Okay Johanna, just another Reaping. Stay calm.

That's what Johanna always told herself ever since she was old enough to accompany her family to the Reaping ceremony. She would be the one to watch from the sidelines as her siblings stood separate from each other, being herded to their age groups. She hated that; the Masons were a family that stuck together, since it was obvious they worked better that way. If one was separated from the other, she knew from such a young age, that bad things happened.

Yet each Reaping day, year after year, her siblings weren't chosen. Their names weren't called, they never walked to the stage, and she never had to witness them try and survive in the arena. Even when she became eligible for the Hunger Games, the Masons were able to stick together for yet another year. Every sibling managed to become ineligible, her older brother being the last one, having just turned nineteen two months before today. Only Johanna was left to surpass each Reaping until her nineteenth birthday.
Johanna glanced behind her, searching for her family. The ceremony had already started and she was growing nervous. Something about this day was unsettling, no matter how many times she tried to convince herself it wasn't. Maybe it was how the blood sample the PeaceKeeper took from her pinched a little harder, or how she was shoved to the front of her group, instead of fading to the back. Maybe it was how the district's escort was acting more bubbly than the previous two years, or maybe it was just her.

Whatever the cause, Johanna felt her spirits lift once she saw her family. They were together as usual, and Johanna couldn't help but wish she could wait for the verdict with them. She caught her father's eyes, and she dared a wave. He smiled at her and waved back, motioning to her to pay attention. Rolling her eyes, she beamed, choosing to ignore the escort's voice ringing in the air as she crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at her father. She giggled, and expected to see him chuckle at her silliness.

Instead, she saw him turn stiff, his expression unreadable. She glanced at her mother, who had her hand to her mouth and tears in her eyes while her siblings wore expressions of shock. Whipping around back to the stage, Johanna saw the whole crowd stare at her and she felt herself go numb in realization.

"Johanna Mason? Come to the stage darling!" the escort cooed, her voice grating in Johanna's ears. Johanna started walking to the stage, her body working on autopilot. She couldn't comprehend what was happening, not when the escort rushed her to the pedestal to stand on, or when the stretch of silence lasted so long. "Anything you would like to say?" the escort smiled at her, offering the microphone.

She tried to say something, anything. The words were on the tip of her tongue, ans she wanted to say something. But all she could manage was a choked goodbye as she tried to hold back a sob. Hearing her mother bawling, she shut down. She shoved the microphone from her face, and stood stock still, barely breathing.

The ceremony went on as proceeded, and soon Johanna was rushed off the stage and into the rooms to wait for those who wanted to say goodbye. Her family barged in only moments later, all talking at once around her. Her mother held her first, weeping into her hair while her sisters patted her back and her brothers offered words of encouragement. It wasn't until her father rubbed her head that Johanna felt tears fall down her cheeks.

Her mother released Johanna from the hug, letting her father take her place. Her father hugged her so tightly, Johanna thought she would suffocate, not from the lack of air, but from the worries the hug brought. How am I going to survive?

As if he was reading her thoughts, her father whispered in her ear, "Play to your strengths, baby girl. You know what you need to do." He pulled away and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Think about what you're able to do, and look back on your actions. You'll survive this." Kissing her on her forehead, he added, "I'll see you when you come home."

With that, her mother hugged her again, and her siblings followed suit. The Peacekeeper at the door had to threaten sedation before they all left the room. Johanna choked out "I love you all!" as the door slammed shut behind them. For a few moments, she cried, harder than she ever did before. I don't want to die, she thought, wiping her eyes.

Taking deep, shuddering breaths, she attempted to calm herself and gather her thoughts. Thinking of what she could do, she listed what strengths she could play to. I can use an axe, I'm physically stronger than most girls, and I know how to handle mythical creatures if I have to. But that's not anything a career tribute hasn't been trained to do.

Then, it hit her. She realized what she could do to win. The way she acted on the stage in front of her district—in front of cameras that were broadcasting to everyone—she had already started the domino effect without even realizing it. She began pacing, thinking of what she needed to do and how she could do it.

Finally, she sat herself on the only couch in the room and leaned against it, relaxing. She could win. She could do this. Hearing the door open, she bit her lip, hard enough for her to taste blood. The PeaceKeeper looked disgusted for a moment, before murmuring to the walk-talkie on his shoulder. A thrill of excitement ran through Johanna as she pushed yet another domino down in her path to home.

I'll be home soon, Dad. The Masons will stick together, always.