President Snow, the ruler of Panem, strolled to the centre of the stage where a golden envelope sat proudly on a glass stand.
"Hello Panem." He said, in his husky voice. President Snow only appeared on television for special occasions. This was a special occasion.
"As the 75th annual Hunger Games are being celebrated this year, it is the year of the third Quarter Quell."
I watched in my run down bedroom in District 12, the projector in the corner showing this 'momentous occasion.' All residents of Panem were required to watch anything that was acquainted with the Hunger Games, it was compulsory.
"I know you are all excited to see what the twist is this year and it's now time to reveal."
The Quarter Quell is celebrated every 25 years of the Hunger Games. The founders of the games wrote the Quarter Quell twists and are revealed on the day of the reaping, today.
President Snow picked up the envelope, invited with the roar of the Capitol crowd. "Let's take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices that the Capitol had to make to keep Panem in peace."
Silence covered the room in the Capitol; I sniggered to my sister next to me. Seventy five years ago, the thirteen Districts rebelled against the Capitol, after a long war the Capitol won and created the Hunger Games to stop the districts from making a war again.
When the silence stopped in the Capitol, President Snow what opened the envelope and read the content written by the founders.
"To show how the Capitol thinks of itself as an equal to the other districts, there will be 26 Tributes entering the arena this year; two of which being the Capitol's children."
The projector shut off to cover the reaction of the Capitol, it would obvious be of shock and terror.
My Sister, Graphite, stood up. "Now maybe the Capitol will understand how tough it is to see children from your own neighbour being slaughtered."
I couldn't agree more but I had other things on my mind, the reaping. "They'll get what's coming to them." I said.
"Girls, wash yourselves down now then we have to leave." Our father called up the stairs. He had gotten used to this now, taking us both to our possible deaths. It was the final year; the both of us were now eighteen. If we survived this reaping, there would be no more scares every year.
Graphite and I are twins; we were born just minutes apart. Our father was so pleased and scared at the same time. He was happy that he had two children, but they were two children who could be killed on national television.
I washed myself with the water in the old bucket kept next to our toilet. Graphite followed after and we both met back in my bedroom, the same routine as always. Dressed in the same clothes, a white ankle length robe. Our dark brunette hair scrunched back in a ponytail.
We were met downstairs by our father who held out his hands for the both of us, we both grappled them tightly and were brought in for a hug.
"Good luck girls." He whispered to us both with a hint of tearing up. I pulled away before it got too upsetting; I opened the door and gestured for them to go first. My father left while Granite stood opposite me, she put her hands on my shoulders.
"Promise me you won't volunteer for me." She said like she did every year. I nodded and I asked her the same question, she hugged me and walked away.
As we arrived in the reaping area we saw the hundreds of children ages 12-18 who are just waiting to be told if they were to be ushered into murder or were allowed to go home for another year until this would happen again. The peacemakers from the Capitol took mine and Granite's blood for identification.
As our Father stood with all the other anxious parents and family, Granite and I stood by all of the other 18 year old girls awaiting their fate. The crowd fell silent as the Panem anthem roared around District 12.
Effie Trinket, the District 12 escort, elegantly walked on stage. Her bright green wig was the first feature that caught my eye, and then it was her powdered white face and then her lime green corset. And finally her luminous yellow heels that added eight inches to her height. The expected Capitol attire.
The District 12 mayor and the Hunger Games mentor, and previous winner of the games, Haymitch Abernathy, followed her on stage and sat in their designated seated behind the upright Effie.
The Mayor and Haymitch seem to hate being at the reaping every year, Haymitch was here once himself. But Effie obviously enjoyed the feeling of taking children to their death.
"Welcome, Welcome. It's that time again for District 12 to send one courageous young man and woman into the area as the honour of being a tribute in the 75th Hunger Games. But before the selection of names, we have the privilege of viewing a video directly from the Capitol."
Effie clapped alone as the video 'justifying' the Hunger Games was shown to District 12. It showed how District 13 was blown into nothing because of the war against the Capitol.
I looked at Effie and she was reciting every word said in the video. Granite and I exchanged looks as the video just finished.
"That touches my heart every time, now for the name." Effie rushed over to the girl's bowl that held the names of the hundreds of females who live in District 12.
"Ladies first, must be polite now." Effie shared a giggle with the crowd that wasn't returned. She then took off her green gloves and reached into the bowl.
She swirled her nimble fingers around the perimeter of the bowl then reached in and picked out the paper on the bottom, she them strutted to the centre microphone once again and opened the slip of paper slowly.
"And this year's female tribute for District 12 is... Chronicle Marquessa." The girls around us let of a giant sigh, they had escaped the Hunger Games, but for me; it was just a wish...
