I woke up in the early in the morning; I was huddled up next my mother and Buttercup was on my lap. I smiled softly to him… today I was in no mood to jump around smiling.
Because today was the Reaping.
It was the first ever time that my name had a chance of being pulled out. My sister – Katniss – had told me that it was highly unlikely, but not impossible.
I sat up and looked around for Katniss; there was no sign of her or the goat's cheese I left for her. Of course, she's in the woods with Gale. I always think if that we all survive the Hunger Games the Katniss will probably marry Gale.
"Prim," I hear my mothers soft voice coming from behind me. I turn around and see Buttercup curled up next to her. "Come and help me get yours and your sister's dresses ready." I smile the best I can because I think that dressing up all pretty for the Reaping is like dressing up for slaughter.
My mother rummages through the wardrobe and pulls out the dress Katniss wore to her first Reaping. I can she has been crying, or maybe the wet patches on her top are from where I have been crying?
I feed my goat Lady and my cat Buttercup (Katniss calls it "The ugliest tomcat in the world!"); I look over to see my mother holding one of her dresses from the old days. She's stroking the fabric like a new born baby; she has a sad look on her face. I go over to her and hug her, she smiles and put the dress down next to mine.
"Everything will be fine mother, we're not going to get picked." I tell her; honestly I'm not sure if I'm trying to convince her or me.
By the time Katniss returns I'm all dressed and ready. I'm outside stroking Lady like it's the last time I'm ever going to see her when I hear Katniss talking to my mother.
"Are you sure?" Katniss says.
"Yes, lets put your hair up to." My mother replies.
I walk in, being careful not to trip over my dress. I look Katniss up and down, she looks amazing in a blue powder dress and her hair in two braids pinned onto the top of her head.
"You look beautiful." I tell her with a smile.
"And nothing like myself!" she says.
I know she wants to look after me. She wouldn't let me take out a tesserae so she could get me as safe as possible.
"Tuck your tail in you little duck!" she exclaims and twists me around and tucks my blouse back into my skirt.
"Quack!" I say giggling.
"Quack yourself! Let's eat!" Katniss says with a light laugh.
We eat the fish and greens Katniss brought back quickly. Either we're really nervous or really hungry. Either way we're finished in ten minutes and on our way to the square. Before we enter Katniss hugs me tight and whispers in my ear "It'll be ok." And then we're in the square.
We head over to our group of age. About five minutes later the mayor of District 12 gets onto the stage. He shows us a video about why we have the Hunger Games; the video shows the Dark Days when the districts rose up against the Capitol, and the Capitol won. Then it shows the video of District 13 after it got wiped out. (When it shows the Justice Building I always notice a little Mockingjay fly past the top, I don't think anyone else ever notices that). Then the Mayor reads out the previous victors of District 12. It's an extremely short list, only two, and only one is still alive. Haymitch Abernathy, he stands up to take a bow and falls off the edge of the stage. He is very extremely utterly drunk.
Then - to save our reputation - Effie Trinket totters onto the stage in her ridiculously pink wig and ridiculously pink out fit – she looks like candy-floss gone wrong. Haymitch stands up confused about the applause and tries to hug Effie, she barely fends him off! This makes me giggle.
Effie straightens what must be a wig and fixates a smile on her face and addresses us all by saying, "Happy Hunger Games everyone, and may the odds be ever in your favour!" I sigh as she says it. If I'm already bored with it after only remembering five Hunger Games I feel very sorry for Katniss.
"May I just say what an honour it is to be here and how I could not be happier to have this district!" she say with a fake smile, everyone knows she's lying and just waiting to be promoted to a better district.
She walks over to the big glass ball with a lot of little slips of paper in it. "Ladies first!" she digs her hand deep into the ball and pulls out a slip of paper and reads out the name.
I nearly double over in fear because its one of the two names I least wanted it to be…
"Primrose Everdeen!"
I gulp back tears and fear and slowly make my way through the crowd people parting in my way and shooting me worried looks. I look behind me and see Katniss' face is worse than mine; she looks like has had the shock of her life, which to be fair she probably has.
Then everything happens at once.
"PRIM!" I hear Katniss' voice scream behind me. I look back again and see she has made her way through the crowd and is on the same path as me. Gale is by her side trying to pull her back but she pulls away. "I VOLUNTEER!" she shouts. I feel more sick and shocked than when my name was read out. She walks towards me then past me, but I run up to her and cling onto her.
"Katniss, no! Please!" I scream. She holds tightly onto me and tells me she'll see me when we say our goodbyes. I scream again and Gale has to peel me off her. I'm kicking and screaming, but Gale has a tight grip on me and has lifted me off the ground. "KATNISS!" I scream one last time as she walks up to the stage.