The Hunger Games Peeta Mellark's POV
Chapter 1.
I woke up this morning after a long night of harsh nightmares. I must have woken up in a panic five times. I'm sure many others in my district did the same. Today is the day of the reaping.
I roll over onto my back and force myself to sit up. Normally at this time I would be downstairs, working in the family bakery. But given the occasion, my brothers and I have off for the day. I go downstairs and eat breakfast with my family. We eat in silence, dreading the day ahead of us.
After breakfast I go to my room to dress. I pick out a pair of tan pants and a white button down shirt. At about one o'clock my family and I head to the town square, where the reaping is held every year. Attendance is mandatory, unless you are at deaths door. If you try to skip out, you will be imprisoned.
Twelve through eighteen-year-olds are put in roped off areas and divided by ages. I stand on the boys side with other sixteens. I turn to look around, and that's when I see her.
Katniss Everdeen.
She is wearing a beautiful blue dress, and her hair is done in an elegant braid down her back. She's standing with a group of girl sixteens.
The temporary stage is set up in front of the Justice building. Two large glass balls sit on either side of the stage. One holds the boys names, the other , the girls. Three chairs are lined up. Two of them fill with Mayor Undersee, a tall balding man , and Effie Trinket our districts escort. She obviously came straight from the capitol with her ridiculous hair and clothes. The third seat is for our districts mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, but he seems to be missing.
Just as the clock strikes two, the Mayor steps up to the podium and begins to read, what we hear every single year.
He tells the story of our country Panem. It is the ruins of what was once North America. There is a glorious Capitol, ringed by thirteen, well now twelve, districts. The districts all rebelled against the Capitol. Twelve were defeated. The thirteenth obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave us the new laws to guarantee peace, and as a yearly reminder, it gave us The Hunger Games.
The rules of the Hunger Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each district must offer up in tribute one young man and woman, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, to participate. Twenty four tributes will be "locked" in an outdoor arena =, built to support any type of terrain. They will be forced to fight to the death , and the last tribute standing wins. The games ae broadcast live twenty four hours a day, all across Panem. All citizens are required to watch. This is the Capitols way of showing us, we are completely at there mercy.
Just as the mayor finishes reading, Haymitch shows up drunk. Effie gets up quickly, avoiding him, and takes her place at the microphone. She starts with her usual "Happy Hunger Games, and May the odds be ever in your favor."
She walks over to the first glass ball and says "ladies first!" She reached her hand in and swishes around and finally pulls one out.
"Please not Katniss." I think
"Primrose Everdeen." She states loudly
"Shit." I whisper.
Prim is Katniss' little sister , whom she cares more for and anyone in the world. I turn to face her and someone is holding her up. She must have almost fainted. She starts to make her way to the center, and bursts into a run. "Prim!" she cries. The peacekeepers are holding her back now. "I volunteer!" "I volunteer as tribute!" She breaks through the two men and shoves a little screaming Prim behind her. Prim grabs her waist but she pushes her again. A boy I think is Gale Hawthorne, picks Prim up and carries her away.
Effie guides Katniss to the middle of the stage.
"What's your name?" Effie asks
"Katniss Everdeen" she mumbles, you can tell she's fighting tears.
"Well, I bet my buttons that was your sister. Lets have a round of applause to District 12s first volunteer!" Effie says bubbly
Without even thinking, I place the first three fingers on my left hand to my lips and outstretch my arm towards her. Soon everyone joins in.
"Well, there is still more excitement to come!" says Effie "Now we're going to pick out boy!"
She waddles over to the other glass ball and picks out a slip. She smoothes out the paper. She begins to read.
The name on that paper is Peeta Mellark.
I stand frozen, forgetting how to move and even breathe. The kids in front of me form a path. I swallow hard and take a step, and another, and another. Until before I know it I'm at the foot of the stage. Effie leads me to stand right beside Katniss. She gives me a look and I know instantly.
She remembers the bread too.