I woke up at what I guessed to be 6 am. I put my hunting coat on and slid into my boots. As I was leaving the house, I look at my four younger siblings, and I look at my mother. I think about how only, Eve, the youngest of my siblings, is safe. She's eleven and safe. All my other siblings are, in way safe. I wouldn't let any of them sign up for tesserae, which is a year supply of grain and oil, for one person. So my name is the bowl forty-two times. If my is chosen from the bowl, at the reaping today, I will be going to the Capitol. To be in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are simple. You're on TV and you fight to the death, killing every other contestant. There's two contestants from each District of Panem. There's 12 districts and two contestants, meaning 24 teens, between the ages of 12 and 18, thrown into an arena. One left standing. One left alive.
I get to a weak spot in the fence surrounding District 12 and slide under. It's suppose to be an electric fence but, it's never on. I grab my bow, one Katniss's father made before he was blown to bits in a mine explosion. The same mine explosion that killed my Father. I easily kill a squirrel, and once it's cleaned, I slide back under the fence. I go to the bakery knowing the baker will love fresh meat.
Once I'm at the bakery, I show him the squirrel, and he gives me one loaf of bread, still warm. After that I go back into the woods, and meet Katniss there. We talk for while and enjoy the bread I brought and the goat cheese her sister, Prim made. After we eat, we gather in the woods and fish by the lake. After that we go to the Hob and trade.
Once I'm back home, I see all of siblings getting ready for the reaping. I peel of my coat and put my boots in the corner. I take a quick bath and get into my reaping clothes. A white button down shirt, and black pants. Once were all dressed we to the square. I take my seat and when I see Katniss, I give her a quick smile. And then the reaping begins. I zone out until I hear Effie Trinket, our districts…I don't even know what to call her, say "Ladies first!"
She's goes over to the ball and pulls out a name. I keep praying, not Katniss, not Katniss, not Katniss. I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear 'Primrose Everdeen.' It's not Katniss. But then remember, Primrose Everdeen, is Katniss's sister.
I heard Prim's name being announced as tribute, and I saw Katniss run up and volunteer. Next thing I knew I was carrying Prim off the stage towards her mother. After Prim was with her mother, I turned back towards the stage and I could've sworn a saw a tear slowly slide down Katniss's cheek. But it must have just been my imagination because I know Katniss would never cry for something like this. She knows she'd be marked has a weakling. The last thing I see before Katniss is whisked off to the Justice building is her shake the hand of Peeta Mellark, the male tribute for the 74th Annual Hunger Games.
I go to see Katniss in the Justice building, only because this may be the last time I ever see her. In person that is. When I go in she's sitting on a really fancy coach, one we could never afford in the Seam. I see Katniss, and even though I don't think off anything romantic between us, I open my arms. She goes in them and I rap my arms around her.
"Listen," I say. "Getting a knife should be pretty easy, but you've got to get your hands on a bow. That's your past chance."
"They don't always have bows." she says.
I try to encourage her to somehow get bow. And if they don't have a bow, she can make one. This is what I tell her, "Then make one. Even a weak bow is better than no bow at all."
"I don't know if they'll have wood." Her response is so simple and yet still true. But even if there is no wood there are other ways to make bows…I think. Instead of saying this I say,
"They almost always have some wood." They have every year since the year we watched at least three contestants die every night from being cold. Wouldn't have happened if they could've made a fire.
" Yes, there's usually some." she says.
"Katniss, it's just hunting. You're the best hunter I know."
"It's not just hunting. They're armed. They think."
"So do you. And you've had more practice. Real practice. You know how to kill." I say convincingly.
"Not people." she says
"How different can it be really?" I say grimly.
I think about all the times Katniss has just shot a bow and killed a rabbit or squirrel. Sometimes even a wild dog. 'Just think that there animals' is what I'm about to say when the Peacekeepers come. I ask for more time, but they grab me and start pulling towards the door. Katniss starts to panic, I can see it in her eyes.
"Don't let them starve!" she's cries out, clinging to my hand.
"I won't. You know I won't. Katniss remember I-" just then they yank us apart and slam the door. As they shove me out the door to the Justice Building, I realize Katniss will never know what I was about to say, " Katniss, I love you."