Katniss' POV

"I'm done, " I say softly. I toss my napkin onto the table and get up. I'd had an enough of Effie's descriptions of what the latest night club in the Capitol and Haymitch's constant demands for more liquor. I could only take so much "togetherness."

I walk down the dining car, knowing that Peeta was watching me as I went. I open the door at the end of the car and shift through. I wasn't going to get used the whooshing sound of the train. 99 miles per hour and you were hardly supposed to feel a thing. I felt it. I wished I was back at home, where everything was still.

I open the door to my room and sit on the bed. Genuine silk, typical for a bed spread of the Capitol. I'll admit it was an improvement over the moth ridden blankets that my mom was constantly sewing, but it just smelled wrong. Clean, artificial and most likely brand new. I wondered how many tributes before me had slept on sheets like this, probably never felt something quite like this and then once they were killed, the silken spread was most likely disposed of to get rid of the scent of District 12. They didn't want the filth of our poverty ridden lives contaminating what they had. it was much easier to toss them away, just like the Games does with our lives.

I turn towards the TV that's playing on the wall. It's just showing re-caps of the reapings. I can't help but glance every so often to see who will be competing. The first two districts are the same, beautiful and spoiled, but strong people volunteering to make their district proud. The next one a scrawny teen is picked from the boys in Three. He catches my eye for a moment. He doesn't...seem normal. He's unusually skinny considering what district he's from. He looks like he's been out of the sun for years and his eyes are black. He has those eyes that seem unforgiving and you could probably see yourself if you made eye contact. I shudder thinking that if I ever come across him in the arena, those eyes would be the last thing I'd see.

He has sharp angles on his face and his nose is unusually large. I'm trying not to judge, but he sticks out like a sore thumb. He stands at the ready, hardly bothering to brush his thick, black bangs out of his face. He also looks too old to be a tribute, he looks to be in his twenties at least, but his name was in the reaping ball so he must be 18. He avoids a glance at the cameras unlike the previous districts who were pumping up the crowds like they owned them. The girl chosen before him looks completely normal, shaggy brown hair and blue eyes. She seems almost wiry and possibly mousy.

I'm about to reach for the remote when the District 4 reapings appear. A man dressed in an excessive amount of feathers, including a hat made with peacock feathers stands at the glass bowl.

"John Smith."

A handsome boy looks about 15 years old. He's well built with a square jaw and has blond hair and blue eyes. He looks like Peeta, only slightly younger and more angry. He seems to be clenching his fists and hardly looking at the camera. I ponder over his name as he makes his way to the stage.

What an old fashioned name. Hardly used anymore, it's pretty weird. I know from history class that there used to be many Johns and it was a holy name, back when religion was a tradition. I wonder if his parents are Traditionalists from the Dark Ages. That's some kind of alliance that the Capitol has been trying make extinct for years. It contains people who are kind of rebels, they long for the peaceful days before the war and Panem. They've been labelled as crackpots and are ignored mostly, but one of their methods of rebelling is to name their children very old names. Whether their names are weird or not, they're still kids and they go into the reaping just like everyone else.

John Smith's made it to the stage and he keeps his eyes down. He has this really dark intensity to him that makes him really intimidating. I can tell he wants to punch the announcer, but his eyes go out into the audience and he sees someone out of shot. There's a cut to a girl, a very pretty girl who seems to be crying. She's also quite beautiful and blonde, she looks like a supermodel. She covers her face with her hand and runs towards the man with the camera.

"Leave me alone, you Capitol...!" and she storms from the scene.

Poor girl, I think to myself, just like Prim.

I can't imagine leaving the one you truly love at home, with the likelihood that you'll never come back alive. I have Prim and my mother and I promised I would try to win for her. I hadn't realized that John Smith probably made the same promise to his girlfriend. I can't help, but feel sorry for him, only one comes out alive.

The next girl reaped is taller than John and no doubt a Career. Districts 1, 2 and 4 are all known for having those kids who train until their 18 and then volunteer for the games, they can be arrogant and cocky, but they're pretty lethal. Although John Smith looks well built, he doesn't seem he spend all his time training.

The footage cuts to District 5. The girl is reaped and she's got fiery red hair and her persona is twitchy and possibly sneaky. Her face is almost fox like. A woman who's dressed like a disco ball picks out the boy's name.

"Bolt Antiriot"

A short and almost stubby kid stalks to the stage. He too looks about my age, he's shorter than most of the people in the crowd, but built like barrel. He looks like he could wrestle and win. He has brown hair that's shaved in a military buzz style. He also has an eye patch over his one eye. That is something I've never seen before. I start to wonder what happened to him. He, unlike the other tributes, has an unreadable expression. He doesn't look unhappy or distressed, but not pleased with the attention. He keeps looking at the ground and trying to hide the fact that he has one eye.

District 6 is next.

"Starla Wilton"

A girl, probably a year older than me stands up. She looks like a supermodel, tall, thin with hazel eyes and long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. She walks to the stage with her head held high, not a hint of fear, also not noticing that she's turning all the heads in the male section. She stands on the stage, with hands on her hips and a determined expression. Her chosen counterpart barely hails in comparison, he's a scrawny kid with dark hair and eyes. He looks really scared and fearful of the sudden attention.

I keep my eyes glued to the screen as District 7 are picked. A girl about eighteen is chosen. I hear her name.

"Marina Adeline"

She's short, dark hair and thoughtful eyes. She doesn't look scared or upset. She walks to the stage and glares at the camera. Her fists are also clenched and as she passes some of the previous tributes sitting in the front, they shudder and look around in confusion. I guess she's trying to keep her dignity as much as possible. She tosses her bangs back and crosses her arms, waiting for her male tribute.

Her male tribute is called.

"Ashton Oakley"

A tall boy, about 14 walks toward the stage. He's very tanned and has grey eyes. He keeps his eyes down and only steals a side glance at his District partner.

Once it's done, they both turns on their heels and walks into the Justice building together. I started to wonder if they knew each other, just like I knew Peeta in the District.

In District 8, Hannu Jommila, a thin, well-built boy with copper-tanned skin, thick muscles and brown eyes is chosen. His expression is neutral and he shoves his shaggy hair out of his face. He watches the audience as if trying to study them.

District 9, Milo Anchort, a tall, muscular boy with long hair and for some weird reason is bare foot. He seems to be extremely pleased with him being chosen. He really tries to ham it up for the cameras, shaking hands with the announcer and bumping his chest. He tries flashing his muscles for the girls around and his female associate rolls her eyes. I find myself giggling at his weird attitude. At least he tries to be happy about his predicament. He looks like he could be a deadly asset this year.

At District 10, a girl just like Prim, about twelve or thirteen years old with auburn, curly hair and a mousy demeanor is chosen, but she is replaced with a girl long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and blue eyes. She pats the young girl on the head and hugs her before heading to the stage. They're not family, as far as I can tell, but they seem to be close. The younger girl doesn't seem upset, she's even grinning slightly.

A similar situation plays out in District 11, only no one volunteers for the young twelve year old with dark skin and curly black hair. Her partner is a very strong, and very well built. He towers over everyone and just glares. He is also a dangerous and someone to avoid.

I finally turn off as District 12 replays. I pull my braid style out in front of the mirror and wipe the tears from my eyes.

Pull yourself together Katniss. You promised.

No doubt that this year's Hunger Games would be difficult.

You have no idea.