Numbers

I look at the sheep in front of me. There are two legs and a nose sticking out on her bottom. I gotta get that lamb. I place my hands on the wet legs and pull. The lamb slides out and lands on the floor. The sheep immediately starts licking the yellowish goo off.

„Lucy, LUCY! Come now, you know its a vacation today" Bloom calls.

„I don't care" I reply blankly.

„You don't care you'll be killed if you don't go to the reaping?"

It's reaping day. I shiver. I've been having constant nightmares of the games since I turned 12. I'm more scared of the Hunger Games then most people. I lost both of my parents to the games. I was born when they were sixteen, the same day as they were reaped.

I was an orphan now, and the Greenwich family had given me some food, at least enough to live. Now that I was 12 I took tessarae to get extra food, and refused to take any food from Bloom.

„Come on, lets get some clothes to wear!"

I walked lazily out of the dirty farmhouse and out into the sunshine. The heat was unbearable. My black cat sat and lapped some water from a almost dry puddle. He looked at me with a familiar cat look.

„Dragon, you like muddy water?" I ask the cat sarcastically. He seems to nod and continues to drink.

The small brown houses were crowded so that very little space was for wildlife, besides the huge fields for livestock, but we weren't allowed there unless for work. A narrow path of sand and small stones was in between the shacks.

I was barefoot and the dark sand rubbed my feet. I looked at the girl beside me. She was short with curly red hair and eyes gray stormy eyes.

„You spend more time with sheep then humans" She says and rolls her eyes.

Yeah because you're the only person that considers to spend time with me.

She opens the door that is half broken from the last time livestock theft was reported in this neighborhood. It was a small house fora big 6 person family. The oldest Bloom, also the most hardworking and generous. Then the twins Mickey and Cody, both with light blonde hair and light gray eyes. Then Laila and Carl and Mickey Older, their grandfather. They actually had a older brother, Bull, that was 17. He had moved out when Mickey Older moved in.

We went into the kitchen where Laila stood and was bathing Cody, while Carl dried and combed Mickey.

„Girls, you're a bit late, go and get your clothes. I laid them out on Blooms bed. You did take a bath before going out didn't you?" Laila asks.

„Yeah mom we did take a bath, Miss Sunshine went out at five. AM. We took a bath then" Bloom answers and rolls her eyes. She doesn't seem to like her mother. She only seems to like Mickey older.

There was only one bedroom in the house. I slept with Bloom on a worn down bed while Carl and Laila slept on a big bed with both Mickey and Cody, and Mickey Older on a thin mattress on the floor. When Carl offered him a bed Mickey Older stated „No, I won't, I should be dead now, so I'm going to act like I sleep in a coffin" He was always a determined man. Kind of.

The small bed with rosy sheets had two dresses laid down on it. One mossy green to match Blooms hair, and one gray for my dark blonde hair. We also had one accessory each, which was a privilege. I got a blue ribbon with a bow on it to put around my waist, and Bloom got a red knitted flower to put on the dress.

When I was about to go in the kitchen to get my hair done, I remember to put my pearl earrings on, that my father gave me. Carl told me, that he was going to give my mother them, when I was born. But that day they were reaped to go into the Hunger Games. The earrings are the only thing I have left of my parents, and my cat Dragon. He was my mothers cats kitten. Dragons mom cat is dead, a one year after he was born. He's only 4 years old.

When I enter the kitchen Laila walks over to me.

„Come let me do your hair, how do you want it?"

„A bun" I say blankly.

While she does my hair she starts mumbling to herself. „Oh Lucy Storm, how unlucky you are, the odds aren't exactly in your favor"

„There, I'm done"

I walk to the sink and check myself out. I'm not exactly pretty, but not ugly. Just average. When I think about pretty, I think of Grace Wilder and her bestfriend and sister, Mary Wilder. They both have long silky blonde hair, and skyblue eyes. But they have terrible personalities. That goes to prove ‚Don't judge a book by its cover'

„Come on kids, the reapings are about to start"

-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-‚'-

After getting my finger pricked, I walk to the right where the girls are, and go in front, because I am only twelve. Then I remember its my birthday. What a fun birthday. The reapings. Sending two kids to there deaths ON my birthday. I get snapped out of my thoughts when somebody bumps into me.

„Oh looky who's here Game Girl" Grace says and sneers. ( They call me ‚Game Girl' cause my parents died in the Hunger Games)

„Shut up. We're supposed to be quiet" I say blankly.

And when I say that, our escort, Cassie Toy walks onto the stage. He has short ruffled neon green hair that is streaked with blood red, and he has a bright purple curled beard. His clothes are worse. He's wearing a yellow t-shirt and pink shorts. I'll never get the Capitol.

„Welcome! Welcome to the District 10 Reapings!" He shouts enthusiastically.

„But wait! There's a video, from the Capitol, made specially for you! The Districts!" He sounds even happier. I don't get how you can be so happy to send 24 children to their death.

After the videos done, he gazes over the crowd. He looks so happy its unimaginable. „So, we always let the girls start, so start with the boys, shall we?" He looks super hyped when he digs his hands down to the bottom of the bowl. Then he picks a paper. He shows it to everyone without opening it. He opens it and then reads

„Amare Flore"

He was Blooms boyfriend. He was short, like Bloom. He was eighteen like her. They were engaged, but young engagement is common in District 10. He had short caramel hair and chocolate brown eyes. Hence the fact Bloom called him Candy. Her family adores him.

I behind me and see Blooms eyes wide of surprise and fear. She looks like she'll drop down dead any minute. Amare stiffly walks towards the stage. He tries to keep a straight face when he obviously can't.

„Wow what a hot young man" Cassie says and laughs.

„Anyways, lets carry on to the ladies!" He says and winks to Amare.

His fingers brush the top of the pile in the bowl. He dances around the surface. I feel a ice cold shiver. My mind starts to flood with fake memories. How it is in the games? To be killed by kids the same age as you? Calm down Lucy. You won't get picked. But what if the Hunger Games run in my blood, to get picked? These are just odds, just numbers. The numbers to the lottery to death. And to win the lottery is one against a million. I'm snapped out of my thoughts when Cassie shouts

„Mary Wilder"

I'm relieved. It's not me. Then time slows down. Grace turns around. She puts a hand on my back, and I feel something sharp in my back.

„Game Girl, volunteer!" She whispers devilishly.

„What if I don't?"

„Do it if you want to live for a bit longer"

I realise the sharp thing in my back is a knife, and she'll kill me if I won't volunteer. I'd never imagine doing this. Volunteering for the person I hate most in my life.

„I volunteer!" I shout. I'm absolutely terrified. I try to keep a straight face when walking up. I do a better job then Amare.

„There you go District 10! Your tributes!" He sounds happier than ever before.

„And may the odds be ever in your favor"

They aren't.

Now death starts picking the numbers.