Katniss POV
Chaper 1 - The reaping
I sit on the carved wooden chair, my feet barely touching the ground. In a few minutes Effie Trinket, my old escort, will call out the names of the two children Peeta and I will have to mentor. I feel very anxious because Prim's name is in that dreaded reaping ball. All I can think about is that slip of paper in that glass ball.
I am dressed in a soft yellow summer dress with pumps. It's very hot in the town square. Iwish my father was here to take me swimming in the lake in the woods . I miss him so much it hurts.
Effie, with a pastel blue wig, burst through the door of the Justice Building. She hops in her ridiciulous strappy heels to the microphone stand. She taps it twice to check if its working. The sound booms into my ears echoingly. "Welcome! Welcome! Happy Hunger Games and May the odds be ever in your favour."
She bats her false blue eyelashes and takes off one of her velvet sea – green gloves. "Now, which lucky lady will get a ticket to the Quarter Quell? Let's see shall we." She spins her hand flamboyantly around the large glass ball that no longer contains my name. The name Primrose Everdeen is bouncing around my skull like crazy.
She takes a slip of paper and smooths it. "Lily Hawthorne." What. No. It can't be true. Because I will have to mentor Gale and Madge's daughter. Oh my god. She walks onto the stage slowly.
She has olive skin and straight brown hair. She resembles Gale so much it is painful to think she might die. Gale will never forgive me if she does. It feels so bad inside I want to throw up. Why her? I think
"Also as an exciting surprise." Effie sings. "In stead of the male tribute, two mentors, one male, one female will be reaped." I am going back into the arena. I cannot think straight. I think I was fainting but Peeta has caught me. "Katniss." He says shaking me worried. " I'm OK," I say dizzy. "Ladies first." Everyone isn't anxious because they know the name is "Katniss Everdeen." I walk onto the stage shaking. Everyone's eyes are locked on me which I find quite haunting. " I see you are going to experience this fun again." Effie says happily. "So Katniss is there anything you'd like to say." I shake my head with sorrow and I just want to cry.
I want to cry but this would not be good. Effie puts her powdered , shivering hand into the ball. "Haymitch Abernathy." She says clearly annoyed. "I volunteer." Peeta says pushing his way to the front. He didn't do it for Haymitch.
He did it to save me. He wants to protect me. As he walks up onto the stage I can she that he's more concerned than I am. His dark brown eyes catch are looking at me and I give him a plain look. I cannot let my fear show.
"Here are our Tributes from District Twelve!" Effie cheers. " Lily Hawthorne, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark." Everyone in the crowd cheers expect for Prim, my mom, Gale and Madge who are frozen in some sort of dead state. In order for me to keep Peeta alive me and Lily must die. I feel a shiver run down my spine. He is not going to die.
