"May I announce the girl tribute from District 12," it was at this moment that everybody simultaneously held their bated breaths, tensed and taut, "Primrose Everdeen!" It wasn't meant to happen this way. Or maybe to a certain Katniss Everdeen, it just meant a twist of fate. But whatever the hell it was, she wasn't exactly prepared. So it wasn't really a surprise when her knees started to give way and she almost buckled to the ground. "No, it's not possible. There is no way in hell." but even she didn't sound convincing to herself. Katniss knew she would gladly volunteer to be tribute but it was against the laws of the Hunger Games. There was no way. Her sister was as good as dead and she couldn't do anything about it. The twelve year old with her blouse untucked strode galiantly on stage and took her place, lips pursed in a straight line to keep from wobbling. Katniss knew she was losing sanity at a rapid pace and tried to hold it in by clutching the arm of another, whoever she was and shut her eyes, willing herself not to cry. "Wonderful, a lot of guts she has." observed Effie Trinket, the one with the hair problems as Katniss vaguely remembered. Lifting her gray and smoky eyes to meet those of Prim's distinctly blue ones, she saw that her sister was making a conscious effort to keep from shaking. Again, Katniss felt her daggers stab and stab relentlessly into her heart and not wanting to; she gazed down at her blue dress, madly tearing at the sequins. "I presume nobody's willing to take her place." Damn right you are, Katniss cursed silently. As if reading her mind, Effie gave a merry clap of her hands and sauntered over to draw out a boy tribute's name while chirping "My, what an interesting day!" though Katniss couldn't locate so much as anything that served the least bit of interest. It was at that precise moment when Katniss lost all hopes and wishful thinking when a voice, masculine and as clear as a peal of bells, rung out. "I volunteer."