PRIMROSE EVERDEEN
The Peacekeepers take Peeta and I inside the Justice building, where we are led to two separate rooms. where will each be given an hour to say goodbye to our loved ones.
The little room is the nicest place I have ever been. It has smooth velvet chairs and a nice view of the District, if any view could be considered "nice." I try to make myself feel comfortable, but I can't. All I can think of is the Games and how I might die in a week.
The door opens and Katniss runs in. She is wild; she runs over and flings herself on top of me. She squeezes me so tight I can't breathe.
"Prim, Prim, Prim." She whispers my name as she strokes my hair. My tears are flowing freely now, and I see my Mother in the doorway, also crying.
"Katniss. I'm scared." I whisper as I cling to her. I breathe in the scent of her, of the woods. It calms me slightly.
"I know, baby, I know." she whispers, and her voice cracks, "I should have been there." She releases me suddenly but grips the top of my arms. "You have to win." She looks right into my eyes. "You are smart, you are sweet. You have to try." She begs me. I nod, but she must know I can't win. I've seen the Games. Against the Careers, I have no chance.
My Mother comes over. She is staring at nothing, like she did when Dad died. I'm scared. She can't zone out again. "Mommy?" I whisper, walking over to her and wrapping my arms around her.
She closes her eyes and pulls me into an embrace, "My baby." She starts really sobbing now. I feel my lip trembling. I don't want to leave. I want to stay here forever, with Katniss and my Mom, in this room. I don't want to die, I don't want to go to the Capitol.
Katniss bangs her fist against the wall. "I should have been there," she clutches her head with her hands, her eyes darting around wildly. "I'm so stupid."
"You're not stupid, Katniss. You are the best big sister ever," I reach for her hand, but she doesn't take mine.
"I'm not. A good sister would have volunteered for you," she looks like she is in pain, like she is already watching me die.
"Promise me that you'll take care of Buttercup, Katniss. And Lady," I say. I know she doesn't like Buttercup, and that if it were up to her, she would drown him. I see the protest in her eyes, so I beg her, "Please? He'll be so lonely without me." I know she only tolerates Lady because her milk can be sold or consumed. She finally nods, and I feel a small sense of relief. At least my kitty will have a nice home.
The Peacekeepers come in then. Katniss runs over and kisses the top of my head, clutching me to her. I hold on to her with all my strength, but the Peacekeepers are pulling us apart. I grab wildly and manage to catch her hand one last time.
"NO! PRIM! I LOVE YOU!" Katniss shrieks as they pull her out the door.
"NO! KATNISS!" I scream. I run to the door, but the Peacekeepers slam it shut and I drop to my knees. I hear Katniss yelling all the way down the hallway. I am no longer crying. All the tears have fallen, and my eyes feel swollen and puffy.
The door opens again, and Glindia comes in. She is the daughter of the owners of the local sweetshop, and she is my best friend besides my sister. Her blonde hair hangs around her face, and her blue eyes are watery. She stood right next to me, holding my hand, when I was Reaped. When she heard my name she gasped and let go. She didn't volunteer, but I don't blame her. I would never ask anyone to do that for me, not even my best friend.
"Prim," Glindia hugs me and keeps crying. I feel bad, but I would rather be with Katniss right now. My eyes feel oddly dry now, but I know that later more tears will come.
"I remember the day we first met," Glindia says, sniffling. I think back to the first day of school, when we were five. At lunchtime, we were both sitting alone. Glindia was crying, because she missed her mother. I sat next to her and hugged her, saying it would be okay. She smiled at me, and even gave me a peppermint. She sometimes shares them with me at lunch, but her parents don't like her bringing candy to school and giving handouts to the Seam kids.
I try to smile at her, but I can't. "I do, too," she holds out her hand. In her palm is a little peppermint. An offering. I take it and pop it into my mouth, savoring it. I'll miss her, and I'll miss everything.
"I'll miss you," she says, echoing my thoughts. We so often think alike and fill in each other's sentences.
"I'll miss you, too. I'll miss District Twelve," I glance around the too decorated room, the comfortable furniture foreign to me. I ache to be in my small home in District Twelve, safe with Katniss and my Mom and Buttercup.
The Peacekeepers come in then, and Glindia pulls me in one last embrace. They take her away, but she doesn't fight them like Katniss did. The thought makes my eyes prickle, but I have no more tears to shed.
The next person surprises me. It's Gale. I've never really talked to him without Katniss there. I know he feels protective of me because I'm Katniss's sister, but I never would have thought he'd come to say goodbye.
"Prim," he says, hugging me awkwardly. He pulls away almost instantly, but it's the first physical contact I've ever had with him. He's always intimidated me; he is so strong and he's old, even older than Katniss.
I don't really know what to say, and neither does he. "Use this as your token," he says, handing me a small bracelet made of deer hide. I suck in a breath. A token is the last thing on my min right now. Only now do I realize how nice it is to have a token. It will remind me of home in the weeks to come.
We sit in an awkward silence for a few minutes. "Make sure she's...okay." I tell Gale with a meaningful look. He nods because he understands. Katniss might take drastic measures if I... don't come home.
The Peacekeepers take him away. I rub my hand over the bracelet, the soft fur surprisingly comforting. There are no other visitors.
The Peacekeepers then take me away, leading me to the train platform. There is a huge crowd and cameras everywhere. They zoom in on my face. I don't like being pushed against by this many people. The people look at me with sorrow, but there is also a small twinge of relief in their eyes. They are happy that it wasn't their children; that it was me.
Peeta also looks uncomfortable. He keeps glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, as if he knows something I don't. Next to him, I feel like an ant. Even my district partner is stronger than me. What chance do I have?
The doors shut and the train starts moving. I look out the window, trying to get a last glimpse of District Twelve. The last thing I see is Katniss, hugging my mother, both of them crying, before I am gone, forever.
KATNISS EVERDEEN
At home, I fling myself on the bed and keep crying. Buttercup jumps up and hisses, but I don't care. I'll keep it alive, but only because my sister wants me to.
I don't know when I became this fragile, but I can't seem to pull myself together. Mother sits in a chair, staring at nothing, tears falling down her face. I know she's going to leave me again. Leave like she did when my father was blown to bits in the mine. Leave me alone to deal with the pain of losing a sister.
I know Prim can't win. Not against the Careers. Even I wouldn't stand a chance.
I should have been there.
My emotions are a mixture of the pain of losing Prim, the hatred for myself for not being there, and the dread of the District Twelve male tribute.
The blonde boy who I should have no business with, who I should have never payed attention to. The one who I should never have crossed paths with. But I can't shake the connection I've felt with him, ever since that awful day in the rain when he saved my life. When he reminded me that there was hope in the world. The dandelion that means rebirth in the spring.
The boy with the bread.
...AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you like it. Sorry I can't update very fast, what with school and dance and track and such. There may be tense errors; I am a fail when it comes to grammar. Thank God for spell check. For those of you who might search the book for Glindia, I made her up. I figured a girls like Prim would have friends, so I just made her the daughter of the sweetshop owners. I know some of you may wonder where the Mockingjay pin is and why I didn't use it as Prim's token, but that will come into play later... Suspense! Goodbye for now, and I apologize for the long author's note.
