Chapter 2: The Hob

When my mom wakes up, I wake up. She gives me a small amount of money, but probably almost all that we have, and she tells me to go out and buy a nice outfit to wear to the reaping today. I am surprised by this because mom normally doesn't let me wonder around district 12 alone. When I do go into town, it is almost always with her or Katniss, but never both at once.

I take advantage of the rare opportunity and go to the Hob. My mom warns me about this place. She says it's dangerous and illegal, but curiosity is killing me, so I have to go and see it for myself.

When I get there, it's not at all like my mother's description. It is a broken down, old, warehouse type building. It's full of people, some selling things, and some buying things. Those who are selling have old tables made of burnt wood or scrap metal to set their products on. Everyone in the old building looks very poor, just like almost everyone in district 12. Since money is hard to come by for people like us, some people trade with the sellers with things that may seem useless to other people, but they apparently have some worth.

Suddenly, I see familiar faces. Katniss and Gale. If they see me, they will be furious! I quickly start to walk in the opposite direction they are going, and duck under a nearby table. The seller at the table is an old woman with her grey hair tied back in a bun and glasses. She looks down under her table at me with a curious look. Nobody has probably hidden under her sale table before.

"Dear, I'm afraid you might have to come out from under my table. I won't hurt you. You're safe here." She says, holding her hand out to me.

I take her hand and make sure Katniss and Gale are gone before I actually get up.

"What were you doing down there? What is a little girl doing at the Hob to begin with?" She asks.

"My mom sent me out to go and find a nice outfit to wear for the reaping." I say. "I've always wondered what it was like here. This is also my first year in the reaping, so I wanted to go somewhere I've never been." I continue explaining.

"That still doesn't explain why you were under my table, honey… You know what? Forget that… I have the perfect reaping outfit for you." She says while she takes an outfit off of her table. The outfit had a white blouse with a few small ruffles near the chest area and a skirt with a green floral pattern.

"I sewed it myself and I think it would look absolutely beautiful on you. Take it for no cost, seeing you wear it would be priceless in my eyes." She says with the most genuine smile I have ever seen in my life.

I don't know how to respond to her generosity. I have never received anything this nice before, I don't receive many gifts at all.

"I don't know how I will ever thank you!" I exclaim.

"You don't need to thank me.." she says with a wave of dismissal.

"Just be careful today little one, the reaping's odds are never in anyone's favor." She continues.

I nod at her strange advice and say a kind goodbye. But what if she is right? The odds are never in the favor of those chosen for the games, but I thought of you weren't chosen, that the odds were in your favor. The way we live in district 12 is certainly not lucky, but nor are the games. There is no way to win.