Today was the day. The day of the reaping for the 20th Hunger Games. I just sat around. Mom had me wear a nice suit and a tie. We live in District 9 in the nation of Panem. My daily job was to help with the farming to deliver wheat and other crops to the rest of the nation. My name is Jay Pitrock. Panem is the ruins of what was once North America. The United States have been having a horrible future. I was an only child. My mother was murdered by the capitol, so it was only my father and I. Dad usually spent his time in the fields as well. But, today he was going to the reaping. I am his only family and he doesn't want me to be picked. But what are the odds? Like one in a few thousand. No way am I getting chosen.
Dad walked into the room, ready to go. "Jay, we're leaving."
"Okay." I answered. I was scared though. Odds or not.
We went out of the front door and down to the District Square. We had to separate.
"I'll find you later, Dad." I told him. You had to be between 12-17 years old to be reaped. I was 15. Only 2 more years until they were done reaping me.
I let the people from the capital take a sample of my blood so they could identify me and then went on to the main square. I easily found Dad and stood beside him. We waited.
Then the tributes' escort came on stage. "Hello, hello." The lady greeted the nervous crowd of the district. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
Silence. Only the noise of heavy breathing.
"As usual, ladies first." She announced. Then she put her hand in the glass bowl and chose a random scrap of paper. "Ellie James."
Why her? I couldn't kill her when it came to it. I sighed.
The girl, also my age, walked up to the stage, escorted by peacekeepers. She walked and stood next to the lady.
"Now, for the boy." Her hand vanished into another glass bowl filled with papers. Please, please not me. Please. I silently begged. Her hand came out and she unfolded the paper. "Jay Pitrock."
I gasped. My jaw dropped. My dad looked at me, just as shocked. I must be dreaming…I knew I wasn't. I let the peacekeepers guide me up to the stage, on the other side of the lady. I stood there, not even bothering to hide my shock and fear. I was competing in the 20th Hunger Games.
"Shake hands." The lady said.
Ellie and I did.
"Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor."
She went through a door in the back of the stage, motioning for us to follow. We did, but peacekeepers were behind us so we didn't try to go back. There was no going back.
A man joined us from the side of the hall, walking beside me. I looked at him. He looked back. "My name is Cliff Lowstar. I won the 18th Hunger Games. I will be your mentor." He said, speaking to me and Ellie. "Understand?"
I nodded, still unable to speak from the shock of being chosen.
"Yes." Ellie's voice trembled slightly as she said it.
"Good." Cliff said. "Your loved ones will come say good bye for the last time and we'll be leaving in half an hour."
"Okay." I replied, finding my voice.
We were lead down to the end of the hall, where two doors awaited us. Ellie went in on room, I went into the other. I just sat down on the bed, trying to control my spinning thoughts and emotions. It was frustrating. My head hurt just thinking about all that had happened.
Suddenly the door opened. Dad walked in. I raced over and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Dad…"
"Jay, it's going to be alright, son." He looked me right in the eye. "Just do everything you can to live. You have to live."
"O-okay." I sputtered through tears.
"It's going to be okay. I love you, Jay." He told me. There was a knock on the door telling him to leave. "Goodbye, my son."
"Bye, Dad, I love you so much." I forced myself to stop crying. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." Dad walked out and closed the door behind him. This might've been my last time talking to him.
I wiped away the tears. Now the anger came, spilling over my other emotions like a flood. I felt rage. I punched a cabinet as hard as I could. Nothing happened, but my fist hurt. Anger overpowered the pain. I didn't care about my hand right now. I let out a roar of rage, "Why!"
Then I punched the bed and threw the pillow across the room. It broke a glass vase with a loud crack. I let out another scream of anger. I couldn't even understand what I said.
Finally, grief settled in. I fell to my knees and put my hands over my face. The tears never came.
The door opened and a peacekeeper grabbed me. I uncovered my face as I was dragged down the hall and out to where the group of people had once stood. Where my father was when I was chosen. The peacekeeper shoved me to the ground. I got up, my hands balled into fists.
Ellie came out with another peacekeeper. A minute later, the lady came out with Cliff. He must've seen the look on my face because he said, "Whoa, okay, you have to calm down. Calm down, okay? It's going to be alright or now."
I relaxed my body, unclenching my fists and letting a neutral expression cross my face. But, my insides still burned with mixed feelings of loss, hate, and grief.
The lady spoke. "My name is Hannah Keenstone. I will be your escort around the capital." She looked from me to Ellie. "Don't worry, Jay, you can trust Cliff and I. We're here to help you along the way before the Games."
I felt my hate subside along with most of the loss and grief. For now. "Okay, okay." I simply said.
"Also, no more breaking things." Cliff's gaze drew to me.
I shrugged. "Sorry about that. I was angry, that's all."
Cliff gave me a knowingly glare. I noticed a vehicle next to us. "Is that thing taking us to the train?" I asked, curiously.
"Yes, it will be." Our mentor nodded. "Let's get in, before the peacekeepers get angry."
The four of us got in the car thing. Hannah started telling us things about the capital and the train on the ride, but I didn't pay any attention to it. I didn't even care. I wanted to stay here in District 9 with Dad. I already missed farming in the fields.
It was a 15 minute ride and when we got on the train, Ellie and I were amazed. The train left as soon as we were on. It was really fancy. There was food on the tables and everything was mostly white. For the second time today, my jaw dropped. After nearly starving in the district, the capitol had all of this? Wow.
We started eating right away. Hannah said something about the train going two hundred miles per hour. It didn't feel like it though.
"Hannah, how long will it take to get there?" I asked.
"We should arrive in the capitol tomorrow morning. Then we will have time to show you your district's floor in the tribute center and meet your stylist. The stylist will get you ready for the chariots at ten o'clock." She answered.
"How fun." I said, half sarcastically.
Cliff chuckled. "It will be, Jay. Just wait and see."
The day went by slowly. We mostly sat around doing nothing and eating. At sundown, I went to my room in the train. It wasn't completely white like the rest of the train. It was actually pretty dark. I got in the bed and closed my eyes. Sleep took me quickly.
I woke up around six the next morning. I got up and got ready to enter the capitol in a couple of hours. I went out and ate breakfast. Only Hannah and Cliff were awake so far.
"Why'd you wake up so early?" Cliff asked me.
"Back in nine, I went to bed at sundown and woke up at dawn. I helped in the fields and there was always a lot of worth to do." I answered.
I finished eating and walked over to a comfy chair. I sat down. I heaved a sigh. Today was the day we were arriving in the capitol. We went through a tunnel. Ellie came out. She said she wasn't hungry. As soon as we'd gone through the tunnel, I walked over to the window. We were here. People stood there, waving their hands wildly at Ellie and I, who stood looking out the window.
"We're at the capitol." I murmured in awe.
