The day had come, the one all of them dreaded, and Alyssum exited the orchard her hands sore and dirty, her nails cracked and her body caked in sweat and soil. Hours of pulling hard her exhausted muscles screamed in protest as she uprooted the carrots in front of her.
She had worked a double shift in the fields so that her family would eat well, just before the Reaping. So, she wouldn't have time to clean herself up beforehand, but she chuckled, she never did. She whistled the familiar melody, that soon rang through the fields and orchards and the workers headed home for the day.
As she passed the peacekeeper's headquarters her mind drifted to a day about six months ago, she had hidden a few apples in her outfit. Her family hadn't had a chance to eat in two days, but a peacekeeper has caught her and given her two options after nearly beating her senseless. She could be whipped in the public square which in her weak state might have killed her, or enter her name in the Reaping ten times. Now her choice was haunting her as the hour new near for the Reaping.
She headed for the square, seeing her family standing, watching her as the man pricked her dirt-covered finger and she spread her blood on the paper next to her name. She locked eyes with her little sister, Emilia her blue headband set against her dark brown hair, she was only 11 years old, and wouldn't have to take part in the Reaping until next year.
She moved to stand in the rows of possible tributes as the familiar broadcast began, after two years of this she knew the paces, every girl and boy in Panem knew them. And her heart tightened in her chest as the Capital's representative said, "ladies first."
Her breath caught in her chest as the man reached into the jar filled with slips of paper, drawing out a single name. But horror and a sickening feeling filled her stomach as the man read, "Alyssum Wildstone."
Immediately the crowd around her parted and she felt frozen to the spot, but slowly stepped forwards as the peacekeepers drew near. Their white glove-clad hands pushed firmly against her back; she was faintly aware of her family, who stood mortified and motionless as she climbed the steps to the stage. "Now for the boys," she didn't even register the name just numbly walked into the building that stood behind her. Making her way to the second floor as the man tugged at her arm, then her family walked into the room.
Her heart shattered as she gave her parents one last hug before kneeling in from of her sister, "Milly listen to me ok, don't take any food from them it's not worth it, and don't try to take none either." She embraced her sister tightly and as she pulled back the little girl pulled out the headband, she wore the silky blue band she had been so proud to give her sister last year. She had worked hard eaten less and managed to save just enough to buy it in the town. "Your token," she said her voice catching, "you win this, you come back, ok, please." She hugged her sister again as the peacekeepers came to take them away. "I will, I swear it to you, I will win."
She watched in numb horror as they escorted her family out before tugging her into the train which she knew would take her to the Capital. Her hands left dirty smudges on everything she touched as she moved into the main compartment, it was nicer than anything she had ever seen. But she felt hollow and she clutched her knees to her chest, not even noticing as the boy walked in along with the man who had sealed her fate.
