It's today. The day that every teenager, parents, sibling dreads. Everybody dreads. It's reaping day, which of course means that the odds are not in the favour of 12 boys and 12 girls across Panem. The reaping is for the 21st Annual Hunger Games. Despite the uproar when they were first introduced when I was the age of five, they've become, frighteningly quickly, a tradition of Panem. I drag myself out of bed, knowing that in three or four hours I would hear the siren that tells us to go to the reaping. I rip myself some bread to wake me up a bit. I look over to the work counter in the kitchen to find a note left by my father. 'Good luck matey, you'll be fine, the odds are in your favour, dad xxx'. Most people take the day off work for the reaping, but my family can't miss a days pay. Plus, my father has always been confident that none of us will be reaped, because we don't take food from the government, he won't let us. My parents are fairly lax, but this is the one thing that we are strictly forbidden from doing, even if it does mean that we are a little malnourished. It's okay though, me and my brother James often go poaching in the woods. I'm fairly useful with a spear, and his is probably one of the most amazing fishermen I have ever seen, I think even district four would look on in admiration/ envy at him.

Today, I need to, before the reaping, go and hunt in order to get money to buy my girl friend, Connie, a present for the reaping. We've been sweethearts since the age of 13. What was once a cute little connection for social status, is now something so much more. She's my absolute best friend, we do everything together.

I slide underneath the non-electric-electric fence, and stealthily walk around looking for prey. I don't need a lot today, this isn't to feed my family. I collect my spears which have been carefully stored in a ditch, covered by mounds of dead leaves. It's not long until I spot some prey. A wild bore. I throw my spear at it. It doesn't kill it, I hate that. So I have to finish the job off at close range, firing a spear through it's skull. It's a tricky dilemma, trying to get it through the fence, especially with so many peacekeepers around. Luckily, I live near the fence and so once I'm home I can pop it into a potato sack and take him to the butchers.

I wrap some rope around its neck and carry it home, leaving it outside whilst I get the sack. My mother hates it whenever I get anything bigger than a rabbit. Luckily, they all seem to be in bed still.

I take the bore around to the butchers where I get a generous amount of money, enough to get a nice present for Connie. I go down to the market, where I pop into the jewellers. Everything seems to be out of my budget, but there is one thing that strikes my eye. It's a necklace, with what looks like small chunks of coal attached to a beautiful black lace. But the coal isn't horrible either, it's shiny and classy, and if the unthinkable happens, she has a token which resembles district 12.

I go back home and I go to find myself some smart clothes. As smart as you can get when you live in district 12, a district that mines cole, leaving a constant black cloud, that settles on almost everything. I find a long sleeved, blue shirt and some beige trousers. These will do. I go and sit back in the kitchen where there is a nervous and awkward silence. This is the first time I am the only one of my siblings in the reaping. My brother James, now 19, is now exempt, and my little sister, Ellie, is not yet old enough.

The horn sounds and that is my call to go along now to the reaping. My head raises for the first time where I make eye contact with my mother. She's calm, the first time I've seen her like this on reaping day, and this reassures me. We embrace, and I slowly walk over to sign in, where I have blood taken to prove that I am present. Everyone is in their friendship group, but its bizarre as no-body is talking, there's too much anxiety for people to have a normal conversation.

After looking around for a moment I hear my name called out

'Oliver! Oliver!'

It's Connie. I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her, carefully placing a kiss on her forehead. Nothing is said, but the embrace we share is so reassuring and warm, words aren't needed in this moment.

'Hey, I got something for you' I say with a hint of excitement. 'What?' Connie replies, blushing.

I pull out the necklace and hand it to her.

'Oh my God, this must have cost so much!' She exclaims, to which I smile. 'It's beautiful' She continues.

'You're beautiful' I reply, twirling my finger in her loosely curled, long, brown hair, whilst staring into her emerald green eyes, which so matches the dress she is wearing.

As she blushes, I place my ring, middle and index fingers of my left hand to my lips and place them on Connie's forehead. It's a little thing we have, like most couples. It was a bit of a joke at first, as her mother told me we weren't allowed to kiss years ago, so in fear of the repercussions I did that as a joke. It stuck and now it's my little way of comforting her.

There's no more time for conversation as the reaping commences.

The escort gets up onto the stage. Her name is Esme Flandoret. Every year I'm baffled by how positive she is about the games. How can anyone be positive about a television programme that allows children to fight to the death? Its completely beyond me. None-the-less, after watching the same film we do year on year as to why the hunger games exist, its time to find out who will have 'the honour' of representing District 12 in the 21st Hunger Games. The 'Honour' of being forced into an untimely death.

On the stage are two huge gold fish tank shaped bowls. In there are thousands of names. One bowl is for the girls, one bowl is for the boys, and from there, those in Panem who do not have the odds in their favour are selected.

'Now, are there any volunteers?' Esme announces, 'Because remember, if you don't volunteer now, then you cannot volunteer in the place of another tribute'.

I hate this rule, so, so much. It needs to be changed.

Esme sticks her hand into the bowl containing girl's names. One a piece of paper is selected, she waddles over to the microphone stand. Connie looks at me and I can see how fearful she is. I'm more worried for her than I am for me. We grip each other's hand and in the 10 second pause between her grabbing the name from the bowl and announcing it, Connie's nails have dug so far into my hand I think she's about to cut them.

'Sadie Hardihard' Esme gleefully shouts. Connie had every right to be scared. Her little sister, who is just 12, has been reaped. Connie lets out a cry, knowing full well that she can no longer volunteer for her. I well up, but cannot bring myself to hug Connie as I do not want to cry, not now.

I see Sadie, slowly walking towards the stage. My stomach sinks, everyone is silent. Once she hits the front of the crowd, four peacekeepers surround her and take her up to the stage. She's doing well, holding in all the emotion that is undoubtedly running through her young mind right now. She stands there, so sweet and innocently, as I still hear Connie sobbing into my shoulder.

Esme then moves onto the boys. Im nervous, and my stomach is going like mad, but for some reason, I'm more worried about my friends. Esme waddles over to the bowl with the boy's names in, then waddles back. She opens up the piece of paper and after a silence that feels like forever. I shut my eyes and shut them tight. It won't make a difference now the name has been the selected but it keeps me calm. Not me, it won't be me, It can't be me. I wait for what feels like hours, hours and hours. I take in one final breath as I hear Esme cough a little to make sure her voice is perfectly Crystal clear. And then she announces the name of the unlucky boy.

I hear the name get said but I go into such a zone I haven't actually listened. It's only when I open my eyes and see everyone looking at me, along with my tight grip that is now occupying my arm I realise. It's me. Oh my God. I've actually been selected. How am I supposed to win the games? I'm 5 foot 10, and there is no substance to me. When people use the phrase 'skin and bones', I think the image of me is what they use. Everyone is looking at me and all I wanted to do is scream hysterically but I know I can't. If I thought the cry Connie let out for Sadie was bad enough, then I don't know what this scream classifies as. I stand still for several moments, trying to regain my breath after the initially gasp I heard from hearing my name. I start for walk forward but Connie has fully grip on my arm, as she begs and screams hysterically for me to stay. I try to ignore her as she's upsetting me and after taking several steps forward and still feeling her latched onto my arm, I have to viciously thrust my arm to get her off me before I quickly walk towards the stage.

I see Sadie and mouth 'Are you okay' to her, in which she gives me a small nod back. I look out to district 12, trying to take in the place where I have grown for the last 17 years in, one final time.

We are ushered into waiting rooms where one by one loved ones visit us. I'm feeling fairly empty right now, so empty that I don't even think I could cry. The feeling of being sat in the waiting room is bizarre. Like being informed of the death of a loved one, it doesn't seem to be sinking in. I keep telling myself over and over again that I am a tribute, but it just doesn't go in, I can't accept it.

My mum enters the room and I hug her, but remain silent. I tell her I love her and I'm sorry that she's going to have to watch this, but it's hardly my fault. She is then ordered to leave by the peace keepers before Ellie and James walk in. Seeing my little sister and knowing that I probably won't see her grow up finally allows me to cry. I hug both James and Ellie at the same time, sobbing, all three of us. They say nothing other than 'you can do this, please do this, we love you'. Its heart breaking.

Then Connie enters the room. We sob into each other, and I keep apologising. This really is a no win situation for her.

'It's not your fault, it's not your fault' She tries to reassure me.

'I am going to do everything to get Sadie back home, I promise, I really mean it, this isn't about me, it's about her' I babble. It's better for her to lose her boyfriend then her 12 year old sister.

'Don't sacrifice yourself to save her, please just don't be the one to kill her' She begs

'Of course I won't, I'll keep her safe, I love you, I love you' I reply.

'Oh, I nearly forgot, please take this, for my sake, just wear it' she cries, handing my over the necklace I bought her earlier. I wrap it into two and wear it on my wrist as a bracelet. I still have part of Connie with me at least.

The peacekeepers come in and tell Connie to leave, and it's the most heart breaking moment so far. I let out a scream, so hard that it hurts my throat, before sinking my head into my hands and crying hysterically into the sofa.

Esme waddles in and unsympathetically says 'Chop, chop, train is waiting, we don't want to be late for the capitol!'

'Can I have a moment please?' I ask sheepishly.

'We don't have any moments to lose, come along now!' She replies

'I said just wait!' I scream. I walk over to the sink and wash my face, before walking out the door, completely ignoring Esme as I walk out.

Finally, me and Sadie are taken to the train which transports us to the capitol.

The train is luxury like I have never seen before, mountains of food, clean water, even alcohol. Despite the initial amazement it then annoys me when I realize that I, along with most of the other districts, live in poverty, yet there is far too much food on this train.

Esme introduces us to our mentor. Mentors are here to guide us and give us life saving advice, and decide how to spend money given to us my sponsors in order to help keep us alive in the Arena. The only districts ever to have one the hunger games have been Districts one, two and four. They're known as the career districts, and the children of these districts have been training for the games ever since the first one 12 years ago. They're quite lucky with mentors, as their mentors have all previously won the games. Our mentor is called Spike. Spike is mid 30s perhaps, auburn hair, dark skin, fairly tall, and whilst nice enough, he hasn't experienced this, and his lack of empathy really shows.

'if you make it out of the bloodbath, then I'm the one who will win this for you' he boasts.

'Why' she asks sheepishly

'Because when you can't find that lake, when you can't find that deer, I'm the one to send you that water, and I'm the one to send you that deer'. Spike explains 'but in order for me to do that, you need to put in your half of the bargain. You need to be likeable. If you aren't liked, then I don't get money, to buy the things that will save you'.