My eyes snap awake as my mother shakes me. I rub my eyes adjusting to the sunlight flickering through the window as clouds pass in front of the morning sun. "Goodmorning mom" I smile weakly. She doesn't return the smile but returns the "goodmorning" instead.
Reaping day was always hardest for mother. More so than Katness and I. Reaping day has always been a frightening experience for me but more so this year since it was my first year being elegable for the Hunger Games. I dress for the Reaping in my older sisters old white blouse and grey skirt she wore to her first reaping. I smooth the wrinkles from the dress as I finish braiding my hair in two. As I'm frowning at my reflection my sister walks through the door and smiles.
"Look at you little duck." she laughs softly kneeling to my height.
Her eyes shine at me.
"You look so beautiful." She admires stroking a braid.
"Not as beautiful as you." I mutter my sister is beautiful. One of the most beautiful people I have ever met and she refuses to see it. She has chocolate brown hair tanned skin and beautiful grey eyes. She looks just like our father. She laughs at my comment.
"Aww no I wish I looked like you little duck." She says fondly.
While my mother interupts by telling sissy that she had drawn her a bath and had clothes laid out.
As Katniss disapears into the room the three of us share I split the bread and cooked squirrel into thirds for each of us. When my sister returns to the room I offer her the food she takes nodding a thanks chuckling.
"Tuck in that tail." She tells me jokingly tucking the blouse into my skin earning a playful "quack".
The bells chime signalling us to make our way to the district square. I as we approach the lines to sign in I start breathing harder what if I lose my sister?
My sister swiftly calms me down leading me into the line to sign in. After taking my name peacekeeper grips my thin hand and pierces my finger roughly. I bite my lip so I won't flinch. I press my finger next to my name them attach myself to my sister.
"Prim go sit up there with the little kids I will meet you after and we can spend the day together."
My fear is swiftly overpowered by excitement my sister rarely got a day off. The only time we spent together was walking to and from school. I enjoyed spending time in the woods with Katness and Gale but I felt out of place like I was intruding on them time so I let her believe I hate going into the woods with them.
"Promise?" I ask hopefully she gives me a small smile.
"I promise Prim." she whispers as the peacekeepers separate us I go stand with a girl who I speak with at school she has two older siblings being reaped as well one 14 and the other 17. But she still worried for herself not mentioning them. How could you not worry for your family. I'm worried about myself of course but Katniss has given so much for me. She has her name in 20 times for extra rations. while I only have one entry, one little piece of paper with my name printed on it. I shake my head of these thoughts as tears brim my eyes. Nothing is going to happen to Katniss.
Just as my thoughts start to wonder our district escort Effie Trinket hobbles on stage with high heeled shoes looking like a bird I saw in one of my school books.
"Welcome Welcome District 12 to see who has the honor of competing in the 74th annual hunger games." she smiled. Before reading the history of the Hunger games and all of district 12's 2 victors of the hunger games.
one is a man who won almost 50 years ago who ended up committing suicide at the age of 20 and a current Victor Haymitch Albernathy who won the 50th hunger games who now has taken to drinking his life away.
Much to soon she clears her throat and smiles.
"Now for the Girls." she smiles brightly clicking to the bowl.
picking a single piece of paper I tense fearing for the worse. She clears her throat and reads out the name. I feel in that moment dread deep in my stomach and as if freezing water was dumped all over me. My eyes almost letting tears fall before mentally slapping myself.
I was chosen.
Primrose Everdeen
a name I have called my own for my entire short life.
I feel like my body isn't my own as if it's moving on its own accord. Every step I take towards the stage is like the bigger the pain in my chest becomes. I approach the stairs as I tuck my blouse in. My sister and my mother's sobs.
My sister screams for me begs for me pleads shaking and broken. She tries to break through the barrier the peacemakers created knowing she wouldn't stop Gale picks her up and drags her away as she tries to fight but it was no use she wasn't as strong as him. His eyes meet mine as he holds my now crying sister in his arms as I climb the stairs.
i collect myself as Effie waves incouragingly for me to be at her side. I stand next to her my hands balled into fists.
"Hello dear aren't you just precious." she coos pinching my face. I give her a kind smile trying not to flinch away.
She returns to her position.
"And now for the boys!" She says reaching into the bowl I glare at Gale whose eyes are on me knowing exactly what he's thinking I shake my head at him.
"Peeta Melark"
I clinch my fist tighter.
The taller blonde boy steps out of the crowd in shock looking on the verge of tears. I know Peeta he is the bakers son one of the more wealthier families.
Peeta is escorted up to the stage seemingly already accepting his fate.
"I present you. Your tributes for the 74th annual hunger games Primrose Everdeen and Peeta Melark." She chirps beckoning us to shake hands. It must have looked silly me being so small shaking Peeta's large callosed hand. He looks me in the eye as a way of saying sorry.
"and may the odds be ever in your favor." Effie says into the microphone.
It's as if I stopped breathing as I'm escorted into the Justice building.
Peeta and I were seperated into different rooms where goodbyes will be said. I collapse in the plush couch almost sobbing.
The air intering my lungs never quite being enough. I am gasping for air. I hadn't had trouble breathing before now it felt like the walls are caving in on me.
My sister burst through the door along with my mother dashing to my side holding me tightly as if their lives depended on it.
"I love you Prim." Katniss sobs into my neck collapsing into the floor completely broken.
That's the moment when I knew I was going to die... My sister knew it. From the look on my mother's face she knew it. The looks of pitty meant the whole district knows. That I, Primrose Everdeen tribute of the 74th annual hunger games am just another dead girl.