Daniel Crout looked out over the sea of district 4. He was sixteen years old,tall,black-haired,and strong. He was fishing off the dock behind his house thinking about tomorrow. Tomorrow was the reaping. Although he wasn't scared he couldn't help but feel that twinge of doubt creeping In to his mind. Your not ganna get picked.
Your not ganna get picked.
"Hey Dan!"someone yelled. Daniel jumped in fright nearly dropping his fishing rod. Peter plops down beside me with a sigh."hey."I mumble. Peter was one of my best-friends, he was always telling jokes,and had a good personality."Peter! I told you not to go stomping through yelling! He's fishing!"my other friend crystal looks at me and shakes his head.
"Yeah well he's doesn't seem to mind!"he exclaims pointing at me.
"I haven't gotten a say in the matter yet."I say sits down on the other side of me looking exhausted."are you nervas for tomorrow?"she asks.
"Nah not really."I half looks at me and says."well I am! We're all sixteen! Our name gets put in more!"I just sit in silence for awhile. should i be scared? I ask myself. Nah there's no way I am getting interrupts the silence by asking."does anyone want to swim?" I shrug."sure why not." "I'm in!" Peter shouts. I set down my fishing rod,take off my shirt and dive in. Peter follows shortly,and then swim and splash around until we're to tired to go on. We climb out and start walking home together. We reach my house and I say bye and head inside. My mother merely glance as I come in and my father asks in a gruff voice"catch anything?"
"Not a thing." I reply. He just grunts and gets back to reading. My mother is making dinner chatting away to my 6 year old sister. I walk upstairs to my room where I change and lay down onto the bed. What's happens if I do get picked?
I will fight my hardest!
What if I die the family can't live without me?
How do I even know I am getting picked! My mind is going on In a little battle but I shrug it off and go downstairs for mother is very quiet at dinner and my father is still reading the newspaper."what If you get picked!" My mother blurts out. I am shocked by her statement even my father looks up.
"I'll fight."I say is about to protest when father speaks up.
"Well we'll know in the morning but for now drop it." We eat the rest of the meal in silence until I go up we all go up for bed.i can't sleep at first but eventually I drift off into blackness.
...
I woke early the next morning to get ready for the reaping. I combed my hair,put on my best suit and headed downstairs for breakfast. "Hey." I say to my mom she looks at me and nods."you look good." She says.
"Thanks." I tell her. I eat a quick breakfast and head out to find my friends before the reaping. I find them at the beach and we walk to the town square for the reaping. I get in Line next to Peter and wait. I look around for my parents and sister and see them in the back row. They wave and I wave back and then turn my attention to the stage were the national anthem plays and a woman with lots of makeup walks out onto the begins talking about the history of Panem and I half doze off until I hear her say.
"Ok girls first" she walks over to the glass ball and pulls out a folded piece of paper.
"Maria Anderson!" She says. A girl about fifteen walks up to the stage complete shock on her face. She looked terrified and was bitting back tears. I felt bad for her just like I do every year for the kids that get picked. The woman on the stage claps but we don't there is no point it's not exiting its sad.
"Now for the boys." She announces walking up to the glass clears her throat before saying "Daniel Crout!"
My throat went dry what did she say? My mother let out a scream and my father stood staring sadly. Peter lets out a sad sigh and I can see crystal crying. Peter gently pushes me forward. I walk slowly as if its the last time I might ever touch ground. When I reach the stage she asks."any volunteers?" As I expected none raised their hand.
"Lady's and gentle men we have are two tributes of district 4!" They all look at us sadly. I can't bite back the fear that's coming. Calm down you can fight well enough. I tell myself.
They lead us to a room were people come to say goodbye to me and I sit and wait. The first two in are Peter and Crystal. Crystal hugs me tightly and I just let her cry. Peter stares at me sadly as if I am only ready gone.
"Y-you can d-do this you k-know how to f-fight." Crystal says.
"I know I can this might not be goodbye." I reply. She finally lets go and Peter and I look at each other awhile. "You can do it I know." He whispers. This is one of the rare times he is ever serious. I look him in the eye and say "thanks." I give him a big bare hug. "So this is goodbye?"he asks "why does everyone count me dead already!"I say
"We don't but if something does happen we want so say bye." We look at each other for a few more seconds until the peacekeepers come in and say they have to go. I give Crystal a hug and wave to Peter and then they leave. Next comes my parents and my sister. My mothers hugging me already and weeping. My little sister is hugging my leg and I pat her head. We talk for a minute on how much we love each other and that I can win."alright you gies go out I need to have a talk with my son." My dad says. Mom and my sister leave a little disappointed they had to go so soon. As soon as they leave my father turns to me. "Alright you can win this. You know how to fight, don't eat anything you if you don't know what it is..." I cut him off."Dad I know what to do. I appreciate the thought but my mentor will tell me."
"I know. Goodluck. I love you." He says hugging me. He was never much of a hugger and I can't remember the last time he said I love with that he leaves and i am left alone