"Hello! Welcome to the reaping of the 75th anual Hunger Games live in district 7!" Lina Jassimine, our districts escort bubbles gently into the mike.
She bubbles unintelligible words about a quarter quell and maybe the president I think? Either way, I didn't give a damn. The president us stupid. The games are cruel. Am I meant to care about them?
"Now ladies first!" She chirps slightly louder, as if sensing no one could understand her stupid high pitched capitol accent.
She plunges her taloned hand into the ball, I hear the audience catch they're breath. 42 of those purple little slips have my name on them. Yes I know. I have three sisters who need to eat and none of them are yet twelve. But Fourty Two? My part of the district is the second ranked poorest people of district twelve, even though my family's slightly better off. Almost third class. Almost. I catch a glimpse of the curling writing inside the slip as she turns to open it.
"Poppie Loui!" She shrieks out into the microphone.
I let out a sigh of relief as the confused muttering of the audience starts. I whip around and find Poppie Loui, the daughter of the dressmakers, a first class girl, walk steadily towards the stage. Her elaborate dress floats but not completely covering her surely knocking knees. Poppie, the girl I loathed for being richer than me, prettier than me, liked by the boy I liked, flaunting off her pretty clothes, is headed towards obvious death now gets a wave of self pitty from me.
"And in the spirit of the quarter quell, the second girl!" Lina chirps into the mike.
Lina's clawed hand dives back in, this time taking almost double the time to pick this one out. I have a terrible feeling in my stomach and I know it's one of my friends or worse... No. I refuse to think its me.
"The second female tribute from district seven... Lana Samson!"
Suddenly I stop breathing. Thats me. Me. Me. Me. Me.
I know I must not show weakness. I know I must be strong, confident. I light up my face with a dazzling smile and walk slowly, so I don't trip, towards the stage flicking my hair over my shoulder. Is it over? Can I stop walking? The slightly too small shoes I wear threatening to trip me already.
"Now for the gentlemen!" Lina says already pulling out a slip.
"Kayleb Jackson!" She says.
My face almost drops, I barely know Kayleb. He's a second class boy, but his mother was killed last year in a terrible forest fire. I almost always thank God that both my parents made it out. Well most of them. They went slightly insane from the smoke but if any officials come knocking they can't take us away, even if our parents are babbling on about bats and clocks.
I watch as Kayleb makes his way towards the stage, his funny little walk, with his arms swinging slightly slower than a normal persons, his shoulders moving slightly sideways.
"Matt Phorbes." Lina sings into the mike.
Oh. I almost forgot. We have two tributes of each this year.
"I present to you, the tributes of district seven, Poppie, Lana, Kayleb and Matt." Lina says, her voice monotone, suddenly serious.
The white gloved hands of peace keepers are now on my back and I'm being pushed towards the white marble justice building. I'm now in a brightly wall papered room, with soft satin couches and oak furniture.
I sit down, somewhat formally on a dark armchair and smoothen out my dress and fluff my hair before the brass door knob turns and a peace keeper enters with my three sisters and parents.
"Lannie!" My mother coes stroking my hair.
I doubt she even knows what's going on. My sisters do though. Hannah and Mia are only young - six - but Katilyn she's almost twelve, she knows I may die and she'll watch it see it coming even. I watch her as she sits gracefully on the satin couch, her hair flowing over her shoulders. She already was beautiful.
"Katilyn." I say as one word could say it all.
"I know. Plants. Milk. Crops. No terrasae till I'm desperate." She repeats, gazing far off.
I nod. I wasn't as close to her, no one was in the family, but I loved her still.
Hannah and Mia crawl onto my lap and start weeping into my shoulder.
"Ssh baby. Remember. As long as the bird sing, I'll be here." I say gently.
I give them all quick hugs before they are taken away again. Gone. Gone. Gone. I may never see them again, no of course I would, I will.
"Lana?" A voice asks.
I glance up and find Lexie and Jo. And Jamie and Oli. I leap into Jo's arms first letting exactly two tears soak her shoulder before coming back up. We sit in silence holding hands before Lexie speaks up.
"Come back won't you?" She asks.
"I'll try. I swear it. I love you. All of you." I say trying for a smile.
We sit there saying nothing until the officals come again. I grab Oli before he goes and whisper into ear.
"Don't let them starve. Your first class you can spare a few coins."
He nods and strolls out leaving me staring at a blank wall. I sit there thinking of what I to win. I'm skilled with a knife and axe. I could learn spears as I'm okay at javelin. I know edible plants. I'm fairly strong. I can keep going. Maybe I'll win. Maybe I'll come home. Soon the officials are there telling me to move it and get on the train. So I move almost robotically towards the door, pausing by the cracked mirror, sorely to annoy him and check my hair.
I walk out and find the three other contestants standing awkwardly infront of separate rooms. Matt stood staring at the wall, smirking at no-one in particular. Kayleb stood tears threatening to spill, whilst Poppie was pathetically attempting to cover up her tears.
"Why aren't we going?" Kayleb asks impatiently.
I shrug and look out the window. The sight meeting my eyes is horrible. The peace keepers attacking the audience. But, no. No that can't be. There fighting back.