My beautiful Maysilee and I stroll down the streets of the town in District Twelve holding on to every last moment possible before today. Of course we are, today is the day of the reaping. We usually wouldn't show ourselves in public due to the fact that Maysilee is a merchant girl and I am a boy from the Seam, but we felt we must because our chances of being reaped are even bigger due to the fact that this year's games will, unfortunately, be the second Quarter Quell. "This year," our snakelike President said, "In honor of the second Quarter Quell, to remind the rebels that even innocent children died in the Dark Days, there will be twice as many tributes." My mother had let out a small shriek for my name was in the glass ball so many times I was sure to go in. It was for this reason Maysilee and I were walking in public less than two hours away from my death sentence. Maysilee , being from town, would surely not be picked. For her name was in only five times, which was less than most people from District 12.
"She won't be picked," I tell myself, "She won't be picked."
But I couldn't have been more wrong, it was even worse.