This is it I thought to myself. the day of the 73rd reaping. I rolled out of bed, if that's what you wanna call it. Put my hair in a ponytail,got dressed,and tried to sneak out of the community home. Did I forget to mention that I live there?

I jogged all the way to the fence, checked to see if it was on, when I was sure that it wasn't, I climbed under. I walked to the hollow log where I left my bow and arrows, got them and walked to our meeting place. Katniss and Gale were already there. "Hey." I said. "Hi" Gale said. Katniss just gave me a sad smile. Oh right, since I live in the community home, I can take tesserae for every kid in there. So I have like fifty entries already. Did I mention I was only fourteen? We talked a little, then we hunted. I got seven birds, five squirrels and a few berries and plants. Katniss left, then Gale, then me.

Once I got back to the Community Home, everybody was already dressed. I looked at the clock and it was already one o'clock. I ran up and put my reaping outfit on. It was a brown knee length dress and black flats. I had to save any extra money I got at the Hob for months, but I finally got it.

I looked in the mirror, I looked like a regular seam girl, brown, dark hair. Skinny, the only thing different about me was my eyes. They were green, bright green. Nobody in District Twelve has eyes like mine. Not even my parents.

I was drawn out of my thoughts by Ms. Hearn, the community home superviser, yelling,"Get down here right NOW!" So I walked over there, only to get slapped, right under my eye. After that we all walked out of the door and to the town square.

Right when we got there we had to get our fingers pricked, and go to uor age groups. Then the mayor read from the treaty of treason and gave a really long, boring, speech. Effie Trinket, our district's escort showed a video, then said,"Ladies First!"

This was it. Nobady talked, nobody moved, nobody breathed. Not until they were sure they were safe. Effie drew a name, and walked over to the microphone. She took a breath, and said, "Brooke Hays!" Me.

I walked up to the stage. At first slowly, then picking up pace every few steps, until I got there. I stood there numbly. Not paying attention. Effie called the boy's name, but I didn't hear it. We shook hands, then we were ushered to the justice building, to say our final goodbyes.

We were each put into a different room in the justice building. The rooms were almost completely velvet. I rubbed the soft chair for what felt like forever, but in reality was only a few minutes, when my first visitor came in.

Ms. Hearn. Great.

"How dare you! I bet you planned this. You took extra tesserae just so they would pick you!"

Wow. Why on earth would I do that? Before I know it, I'm standing up yelling. "Do you honestly think I would be stupid enough to trick them into picking me?!" But, that speech earns me a slap in the face and a punch in the nose. "Just get OUT!" I yell, and one of the peacekeepers must have heard me, because they all come in and carry her out.

One of them stays in to look at my nose, which is starting to bleed a lot. "Ow!" I say as he starts poking it. "Probably broken." I hear him mutter. Of course Katniss and her family choose this this moment to walk in. "Oh my! What happened?" Ms. Everdeen asks coming quickly to take control. "Ms. Hearn." I answer, it sounded funny because my nose was now being painfully squeezed. Katniss's mouth is wide open. I don't say anything but I think it. "You'll come back," says Prim, "won't you?"

"I'll try." I answer.

"You'll win." Katniss says.

"I'll try." I answer again simply.

At this, Prim starts to cry, which makes me feel bad. A peacekeeper comes in and takes them out. Right before they get out, I yell, "I will!" I wish I could cry, but I can't. The other tributes would think I'm weak. I will win, for them.

Gale comes in next. He pulls me in for a hug. "You'll win, and you'll come back." he says. "I don't know." I say back, helplessly. He pulls out of the hug, looks me dead in the eye, and says, "Don't say that. Your brave, your strong, you can fight. Your definitely smart enough to get out of the arena alive." He looks at my nose and asks, "Is your nose okay?"

"It'll be fine."

"Okay."

Then a peacekeeper comes in and escorts him out. He tries to protest, but I stop him. He doesn't need to get in trouble.

After that, we ride a car to the train station. The boy from twelve, Seth, has tears all over his face. He's eighteen. He should at least be able to restrain his tears like me. It's okay to cry, but only on the train.

Once we get there, cameras are everywhere. It's a good thing I didn't cry. We get on the train and I watch District twelve fade away. Haymitch, our district's drunken-and only- mentor is laying in a pool of his own vomit. Of course, this only makes Seth cry more. Pathetic. I roll my eyes and go watch a replay of the reapings. The careers are espicially big this year. Especially Cato, the boy from two. He's sixteen, and at least twice my size.

It's pretty late, around six o'clock. I'm hungry! Right then Effie calls us for dinner and when we get in there, WOW! It's easily enough food for all of district twelve. Haymitch is awake now. After we eat I ask him,"Any advice?"

"Don't do drugs!" he says and starts laughing.

"That's not what I meant!" I said, voice rising every word with anger. He starts laughing again and Seth starts bawling and I can barely hear myself think it's so loud."JUST SHUT UP!" I yell. Everyone gets quiet and I storm out of the room. I run to my room on the train and run to the bed. I curl up and for the first time in years, since my parents died, I cry myself to sleep.