It was today. Everyone across Panem knew it. The Capitol. The Districts. Everyone. Today was reaping day. Everyone in the Capitol found a tv screen, whether it be their own or a jumbotron in the city centre, to watch the events of that day, and they were as follows..

District 1:

An old, shrivelled man walked up to the stage. Erick. He had been the escort of the District 1 tributes for 63 years, and his time was almost up, it would seem.
He hobbled along the stage and stuck his hand straight into the bowl. He wasted no time, he knew how eager tributes from District 1 were to begin. He coughed a wheezing cough into the microphone before announcing weakly "Dan Howell!"

The crowd of boys parted to reveal Dan, a tall, tan and dark haired boy of seventeen holding a similar looking, slightly paler boy in a tight embrace. Everyone was silent. Watching.

When they didn't part after a few moments , the Peacekeepers intervened. They had to practically drag the two boys apart. Dan wasn't giving up. He had locked fingers with the other boy and wasn't letting go. His eyes glistened with tears as the peacekeeper tore them apart, taking the other boy to somewhere where Dan would most likely never see him again.

Dan was marched up onto the stage where he towered above Erick. Boys from District 1 would usually be bursting with pride to be chosen as tribute, but all Dan's face showed was despair as he watched his best friend be dragged off to receive a beating for the fuss they had both just caused.

"Haha! Well wasn't that eventful!" Erick chuckled. That must have been slightly too much for his old lungs to handle as he promptly fell into a coughing fit before he managed to slip his hand into the bowl of potential female tributes.

Before he could rasp the name of the poor girl who would be chosen as tribute, a voice screamed "No! I volunteer! Let me through! I volunteer!"
The crowd parted to reveal an auburn haired girl with glistening watery-blue eyes looking frantic. As if for confirmation, she said, more calmly this time,
"I volunteer as tribute for District 1."
Within seconds she was being escorted up to the stage by a group of peacekeepers. She kept her head lowered at all times, her hair falling through the legs of her glasses, delicate tears rolling down her pale, freckled face.

As she shuffled onto the stage, Erick asked her
"Now, whats your name dear?"
"Zoe.. Zoe smith" she whispered, shaking from the tears.
"And why did you volunteer today my lovely?"
Zoe mumbled something inaudible and shuffled away quietly.
"Aww, is someone shy?" Erick cooed

The crowd may not have known why Zoe volunteered, but she did. Dan.

"Nevermind that, you'll soon have to overcome those nerves, or else!" he chuckled to himself.
"But here we are! Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District 1, Dan Howell and Zoe Smith! Now, shake hands like good sports!" Erick exclaimed, perhaps a little too cheerily.
Dan took Zoes hand awkwardly, resulting in a quick handshake and a blushing pair of tributes.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes for the 49th annual Hunger Games!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd as Zoe and Dan were taken away inside the main building of the District.