Today mark the fateful day and hour for Katniss and Prim. At one o' clock,they had to head for the square. Attendance is mandatory unless approaching on death's door. This evening, officials will come around and check to see if this is the case. If not, everyone felt being imprisoned. It's too bad, really, that they hold the reaping in the square, one of the few places in District 12 that can be pleasant. The square's surrounded by shops, and on public market days, especially if there's good weather, it has a holiday feel to it. But today, despite the bright banners hanging on the buildings, there's an air of grimness. The camera crews, perched like buzzards on rooftops, only add to the effect. People file in silently and sign in. The reaping is a good opportunity for the Capitol to keep tabs on the population as well. Twelve- through eighteen-year-olds are herded into roped areas marked off by ages, the oldest ones, like Katniss in the front and the young ones, like Prim, toward the back. Family members line up around the perimeter, holding tightly to one another's hands. But there are others, too, who have no one they love at stake, or who no longer care, who slip among the crowd, taking bets on the two kids whose names will be drawn. Odds are given on their ages, whether they're Seam or merchant, if they will break down and weep. Most refuse dealing with the racketeers but carefully, carefully. These same people tend to be informers, and who hasn't broken the law? I could be shot on a daily basis for hunting, but the appetites of those in charge protect me. Not everyone can claim the same.
Anyway, Gale and Katniss agree that if they have to choose between dying of hunger and a bullet in the head, the bullet would be much quicker to them. The space gets tighter more claustrophobic as people arrive. The square's quite large, but not enough to hold District 12's population of about eight thousand. Latecomers are directed to the adjacent streets, Katniss try to find Prim but suddenly stop when she heard the tap echoing from the microphone. "Welcome! Welcome! To the 74th annual Hunger Games!" Happily, Effie Trinket trots to the podium and gives her signature, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" Her pink hair must be a wig because her curls have shifted slightly off-center since her encounter with Haymitch. She goes on a bit about what an honor it is to be here, although everyone knows she's just aching to get bumped up to a better district where they have proper victors, not drunks who molest you in front of the entire nation. Through the crowd, Katniss spot Gale looking back at her with a ghost of a smile. As reapings go, this one at least has a slight entertainment factor. But suddenly she is thinking of Gale and his forty-two names in that big glass ball and how the odds are not in his favor. Not compared to a lot of the boys. And maybe he's thinking the same thing about me because his face darkens and he turns away. "But there are still thousands of slips," she wish she could whisper to him.
It's time for the drawing. Effie Trinket says as she always does, "ladies fir-!" but she was cut off by President Snow who whisper something in her ear. "really?Now you want to do this" Effie ask as she look at President Snow. President Snow nodded and walk back to his seat. Effie watch him then turn back to the crowd quickly regain her posture. "well we are going to do things a little differently with the tributes this year with District 12. We are only picking 16 and 12 year olds" 'what?' Katniss silently said to herself. "okay 16 year old first" Effie said and crosses to the glass ball with the girls' names. She reaches in, digs her hand deep into the ball, and pulls out a slip of paper. The crowd draws in a collective breath and then you can hear a pin drop, and Katniss is feeling sick and so desperately hoping that it's not her. Effie Trinket crosses back to the podium, smoothes the slip of paper, and reads out the name in a clear voice. "Katniss Everdeen" Katniss wasn't shock at all when she heard her name get call, she knew it will be call sooner or later. So, she just walk up on the stage and waited as the name of the twelve year old tribute's name to be call. Effie look at Katniss for a short minute and said "okay now for the twelve year old tribute!" Everyone, including Katniss look at Effie in silence as they waited for her to announce the twelve year old tribute. When Effie pick up the slip she stare at in shock but only Katniss saw it. This made Katniss a little concern about who the twelve year old tribute is. "Primrose Everdeen"
Katniss eyes widen in shock! She couldn't believe this! Her sister, Prim is this year twelve year old tribute."oh god" their mother whispers as she covers her mouth. "NO PRIM!" Katniss yell from the stage. "Katniss!" Prim yell back to her. "Please I'll enter the games by myself just please not her" Katniss said desperately. She didn't want her younger sister to be part of these gruesome games. She can't even hurt a fly."I'm afraid I can't do that" Effie said in a small voice. "LET THEM GO!" their mother yell out. "mom!?" Katniss said in complete shock. She never heard her mother speak out like that ever since her dad's death. She saw her mother trying to get to them but Gale stop her "Gale! Let me go!" their mother said as she started attacking him."MOM!" Prim yell as she try to run to her but the guards stop her and brung her to the stage. "NO PRIM! KATNISS!" their mother yell as she was drag away. Effie look a little hurt for the two sisters and their mother but continue on "well there you have it! Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the first two sisters tributes in District 12! Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor! After that, Katniss and Prim were escorted from the stage. They both had one thought in their head 'will they ever see their mother,Gale,and home again?'
Meanwhile, Effie was showing Katniss and Prim around. After the showing, Effie brung them to a door showing where they are going to stay at. "Here are your room for now. Knowing that you two are sisters I bet you want to stay together am I right?" Effie said like it was a question. Katniss and Prim stare at each other then back at Effie and nodded. "We leave here tomorrow okay" Effie said to the two sisters. The sisters said nothing but just merely nodded. "oh and you have two visitors" Effie said as she left the room. Katniss and Prim just stare at the door wondering who it was. Suddenly, the door swung right open, revealing their mother and Gale. "MOM!" Katniss and Prim said in unison as they ran up to their mother to give her a hug. "Katniss, Prim" their mother said as she hug them back. Gale smile at this mother and daughters scene. They both release themselves from the hug. Katniss look at Gale and said "Gale.." "Katniss promise me that you guys will win the games" "There's 24 of us Gale only one can come out" Prim and their mother look at Katniss can Katniss can tell they were staring at her. Gale sigh and took Katniss by the shoulders "Katniss you're smart, you can hunt with a bow and arrow, and you're good at protecting people. You will think of something I know you will" "Gale..I" Katniss began to say but was cut off as the guards came throughout the door, trying to get their mother and Gale. "NO!" their mother began to scream "MOM!" Prim yell as she try to reach out for her mother but was push back "MOM! GALE!" Katniss yell as she try to reach them "Katniss! Remember you two come back al-" Gale was then cut off as the door slam. Katniss had tears in her eyes but quickly brush them away as she quickly walk over to Prim. "It's gonna be okay Prim" "Are we going to live through this?! Will we ever seen them again!?" Prim said as she broke in to tears. Katniss pull Prim into a hug and said "Don't worry Prim, I will protect you no matter what"
Effie watch as the guards escorted Katniss and Prim's mother and Gale out of the room. Suddenly, Effie saw President Snow walking by. "President Snow" Effie said as she came behind him. President Snow stop walking and said "Effie? What is it" "Why?Change the games rules? It's been the same all this time! Why change it now?!" President Snow sigh and rub his chin. He turn to Effie and said "Because I'm the President and" he look at the door where Katniss and Prim where in "It will be nice to see those two Everdeen sisters to kill each other!" After he said that. he look back at Effie and said "Happy Hunger Games!" then he left. Effie look at him in disbelief. She then walk over to the door where the Everdeen sisters were in and look inside. She saw the love between sisters were unbreakable but what hurt her a lot is how on earth are they going to survive without trying to kill each other?!"
How you like it so far! This is my first Hunger Games fanfic and I'm going to try to make the best of it! Please review