Snow examined the stacks of papers in the white, steral room. A fat man, the head gamemaker, hurried up to him. "So they've all been decided, then?" He asked, wiping his nose on his shirt cuff.

"All but the district 4 female," Snow replied.

"Ah, yes. Well how about her? Liana Margot?"

"No…I want someone who will teach Mr. Odair a lesson."

"What sort of lesson, sir?"

"A lesson about love. I want you to show Odair that no one really wins these games."

"Yes, sir! Well, how about this girl? Annie Cresta?"

Snow examined the file, and a slow, sick smile spread across his face. "Yes. Annie Cresta. She will do perfectly."

"Very well, sir." The man bowed, and left the room.

Snow remained a while after, muttering to himself. "Annie Cresta…Annie Cresta…I want her to die slowly. Slowly and painfully."

On the morning of the reaping, Annie Cresta woke up to the sound of the ocean and the glow of early morning sunshine. A beautiful day-would it end well? She stretched drowsily and turned over to go back to sleep. Reaping day was the only day that she could sleep in, other than holidays and Sundays, and she intended to make the most of it.

That thought was ruined when Josie and Ally came barreling through the door. "Finnick Odair just walked past our house!" Josie yelled.

"He's so handsome," Allie cooed.

"He killed Marianne." Annie said grumpily.

For a moment, their was silence. But then, Josie shouted, "He did not!"

"Yes, he did."

"Finnick wouldn't do such a thing." Allie protested.

"I know! He's so handsome."

Wonderful. Her 8 year old sisters were in love with Finnick Odair.

"You were 5 when it happened. You didn't even know Marianne!" she yelled with sudden venom in her voice.

Silence.

"Well sorry." Josie muttered.

"You ought to be."

They stalked out of the room and slammed the door. By that time, Annie was wide awake and jumped out of bed, filled with worry for herself and her 2 sisters that were eligible for the reaping. She rushed down to the breakfast table. Josie and Allie were already there, no doubt confessing her crime to all who wished to hear.

Rose, Lucy, and Ellen were already there, along with her parents, who glanced up at her arrival. "Where's Katie?" her mother asked.

"How should I know?" she shot back.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you two share a room," her mother replied, annoyed. "Whatever," she retaliated, grabbing a muffin off the table before heading back upstairs.

"Annie; wait." Her father's voice caused her to turn around. She sighed. "What now?"

"Could you talk to Lucy? About the reaping?" Lucy had just turned 12, and was extremely worried about her chances of being picked. Annie couldn't deny her sister. "Sure. Come on, Lucy."

Her sister got up silently and followed her up to the room Lucy shared with Josie and Allie. The moment the door shut behind them, Lucy burst out crying. "I don't want to die! I don't want to!"
"Shh. Your not gonna die. Your names only in there once. You won't be picked," Annie comforted her, hugging her tightly.

"What about you," Lucy asked, her voice muffled against Annie's clothes. Annie hesitated. "My name's in there 16 times. But it'll be alright. I won't be picked either."

"You promise?" Lucy asked, her sobs coming to a quiet.

"I promise.

Annie felt Lucy smile.

They left the room with different purposes; Annie to go get changed for the reaping, Lucy to finish breakfast.

Annie ran down the corridor to the room she shared with her 14 year old sister, Katie, who was just waking up. Annie smirked. "Get some sleep?"

"Plenty, thank you."

"You ought to get dressed for the reaping."

"I know, and I will. I'm going to eat breakfast first."

"Enjoy yourself."

"I will." With that, Katie left the room.

Annie picked up her one fancy dress, a sleeveless green dress that perfectly matched her eyes. It was getting tight, and next year it would be Katie's. Annie slipped on a woven brown belt around her waist, accenting the flared skirt, and headed to the bathroom, where she pulled all her hair to once side and pinned it there. She slipped on a pearl necklace and pearl earrings, along with a pair of silver slippers. By this point, everyone else was dressed, and they were ready to go.

As they walked, Annie surveyed her family. Rose was 5, and wouldn't be eligible for the games for the next 7 years. Josie and Ally, both 8, had a 4-year wait. Ellen would be eligible in two years, and the rest of her siblings already were.

When they reached the city center, Annie left her family to stand with the rest of the sixteen year olds already their. "Welcome, welcome," trilled Cincinnatus, District 4's lovable Capitol escort. "Aren't you so excited for these games to begin?" he said in his strange accent. He was returned with a mix of boos from most of 4, and cheering from the Careers. What she didn't tell Lucy is there are no volunteers who will, well, volunteer this year. None of them are good enough.

"Are we all here then?" Cincinnatus said, looking around. "Very well. Ladies first!" he fished around in the bowl and pulled out a name, unfolding it slowly. "Annie Cresta." For a moment Annie was frozen, but then her feet found the way to the podium. The rest of her was still processing what I just heard. I was going into the games! Behind a strange veil, Annie saw Lucy fighting to get to her through the peacekeepers, shouting, "You promised! You promised!" Her eyes desperately wanted to cry upon hearing this statement, but she wouldn't let herself. She couldn't look weak. It was the only chance she had.

"Alright, then. No volunteers," he said, looking around expectantly. "No? Very well, now for the boys!" he reached in once again, pulled another white slip, and called out, "Westin Gordan."

A small twelve year old boy came up to the podium, trembling. Annie knew him. She knew him very well. Marianne's brother, and he was going to make it home instead of her."Any volunteers?" Cincinnatus called desperately. "No? Alright then. Now I suppose we must draw mentors. For Annie Cresta!" Another white slip. "Finnick Odair!"
Did I really have to get him? I'd be happy with any mentor; other than him! He was my best friend's mentor. My best friend, who never made it home. "And for Westin Gordan; Ma-mali-I can't read this!" An old woman stood up. "That would be me", she said. "You can call me Mags."

Well, she looks nice, Annie thought. Too bad I had to get Mr. Sex symbol Odair here. Can we do a trade? She already knew the answer would be no.

She wasn't looking forward to seeing her siblings one last time. She knew what they wanted. But if she had her choice, she wouldn't make it out of the arena. District 4 is going to have a winner, but it isn't going to be her.

Cincinnatus spoke one last time into his microphone. "That concludes this year's reaping, folks. Remember to tune in for the Opening ceremonies and Interviews!"

He sounds like a robot, Annie reflected, remembering the machines that her father said the Capitol used to do much of their work.

Then, she took one last look around District 4, and, clutching Westin's hand tightly, they headed into the justice building.