The Hunger Games Reimagined

I woke to find my mother gone from beside me. She must be in the kitchen I thought. I propped myself up to get a clear view of the room. My cat called Buttercup is sat by my feet, curled up asleep. Although he looks fearsome and tough, he is a real softie. My sister who sleeps in the other bed is gone, hunting most likely, with Gale like she does every day. Then the realisation of what day it was today hit me, it was reaping day. The memories of my bad dreams last night came flooding back. Katniss had been reaped and was in the Arena, she was running towards the Cornucopia after spotting a set a bow and arrows. That's when the bloodbath began. That's when… No. Don't think about it, I thought. I lied back on the bed and sighed. Twenty times her name is in that reaping ball. Mine only once. And Gale who has been like a brother to me has his name in there forty two times. The reason for this is that they have taken out tesserae. This means you can have a year's supply of grain and oil if you enter your name once more than you already need to. Katniss has stopped me from taking out any tesserae to make my chances of being reaped slim. I decide to get out of bed and get dressed into my reaping outfit, which had also been Katniss' first reaping outfit too. It's a white blouse with a light brown patterned skirt. I run my hands over the soft material and sense someone behind me. I look over my left shoulder to find my mother trying to smile as a tear slips from her right eye.

"Oh mom, it's okay. Me and Katniss will be fine, you must worry about the other children whose names are in many more times than ours"

"I know, I know. It's just both of you have a chance of being reaped this year and I don't know how I would carry on if I lost one of you after your father." She sobbed. Hurriedly she wiped her eyes to remove any trace of the tears. I move towards her to embrace her in a hug but she dodges it and picks up the white blouse.

"Right then, let's get you changed!"

She helps me get into the outfit, pinning places which are too big for me and plaits my hair into two French braids – with little talk in between. Once she has finished that's when I notice my mother is wearing one of her finer dresses from her apothecary days.

"Mom you look lovely!" I say, holding her hand.

"Thanks darling" she smiles and walks into the kitchen.

"But you look even better, Little Duck!"

I turn and see Katniss has just arrived home. Our father's hunting bag slung over one of her shoulders.

"Make sure you keep that tail tucked in." She says, walking towards me and tucking in a bit of blouse that keeps coming out at the back of my skirt.

"There's a warm bath waiting for you in the bathroom Katniss" our mother calls.

"Okay" Katniss calls back, giving me a quick smile and a squeeze on my shoulder.

"Prim, can you come here please to help prepare the food Katniss brought back?"

"Yes, coming!" I say. That's my name by the way, Prim, which is short for Primrose.

Me and mom prepare the fish and greens that Katniss brought back, they are cooking in a stew for tonight's meal. I slice some bread and pour some goat's milk, which has come from my goat – Lady. We hear Katniss getting out of the bath and my mother goes to the bedroom to find the dress she has picked out for Katniss to wear. I have already seen it, its knee length and blue, with minimal design but it is very nice! Katniss follows my mom to the bedroom and shuts the door behind her. I walk up to the door and listen to them talking.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, let's put your hair up to"

I hear Katniss changing into the dress and then my mother brushing and towelling her hair. Once I think they are finished I open the door quietly and look into the mirror which Katniss is stood in front of.

"You look beautiful" I say in a hushed voice.

"And nothing like myself" Katniss laughs. We hug each other and she plants a quick kiss on the top of my head.

"Let's go eat!" she says. Although no one has much appetite.

At one o'clock we are due in the square to watch the reaping. Usually I watch with mom on the side lines with the other younger children and the adults, but this year I will be with the other twelve year olds at the back of the square which is where the youngest ones stand. Katniss who is older will be nearer the front. We head off and I clutch Katniss' hand tightly.

Once we reach the entrance to the square the adults and younger children are taken away and mom hugs both of us tightly, we say nothing because we don't need to. I look into mom's eyes and I know that tears are threatening to fall. My mother senses this and as never being the affectionate type since our father died she turns and walks away. As I watch her retreating figure Katniss nudges me forward and I notice we need to get in place in the single file line which has already formed. This is where all children aged twelve to eighteen stand to get their blood checked and to sign in. The queue moves quickly and soon we are at the front. I have never liked blood and I am scared of needles so Katniss gives me a nod of encouragement and I hold out my index finger. There was a sharp stabbing pain as the needle is jabbed into my finger and quickly pressed down onto the paper.

"Name?"

"Primrose Everdeen" I reply.

Then I am escorted to the twelve year old female section by the peacekeepers. I glance back at Katniss to see her looking worriedly at me. I give her a reassuring smile to show her I am okay, I try to believe that as well. Once I reach the back of the square I instantly search for people I know. In the side lines I can see my mom talking to some body and at the near front of the square I can see the back of Katniss' head. I nervously look at the other children around me, and see that they are doing the same. Some I recognize from school, others I don't. We give each other half smiles because we are nearly all too scared to talk. I focus my attention on the temporary stage which has been set up in front of the Justice Building. I see Effie Trinket, our District escort, sat next to Mayor Undersee, there is an empty seat near them and I know that is for Haymitch Abernathy. He is the only Victor we have for District 12. At two o'clock Mayor Undersee steps up to the microphone and begins his speech. It is the same every year. He tells the history of Panem, the country that rose up out of the ashes of a place that was once called North America. He then says about the Dark Days which was where there was an uprising in the Districts against the Capitol. Twelve districts were defeated and the other was obliterated. The Treaty of Treason was given to us with new laws to guarantee peace and as a reminder of the power of the Capitol, we must participate in the Hunger Games each year. The Mayor then proceeds to read the list, albeit a short list, of our victors. We have had two, only one is still surviving. And just as the Mayor reads out his name… He stumbles onto the stage in a drunken manner. Haymitch Abernathy. At least he has finally arrived. I feel sorry for him, everyone knows the games have turned him to drink and this is one of the things that scares me. For a middle aged man to still be haunted by the games, they must be bad to participate in. Really bad. After pulling myself out of my thoughts I notice Effie has already started talking.

"May the odds be ever in your favour!" she says chirpily.

"Ladies first I think!"

Everyone's attention is on her as she walks over to the girl's bowl. I see the shoulders of those in front of me rise up in anticipation and I sense a sudden intake of breath from those around me. Effie delicately reaches into the bowl and grasps one of the white slips. She walks back to the centre of the stage holding the slip in between her fingers. She begins to unfold the paper and I can feel my heart beat increasing.

Then there is a clear voice that rings aloud in the square.

"Katniss Everdeen"