"Primrose Everdeen!" Effie yells, her voice booming over the crowd.
I freeze in my spot. I feel my heartbeat. This can't be right. No. Prim? This has to be some nightmare. As if it isn't bad enough a twelve year old is reaped, it's Prim. Prim won't make it in the arena. This is Katniss' sister who loves animals, helps anyone & everyone, who's so weak.
She can't use weapons. I'm not sure she can pick out what's poisonous in the forest or not. I'm sure if she has to, she can.
Prim who had her name in the glass bowl only once. What horrid odds.
I can see Prim over the crowd – she's walking towards the middle and is being escorted by two, burly peacekeepers towards the stage.
Please let this be a joke. This has to be a cruel joke. I feel as if I'm going to throw up, seeing the fear on Katniss' sister's face.
Katniss bursts from the crowd, determination on her face. This is even worse. She's planning on volunteering, I'm sure. I can usually tell what Catnip's planning. If Katniss volunteers... She has a better chance than Prim, but I don't want her to be in the arena. There's still a one in twenty-four chance she won't come back, and district twelve hasn't had a victor in so long.
I don't want today to be my last chance to tell Katniss how I feel.
"Prim!" She yells. "Prim!"
Prim turns around.
"N-no!" Katniss yells as she's stopped by two peacekeepers. She's fighting the peacekeepers, yelling Prim's name, fighting too hard. She can't get out what she's trying to say.
Two words, Catnip. It's just two words. You can do it.
After not too long, Katniss is dragged off. I bite my tongue and stand my ground. She'll be okay – they won't do anything. They just hate distraught people at reapings. I really want to help her, but I force myself to stay grounded. Besides, there's a plan forming in my head. I need to be here.
They start leading Prim up the stage. She's visibly shaking. Seeing Katniss be dragged off by peacekeepers can't really help how scared she must be feeling.
Effie skips over to Prim an sticks the microphone in her face. "Well, who might that have been?" She asks, staring out at one of the cameras.
"M-my sister… Katniss." Prim mumbles.
"Oh, how wonderful! I'm sure she was just excited for you." Effie says, trying to cover up how terrified Katniss was.
Prim stays silent.
By this time, Haymitch has decided to make his appearance. Of course, the only mentor this district has is drunk. We staggers onto the stage and puts his arm around Prim once he reaches her. Prim tilts her head as far away from him as she can. She must smell him.
"So… you're who's dying this year!" He says with a slur. "Little… You're a little young, aren't you? Ah, hell, they don't care."
Prim frowns – still trying to put on a brave front. She stares down at her shoes. She knows he must be right.
Haymitch walks to the seats and flops down into one as if he didn't say a thing.
Effie shakes her head & in a huff, walks to the boy's bowl. It has my name forty-two times in it. She reaches into the bowl, carefully picking out another slip. I walk calmly from the crowd to the spot where Katniss stood just moments ago.
It's more of a knee-jerk reaction, volunteering. I don't realize I've volunteered, before she can read the name off, until I'm being lead onstage by two peacekeepers – the same ones who lead Prim on. I don't realize what I've done. I just know it's the right thing to do. I know I'm going into the games and I'm a tribute now, but it hasn't hit me yet. It hasn't hit me that I'm going to be killing children, just children, in less than a week.
I look out on the district once on the stage. Everyone's taken aback, even Effie. District twelve hasn't had a volunteer in years; too long for anyone to remember. It's a surprising thing. I'm sure it has something also to do with everyone knows me & Katniss.
I have to protect Prim at all costs. I have to get Katniss' sister back home to her. Prim has to have a good, long life. Even if it means I'll be in a wooden casket soon.
"I believe we have a volunteer." Effie nervously says. She crosses over to me. I force the want to roll my eyes to go away.
"And who might you be?" She asks, chirpy as ever.
"Gale Hawthorne." I say, sounding as brave as possible.
"And why are you volunteering? I'm sure you're just as excited as Katniss is! Right? Want a shot at fame maybe? Want to show how strong you are?"
"Her. Just her." I say simply, looking back at Prim; Prim who looks so small, so scared. She's trying to look strong, I can tell, but she also looks saddened. I give her a reassuring smile. She gives me a sad one back.
Effie gives a big grin to the cameras. "Is she your sister? Family?"
"Something like that." Is all I comment.
"Well, let's give a hand to district twelve's volunteer – Gale Hawthorne!" Effie starts to clap. The crowd stays silent.
Haymitch bursts out laughing.
"Well. You two, shake hands!" Effie says.
Prim and I look at each other. She pulls me into a hug, and I hug her back as best as I can.
"I'm going to keep you safe. You're going to come home. It'll be okay." I whisper in her ear.
"How sweet!" Effie says.
Soon, we're escorted into the justice building.