I remember those few weeks before the Reaping. My mother and father told me that, if my name should happen to be called [it was in the drawing six times this year, so the odds were still in my favor] that I was to step out of line and walk up to the stage. That once I was on the stage and they had drawn the male Tribute's name, that there would be two Volunteers to take our places, these two people would have trained privately somewhere until they were of age now. I knew these rules, but I'd never had to worry too much about them. When my name was called on Reaping day I smiled and stepped out of line, just like mama said. I walked up and took my place on the stage, and listened as the male Tribute's name was called.
And then I heard someone say they volunteered. But it was just a male voice. And then silence. Complete and utter silence.
There was confusion, and as the confusion waved over me and the town, we all realized what had happened. I'd been overlooked, this year there was no Female Volunteer. Someway, somehow, this irrevocable mistake had happened, and here I was standing in front of the entire populous of Panem with shock and fear covering my face. I wondered if the rest of the country was as shocked as I was? Everyone knew about Careers, they won almost every single year. But here I was, little one hundred and forty pound Brilliant Spectrol, who'd never done a hard days worked or gone hungry once in her whole life.
Before the wrong could be righted, I was escorted by the Peacekeepers off of the stage and into a room in the Justice Building of our District to say my final farewells. So many people came in, but it was my mother and father who I wanted to see the most. I didn't hear much of what they said, but the one clearest thing their mouths formed was: Just hide, Brilliant. Climb the trees and hide. Soon I was on the short train ride to the Capitol, where I'd only been once before a few months ago. I talked with the male Tribute, whom I'd gone to school with in our early years. He didn't remember me, nor I him. His name was Flash Dunbrill, but it didn't matter. I listened to what my Mentor had to say, I did the best I could do in Training.
But would it prove to be enough during the Games? We would see...