REAPING DAY

When I think back, it feels so unreal. So unreal that Fides, My escort, had picked up my name out of that glass bowl just an hour ago. Two hours ago I was home, not thinking a second thought about what would happen. Of course that changed, everything changed, I was no long Maysilee Donner, the sweet candy shop girl. No, now I'm Maysilee Donner, Tribute from district 12.

My family walked with me as we headed down to the justice building for the reaping. My sister and I locked hands as we walked to a table while my mom and dad split apart from us to stand where the parents stand. It is my 4th reaping and the fear I felt when I was 12 had completely vanished. I put my hand out to the woman sitting on the other side of the table, she plucked my finger and pressed it to a piece of paper. My finger stung a bit and I saw the woman scan over my fingerprint and the small machine lit up, reading off my information. "Next!" She said and i walked away, sucking on my finger as I made it to the 16 year old girl section, standing next to Lilly and Kennedy. Fides went on and on about the games and she explained everything about the quell and the dark days. She showed a video of president snow then it was time for the fun to begin. She walked over to a bowl to the left of her, her high heels made a sound like a horse in tap shoes as she made her way across the stage. She picks up a small piece of paper and takes the tape off and squints down at the name "Our First tribute for the 50th annual hunger games, and second quarter quell is... Jenna Light" she said in that annoying capital accent. I heard a loud sob as a 13 year old girl with dark brown hair in a bun. She was crying as the peacekeepers pushed her onto the stage. The woman didn't seem to care as she lifted up another paper. "Maysilee Donner!" She said into the microphone, I hated the way my name sounded in her voice that I didn't realize it was actually me until I felt Lilly and Kennedy tightly holding onto both my shoulders, their tears were landing on my skin. I couldn't believe my own actions as I slowly stepped out into the space made between the group of boys and girls. Then hands where on my arms, making me go forward"Kennedy!" I screamed after I realized what was happening, a loud sigh came from one of the peacekeepers. "Lilly! Mom! Dad!" I screamed as I was raised up onto the stage next to the girl that was still crying. No, I didnt feel like crying, I didn't feel like anything. Nothing seemed real, I thought I was in a dream, that any minute I'd get woken up by Silver, my bird, but it never happened, I never woke up. Then Fides went on to the boys, first calling a boy from the seam named Haymitch then there was an older boy named Luke.

I look over at Jenna who was just now seeming to stop crying. She started sniffling and i just roll my eyes and look around again resting my eyes on Luke, he was the only one I knew at all. He was my neighbor, his father was the town butcher and my parents sent me there a few times to get meat and Luke was normally behind the counter helping out with the cash register or chopping meat. He had ashy blond hair but the eyes of someone from the seam. Then lastly I look at the boy in the corner of the car, keeping to himself. The boy was about 16 probably and had dark hair, his name was Haymitch I think, but he was probably my biggest threat from district 12 .

After everyone was called and no one volunteered it was time for visitors. I only had a few, there was Kennedy, Mom, Dad, Lilly, The boy that gave me the Mockingjay pin , and a woman that often came and got candies from my parents store. Mom, Dad, and Kennedy came together, they hugged me then we cried and time went by to fast because I swear it was only 5 minutes later that the peacekeepers pulled them out. My talk with Lilly wasn't much different, we hugged, cried but we talked too. It was nice, just being able to speak with her ignoring what was about to happen, ignoring the fact that I probably wouldn't see her again, when it was time for her to leave I felt a slight weight lifted off my chest, more and more did with each visitor. The boy came in the room, I was confused but didn't question him when he began speaking, talking about how to use survival techniques and such, I thanked him when he lift. Then was my last visitor, Ms. Bile, a woman who would often buy little candied dried orange slices. She hugged me and smiled , pulling out one of the orange slices, splitting it in half and giving me half. She did this a lot when she got big orders, split one in half and gave it to me. We both ate a few candies, not saying anything the whole time, but it felt comforting in a way. No words, no regret, no games, no future, just candy, sugar and lollypops. Of course it didn't last very long because then I was getting pushed onto the train