Curled up in my mother's arms I lay, terror caused by a nightmare. Today is the day of the reaping, and it is my first. The reaping starts off at the age of twelve and continues until you pass eighteen. Being twelve, I will have my name in the draw to go to the hunger games, and with Katniss to sick to comfort me, I find solitude in my mother's arms.

I wake, woken up by a sudden movement. Katniss was long gone, I look out the window hoping she doesn't get hurt in her state.

Hours later, when we are ready we leave, wishing Katniss goodbye. At the town center, the dark mood of every citizen in the district is apparent and it is a stunning silence. In the thick capitol accent Effie speaks out into the air, " Hello everyone!" her smile threatens to break the gloom in the air.

Effie Trinket is the drawer for the games, and she, along with every other citizen in Panem will watch twenty-four tributes battle for their lives and may even cheer for them. Her eyes stare daggers through the rough crowd and I worry for Gale, my sister's hunting partner, as he has his name in forty-two times.

The reaping starts at one slip when you are twelve and caps off at six at eighteen, but if you are poor, you can offer to put your name in the draw more times in exchange for oil and grain, known as the tesserae. So with his big family Gale chooses to exchange slips for his family's life.

Whenever I see myself getting picked I see my cat, Buttercup lying on the floor, dead, I see my goat, Lady let loose and shot for meat.

"Primrose Everdeen!" What?, Who? But there is no mistaking it as she repeats the name. I am pale as snow and goosebumps lather my light skin. I walk, one step at a time. One… Two… Three… I cannot bear the pain now sprinting to the stage I don't look back, tears streaming down my face. Words. All I hear is useless gibberish, they could have gotten better responses if they spoke in another language. Reading, then a boys name is picked, "Peeta Mellark!"

His family owned the bakery and were relatively lovely people. Once, Katniss brought a whole loaf of bread, filled with nuts and raisins and goodness. Mother even came to supper, it was great! It reminded me that there is always hope, no matter what. Families can eat, people can change, and most of all, that Katniss is always there for us.

My thoughts race as we approach the cart, what will I do? How will I win? what about the meetings Katniss came and comforting me, telling me that I could win, for her. I shake my head, I will win, I think. I have to. Who will stop Mother from selling my pets? Who will Katniss sleep with at night? Nobody. The thought sends me careening through Panem, and when I wake, I find myself in the Capitol.

The thought of being in such a prominent place causes me to jump around inside. This is where I will find my fate and seek my chances of winning. When we eat dinner I am stuffing myself full. I should put on weight to give myself the advantage over more massive tributes. I will eat only enough to let me live longer and not to disrupt my fitness. my footsteps feel peculiar in a way like my body is preparing itself for a shutdown on an outside only to boost my thoughts.

In training with Haymitch, I learn how to make people love me; or in other words, how to act when in front of others. He calls me kind and honest and tells me to use that to my advantage. With my makeup artist, Cinna I am dressed, he has even given Peeta and me unique synthetic flames for the opening ceremony, I will be glowing a bright yet soft orange, whereas Peetah will be burning red and robust. The flames and costumes are supposed to give the audience a message about our personalities and lives and I feel like they do a perfect job.

I try to shut myself off but I can't help being myself around Cinna and my prep team. I continuously talk to them and, when I can I eat with them. They are the only things I care about in this clouded world. Haymitch is another essential figure here and I always do what he tells me.

During the training, I learn how to purify water, how to make a fire without smoke and how to use a throwing knife. I don't intend on killing unless it is defensive I look and see males carrying maces swinging them around like they`re sticks. I see females throwing knives and never missing their target. Even the smallest tribute, Rue who is about my size, can shoot a slingshot without missing her target.

I soon realize that my honest act may also let tributes know too much about me and I feel insecure. I also note that I find it very hard to focus on one objective at a time, preferring to think while doing a task. Great place to learn about yourself.

I have noticed Peeta trying to sneak into the anti-career crowd, they agree to separate the items they find at the cornucopia, and never see each other again. They also promise that the careers are their priority no matter what. Soon Rue and I are the only ones who haven't found a crowd to be with.

I think about the careers, they train regularly to ensure a better chance at survival, but that can be their downfall, knowing too much. In a survival situation, they choose to band together to become more of a threat. So in a way, they are the biggest cowards of the games.

Rue and I never make eye contact but we have communicated a lot more than you might expect. We have agreed not to join groups and to instead focus our efforts. It is the beginning of the interviews and I am terrified. I try to focus on keeping my food inside...