When I wake up, my eyes are filled with the sight of my daughter, Prim, curled up in my arms. She looks so young, so at peace. My heart expands with the love I feel for her as I treasure the cuddle I have been gifted, until the reason for it hits me. Of course, this is the day of the reaping. My eyes follow the drape of her blonde hair across the pillow, towards my daughters bed and finds it empty, as expected.

Katniss, my eldest daughter, takes every chance she gets to go into the woods and hunt, just like her father did. My heart is stabbed the moment my thoughts stumble into Glenn, my husband, gone these 5 years. The pain is still sharply intense, but I am able to grapple with it nowadays. It no longer consumes me, if I'm careful. I need to be careful. I take in a long deep breath and notice Prim's eyes have opened.

"Good morning little one" I smile "Ready for some breakfast?"

I start the fire, set some water boiling, and slice off a few hunks of dense dry bread, while listening to Prim talking to her goat outside. My mind skips over my supplies, weighing up options for tea. Chamomile and lavender are both good for anxiety and also taste good when cold, so I make a large pot for us. I then add the usual pinch of mimosa bark for depression to my mug, and after some consideration, a spoonful of dried linden flower to calm my heart. Everything WILL be ok today; I tell myself firmly as I add a second lot of linden flowers. I wish I could believe it. Nothing has been truly ok since the day Glenn was torn from us.