The District 6 Reaping is here! I hope you like it. :)

I think that I'm going to start updating around once every other week (although don't be surprised if I don't update for longer than that). I know that that's a long time without writing anything, but school has made me very busy. Plus, it's getting harder and harder to write about the Reapings. They just get sooooo boring. Once we finish the Reapings, updates should become much more frequent.

Oh, and by the way, this chapter kind of sucks. Just thought I'd warn you.

Nathan

I move into a more comfortable position on the couch, reading. I stare, wide-eyed, at my book, Stars From the Ashes. It's about a poor girl from District 12 named Diali Hidin who dreams of becoming an actor for the Capitol. It's not the greatest, but there isn't a huge book selection here in District 6, so I read it anyway.

I hear the creak of the door. Mom and Dad walk in, looking tired. I run over to them and hug them. Mom gives me a kiss on the forehead. "How was your day? I ask them. "Exhausting." Dad grunts, crashing on the sofa. I ask them the same question every day, and it's always the same response. My parents work for long hours at PanemRail, a company that manages the trains in the districts. They make a sufficient amount of money, but the job weighs them down.

"Why are you home early?" I ask my parents. Usually, they don't get home until late at night. "We got let out early because of the Reaping." Mom explains. "Speaking of which, you should probably get ready for that." I check my watch and jump. It's 5:37. The Reaping begins at 6:00. I guess I was so caught up in reading that I didn't notice the time.

I run upstairs and down the hallway to my room. I pass Sandy's room on the way, and my face darkens a little bit. Sandy's my half-sister. She's 25 years old, but she still lives here. My family has always liked me more than her, and that makes her hate me. She's addicted to morphling.

I shake the thought from my head as I race into my bedroom. There, I rummage through my closet, searching for an acceptable outfit. I find a plain white t-shirt and slip it on. I also pull on beige pants, and to top it off, I find a dark blue dinner jacket. I rush to the bathroom and hurriedly comb out my messy dark hair.

"Come on, you're going to be late!" My dad calls. "Coming!" I shout. I sprint out of the bathroom and almost crash into my grandmother. She steps back, surprised. "Sorry, grandma." I say, dancing around her and running down the stairs. "I'm leaving!" I shout. Then I sprint out the door and onto the street.

xxx

I wait in the long line of kids to get my finger pricked. The line moves forward ever so slowly. Finally, I get to the front of the line. A peacekeeper grabs my finger and pricks it. I let out a small yelp. He presses my finger into a book and waves me through. I find my place in the 13 year old section and patiently wait for the mayor to come onstage. After a moment, he comes on, beaming with enthusiasm.

"Welcome!" He exclaims. "I bet you're all very excited for the Reaping, but unfortunately, we first have to cover a few other things. First, let's review your victors!" I clap as he calls out the name of each one. We have a total of four.

After this, the mayor reviews Panem's history. Finally, the escort, Raeka Moriss, comes on. "Welcome, all!" She says. "Now, who all is excited for today's Reaping?" Only a few people clap. Raeka looks discouraged by this, so I decide to give her a light applause.

Raeka smiles and skips over to the girls' glass of names. "As always, ladies first." She says. She extracts a name from the bowl. "Livia Fleet!"

A somewhat small girl comes forward. She has dirty blond hair and a few freckles on the bridge of her nose. It looks as though she's trying to keep her face expressionless, but I can tell she's terrified. "Are there any volunteers?" Raeka asks. As usual, nobody says anything. Raeka smiles at Livia, then proceeds to choose a name from the boys' glass. She unfolds it at a sickeningly slow pace. I tap my foot against the ground impatiently. I wish she would just hurry up and read the name so that I can get back to reading.

"Nathan Hayes."

It feels as though my body has turned to lead. I begin sobbing uncontrollably. How could it have been me? My mind screams. My name was only in that bowl twice. The chances were so slim...

I slowly begin making my way to the stage, tears still pouring from my eyes. Finally, I reach Raeka. I'm dimly aware of her asking for volunteers. I begin to hope that maybe, just maybe, someone's taken pity on me. To my dismay, however, no one moves a muscle.

The mayor reads the Treaty of Treason and Livia and I are taken into the Justice Building. I make no attempt to stop the tears, even though I know they won't help me in the Hunger Games. Then again, nothing I say or do will help me in the Hunger Games.

I sit on the couch in the room the Peacekeepers assigned me. Soon my family comes barreling in. They hug me, crying their eyes out. My grandmother whispers comforting words in my ear, how it's going to be alright, how everything will work out in the end. I never want to let go of them. I don't want to lose my family.

Someone clears their throat behind me. I release my family and trun. Sandy stands there. She bites her nails, something she always does when she's nervous. "Nathan, I..." Sandy trails off. She looks like she's about to burst into tears, but she manages to keep herself together. "I just want to say that I love you."

Strangely, this makes me angry. "No, you don't." I snap. "I know you've never liked me. You're just saying that." This time, Sandy begins crying. She embraces me. "That's not true." She tells me. We hug each other for a moment, not bothering to say anything. Then Sandy pulls away and looks me in the eye. "Try to win." She says. "If not for me, then for them." She nods towards the rest of my family. "We couldn't handle if you were to... to..." Sandy breaks down crying again.

I figure it'll only make the situation worse if I tell her that I can't win these games. "I promise." I whisper to her. Just then, two Peacekeepers come in and order my family out. They go without protesting.

After a few friends visit me, a Peacekeeper takes me to the train station. As I board, I suddenly realize that I will never finish Stars From the Ashes.

For some reason, this is what upsets me most.

Livia

I sit outside in the grass, enjoying the cool breeze against my skin. The sun shines down on me. I can hear the clanging of metal and the grunts of the workers as they work in the factories, making trains and cars and who knows what. I take a deep breath, breathing in the fresh scent of the leaves. This would be a great day if it weren't for the Reaping.

Thinking about the Reaping makes my stomach churn in fear. I lay back, trying to think peaceful thoughts, but I can't. My mind is filled with terror for the day to come.

After a moment, I give up trying to relax and walk inside my tiny house. I walk down the hall and into the kitchen, where I see my parents having a quiet argument. They both stop upon seeing me. My mom gives a strained smile, clearly still peeved from her argument with my dad. "Hi, honey." She says. "Hi." I respond, walking to the counter and grabbing a loaf of stale bread, one of the only foods we currently have in this house. I cut off a small piece for myself and sit at our small table. "Are you nervous for the Reapings?" My mom asks me. "Yes." I say honestly. "I'm terrified." I begin wolfing down my bread, despite the irritated look from my mom. Within seconds, my plate is empty.

"You should probably go and get ready for the Reaping." My dad says. "It's 5:03." I nod and stroll down the hall to the bedroom that my parents and I all share. The Reaping doesn't start for an hour, but my family lives on the outskirts of the district, so it's a long walk to the town square. I search through my meager pile of clothes for something to wear. Finally, I find a purple, sleeveless dress. I pull it over my head and walk to the bathroom. I comb out my dirty blond hair and pull it up into a tight bun where it's out of my way. I look at myself in the mirror for a few seconds, decide I look okay, and run downstairs. My parents are waiting for me by the door. "Ready?" My mom asks. I shrug. "I guess." I say. She smiles and we head to the town square.

xxx

My parents try to make small talk with me as we walk to the Reaping. I really don't feel like saying anything, but I answer their questions anyway. Finally, we come to the long line of kids waiting in line to get their finger pricked. I tell my parents goodbye and walk over to the line. There, I anxiously drum my fingers against my thigh as the line inches forward.

After what feels like an eternity, I get to the front. A Peacekeeper roughly grabs my hand and presses a needle into my finger. I resist the urge to cry out. The Peacekeeper takes my finger and presses it into the book in front of him. Then he waves me past.

I walk into the section marked with a 15. A group of girls chat nervously beside me. I bite the inside of my cheek, waiting for the mayor. After a while, he comes up to the stage.

"Welcome! I bet you're all very excited for the Reaping, but unfortunately, we first have to cover a few other things. First, let's review your victors!" The mayor says, smiling at us. He names all the victors, reads Panem's history, and sits down. Then our escort, Raeka, comes up to the microphone. She gives the crowd a huge grin. "Welcome, all!" She calls out. "Now, who all is excited for today's Reaping?" The crowd is mostly silent. Raeka gives a small frown, then regains her posture. "As always, ladies first!" Raeka strides over to the girls' bowl. My heart pounds against my chest. I think about all the tesserea that I took out. In total, my name is in the bowl 36 times. My parents have no idea that I took so much.

Time stands still as Raeka grabs a name and unfolds it. I hold my breath. "Livia Fleet."

I grit my teeth to keep from sobbing. Why me? There's no way I'll survive the games. Even if I manage to get past the bloodbath, which is unlikely, I'll never be able to survive against the Careers. I'm going to die.

I manage to make my feet move towards the stage. I try to look brave, but I think I seem more horrified than couragous. Raeka congratulates me and says something about how she's sure I'll do great in the games, but I don't really hear her. Then she chooses a boy from the bowl of names. "Nathan Hayes!"

A boy begins sobbing, slowly coming forward. He makes no attempt to stop the tears flowing from his eyes. He looks a bit overweight, with light brown skin, dark eyes and hair, and glasses. I have a feeling he'll be a bloodbath.

Raeka introduces us as the male and female tributes of District 6, and the mayor reads off the Treaty of Treason. A hand grabs me by the arm. I realize a Peacekeeper is pulling me into the Justice Building. I reluctantly obey, and he pushes me into a room. I stare in wonder at the fancy furniture fillng the room. I've never seen so much wealth in one place.

My family runs in, wrapping their arms around me. I sob, my cries echoing around the room. "I'm so sorry." My dad whispers to me, again and again. His words only make me cry harder.

Finally, my parents pull back. My mom gently wipes away my tears. "Don't cry." She whispers. "You have to stay calm. It'll help you gain sponsors." I shake my head. "No, it won't." I tell her. "Nothing will help get me sponsors. I have nothing special about me." My mom scoffs. "Of course you do!" She exclaims. "You're one of the smartest kids in your grade. And you're very pretty. You can do this." My mom looks like she's going to say something else, but a Peacekeeper bursts in before she can. "Time's up." He says. He grabs my parents and drags them out of the room.

I wait for another minute on the couch. It isn't long before my best friend, Riley, comes in. She blinks back tears and embraces me. "You can win." She says. "You just have to play the game right." I sigh. I want to believe her so badly, but I don't dare get my hopes up. I know, deep down, that I have no chance. Still, I tell her I will. She nods, satisfied, and doesn't protest when a Peacekeeper comes in to tell her that her time's up. A few of my other friends come in, but they don't say much. Soon, a Peacekeeper comes to take me to the train. I purse my lips and put on my best emotionless expression. I pay no attention to the cameras as I walk out of the Justice Building and onto the train. I need to show them that I don't care about any of this, that it's all beneath me.

I gulp as the train pulls away from the station. From now on, I have to be perfect. I can't afford to screw up. I must make the Capitol like me.

My life depends on it.

Well, that's it. We're halfway through the Reapings! (throws confetti) Only six more to go... *sigh*

Also, please be aware that the Reapings will probably be crappy from here on out. I am sooo sick of them and I just want to get them over with. The pre-games chapters will be much better, I promise.

Questions:

1. What color hair does Livia have?

2. What book does Nathan read?