A few hours earlier

Chase POV

I got dressed quickly and ran up to the fence surrounding District 12. I listened carefully. No humming. The fence wasn't live at the moment. I quickly slipped through the gap me and my friend Jemma found and I went to wait for her at our normal meeting place. The woods where we hunted were full of noises today. I saw Jemma already waiting, with her bow and arrows and I grabbed the bow she gave me when we met, and we headed into the woods. Jemma nudged me a few minutes later.
"What is it?" I whispered. She pointed towards our right. A deer was eating the grass and hadn't noticed us yet. Jemma moved to shoot it, and I shook my head at her. "It'll be crawling with Peacekeepers in the square. You gonna just walk through them dragging that thing?" I asked. Jemma laughed.
"Maybe. Then I'll sell the meat. To some Peacekeepers." She smirked, but she relaxed her bow. I laughed with her, and threw a stone into the bushes, which spooked some birds and we shot them all down. Then we sat in the forest for a while just staring at the woods, until the wind picked up and we heard crashing in the treetops.
"What's going on?" Jemma whispered.
"Hovercraft." I answered, pulling her into the bushes. We watched it pass and then climbed back out. "Probably Effie and the cameras. It is Reaping Day, after all."
"I know. I'm scared for Jade. What if she's chosen?" Jemma seemed genuinely worried for her little sister, with good reason.
"She'll be fine, Jem. She's only had her name in once. How many times have you? Or I?"
"I know. But I can't help worrying." Jemma had tears in her eyes now. "What if it is here? How would Mom cope with the little kids?"
"Your family will be fine." I sighed. At least she has a family, I thought. I lost mine.

Jemma POV

I smiled and nodded.
Chase is right, it won't be Jade. After all, I have my name in at least 40 times, and so does Chase, whereas Jade only has her name in once, I thought to myself.
"Thanks Chase. Your right, it won't be Jade." Then we heard the bell ring. "Better get home. See you later."
"Wear something pretty." Chase said, rolling his eyes.
I laughed. "You too." I then ran home.

The first thing I saw was my mom trying to get the 2 year old twins, Jazmine and Rena, ready while also making sure Jade was ready. I laughed and helped Jade adjust her dress.
"You look beautiful." I smiled, fixing her hair into a plait twisted around her head.
"Where's your dress?" Jade asked me. I sighed. "In my room. I'll go get it." I put on the long, red dress my mom gave me when I turned 12. I walked back downstairs and took Jade's hand. "Come on." I led her down to the marketplace.

I got into line with the other sixteen year olds. I saw Jade slip in with the twelve year olds, Chase was with the other 18 year olds. I saw my mom with the twins in the crowd, and I gave her a thumbs up before I turned to Effie in time to hear Jade's name called. I ran forward before she could get to the stage.
"Jade!" I yelled, hugging her close to me. "Go find mom. Get out of here!" I pushed her towards Chase, and walked up to the stage.

When she called Chase's name, I was shocked. I have to fight my best friend? I thought. I can't do it... Wait, there's 24 of us, right? Odds are, someone else'll kill Chase before I have to.
They led us into the Justice Building and the next thing I knew, my mom came into the room with Jade and the twins.
"Jemma! You can't go!" Jade was crying.
"I have to. You'll be fine, Jade, you have your goat and you can hunt a little." I tried to smile for her sake.
"Not as well as you. You can win, Jemma. You can." Jade hugged me hard.
"Maybe I can. I'm smart, and I can hunt." I hugged her back then turned to my mom and hugged her, then the twins. The Peacekeepers dragged my family out of the room and the door slammed shut. Then it opened and my friends from school, Sophia Williamson and Lee Acton, came in. We hugged for a while, then Lee took my face in his hands.
"You can win this, Jemma. Just treat them like you do the animals in the woods. It's the same concept."
"But... They're animals. These are children like us." I argued.
"They wouldn't hesitate to kill you." Sophia put in.
"I guess..." I sighed.
All too soon, Peacekeepers drove my friends out too. I was alone. I wondered how and when I would die in these Games. At that moment, it seemed inevitable.