Sorry if this first chapter is long and boring! I promise the next ones will be better!
The face that stares back at me doesn't feel like my own. The honey blonde hair and those piercing blue eyes look like they just don't belong to me. They belong to
a girl who name is in a reaping ball. I feel weird. I feel sick. 'You have nothing to worry about! Your name is only in there a few times!' My mother assures me as I
stand in front of our only mirror. She rubs my shoulders and smiles. It is a fake smile. I know she is worried. My name is Carabelle Mentoniak. It is the 39th hunger
games and our district, District 10 hasn't had a victor in twenty years. Mum starts braiding my hair, she weaves in pieces of ribbon to make it look nicer but with
each strand she weaves, I can feel her hands shaking.
I am 15 and this is my 4th reaping. I've grown to realise that every reaping feels the same. I wear the same faded pink skirt and white blouse as we are too poor
to afford new clothes. And I get the same nervousness; it eats away at my stomach and doesn't leave until the reaping is over. Although, this year I have double
the nerves because it is my twin brother's first reaping. I don't know what would be worse, dying in the hunger games or watching a sibling die on the TV. My
Mum's voice interrupts my thoughts, 'Can you go wake up Jarred and Malikee?' She asks as she hurries off to the kitchen. Poor Mum. Dad was executed four years
ago for stealing food, so that we wouldn't starve. It made Mum incredible fragile. Which means that if she lost any more family, she would, well… I don't like to think.
I pull open the threadbare curtain that divides my room and the twin's. My brothers are both sleeping restlessly. 'Malikee, Jarred, come on. It's the reaping, you
have to get up.' Suddenly they are both wide awake. Jarred starts to cry and Malikee hides under the covers. 'Don't worry. It's your first year, you won't get
picked. We've talked about this. Dress quickly and come to breakfast.' I close the curtain. I feel sorry for them. Your first year is always the worst. I sit down at the
table that my Dad carved and polished. Mum doesn't bother to fix me any food; she knows I can't eat when I'm nervous. I stare at the clock; we have 15 minutes
before we have to leave. I chew my honey blonde braid. What scares me most about the hunger games is the fact that I'm useless. Okay not useless. I'm a fast
runner, I am the 100, 200, 400 metre champion 3 years running in our entire district. But that's all. I can't throw a spear or shoot an arrow. I'm not smart or cunning. I don't have that many survival skills except for a will to live.
But I know there is no real point in worrying. My name is only in there 8 times. It's unlikely, but not impossible. 'Carabelle!' My mother shakes me, 'You were
daydreaming again! It's time to go. Are you alright?' What a stupid question! 'Oh yes Mum, I'm fantastic! I can't wait to be whisked away to capitol! I love the
hunger games!' She looks like someone who's just been stabbed with a poisonous knife. I stand up and put my arm around. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so
sarcastic.' She embraces me, 'You have no idea how much I love you and your brothers.' She grabs my hand and we walk to the door. My brothers nervously follow
us then Malikee says 'This could be our last time in the house.' Mum gasps and starts crying. I glare at my brothers 'Don't say things like that!' Mum blows her nose
and holds us all in a big group hug. Her grip is so tight I think she would have never let go.
Eventually, we walk outside and follow the crowds of parents and kids looking just as nervous as I do. When we reach the square I sign in, then I file in line next
to my best friend Tatiyarna. I hold her hand so tightly my knuckles turn white. I bite my lip as the comically dressed capitol lady named Missie begins her usual
speech. Then we watch the video, it's the same every year. 'Now it's time to select the tributes! Ladies first!' She calls in her strange capitol accent. She teeters in
her high heels to the big glass ball. She pulls out the first slip she sees. 'Carabelle Mentoniak!' I breath out a sigh of relief. For a second I thought I heard my
name. Wait! I'm sure I heard my name! No I was just imagining it! But everyone's looking at me. Oh! It really was my name! I let go of Tatiyarna's hand. I attempt
to look confident as I walk to the stage. With each step I can feel the bile rising in my throat. Missie smiles at me when I step onto the stage. 'Miss. Mentoniak!
And now for the gentlemen!' She picks a random slip. 'Dessi Pakapanuel !' Oh no! Dessi Pakapanuel is a year older than me but he has serious mental problems.
He doesn't go to school but from what I know, he can't speak and he can't do anything. He walks weirdly onto the stage. He kicks the microphone and makes
strange sounds. Missie screams and runs towards the justice building. The peacekeepers hit Dessi over the head before marching me into the building.