I woke up to the mooing of cattle in the field outside my house. My dad looked over and saw that I was awake giving me no chance to go back to sleep. "Hey Rose get up and go feed the horse" he said. When my father asked me to do something he meant it, so I did as I was told.

I grabbed a bale of hay almost as big as I was and heaved it out to the makeshift stable. I'd gotten good at this over the years. The horse was my responsibility, and we couldn't afford to lose her. We wouldn't be able to afford another one for years, and we would be no longer have the ability to transport butter and meat into the city any more.

As I walked in I gasped at the unexpected guest." Butch!" I squealed. "Why are you here so early?" I asked him, giddy that he was.

"I came to visit the horse"

It was a joke of course, I knew he was here to see me, but I played along. "Well Mickey is glad you came, but may I ask, why is there a flower in your back pocket?"

"Ok you caught me. It wasn't Mickey I wanted to visit I came to see you" he said with a laugh "How are you? You know with everything that is going on today."

"You mean Monday? Yeah real scary"

"You know as well as I do that this isn't just another day."

"What in the world are you talking about?" I asked puzzled.

"Oh Rose, I can't believe you forgot" I stared at him completely bewildered. "Rose" he explained "its reaping day"

My jaw dropped. How had I not remembered? Butch's name was in the drawing 48 times. He must have seen the emotion on my face because he wrapped his long muscular arms around me. "Rose" he whispered "I'll be fine and so will you" he let go of me and grabbed the rose from his pocket and handed it to me. "A rose for my beautiful Rose."

I took the flower, grateful to have it. He then leaned down and kissed me lightly. "For good luck" he whispered, and then he was gone.

I trudged back inside all of my previous joy turned into sorrow. When I walked into the house my father was gone and laying on my bed was a dress. I quickly bathed and changed. Once I was almost ready my brother Jared walked in with pins in one hand and a brush in the other.

I sat on the floor as he did my hair. He'd learned how to do hair because his was nearly as long as mine. He whistled a sad tune as He braided my hair into a long fishtail. My Mama came in just as Jared was finishing. She plucked the small rose from my hand and pinned it into my hair.

"Thank you" I said glad that I would have Butch's rose with me.

I joined the crowd of kids walking towards the town. I felt a hand lace its fingers through mine and I knew Butch was there. We walked in silence to the roped off area where the eighteen year olds stood, side by side, hand in hand. Neither of us had the odds in our favor. We both had our names in the most times possible, but if our names remained uncalled, we would escape the fear of reaping day. At least until it was our kids in the reaping. I glanced up at Butch, his dark eyes staring straight forward with his jaw locked into place, and I was afraid, not for my life, but for his.

"District 10"a loud voice boomed in that annoying capital accent "the time has come to choose one lucky girl and boy to have the honor of competing in the 39th annual hunger games." Piker Calvin would seal district 10's fate for the third year in a row. He was the one that drew the names of the children that would die.

"As is custom, Ladies First" I watched as he reached his hand into the pool of names. My heart began to race and my stomach dropped. "Rosalie Jackson" he announced. Butch's large hand released mine, and when I looked up, he was wearing a look of despair. His rose hadn't been lucky after all. I began walking up to the stage. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the sea of people parted to let me through. When I finally reached the small stage I felt weak in the knees and my head spun. I was too small and average to win, and that meant I had been sentenced to death.

I figured that since I was inevitably going to die that I should at least get a dying wish, a single request to give me a sense of resolution before I passed. So I wished. I wished with all of my heart that the next name wouldn't be Butch. I deserved at least that much. Right?

"Now for the gentlemen" the man from the capital said as he reached his hand into the pool. "Peter Havens" I sighed so relieved that I hadn't registered the name. It was a mousy twelve year old boy who came from a family even poorer than mine. He was one of the kindest kids in the district, and he was sentenced to the same horrible death as I was.

He looked terrified as he walked towards the makeshift stage. I scanned the crowd until I saw Butch's face. He mouthed something that I didn't register and pointed at the boy. He looked determined, and I wanted to scream when I realized what was about to happen.

"I volunteer" Butch's low voice silenced the crowd as he walked to the stage. "I volunteer as male tribute for district 10." Peter, with tears in his eyes, ran to Butch and hugged him. Butch leaned down and whispered something to the small boy. Peter looked up at him and nodded then joined the other twelve-year-olds as Butch came to meet me on the stage. "What would your name be young man" Piker asked.

"Butch" he replied bluntly "Butch Conner"

"Well Butch you are blessed to have the chance to compete in this year's hunger games. Congratulations" Butch simply nodded then walked over and wrapped his arm around my waist. The man from the capitol said something that I ignored and then we were whisked away.

They tried to put us in separate rooms but I wouldn't let go of Butch. Finally the peacekeepers resigned and told us we could say our goodbyes together. As if there had ever been another option. My parents walked in, followed by my older brothers. I embraced my sobbing mother, and soothed her. I promised I would try because that's what she wanted to hear. I told her that Butch and I would help each other. I told her that I would come home, but I was lying. I could not win because that would cost Butch's life, and that was a price I was not willing to pay.

She backed up to look at my face, wiped away the tears streaming from her eyes, and said "Rose we have your token" she handed me a small locket engraved with my name. I carefully opened it. Inside was a picture of my parents laughing on one side, and a picture of my friends feeding the cattle on the other. It was small, and yet it was the perfect gift. I was glad that it would stay with me in the arena.

"How did you get this so quickly?"

"Your father and I had it made the first year you were in the reaping. We've changed the pictures every other year since then, just in case." Just in case.

Dalton, my oldest brother stepped forward. "Jared and I wanted you to have this. At least until you enter the games. Maybe it will make things a little easier." He seemed so calm on the outside, but the slight break in his voice betrayed him. We all knew that our family would never be the same. He handed me his scarf, a cowbell, and a tub of honey butter.

My father didn't speak. He just pulled me into a hug and released me. He made eye contact with Butch and he nodded back after a silent agreement. The peacekeepers escorted my family out and Butch's parents entered next. He only had one sibling, a 4 year old girl named Paisley. She immediately ran to him and he picked her up. I backed away giving him some privacy. The peacekeepers entered too soon, but Paisley wasn't ready to leave. She ran to me and hugged my knees tight. I crouched dawn and hugged her back. "Goodbye Paisley"

"Bye-Bye Rose." And then she was being pulled away by one of the peacekeepers, and it was time for us to board the train.