I wake up and find that I kicked all of my sheets off of the small bed. The other girls in my room have done the same, but it is summer and it's getting hot. The girl across from me, Elena, turns over and looks at me with a glint in her eyes. "You ready for today?" She asks in a harsh whisper.
I give her a small smile. "Yeah." Why couldn't I have been the one to volunteer? I've been top of my class for so long, and I have the mental skill set to win the Games. Akila gets everything she wants, so why can't I just have something, just once? One time would be enough.
My sister Akila sits up in her top bunk and smiles at me. "I'm so excited," She says to me, eager as she'll ever be. Can't she tell I'm jealous? Or maybe she knows and she's just rubbing it in? I really don't get it or like it. Marina stirs and looks at us from her bunk. Marina's kind of the leader of the group, she's the oldest and smartest. Akila's constantly trying to best her in combat, but Marina always beats her out. I can tell Marina is a little annoyed that she wasn't selected to volunteer, but she definitely doesn't show it. Next year will be her last year at the academy, and if she's not selected then, all her training here would have been for nothing.
Someone knocks at the door, and I barely edge out Elena to get open it. I let out a small giggle at Elena before I realize who is actually at the door. It's the dean of the entire academy, Mason Grendle. Mr. Grendle won the 56th Games, so he's also a mentor. He doesn't tolerate messing around, so we act very formal around him.
"Mr. Grendle," I say, matching his stone cold expression. "What brings you to our room?"
Mr. Grendle smiles a very faint and rare smile and replies. "I came to tell you that the academy is meeting in the banquet hall for breakfast and a pre-reaping briefing. And turn on the lights. It's awful dark in there."
"Yessir," I say quickly. "What time is the briefing?"
"Nine-thirty on the dot."
"Thank you," I close the door again and turn to the other girls that are in mid pillow fight. "Did you hear that?" I say, crossing my arms.
"Yup," Marina says. "But can you repeat it? I don't think the others were listening."
I let out a huge laugh. "You're unbelievable. We've got a briefing at nine-thirty, and we're supposed to turn the lights on." Elena and Akila lunge towards the light switch, and Akila barely edges out Elena to switch on the light. I shake my head and look at the digital clock. "Oh, God, it's nine-twenty-three! Guys, get ready."
The girls scramble towards the dresser, and Marina throws my clothes at me. I quickly change out of my pajamas, and slip on my t-shirt and pants. I put on some boots, and we quickly head out the door without making the beds. The other girls in our hallway are closely chasing behind us as we reach the huge cafeteria. The cafeteria is filled with roughly five to six thousand potential tributes, making it nearly impossible to find a seat. Elena, Marina, Akila and I find an empty space in the middle of one of the giant tables. There's only fifty tables, so about 100 students per table. I guess we should be called warriors because we devote half of our time at the academy to training, and only the first four years have academics involved. We're accepted into the academy on the day we turn 10, and we study basic academics like Math and Science and Language Arts up until we're 14. After that, it's training everyday. I'm 16, so I'm done with the school part, but I do think it is important for us to learn these things because they could potentially help us in the arena. My little group sits down and the briefing begins.
A podium is set up in the front of the large white room. The podium has three microphones, I'm guessing to amplify the volume so all of us can hear it. Mr. Grendle separates himself from the rest of the staff and heads towards the podium. "Welcome everyone. Welcome," He says, tapping the center microphone twice. Everyone straightens up and looks straight at Mr. Grendle. "Today's briefing is being held around the reaping of the 76th Hunger Games later today. Now, remember, this Games is the first in three years. After containing the rebellion, as you know the Capitol reinstated the Games, and brought the escapees from District 12 that went to District 13 back to District 12, and we have twenty-four tributes. Now things are back to normal, and we are carrying out our customary reaping procedures. Can our two selected tributes please stand?" I roll my eyes as Akila and Kento, the boy selected to volunteer stand up. Why does Akila have to steal everything from me? She gets everything she wants.
"You two are the two selected to volunteer." Mr. Grendle fixes some of the students in the front with an icy glare. "Now, this is important. If one of the selected two are reaped, none of you are permitted to volunteer. These two are the top of their class and have the best odds of all of you to win." Marina lets out a small huff, knowing she's the best seventeen-year-old female, not Akila. "We appreciate your eagerness, but we don't want you to not be at your best when you go into the Games. There's always next year." Mr. Grendle says with a smile. "New protocol says that the reaping is now at 10 a.m., so we must get going. See you at the reaping!"
With a final flourish of his hands, Mr. Grendle dismisses us. We stand up and head to the only open exit, which leads to the trucks that will transport us to the reaping. Because Akila is selected to volunteer, we will be in the lead truck, so we head to the front of the crowd with Kento and his roomates. There are only eight to a car, so we'll be a perfect fit. Marina told me about a girl that she sat with who was supposed to volunteer. She got so nervous that she threw up all over twelve-year-old Marina. She died in the bloodbath, which is rare for someone from District 2, but it definitely has happened. We push open the double doors to the bright morning light of the district, and we head to a staff member holding a sign that says 'Tributes' in bold letters. Akila and Kento step in the truck first, followed by the rest of us. The staff member, who I believe is the expert in swords, hops into the passenger seat next to the Peacekeeper driving, and we're on our way to the reaping.
. . .
The drive to the reaping takes about ten minutes, getting us there at about 9:55. We get in line to get our blood drawn and identified, and the peacekeeper drawing blood makes quick work of it. I look over the heads of the other people, and lock eyes with my mom and dad. I haven't seen them since the winter break, and they look happy to see me. Akila rushes up behind me and waves frantically at Mom and Dad. I roll my eyes and head over to the roped off section with the other sixteen-year-old girls. Elena, who's also sixteen, comes with me and she looks at Akila and then at me. "She's been a bit obnoxious lately." Elena whispers as she leans over to me. "No offense."
"None taken," I say with a smirk. "She's always been that way, but her being selected has validated her cockiness. It's definitely gotten to her head." Akila struts by us to get to the seventeen-year-olds, and Elena and I quickly separate. She can't know. She never will. I mouth 'close call' at Elena, and we turn our heads to the mayor that steps out of the Justice Building with his wife, three daughters, one son, and the escort Bellina Swindle. The mayor steps up to a podium with a large microphone as the rest of them sits down. The nine victors that survived the rebellion sit off to the side, as well as Mr. Grendle. The mayor recites the dull Treaty of Treason, as well as the list of deceased victors.
"Let us take a moment to remember the prosperous lives of our deceased victors, Brutus Garrison, winner of the 47th Hunger Games, Lyme Crandus, victor of the 57th Hunger Games, Nolan Gilds, victor of the 18th Hunger Games, Ryker Derta, victor of the 70th Hunger Games, Holly Shaga, victor of the 66th Hunger Games, Hale Yakima, victor of the 22nd Hunger Games, Dax Ito, victor of the 23rd Hunger Games, Lana Dartmouth, victor of the 54th Hunger Games, and Terra Grendle, victor of the 72nd Hunger Games." I look at Mr. Grendle, who has a pained look in his eyes. His daughter, Terra, died in the rebellion at 18. He looks like he's about to cry, which I've never seen him do. The mayor welcomes Bellina to the podium, and she stiffly shuffles over to the podium in her floral pencil skirt.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome, to the 76th Annual Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." Bellina begins, dragging out the word 'ever'. I'm so ready for this to be over. Why do I even have to be here? I don't realize Bellina is playing the short movie about the war until she struts over to the bowl full of girl's names and draws one. Bellina opens up the small envelope and takes a long breath. I cross my arms. This is getting boring.
"Akila Birke!"
I quickly uncross my arms and stare at Bellina. I'm so done with Akila showing me up all the time. I think. This is your time to do something about it.
"I volunteer!" I say loudly. I don't want to look around to see the surprised and disgusted looks of the staff and students of the academy. "I volunteer as tribute!"