Chapter 1: The Reaping

I woke up that morning from a nightmare. I figured I wouldn't be able to fall asleep again I might as well start getting ready, after all, today is reaping day.

I ate nuts and berries for breakfast that I had collected from the meadows around district 11. My mother walked into the kitchen with my littlest sister, Patches. She put Patches down, and then drew me in for a big hug.

She whispered to me "Be brave, the odds may be in your favor. After all, your name is only in the drawing once."

"Yeah, I guess." I whispered back. I hadn't told my family that I had taken out tesserae.

"Let's get you all dressed up. I have a washtub and dress ready for you." She said aloud.

"okay." I said back.

I went into the room we all shared and got into the washtub and started bathing. My mom came in with a towel, and when I got out she wrapped me up in the towel and gave me a big kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Mom whispered to me.

"Yeah, I know." I whispered back.

"I have a dress waiting for you on the bed." She said.

I walked over to the bed that we all shared, and saw that it was one of her old dresses. "Mom, it's-beautiful!" I exclaimed.

"It's yours now." She said.

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" I exclaimed.

"Your welcome." She said calmly.

"Mom, I have to tell you something." I said.

She put finger to my lips and said "Shhhh. I know. I won't tell your father." She told me.

"Thank you." I told her.

"Let's get going. We don't want to be late and disrupt the piece."

"Yeah." I said.

After I had checked in I went to the twelve year old girls section. After every elligiable person was signed in, the announcer, Sparkles, stepped onto the stage and stared talking about the districts and how great the hunger games are and that kind of apple bushels.

After that she said "May the odds ever be in your favor."

She walked to the boys bowl and drew a name. "Thresh Balllsinger." Oh no! My best friend's brother! Thresh walked to the stage slowly. You could tell Sparkles was losing patience. After Thresh got on stage, Sparkles walked to the girls bowl with a ridiculous wig on. She opened the piece of paper and read it.

"Rue Damsel"

Oh no! She called my name! I walked to the stage slowly. When I got to the stage, after me and Thresh shook hands she held up our hands and announced the tributes for district 11. Everybody clapped sorrowly. It's horrible when a 12 year old is picked, especially a 12 year old girl. My chance of survival was really low-if that. No 12 year old has EVER won!