"What are the odds of one of us being chosen?" I ask Ben, my older brother. It's reaping day again, and we're having the usual dread. We both hate the reapings. Anyone who has the amount of slips that I do would hate them too. Especially when you know the odds aren't in your favor.
"I don't want you to be chosen," my little sister, Sylvie, states while tugging on my arm. "You or Ben."
I smooth back Sylvie's dark hair and tell her it's alright. We probably won't get chosen. The names of the others boys combined is much bigger than ours.

"Don't get cocky," Ben tells me. He's 18, so this is his last reaping. I am 16 meaning I have to more to go. Sylvie isn't even 12 yet, but next year, she'll be penned off with the other 12 year-olds. And then we'll be powerless to save her.
"My friend was reaped two years ago and never came back. That may happen to you too. Don't be overconfident."

I wave away Ben and proceed with the other 16 year-olds. Delta, the Capitol escort, casually makes her way to the stage, the Treaty of Treason is read, same old, same old, same old. The nerves kick in when Delta announces the choosing of the tributes. I panic. Hopefully she doesn't choose me.
Her hands claws at a name in one of the reaping balls. Grabs another. Pulls it out. Opens it. And reads out the name of someone I don't even know.

"Caddy Burns."
A 15 year-old girl with dew in her eyes, steps away from the others and slowly walks upward. Her hair's dominant color is brown, with highlights of red, and her hazel eyes are misty. I feel somewhat sorry for her. She doesn't look too healthy. Yes, this is a girl who drew terrasae. I know how it feels. I've had to do that too.
Delta tells Caddy not to worry, because the excitement of a male tribute has arrived! She closes her eyes and grabs a random name. I just hope it's not me. Or Ben.

"Skyle Iumenta."
Silence. A few heads nearby stare directly at me. Ben stares at the ground. I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Why is that?
Then it dawns on me. That's me. I'm Skyle Iumenta.
I'm District 10's male tribute for the Hunger Games.

I hold back tears and make my way to the stage. Someone gasps, probably Sylvie. I take slow steps, feeling like this is a joke. Surely, Delta will tell me she read the name wrong and that I'm free to go, Ben will burst out laughing, and I'll look like a complete idiot. But nobody says anything and I'm practically in front of the stage. No, this wasn't a mistake. It's reality. Cold, harsh, reality.
I stand next to Caddy, who's sizing me up. I am pretty tall for my age. Delta cheers, anthems play, hands shake, and we are then yanked off the stage and thrown (literally), into the Justice Building.

I sit down and can't hold it back anymore. I burst into tears. I hear thedoor open, but I don't stop crying. I now know what just happened. A strong hand presses onto my shoulder.
My father. A broad and strong man who's clearly worked with cattle all his life. Dark black hair and brown eyes. Three children who look so much like him. While Ben got his hair and Sylvie and I got the eyes, I still resemble him.
I wipe my eyes. "If anyone has anything to say, say it now becasue I won't be returning to hear it."

"Sky, don't say that," Ben mutters in a clearly upset voice. "You can return."
"No I won't! You guys know that better than anybody! I'll die! And I won't come back! The tributes will get if I don't kill myself with a stupid mistake! I'm nothing against any sort of Careers! So, just understand!"
Three warm bodies cover me. They understand, even little Sylvie. She's gonna lose a brother. My father will lose his second son. Ben will suffer the most. He won't just lose his little brother, he'll lose his partner in crime. He's probably being teared apart on the inside, but refuses to show it. My father and Sylvie leave, but Ben stays a little longer.

"If in the rare occurence you have a chance..."
"That's really rare, but okay?"
"Win. Just win. And come back home."
"You know I won't."
"Just listen to me, Skyle! Win...just do it. And promise me you'll return."

It's a promise I'll never keep. 24 of us are going in. Only one of us are coming out. What are the odds that it won't be me?
"I'll...I promise Ben."

On the train, nobody feels like syaing anything. Our mentors talk in a different room, leaving Caddy and I alone. It's then that I notice Caddy up close. She is one of those few people in District 10 with lighter hair and eyes, while I have the typical dark brown hair and matching irises. She also has a few freckles here and there. In a way, she looks quite nice. I'm pretty sure allies aren't a good idea, but if I have to choose, I'll take Caddy.

"What do you think our mentors are talking about?"
"Who knows?"
I focus my attention on the reaping recaps, who have started to show the Distirct 1 tributes. "That maybe they wish they got those guys?"
"Very funny. Meh, they're too big of a show-off for my taste."

I snicker. Not because I don't want to hurt Caddy's feelings because her joke wasn't funny, but because it's true. District 1 is a show-off.
The reapings fly by in a daze. The Careers are deadly, everyone else looks as if they'll be dangerous when they want to, and my own reaping is beyond painful to watch. Caddy and I trade comments and some actually funny remarks about tribute after tribute. We shut up when they show District 10, but go back to our jokes again afterwards.

"I'm gonna die," Caddy gives me a surprised look. I'll bet her first opinion of me was that I was deadly. She now knows I'm not. "I'll probably be the first to go."
"Not if I go before you."
"What makes you think you'll die right away?"
"Same reason you think you'll die right away."

Suddenly, the time we had making jokes doesn't seem as fun anymore.

Meet Skyle Iumenta! He's the District 10 tribute for the Hunger Games! Let's just hope the odds are in his favor!