there for prim, no matter what. She had to take care of her, give her food, love anything she needs. Everything. At that time the guardians came in and took my family away. They let Gale in. I gave him a hug, saying that he had to hunt and that he couldn't let my family starve. Prim would give him cheese.
There was no talking about what would happen when I came back. Because we both knew, that that wasn't going to happen.
Day 3/4 – in the Capital
When we arrived at the capital, I was amazed by the size of this city. It is so big, I just couldn't believe my eyes. And the people, they have big wigs on in the most extraordinary colors like pink, green, blue, purple, you name it. When we stepped out of the train, Haymich, our mentor, said we had to wave and smile at them, but I couldn't bring up my smile cause I know I was walking little steps closer to my death. But Peeta cheered up and seemed to enjoy all the attention. If I only knew why.
After that, Effie and Haymich brought us to our apartment, and because we are district 12, the last district, we got the penthouse. So much luxury, I have never seen anything like it. After we saw that, they brought us to another room where people would take care of me, they were going to make me look pretty. Then, when my legs felt like plastic without all the hair and I hardly had any eyebrows left, Cinna came in. He is our costume designer. He designed a suit, that had a cape that could burn, so that there were flames coming out of our backs. And the most important, it was not real fire, but it was cold, so we won't burn to death.
At the dinner, an Avox was serving us and I recognized the girl, when I went hunting in the woods with Gale, a hovercraft came over and picked her up. I am pretty sure she saw me sheltering under a fallen trunk because she looked me right in the eyes, like she thought I could save her. But the hovercraft was gone as soon as I blinked my eyes. And so was the girl. I wanted to ask her if she was that girl, but Peeta also knew her and he shook his head. She couldn't answer me though, because their tongue was cut off as soon as they become an Avox. Not out of free will of course.
The Next day we went training and we had to show to the game makers what we were capable of, and at the end, we would get a mark from 1 to 12, depending on how good you are. Immediately I knew I was going to shoot with an arrow. My specialty. The bow was different than at home and I had to struggle a little bit at first.
My first arrow, was not a straight shot and the game makers were not impressed. They just drank some whine, and ate from the salad and pig that stood on the table. My second one, was a perfect shot, and so was the 3rd. When I looked up, I began to notice that no one was paying attention to me. I was so angry! In the heat of the moment, I grabbed my bow and arrow, arched my bow, and focused on the apple that was in the pigs mouth. I focused… and shot it right through the apple. Immediately they were quiet and they could not say a word. I just walked away after that.
When the notes were given on TV, I was so nervous. I told about what I did and Haymich had to laugh so hard, while Effie was just stressing out that this is not good, that I will get a 3 and stuff. But she was wrong. After Peeta's number was given, which was a 9, my number was up. And it was an 11. I was shocked at first, I thought I would get a 3 like Effie said, but luckily, I got a good mark, but what also means that other tributes want to kill me so I can't bother them in the arena. I don't know what to think anymore, so I am just going to sleep I guess. Tomorrow we have the interviews, and then we go into the arena. May the odds be ever in my favor.
Day 5 – interviews
Today we had the interviews, and it was just shocking, but I will tell that later. At first I want to tell that my dress was just beautiful in the perfect red color, and there was one special thing about it. When Ceasar asked me to spin around to show the dress to the people, my dress lit up in flames! Everybody loved it. After my interview, it was Peeta's turn. He sat in so relaxed in that chair, making jokes, like he isn't going to die. The audience loved him! Ceasar asked him a few questions about his life at home and about his love life. He said there was that one special girl, but she didn't knew him until he stepped up that stage as a tribute. Ceasear encouraged him that if he would win this, that special girl can't say no to him. And then there is the shocking part. Peeta told whole Panem I was that special girl.
Apparently, he is in love with me since he was like 6 and he doesn't like all the other girls, there is just me. Only me for him. After the interviews, we talked. I was so angry at him, but at the same time, I thought it was just sweet. Nobody ever said he loved me in such a big audience.
At night, I couldn't sleep because tomorrow we will be in the arena where we have to kill all the other tributes (Sound fun right?) so I went for a little walk, and found Peeta sitting in front of the big window. We talked about the games and of course the interview. He admitted he really loves me, while I thought this was just an act to have more sponsors. Nope, it wasn't, and now he actually means something to me. I don't like that feeling, because in the arena, we will be on our own.
Day 6 – the start.
Well here I am, sitting in a tree writing about my first day in the arena. Seriously? I know better things to do now, like making traps to kill the others. I feel really horrible, although I survived the first day. 11 tributes are dead. Gone. The only good thing about that, is that I don't have to fight them, but it also means that there are 13 other tributes to kill. I get scared of that thought because 12 others still have to die, and one of them could be me.
No I just can't think like that, I have to get home for Prim and my mom, and Gale. I learnt some traps from Gale and I will use them in the arena to kill some animals and have something to eat. I got a backpack at the Horn of Plenty and it had some crackers in it and some dried meat, but it's not much, so I have to save everything for when I'm really hungry. I also have some rope, a knife, and a sleeping bag. That would be nice if it is really cold like now. I use the rope to secure myself to the tree, so if I move, I won't fall out of the tree while I'm asleep. I want to know what is going on at home. I want to know if everything is okay with Prim, mom and Gale. I know Gale won't watch the games. He will hide himself in the woods I think.
Day ? – report from a couple of days
So.. I haven't write in a while, been too busy with killing the others I guess. I'm not in the mood, but I still have to tell about the days. A few days ago, the woods were on fire. The Game makers did that of course. Probably because I was too close to the end of the arena. My leg got hurt and I went resting in a tree. The others came and hunted me out of my tree and I climbed in another tree, which was not easy, because I had that wound on my leg. When they decided to wait until I came out of my tree, because I had to eat something, I made my move. In the morning, That little girl Rue, woke me up by saying psss. She was in that tree all night I guess. She pointed at a group of bees, which were very deadly. I got my knife and started to saw. The hive fell down on the tribute, and killed 2. Boom. Boom. Cannon shots. 2 down. Still 8 to go now. Peeta is still alive, I wonder what he is doing.
I started a alliance with the little girl Rue and she took care of my wounds. We made a plan. Rue would make some fires to distract the tributes who settled themselves at the Horn of Plenty, and I would shoot at the pile with food, so if the apples would fall down, the bombs would explode, and so would their food. It worked! All of the food exploded, but my left ear isn't working very good now, but that's okay. I won't need it when I'm dead. When I got back, I noticed that one pile wasn't on so I immediately thought that Rue was in trouble. I ran through the forest, shouting her name when I suddenly heard my name. Rue was calling. When I got there, I saw her laying on the ground, under a trap. I ran to her and another tribute came out of the forest. He threw a spear at me, and I immediately shoot an arrow at him, bam, right through the heart. When I looked at rue, she looked like she was in pain. The spear went right through her stomach, and I knew I couldn't save her. She didn't survive it. Although I made a beautiful grave for her, with flowers and leaves and said my goodbyes. I feel horrible about it. I could have saved her, if I had shot my arrow faster, she would be alive right now. But she's not, and I am, so I have to win this game. For Rue. And for Prim.
Day ? – finding Peeta
The games changed, I don't know why, but now 2 contesters can win, unless they came out of the same district. Peeta. I had to find him. I went to the lake to find him, because he could be injured. And if you're injured, you need water. So I went to the lake and found him. He had a perfect camouflage. He had some moss on his legs, and his face looked exactly like the rock he was laying next to. He had a wound on his left leg but I took care of it. Now I know why there can be 2 winners. The game makers wanted to see some love.
So that is what I gave them. A little bit of love. Not very much, but just enough to get Peeta a parachute with some medicine in it. Peeta's leg healed fast and I got some hope. Maybe we could win this. There were only 2 tributes left, and they didn't came out of the same district, so they were 2 individuals trying to survive. No. They won't win. Peeta and I will win, and we can go home, we are the doomed lovers from district 12 as they like to call us.
Last day – home
The last day… and this is real. Peeta and I won the Hunger Games. This is crazy! The finally was actually pretty tough. It were some sort of dogs. No, I think I can't call them dogs, they were some kind of mutants. We had to run to the Horn of Plenty with the mutants right behind us. When we got there, we climbed on the roof but when I tried to pull Peeta up, one of the mutants bit his leg and I had to shoot the beast so he would let go. Once we were on the top of the building, Cato, the boy from district 2. We had a fight and then I shot him with an arrow. He fell on the ground and the mutants did the rest of the work.
When the mutants were gone we climbed of the building and a voice spoke to us. The rules changed again and only one could be the winner. One of us, still had to die. I still got the poisoned berry's and we decided to die together. But the game makers didn't like our idea and the voice said that we were the 2 winners of the 74th Hunger Games.