Fear. The only thing that thrives here in District 12. Every year we watch as our population decreases by malnutrition, explosions, accidents, diseases, and worst of all The Hunger Games. People here always carry a kind of sadness with them where every they go. Death at every corner, and fear at every open door.
I have a small shack out near Town Square, closest to the Reaping. My little sister is sound asleep on our withered old bed we scavenged from years ago. Life here is not a gift, it's a price. I am looking over her questioning how she could sleep on this day. Heading outside the floor squeaks with every step I make towards the door. I slip out and follow the dirt road to the Seam. I never really have much to trade with them but when I do it is usually our herbs from my garden in the backyard.
I greet some Peacekeepers on my way there but they only grunt and kick pebbles with a frown. I arrive at my usual trading booth and find many visitors today, they try to get some good supplies before the Reaping. I wait in line and see Tyler making a purchase with an old woman, probably 70 to 80 years old. He thanks her and starts to walk away when he spots me.
" Hey Riley what are you doing here?" He asks as he wraps up his cheese.
" Selling some herbs, you?"
" Getting some cheese for my family." He doesn't even say goodbye when her leaves, all he does is run away.
I don't really think much of it and start to continue waiting in line. Time flies by when I finally get to the front of the line and drop my bag of herbs on the desk.
" Can I get 3 loafs of bread for these?" I ask the elderly woman who tends the counter.
" For good luck I will give you 4 today." She smiles and it is contagious so I start to smile as well as thank her.
" Thank you Nivea have a good day."
" You too Riley, may the odds be ever in your favor." She screams that as I walk away and go back to my house.
I step into the door and see my sister, Lily, dressed in a silky yellow dress passed down from my mother. My mom was never reaped for the Games so she calls that her good luck charm. I refused to wear it and gave it to my sister because it is her first year, and my third.
" Look who finally woke up, how did you sleep." I say trying to drive the conversation away from the Reaping.
" I slept okay I guess, mom laid out your dress on your bed." She points to my room and fixes her hair in the mirror on the wall.
This dress is a sky blue with a leather belt splitting up the top half of my body with the lower half. It is soft and comfortable to move around in, I wish we could afford clothes like that all the time. I look into my mirror on my bedside table and see myself. I have light brown hair, gray Seam eyes, and tan skin. I resemble my dad, I look nothing like my mom who has bright blue eyes, golden blonde hair, and pale skin. Only Lily looks like my mom just 12 years old.
" Oh honey you look beautiful." My dad says behind me spooking me.
" Thanks dad I need it. Where is mom?" I ask as he lays down his pickax on a table.
" In the kitchen making breakfast or lunch." He chuckles and I do as well, it distracts me from the horrors that might follow behind me today.
" Well she better hurry up the Reaping is at 2:00 it looks like it is about that time." He nods and slips into the kitchen.
I walk out of my room and head towards the kitchen and Mom is already saying goodbye to Lily. I hug my dad while waiting for my mom to let go of the grasp she has on Lily. I snuggle into his chest and he lifts my chin and lays a kiss on my forehead. I release him and I kiss his cheek.
" Don't forget me." My mom says from behind me, I smile and run into her arms.
" Come back before supper okay, promise me." She looks deep into my eyes searching for and answer, I nod along.
" We got to go mom, I love you bye." I say as I walk out the door and head into Town Square with Lily by my side.
We get there is only a few minutes and we split up into our lines, hers marked 12 mine marked 15. Since our population is so small in size it onlly takes about 2 minutes to get to the front of the line.
" Give me your finger." The Peacekeeper says almost impatient, she grabs my finger and takes a little bit of blood.
I ignore the stinging feeling in my finger and head to the 15 year old group. All the girl's faces are drained of blood and most of all, hope. We never won once yet, so the odds aren't really in any ones favor. All I can think about is my family, and how if Lily or I am chosen we will be dead in a day tops. A Capitol escort, Portia, walks up to the microphone. I can imagine how hot she is covered in that white face makeup, dark blue puffy dress, and large blue high heels in the burning sun.
" Welcome, welcome, welcome. Happy Hunger Games, and my the odds be ever in your favor!" She squeaks as the Capitol Seal covers the large holograms.
" Before we get to the reaping we have a very important film, all the way from the Capitol!" The film then starts to play, trying to captivate us and show us how wrong we were to rise up against the ' All mighty high Capitol.'
" Now it is time to select one man and woman, for the honor of representing District 12 in the 43rd Annual Hunger Games! As always ladies first."
My brain goes around in my head trying to escape the inevitable, me being the tribute. I can't imagine going into the arena against 23 other tributes who are forced to kill each other. The very thought makes my skins shiver. Portia is just picking the girl name when I come back to reality. She reaches the mic and unfolds the piece of paper.
" Riley Cone." She says as she surveys the crowd for her. Then I realize, I am Riley Cone.
I look around as the girls around me move away from me and form a line towards the stage. I don't know where I am going but I manage to make it up the steps. I take my place and I have a shocked expression that lies on my face.
" Any volunteers?" Nobody says anything. The only sound is the sound of the wind blowing.
" Well now it is time for the boys." She then heads over to the boy bowl and dives her hand in. I pray it isn't Tyler because if so, I would rather drop dead right here then fight against him.
She already has the name and is hurrying over to the microphone. I hear everything she is doing, being so close to her. I hear her opening the slip of paper, I hear her breathing, and I also hear her tapping the microphone.
" Tucker Nielsen." She says as it echos around the District finding its way to that guy's ears.
It belongs to a 12 year old with dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and pale skin. He isn't tall for a 12 year old but he isn't small either. He sucks in a bunch of air as he makes his way to the stairs, guided by Peacekeepers. When he reaches the top of the stairs he looks hauntingly frieghtened but quickly coats it with generality.
" Come on you two shake hands." She says, we look at each other then lock our hands with each other making a firm grasp.
" Our tributes form District 12, Riley Cone and Tucker Nielsen!" She screams as I am escorted into the Justice Building.
The Justice Building. The place where I will say my final goodbyes to my family, my friends, and my home. This is to much to take in and I start to cry as the large marble doors close, creating a wall between me and everybody else in District 12.