Chapter Two: The Reaping
When I wake up my mom is all over me.
"Get washed up. Put your dress on." she says fussing over me.
"Mom, I'm seventeen." I say. "I can get dressed by myself."
After that she leaves me alone. I head to the public showers and hose down. When I get back I put my leaf-green dress on and my mother ties my hair in a tight bun.
When I get to the town square hundreds of kids are already there, either in line or in their sections. I get to the front of the line, get my finger pricked and head to my section.
"Happy Hunger Games!" yells Xandra, district seven's escort. "And may the odds, be ever in your favor!"
"When are the odds ever in anybody's favor." I grumble
"And now brought to you all the way from the Capitol, a short video.
"War, terrible war." says the narrator. "Thirteen districts rebelled against the Capitol that loved them, protected them and fed them." Blah blah blah. I've watched the same video five times now.
"As usual. Ladies first." says Xandra walking over to the girls bowl. Her long orange hair and baby blue dress flowing behind her. Looking towards the crowd smiling so everyone can see her yellow eyeshadow and purple lipstick. She picks a name of the top, holds it in front of her smiling so her unnatural whitened teeth show. As she unfolds the paper the whole square holds their breath.
"Kinsley Everhart." she says excitedly. I open my eyes wide. That's me. I'm going to the Games. I slowly walk up to the stage. All the eyes in the square trailing me. This isn't happening. When I get up on the stage Xander asks me if I was Travith Everhart's granddaughter.
"Yes." I answer.
"Now, are there any volunteers." she asks. The crowd goes silent. I find Jesper's eyes and he sends me a message. "You can win."
"No?" says Xander clearly unhappy without any volunteer excitement.
"And now. For the boys. She picks one off the to again. Walks to the mic one last time and says very clearly.
"Cliff Waterstone." says Xander. Oh no not him! He's the strongest. (and hottest) boy in our district. He's eighteen. I find him in the crowd. His crystal blue eyes nervous and uncertain of what just happened, his brown hair still perfectly combed despite the wind and his usually powerful arms sitting uselessly at his sides. He walks up to the stage much more confidently than I did but I can still see his nervousness in his eyes.
"Any volunteers? No." says Xander. "Well than I present to you the two tributes of district seven in this years Quarter Quell!"
Cliff and I shake hands nervously and leave the stage into the Hall of Justice.
Hope you enjoyed my second chapter!