I stare at the birds outside my window. They are singing. Why? It seems so unfair. Birds, animals that do not have much use, can sing. Why can't I? I can't sing. I can't yell. I can't talk. Mute is what they call me. Today is the Reaping. The person who is our escort can talk. Why should she or he be able to talk when all they do is pick two children to be slaughtered? This must sound insane, but I might be happy to die. Especially after last year's Games. A tiny 12 year old was picked and I very much wanted to volunteer. Too bad, I can never form a word. That 12 year old died quickly. First death, I do believe. I really hope this year is different. My mother knocks on the door. "Judianna? Please come down stairs," she says. I do as she says, slipping off my bed. I am already dressed. My chestnut hair hangs around my face like a curtain. My hair is stick straight, so it is well used as a shield. I glance once into the antique mirror in my room. My water blue eyes pierce into my reflection of a skinny girl, 17 years of age. I am wearing a simple water blue dress to match my eyes. I twist my necklace around. It is a simple pendant, a blue stone with white swirls and a slight hook carving in it, identical to that of the District 4 symbol. I open my door quietly and walk down the hallway to our cozy dining room. "Good morning," my mom says. I sign 'good morning' back. "You look nice," says my older brother, Katrin. 'Thank you' I sign back. A cry comes from down the hall, and my older sister Avella, walks in carrying her son, Jak. Following them is Avella's husband, Iselin. We all sit down in silence to eat a meal of seabird eggs, bread, and water. I hold little Jak, wishing I could sigh with happiness or coo at his pretty baby toes. We all head down to the square, a bit later. I am the only Seife still eligible for the Reaping. We all take our places in the correct section. I take a deep breath. There is a slight wind bringing in the smell of the salty water. Nivit Drake is our escort. He walks onstage and smiles widely at all the young children before him, like he is a shark, and we are the minnows. "Once again, District 4, the Hunger Games is upon us," he says, unaware of how much I hate him. Why can he talk and I cannot? "The mayor shall now read the Treaty of Treason." One thing I actually like about Nivit Drake is that he is not a total freak. I have seen other escorts who look like clowns all painted and wigged. The mayor reads the dreary Treaty and Nivit announces it is time for the drawing of the tributes. He decides to let males go first. "Antonius Cerapedius!" I have seen Antonius before. He is a strong fisher. He has complimented me on my swimming and fishing skills. It was embarrassing to sign 'thank you'. The one thing is, his grandmother is actually deaf, so he knows sign language. Now it is time for the girl's name to be drawn. My heart is pounding. It is the only part of my body that makes a sound. "Judianna Seife!"