(Chapter One, Tilly's POV)
I woke up on the morning of the reaping and instantly reached across to comfort Glimmer before realising the same horrible thing that I had been waking up to for the past year. She's gone, I thought miserably. She's gone and she's not coming back. I remember she used to take me to the park with her boyfriend Marvel.
You'd assume that I'd become a third wheel, but they both included me, unconditionally.
But she hated Reaping day. Even though she was a Career, she was just about the only one who could still see the Games through the eyes of say, someone from an outline district. I often heard her scream at night "No, no, I didn't want this! I hate what I've become! I'm a human being, please let me go!"
Today, I knew what I had to do. I was going to avenge her death. I was going to volunteer, get in to the train, go to the Capitol… And at the end I would come out as a victor. The slight disadvantage I had was my age. I was only thirteen. But if I died, so be it. Then I could finally be laid to rest from this cruel world and be with Glimmer again. It was a win-win situation.
"Tilly, sweetie, breakfast!"
I walked down the hall into the living room and glanced at the clock. 5:06 AM. Good. I still had time to get ready. My mom sat me down, passed me a plate of eyes and looked me straight in the eyes. I stared back at her. Her eyes were green. Identical to Glimmer's. Her hair was blonde. Glimmer's hair. I bit my lip.
Although I share their eyes, my hair is jet black. It's not uncommon in District One to have striking features that stand out. Our family, the Lees? We were no exception. I then decided to stop zoning out and pay attention to my mother.
"Now, Tilly. I know what you're going to do today and I know you're going to come out on the other side. I disapprove, but I can't stop you. So I have to give you this."
She reached into her pocket and handed me a small white paper bag. When I opened it, I found a pearl necklace inside.
"Do whatever you like with the pearls when you're in the arena, but please keep the string."
I realised she was hinting at something, but she didn't say it.
I went back to my room, picked out a pretty green dress to match my eyes, and then did my hair in two fishtail braids. Just because my beautiful older sister is gone, it doesn't mean that she can't live on in me. I'm carrying her, and I know that by the end of the games, our younger brother Sheen won't have to do the same with me.
When I got back, Mom was crying but smiling. "Ready to go?" she asked. I grinned. "You bet I am." On the way to the Reaping, I fiddled nervously with the pearls on my necklace. It was beautiful. All too soon, Mayor Harrison had introduced Aimee, our escort, the short film was over and Aimee's long silver and black nails were sweeping around in the bowl.
Suddenly, she's calling out the name for the boys. Was it Marvel's older brother? Or his twin? I was relieved when I realised that she had called out "Charles Hawley". I tried and get a good look at him as he climbed onto the stage. From the looks of it, he didn't train. Loser.
"And now… For the girls." She smirks and sticks her hand into the bowl. I know who it's going to be. Mayor Harrison had rigged it so that the only name being called would be mine. He had also made it clear that any volunteer's families would be punished. Even in our district, no one wants that. So when the name had been called, I mounted the stage, without a care in the world.
One thought stuck in my mind: I have to win.