2
We are some of the first people to reach the square. I walk right up to the Peackeeper and let her prick my finger. It stings for a second then she puts my finger on the paper, swipes a scanner over the blood. It reads my name and age and then she tells me to move into the roped off area.
I wait for Mel and Amelia to get registered before I walk with them to the side of the square where the girls stand. I am happy at least that we are all the same age and don't have to split up. The eighteen-year-olds stand in the front and then the line continues down to the twelve-year-olds standing in the back. Amelia and I are gripping our hands with such ferocity I can't feel the blood in them anymore.
Suddenly I feel Amelia tapping my shoulder. I turn and she points to the boy section and whispers, "There's Miller. He's looking at us. I think he likes you." She gives a small giggle and I roll my eyes
It's true though, Miller does seem to have affection for me, and I for him. But my father doesn't believe in dating until I turn eighteen. I look at him and he smiles one of his warm smiles that make me feel anxiously happy inside. I smile back and then our gaze is blocked by some more children that have come into the area. It's only a few more minutes of registering, then all the children from District Twelve are standing in the square wondering if today will be the day they are sent to their deaths.
You must come to the reaping. Only children who are on death's doorstep are allowed to stay home. We tried to let Melanie stay home one time, but they forced her to go and she had to stand in the sun with a throbbing head as the voice of Georgette Pelling rang out and bounced off the inside of her head. She collapsed after the tributes were chosen and had to be taken to Amelia's father.
We all stand staring at the Justice Building, waiting for the Mayor and some other government dignitaries, Georgette Pelling, and the only victor from District Twelve, Penelope Sanders. She won the thirtieth Hunger Games and will be the tribute's mentor before the Games begin. She will also be in charge of the money, given by sponsors, to send the tributes from District Twelve things in the arena.
I am startled back into reality by the sound of Georgette's hand hitting the microphone. I look up and see she's dressed in a gaudy looking orange dress. Her skin is dyed a yellow color and her hair is splayed every which way. She is the spitting image of a pumpkin. I don't understand how the Capitol can find this stylish. Yet the Capitol is the definition of extravagance in every corner. Georgette gives a little laugh as the microphone feedback rings through the square.
"Welcome, my friends! I am so glad to be here and see all of you again. I hope you feel the same about how this will be the best Hunger Games since the last Quarter Quell," she says in her Capitol accent. "Well…well where was I? Oh yes, it is my honor to introduce your mayor, Mayor Undersee. Let's give a round of applause!" Georgette begins clapping and a few children start to join in before they realize that no one else is joining. Mayor Undersee and his wife walk out of the Justice building, followed by some other District Twelve dignitaries that Georgette names, but I tune it out.
Once again Georgette slams the microphone and erupts into giggles. She contains herself and then moves on. "Well, then, next I introduce the sole victor of District Twelve, Penelope Sanders!" Georgette seems to be able to make every sentence she utters sound like an exclamation.
Out from the Justice building comes Penelope. She walks with her head up and straight past Georgette's extended hand to her seat. Georgette gives a spiteful glare then returns to her chipper self.
"Mayor Undersee," she drags out the last syllable and then continues, "Why don't you read us the Treaty of Treason, the history of the Hunger Games?"
The Treaty of Treason is the document that the Capitol created after the districts rebelled in the Dark Days. It explains that in remembrance of the rebellion and how the Capitol won the war, each district was to give one boy and one girl as a tribute to the Capitol as punishment for revolting. These twenty-four children are then taught how to survive and then they're sent to kill each other, or die trying.
There's a moment of silence after Mayor Undersee finishes and stands there with a sullen look on his face. Georgette stands behind him tapping her foot waiting for him to move. When he doesn't, she clears her throat loudly and then says, "Well thank you for reading us that Mayor. Let's give him another round of applause." Georgette never was one to stay out of the lime light very long on her only chance for fame.
She returns to her spot on the podium and closes her eyes for a moment. Then opening them she says "Now, as you all know, that usually I will pick one girl and one boy for the honor of representing District Twelve in the Hunger Games, but…this is a very special year. It's the fiftieth Hunger Games! And as a special accolade to this event, we're going to send two girls and two boys to the Games. Isn't that exciting? Now you can stand with sisters and brothers in arms against the other districts and show them that District Twelve is proud of the Quarter Quell's gift of going to the Games with more chance of winning!
"Instead of picking both the girls and then both the boys I'm going to add a little spice to the picking and alternate picking one gender, then the next, and back to the first. Won't that be exciting?" Georgette is practically jumping up and down for joy with this prospect.
She clears her throat and says, "Ladies first!" Stepping down from the podium, she walks to the big glass bowl on the right side of her. She dips her hand in the bowl and ruffles around in the papers for a few minutes.
My body tenses and all I can think of is hearing Georgette call out Melanie's name. I couldn't bear it if she did. I stand with my eyes closed and my head bobbing in time with the thoughts running through my head. Please don't be Melanie…please don't be Melanie…not Melanie…not Melanie…I hear Georgette's heels clip across the front of the Justice building. With each step my heart starts to beat faster. Amelia is practically squeezing my hand so tight I think that we've become one, that our hands have connected.
I hear Georgette clear her throat and the ruffling as the paper is opened. A pause…then… "May Lilly Vangard!"
I sigh with relief as Amelia's hand loosens and I flex my fingers trying to get the blood back in them. I am almost crying with relief, but I know that there's one more girl going and it could be Melanie or Amelia.
"May Lilly? Miss Vangard? Please come forward!" Georgette calls out. I turn and see a little girl, probably thirteen walking through a rift in the crowd of girls. She has dark hair and the grey eyes of the children from the Seam. Her hands are shaking and all I want to do is grab her and run away from here, through the electric fence that surrounds District Twelve, and into the woods. I could live in the woods if I tried.
As May Lilly starts to climb the steps I can hear through the microphone a sob here and there. Georgette is at the top of the steps with her hands held out. When May Lilly gets up to the podium, Georgette puts her arm around her and leads her to the microphone.
"Well, here she is, District Twelve's first girl tribute for the Fiftieth Annual Hunger Games…May Lilly Vangard!" she claps and then says "Now for the boys."
Georgette walks to the left of her podium as a Peacekeeper leads the girl to stand in front of one of the four pillars that are the main stabilizers of the Justice Building. Georgette again rustles around in the bowl of names and pulls one out. When she gets back to the microphone, I see she has an even broader smile on her face, like she was just invited to tea with the president.
Another pause and I'm praying it's not Miller when she says, "Elder Sexton!" I see Miller's shoulders relax and he turns to look at me. I smile and he gives me a thumbs up. We remain staring at each other for a few minutes then look again to the podium as the eighteen-year-old walks up the steps. He has a smirk on his face and I know already that I don't like him. He looks like he is happy he was picked.
"This is what I like to see! A boy that says I know I'll win so I'll smile I LOVE it!" Georgette says and Elder smirks at her.
"And I LOVE you!" Elder says and sweeps Georgette off her feet. She squeals and is laughing and shaking her legs. He is laughing, too, and the whole scene is just so out of place I want to throw a rock at them and scream, "Get on with it." But maybe that's because I'm anxious about who is going to be the second girl tribute.
Elder puts down Georgette and she readjusts her hair that must be a wig since the top of it was on the side when she stood up. She gasps a few times then says, "Well, I have a fan, folks." She laughs and then continues, "anyway, let's see who girl-number-two will be." She walks to the girl's bowl and takes the name on the top.
My body tenses and Amelia is squeezing my hand again and this time I am squeezing just as hard. Georgette walks slowly back to the podium and I am practically chewing off my finger nail. Please don't be Melanie! I think again and again. She opens the paper and I look at Melanie willing her to disappear. But she doesn't and Georgette's voice rings out across all of District Twelve, all of Panem.
"Maysilee Donner!"
I am numb. My whole being is numb and I can only hear certain things, all of them seem distant. My vision is blurred and I take my hand and swipe it across my eyes. I must not cry. I hear Amelia shrieking into her hand and see Melanie collapse to the ground.
My first instinct is to rush over and help her, but she's already on her feet. In one single movement she is in my arms and Amelia is also wrapped in our hug. They're both sobbing and I'm trying to be brave, but I can't help that a few tears start to roll down my cheeks. I unattached myself from them and say one thing to Melanie.
"Remember our promise." Then I turn and start to walk towards the front of the building. I am halfway there when I see my face on the screen. It looks almost indifferent, like I didn't care whether I was chosen or not. Which is partly true, all I thought about was that Melanie couldn't be picked. Indifferent is the right face for me right now.
I reach the stairs and start to mount them with Georgette calling me up. I walk up to her and she walks me over to the microphone. She then says, "I don't know if I pronounced your name right, could you say it?"
I nod and look up as she leans the microphone towards me. I look over the crowd and see many familiar faces. My mother is crying on my father's shoulder and my father is scratching his chin. I do a double take and see that he's not actually scratching his chin; he's using his hand to lift his chin. His words from this morning come back to me. "Remember that you're a Donner and we don't hang our heads low…"
I smile at him and then raise my head and bring my shoulders back. He gives me a wink and then starts to comfort my mother. I watch them for a moment then hear Georgette saying, "Well, come on then what's your name?"
I raise my head and say loud and clear.,"Maysilee Donner." Georgette smiles says, "Well, I did pronounce it right. Anyway, congratulations, dear, and why don't go take your place next to May Lilly right there."
She points to the inner corner so I'll be standing right next to the door. I relax a little when I see that the next tribute boy will be standing in between me and Elder. I want to stay as far away from him as I can.
The rest of Georgette's babbling I tune out and then come back just as she is opening the last card. I stare down in Miller's general direction and pray he doesn't get chosen. Georgette waits a second then calls out, "Haymitch Abernathy!"
I search the crowd for a movement and then see a boy with Seam eyes start walking towards the Justice Building. He is handsome in a reserved kind of way and he looks mischievous behind those eyes.
Haymitch walks up and Georgette asks, "Are you going to sweep me off my feet also?"
Haymitch stares at her for a few seconds and then says, "Not the way you're thinking about." Georgette looks like she's been struck and the crowd starts to laugh. Haymitch gives a half smile at them then takes his place next to the Justice Building entrance.
In that instance I remember him from our school; he's a year older than I and used to sit behind me in class. He always would kick or tap my foot when he left and I used to think he was being rude then I noticed he was flirting with me. I never paid him any mind so he eventually gave up and started dating a different girl.
Georgette gives a last goodbye to her "enthused fans" and then rushes us all into the Justice building. The Peacekeepers open a door and I enter it. They close the door and I hear the lock. I stand for a few minutes then sit on the fraying velvet couch that sits in front of a picturesque window.
The door unlocks and then my mother, father, and Melanie are all in the room. I immediately run and embrace them. My mother holds me for a long moment then my father grabs my shoulders and says, "Okay, here's what you have to do. You have to find water and food and a good hiding place, and then just hold out for as long as you can. Get a weapon, a knife, a bow, anything but don't use it unless you have to. And don't go to the Cornucopia, it's just a horrific bloodbath that you might not make it out of so steer clear of it. Also…" He is cut off by my mother.
"Stan, we only have a few minutes with her, let's not waste them." She turns to me and says, "You are a wonderful daughter and we will await your return anxiously okay? Everything will be back to normal soon. We love you." I hug her and say I love her too, then I turn to Melanie.
"Please don't die. I need you, and I wish I could come with you," she says.
I hug her and then say, "I'll be fine, and we'll always be together no matter what. Now if I don't make it home, you get all my stuff and my hair pin and…"
"I don't want to think about it!" Melanie exclaims. and I nod.
Then the peacekeepers come in and I embrace them all once more. Just before they close the door my dad says, "Chin…" then the door slams.
I know what he was going to say, and in my heart I promise I will abide by it.
I will always keep my chin up.
