Chapter 2

Everything seems a bit more dull and gloomy than last year, if that's even possible. Like last time, I don't let go of my father's hand until we arrive at the checkpoint for attendance. The little prick they give your finger for blood doesn't really hurt much, it's just a pinch.

I then take my place in the front rows with the rest of the age-eligible kids, and wait for the ceremony to start. Most districts seperate the boys and the girls on two different sides, but the District 9 kids are always seperated by age. The 12-year-olds sit more towards the front while the 18-year-olds are more towards the back. I'm closer to the front as I'm on the younger side of the spectrum.

I look around for Bil and Cress and spot them just arriving in the square. I wave to them and they come and take a seat on either side of me.

"Cool, we get to sit together this year" Bil says as he sits on my left side.

"Yeah, I felt so left out of your yearly mocking of President Snow's voice last year" I kid, and all three of us stifle a laugh.

"Oh god, Mulvain and Hestia look more drugged than usual, probably injected the rest of their secret stash of Morphling this morning" Cress jokes as he gestures to the two victors of District 9 sitting onstage. I can't say I disagree with him, they do look way rougher than usual. A lot of victors end up with Morphling addictions or turn into alcoholics. The trauma they endured from their Games never seem to leave them, and continues to haunt them into adulthood.

I have to say, having Cress and Bil by my side makes me feel much more calm than I was last year. I can feel the tension leaving my body as I joke around and laugh with them.

Everyone immediately goes silent as they see Alaster Pracklebottom walk up to the microphone and bang his finger against it to see if it works.

"Welcome, everyone!"

This year, his hair is deep red and curled up ontop of his head, and he wears a suit that makes him look like he's covered in tinfoil. Just when I thought he couldn't get anymore outrageous. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour! Now, why don't we take a look at the projector and watch a video brought all the way from the Capitol!"

Ugh, here we go again.

'War, terrible war.'

I swear, I hear this monologue in my dreams sometimes. Bil and Cress waste no time poking fun at President Snow's monotone voice. I hide my silent laughter by pretending I have to yawn, and put my hand up to my face.

I look up to see Alaster holding his hands together and reciting the words quietly in praise. Typical Capitol citizen.

"Ah, never gets old!" Alaster says as soon as the video finishes.

"Now, it is time for us to select one incredibly brave young man and woman for the honour of representing District 9 in the 72nd Annual Hunger Games. Since I liked it so much last year, I will start with the boys once again!" I can feel Bil and Cress hold their breath beside me. Sure they may talk like they're not scared most of the time, but I know deep down they are just as uneasy as I am.

I quickly grab both of their hands as Alaster walks over to the boys' bowl. He fishes around for a while before he finally chooses a name. He walks back over to the microphone while trying to undo the tape holding the paper shut. I pray that it is not either of my dear friends as Alaster is about to read the name.

"Farley Blackwell."

I must say, nobody saw that coming. You could tell by the audible gasp that came from the crowd as soon as the name was read. The mayor's son slowly walks up to the front of the stage from where he was sitting with his family as his mother collapses into the mayor's arms. The mayor's stony expression is not swayed as he watches his son timidly approach Alaster. Farley's little brothers have now started crying for their big brother, and their parents try and soothe them. Farley is wearing a classy white suit that compliments his mop of chestnut hair. His big blue eyes are wide in disbelief as he looks out at the crowd. Bil, Cress and I shoot each other a grave look as Alaster moves on with the ceremony.

"And now, for the girls!" I feel Bil's and Cress' hands return to mine as Alaster now moves to the girls' bowl. He takes his time searching for a name before he finally pulls one out. As he's trying to undo the tape on the ballot, he ends up dropping it on the floor. Would he just hurry up already?! I interally scream. He eventually gets it undone, and smoothes it out to read it.

"Katerina Ottoman."

That's me. That's my name. I can feel everyone's eyes land on me as all of the colour drains from my face. I vaguely hear Alaster asking where I am before I start walking to the stage on autopilot. Cress and Bil both have horrified looks on their faces, and that is all I see before my eyes fall to my feet.

I have gone completely numb, and I don't know what to feel or how to feel. The world feels like it's moving in slow motion as I walk down the path to the stage.

As I'm making my way up the steps, I hear a man's voice cry out my name. Daddy. I look out and sure enough he is wailing my name in complete sorrow. My mind immediately flashes back to Mrs. Netherthorn doing the same exact thing when Lili was reaped last year. It takes everything in me not to cry as I take my place on Alaster's right side. I look down to my friends to see that they have started crying as well. My aunt and my grandparents are doing their best to soothe my distraught father.

I just realize that Alaster has been tapping me on the shoulder for a while now, and I finally turn to meet his gaze. "Well, aren't you going to shake his hand?" he asks me as he gestures to Farley on his left. I look at the mayor's son, and I see him giving me a look of sympathy and understanding. I hold my hand out to him, and he takes it graciously.

When we break away, Alaster finishes with, "happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" He then takes Farley and I into the Hall of Justice, and shuts the doors behind him.

The Hall of Justice is actually a nice building. The room they're having me wait in is a classy one with blue and white striped wallpaper. The furniture is all wood, and there are some expensive looking glasses in the cupboard. The carpet floor is purely white, with the only marks being the dirt from my shoes.

After about 6 minutes of waiting, the door opens revealing my family along with a Peacekeeper. "You have five minutes" he tells us before closing the door behind him. Aunty Petra immediately takes me in her arms, and proceeds to cry into my shoulder.

"Oh, Katerina, I don't know what to say" she manages to get out through tears.

She finally faces me as we both wipe away our tears, and plants a giant kiss on my forehead. "You can win this thing, you hear me?" she says. "You're light on your feet, and magic with a crossbow. Those other kids won't know what hit them." I say nothing as she gives me another kiss and lets me say goodbye to everyone else.

My grandparents then take me in a hug of their own, and kiss the top of my head together. "We love you so so much, dear granddaughter" my grandmother says.

"You're a strong girl, you can get through anything" My grandfather adds as they let me go.

My eyes then fall on my father, who wastes no time scooping me up and holding me tight. For the first time since my name was called, I allow myself to cry as his scent fills my nose.

He holds me for a while, rubbing soothing circles on my back before he lets me go and takes my face in his hands. "You have to come back to me, Kitty. I lost your mother, but I cannot lose you too" he says.

"I will do everything I can. I promise, I won't let you down" I say to him in an attempt to reassure him.

"You could never let me down, sweet pea" He says as he wipes away my remaining tears with his thumb.

He then reaches for his pocket, and holds out the heart-shaped necklace I found at the Stockpile last year. I thought I had lost it after I accidentally dropped it a couple months back.

"Where did you find this?" I ask him.

"Under the bed. Look inside" he responds. I take it from him and open it up, and sure enough he has replaced the old pictures inside with pictures of everybody I love. There's a picture of my grandmother, grandfather and aunt all laughing, and another of Bil and Cress goofing off together. There is also a picture of him inside, and next to him is my mom.

"It's called a locket. People usually fill the sides with pictures of those they love, so that they will always be with them" my dad tells me. I look at him with tears in my eyes.

"Thank you" I say before I pull him in for another hug.

I inhale his scent one more time before the Peacekeeper comes in to tell us our time is up. My family is then torn away from me and shoved out the door, and I don't take my eyes off of them until the door eventually blocks them from my vision. I hold the locket close to my heart before putting it around my neck.

My next visitors are Bil and Cress, and they pull me in for a shared hug. When we seperate, they take my hands and give me a pep talk.

"Listen, you've got this, Rina. I've seen you with your crossbow, and if you show them how good you are, I am sure they will leave one for you" Bil says.

"But I don't even know what the other tributes are capable of, they could be head and shoulders above me-"

"No they're not! You're like, the absolute strongest person I know. Now I don't know what the other tributes are about. Hell, I haven't even seen them yet. But I do know that whoever they are, they don't stand a chance against you. You're smart, and you're quick. Whoever challenges you to a race is digging their own grave. You're also resourceful, and more than capable of defending yourself when needed. You need to go out there, and show those people what you can really do. I believe in you."

I've never seen Bil so worked up and passionate as he is right now. When he told me he believed in me, I could see his brown eyes light up with conviction.

"Rina, have a little faith in yourself. It's amazing how you're not aware of what you can do. You need to keep your eye on the ball and just go for it. We'll both be here cheering you on as best we can" Cress says as he rubs my right hand in comfort.

"Exactly, and we'll be right here waiting for you to come home. Right here" Bil adds, and the three of us share one last hug.

The Peacekeeper then comes and drags them away, but not before Bil shouts over his shoulder, "I'll see you soon, ok?" Then I'm all alone again.

The last visitor is one I did not expect. Mr. Netherthorn walks in and takes the seat across from me. This is probably the first time he's left the house since his wife died, as I never see him out in town anymore. "I can't express how sorry I am that this had to happen to you" he starts.

"I remember last year when I was in this very room saying goodbye to my own daughter. The last thing she ever said to me was 'take care of mom for me.' Well, look how that ended up."

"Again, I'm so sorry for your loss" I say in response.

"I think that you and Lili would have been good friends. She was always a very sensitive girl, and I think it would have been nice to have someone like you to look after her, even if it was only for a little while." I remember Lili being very sensitive, and she would often get made fun of for it by the other kids her age. I felt bad for her last year, because when she was called up no one even batted an eyelid.

"I ran into your father on the way here. Poor man is absolutely heartbroken." I think back to my father, and tears threaten to come to my eyes once more. "I understand how he feels. It was absolute torture having to watch my girl on the TV every night leading up to the Games. She seemed so out of place, dressed in all of that frilly nonsense they made them wear. All I wanted to do was scoop her up and bring her back home where she belonged" He continues.

"Those people ended up swallowing her up in their barbaric game. I have something to ask of you, dear girl. Don't let them swallow you up too." He then sits up and walks toward the door. He looks back at me one more time before walking out into the hallway…