"You'll be fine." Was what my mother told me before I went to the reaping. Well, she was wrong.

It was the day of the reaping in District 4. I heard some screaming before I went outside, and it was madness.

There were people running everywhere, and Peacekeepers were walking around, killing innocent people for yelling 'HELP!'. I looked back at my mom who was still in the doorway, taking in the sight. I couldn't blame her. People weren't this angry since the 74th Hunger Games. Now, this year it would be the 80th Hunger Games.

"Mom, are you sure? " I yelled. Even though I was 15 and had already done it several times, everytime the Reaping day came around, I always had that feeling in my stomach that said ' Okay, Buddy, I'm just going to go now, and you shouldn't do this.. Yeah...'. But today it felt worse than ever.

"Yes, honey!" My mom yelled back. My mom had dark chocolate brown hair, that was naturally wavy and smooth. She had a look of secrecy in her eyes, like she knew something I didn't. Ha, she probably did, she knew what it was like to go to the Reaping, but it looked different than that. Like she knew something was going to happen. Someone was going to die.

I shook off the feeling, and nodded my head. When I turned back around, there was the Head Peacekeeper right in front of me. Apparently he just meant to walk by, but when he caught me staring, he spat out, "Got a problem, Kid?" He narrowed his eyes. Shaking my head, I muttered a low 'no' and looked down.

"Supposed to be somewhere?" He asked. I nodded my head, and he moved out of the way. I walked forward, but when I looked back he was turned around, and had a gun in his hand, hiding it from my view. Walking faster, I headed to the Reaping.

They were just starting the Capitol's anthem when I got there. A blue wig bobbed on stage, and I saw it was Effie Trinket, the announcer. I heard she did something else, but oh well.

"Welcome to the 80th Hunger Games Reaping!" She said over the microphone, expecting some kind of response. She got nothing.

Effie cleared her throat.

"Now I will present the following District 4 Hunger Games Tributes." She said after a moment.

"Ladies First, of course." Effie walked over to the bowl where lots of peices of paper lay, just daring their owner to be picked. She fished around the bowl a while. Effie sighed, picking a peice.

She finally pulled her gloved hand out of the fish bowl.

" And the girl tribute is..." There was a pause. " Summer Renee Arista!"

Everything got quiet. Then, a path cleared down the crowd to the stage. A little girl, about 12, with short brown hair styled in a ponytail and blue eyes walked down the path, with no confindence in her step.

Summer walked on stage, with her tan cheeks glistening with sweat. Effie walked over to the boys bowl.

"And the boy tribute is..." Another pause. " Percy Jackson!"

My heart stopped. Everyone made another path for me, just like they did to Summer.

I walked on the stage , standing next to her, and looked out into the crowd.

" And those are your 80th Hunger Games tributes! May the odds be ever in your favor!" Effie said, while motioning us to follow her towards back stage.

We walked back stage after the crowd cleared and the Peacekeepers were gone.

" The train to pick you up is coming on Thursday. Be prepared." Effie said.

Summer looked pale.

"Prepared for what?"

"Well, The Hunger Games of course!"

Then it finally hit me.

I, Perseus Jackson, is competing as a District 4 tribute in the 80th Hunger Games.

In other words, a certain death.