Katniss. Her name is the only thing I can hear in my mind. Not her. Anyone but Katniss.
Katniss can't leave District 12. I would miss her too much, and I can't provide for Mother. Mother...she'd become catatonic again. That could NOT happen. Gale needs her. His family needs her. Everyone she trades with at the Hob needs her. Peeta, the baker's son, needs her. He likes her-I can tell.
No, Katniss can not leave District 12.
And before I really know what I'm doing, I'm running towards the stage, yelling, "I volunteer as tribute!"
Every eye in District 12 is watching me. The crowd is deadly silent. I can even hear my mother gasp and whisper, "Primrose. Not Primrose."
Then I hear Katniss yelling. "No! She will not volunteer! I won't let her do that!" Then she turns to me. "Prim, sit down! I won't let you go!"
Effie is the one who speaks next. "I'm very sorry, Katniss, dear, but you have no control over volunteers. Once someone volunteers for you, you can't do anything about it." Her next words are addressed to me. "What's your name, dear?"
I answer her shakily. "Primrose Everdeen." She raises her eyebrows. "So, I bet you're Katniss' sister." I look over at Katniss. She is pale, crying, and she's clutching my arm. My heart breaks for her, but there's no way I'm letting her die in the Games. "Yes, she's my sister," I say softly to Effie.
"Well, that was very sweet of you to volunteer. May the odds be ever in your favor!" I stand there, stunned. I am going into the Games.
Everything else seems to happen in slow motion. Gale comes up and leads Katniss to a chair. My crying mother is taken away by her friend Jasmine. Effie announces that she is going to draw for the male tribute. And my friends from school watch me sadly, knowing that my life on earth will soon be over.
I can't watch the sad looks I receive without crying, so I turn to watch Effie in her ridiculous ensemble instead. She reaches into the glass ball that holds the boy names. I hope it's not Gale. The last thing Katniss needs is for it to be Gale. I hold my breath as Effie reaches into the ball.
"Peeta Mellark!" I sigh with relief as she reads the name. It's not Gale. But I really wish it wasn't Peeta. I know how much he likes Katniss. He watches her every day when we walk home from school. And being the baker's son, he won't survive he Games. Well, who are we kidding. No one from District 12 ever survives.
"Now shake hands, children," Effie says. I numbly shake hands with Peeta while Effie looks on beaming. There's no going back now. We are the District 12 tributes for the 74th annual Hunger Games.
A few minutes later, Peeta and I are ushered into the Justice Building by Peacekeepers. I go without complaining. I'm still in shock from my sudden volunteer outburst. Peeta and I are led to seperate small rooms inside the Justice Building.
"What am I in here for?" I ask a Peacekeeper. "Your family will visit you for a short time in here," he replies. "Then you will be taken to the Capitol." I breathe a big sigh of relief. I'll get to see my family again before I leave! I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to see them again on earth.
A minute later, Katniss and Mother burst into the room. Katniss runs over and gives me a big hug. "Listen, Prim," she says. "I know you haven't had much training with weapons. But I showed you how to use a bow and arrow a few times, and you showed promise. Just...try to stay alive. Make sure to get food and water in the arena. Form an alliance with someone who will help you." Her words come out quickly, all in one breath. I find that we're both crying as she speaks. "I'll try, Katniss," I say.
Then my mother comes up to me. "Prim..." she whispers quietly. She softly strokes my hair. Her words are few, but they say enouh. They say that she loves me and wants me to return. And I'll do my best.
Just then, Gale bursts into the room. He runs over to me. "Be careful, Prim. Stay away from the Careers." The Careers are the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4. They always form an alliance, they volunteer for the Games happily, and they are really, really good.
As soon as Gale finishes speaking, two Peacekeepers enter the room. "Ir's time to go," they say abruptly to my family and Gale. I manage to catch a sad smile from my sister as they are ushered away.
I sit silently in the little room for a minute. My family is gone. As much as they want to, they won't be able to help me in the arena. I think about who I will form an alliance with. Peeta, obviously. He's really nice, not likely to kill me, and strong from throwing around bags of flour. But who else can be in our alliance? The more people, the better.
A Peacekeeper walks in. "The train is here. Time to go," he says gruffly. I stand up and look around the room, to make sure I got everything. I collect my sweater, and the mockingjay pin Katniss gave me. It reminds me of my family. I decide to use it as my district token in the arena.
I leave the room escorted by the Peacekeeper. I walk as slowly as I dare, knowing that I won't make it out of the arena to come back here.
We walk all the way to the small, old train station. A big train from the Capitol is waiting for us. It's the nicest thing I've ever seen in District 12. The door slides open, and the Peacekeeper gestures inside. I take a deep breath and start up the stairs.
Here I go.