THE 70TH HUNGER GAMES: THE REAPING

"Get up, Annie. It's Reaping Day," my mother said wearily, gently shaking my arm. But there was no need for her to do so, as I was already awake. I never slept the night before the Reaping.

I dragged myself out of the bed, trudging to the dining room, where the rest of my family lay in waiting. My brother Orion, too old to take part in the Reaping, gave me a tired smile, assuring me that this would be my last Reaping and I'd be free of the chance of being picked after this. And I had to believe him. I tried to look forward to it but I couldn't, because I knew whose name would go in the bowl after mine.

I looked at her now, my little sister Coral, whose bright eyes were the only sign of hope in this house. 11 years old, a year away from casting her name into the Reaping Bowl. I slipped into the seat next to her now, and her tiny hand squeezed mine, consoling me when I should be the one doing the same for her. "It's going to be okay, Annie," she said in her high-pitched voice. "You'll be safe after this. I promise. You'll never have to go through this again." It pained me to hear such words from such a young voice. In a way, my sister was the strongest of all of us.

I just couldn't bring myself to tell her that after this, she would be the one in danger.

We ate in subdued silence, our dread evident in the air. I could feel hatred for the Capitol radiating from Orion's eyes as he made small cuts on the table with his knife. Even if my parents noticed, they didn't tell him to stop. They all knew, with the exception of Coral, the level of cruelty put into the Games. How much they despised it but knew that if they voiced their thoughts, it would only result in the torture, or even death of their loved ones. So we all kept quiet, inwardly cursing the Capitol but putting on a stoic face on the outside.

An hour later, we were gathered at the Justice Building, girls and boys standing in age wise lines like every year. A large crowd, barely a fourth of District 4's population, was gathered behind us. Somewhere in it, I knew my family was waiting anxiously. I could tell that at this moment, Coral was huddled in my mother's arms and Orion's steady grip was holding them all together.

One last time, I thought to myself. And then it'll be over.

The Capitol escort for District 4, a young woman named Talia who had two enormous pigtails dyed in different colours, clapped her hands in excitement as if this was a child's game. "Welcome to the 70th Annual Hunger Games! Don't be so dull, today might just be your day!"

Yeah. To walk into the jaws of death, I thought darkly. The girls around me shuffled nervously as the mayor read the speech of the history of Panem. Of how the Capitol would always be stronger than us. Finally, Talia announced the start of the Reaping.

"And the male tribute of the 70th Hunger Games is…" All eyes were trained on Talia as she reached into the Reaping Bowl. The thousands of slips of paper in it flew around like snow in a snowglobe. You could hear the scraping of the slip she'd chosen against her nails in the silence that followed. I glanced at the line of boys, all of them rigid with tension and anticipation. Some silently hoping their names wouldn't be called, others looking confident and eager to go in.

"Calum Waters!"

A tall, well built boy with shaggy black hair walked up to the stage, taking his place next to Talia. She shook his hand a little too enthusiastically, almost knocking him off the stage. Calum for his part, looked ahead stolidly, his blue eyes sparkling in silent indignation. Unlike most Career tributes, I could tell that he hadn't trained for the Games, neither expecting to be chosen nor seeming to take any pride in it, contrary to most boys that were reaped. His build, his stature and his evident strength was all thanks to the countless hours he must have spent out at sea. Sympathy for him filled my heart but I couldn't afford to feel anything. Not until the female tribute was called.

"Congratulations Calum!" Talia said brightly, her lips millimetres away from the mic. "You must be very excited! I sure am!" Calum simply nodded, closing his eyes for a minute and murmuring something to himself. He seemed nice enough, but possibly a deadly rival in the arena.

"And now, let's move on to the lucky girl going into the arena this year!"

For some reason, every sentence she spoke ended with an exclamation mark. The whole thing disgusted me, from the Reaping to the fake elation for the tributes and right back to the Capitol. That was when I realised just how much I hated them. I understood Orion's rage now. Till this moment, the Games were just something to be afraid of; something you shouldn't question unless you wish for death. But now… now I know the reality. Now I know what the Games really do.

Which is why I was so lost in thought that I almost missed out hearing Talia call out the female tribute. The slip of paper, the one that carried the death sentence of one girl among hundreds, was already clutched in her hand. "And the female tribute for the 70th Annual Hunger Games is…"

I crossed my fingers, the grinding of my teeth the only sound in the crowd. How I prayed it wasn't me. Anyone but me. Yes, it was selfish to hope so, but isn't this world we're living in selfish? Surely, a selfless world wouldn't allow its children to kill others and be killed?

Coral's words came back to me, "You'll be safe after this. I promise."

How wrong she was. How wrong we all were, thinking that I'd ever be safe. It was a foolish thought, one only desperate people think. And at that time, I was the most desperate of them all.

"Annie Cresta!"

So when I walked towards Talia and Calum, I wasn't afraid. Or nervous. Or even devastated. Feelings were beneath me now. What's the point of feeling anything when you'd be dead in a few days? From the crowd, I could hear Coral screaming my name and the commotion of the crowd as my family tried to push their way towards me. I watched as Orion's face fell, gritted teeth and clenched fists as he resisted the impulse to throw everyone out of the way and punch Talia in the face. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Coral, consoling the poor child, who had broken down weeping. I wanted to reach out to my sister, to caress her innocent face and tell her that it would be okay. My parents looked on, brows creased in worry, but silent, blended in with the rest of the crowded. Bound by the shackles of the Capitol. Helpless in the face of their daughter's evident death.

My heart broke looking at them in this state. Slowly, the tears broke free, one by one slipping down my cheeks. I knew that I was as good as dead anyways, but watching the people love suffer for me was unbearable. "Coral," I cried, choking. "Orion. Mom. Dad. I'm so sorry." My voice cracked in the middle as I was dragged away by the Peacekeepers. At least I'd get to say goodbye.

As I was pushed roughly into a room, only one thought flashed in my mind. That I was going to drift into my biggest nightmare; one that I know I would never be able to wake up from.