Why should it be me?
I wake up to the dreary morning light, peaking through my window. In district 10 it is rare of such blinding light. I lie in bed for a minute waiting for someone to come in, to reassure me of my possible death. Because today is the reaping. Today, five years ago my brother, Artemis Lenten was reaped and sent into a arena full of horror. I remember watching those games, watching my own brother being destroyed into another of the Capitols slaves. Luckily, he survived.
The few precious minutes we had to say goodbye, he said " Kara I'm coming home. I'm coming back. I'm all you have". He was right about that. My parents died when I was two. I was never told how. When ever I asked Artemis, his eyes watered, and he left the room. Artemis taught me everything, how to swim, throw, cook and most of all how to use a knife. He trained me for the games,if I was ever unlucky enough to enter them. Then he was sent into the deadly hunger games to fight too the death, against 23 other competitors, including six blood thirsty career tributes. These career tributes, who trained their entire lives for the glory to win the games, didn't realise that my brother was prepared. Within three week, four days he was home. Which brings us back to the light burning through my bedroom window.
In district 10, the houses (or rooms) are small, cold and basically dull. But since my brother won the games, we have moved to a large, open space house, with everything we could ever dream of. I suppose I'm quite a lucky twelve year old, to have all this. But for some reason i never feel lucky. I just feel guilty in my massive house and my great amount of money. I don't belong.
Finally my brother enters my room and sits down on my bed. He gives me a nervous smile. Even though I'm his brother i have to admit he could be called attractive with his blonde hair and green eyes, his willing humour and smart brain. So I give back a anxious laugh which his face turns into a surprised expression. "It will be ok Kara. You won't be picked. I promise." Suddenly I'm crying so hard I can't control myself. Artemis puts his arms around me. "How can you promise that? How?" Artemis steadies me. He stays beside me, stroking my hair and whispering reassuring words into my ear. Then leaves my room without another word. I guess he can't promise anything that concerns the hunger games. Anything can happen, under the power of the game makers.
Suddenly i cant stand being in this room for any longer. It doesn't fit, it doesn't feel-right. I come out of the room, and enter our garden. I stroke the peach coloured flowers the ones that always makes me feel better when the horror of the hunger games is here. But for some reason it doesn't work this time. I doubt it will ever help again. A salty tear spills onto the perfect petals. I sit myself down on a bench and stare into the bushes that are perfectly cut and trimmed within an inch of there life. Everything around me now is perfect. Including my brother. Well maybe I should just accept that I'm not. I sigh and think that this might be the last time I'm in this garden for weeks. If I'm that lucky.
I go back into the house, change into my best autumn green dress. It's customary to dress as best as you can for readings, even in districts such as 10. I leave my hair down and check once more in the mirror. Instead of seeing a pretty face, I see a ghost of a girl, who was once happy. I realise that it was the Capitol who took that away. I sigh and leave the room. Taking a deep breath as I do so, I enter the breakfast room. Artemis is at the table drinking orange juice. Now that we are rich we can afford such delightful things, things that people would do anything for. But I realise my brother nearly gave up his life for this. I sit down and pour myself a glass. He half smiles at me and says in a sad voice "you could do it, you know. Win." It takes me a few seconds to understand his words to think of myself killing other people to survive myself. I push the thought from my mind. I reply in a simple voice "I'm not planning to." Artemis replies "well you won't" I think of questioning his response. Than all of a sudden I realise its time to go. To face the reaping.
I step out the door on a elaborate path, with Artemis following me. I notice there aren't more than three kids emerging from houses around me, but then I realise their either in the same situation as I am with a victor as a sibling, or there parents were victors. I wouldn't like to be in there position as the reaping gets fixed so often because the game makers think it is great to send a victors kid in. Victors are rare in district 10 but there is a couple. As soon as I exit victors village, I see thousands of other kids, two of which is probably going to be dead in a month. My heartbeat rises as I get nearer to the square. Then I realise Artemis is not behind me anymore and my throat closes up. I can only fix one thought in my mind- why should it be me?
As I get to the square, I join the twelve year old girls who are looking as frightened as I must be. Artemis joins the stage. I realise he is mentor, something that I knew but forget with all of the pressure. He smiles at me and i realise it must be hard for him too. To be with kids then watching them die. Then the reaping starts. Our pink skinned escort Demi Lear says" welcome, welcome to the 92nd annual hunger games!" I wonder how the people from the Capitol can be so excited about such a horrible way of torture. I don't listen to her speech but then finally after a long speech of who knows what, she says" we'll start with the girls." Then her hands poking in the bowl of slips of paper. She plucks one out and unfolded it. Her small mouth opens and announces... Kara Lenten!