Kaila Kat tells the history of Panem, explaining the Dark Days and how the Hunger Games started. She then hands the microphone over the Mayor Wilkes who stands and talks about what our district industry is and how important it is to the Capitol. Finally at the end of the hour long speech, he lists our five Victors from the Hunger Games. Woof, Cecelia, and Will each stand up when their names are called and send a wave at the tense applause that has to be given each year to the Victors. Once Mayor Wilkes takes his seat again Kaila walks up to the mike and gives all of us kids a huge smile that sickens me.

"Time for what you've all been waiting so patiently for! Ladies first!" Kaila walks over to the huge bowl holding thousands of slips of paper with names neatly printed on them. Five of them have my name and two hold Maddie's name. Kaila saunters back over to the microphone and waves the paper slightly before unfolding it. Her eyes skim the slip before looking across the crowd and with a huge smile, shouts the name into the microphone. "MOLLY MORRIS!"

My heart stops and my breath catches in my throat. It's not until I hear my father over the hush of the crowd shouting his protests, that I snap out of my shock. Peacekeepers have already swarmed me. The girls near me hurry to get out of their way so not to get injured in their haste.

One grabs ahold of my arm and I try to fight him off but another one grabs me by the other arm and hauls me over the divider into the aisle. I yank myself away from them and straighten myself to my full height.

"I can walk!" I shout at them as they come at me again. "No need manhandling me!"

They exchange a few looks but back off. They don't go far, though. Six of them surround me and guide me to the stage where Kaila is waiting atop the stairs with a huge smile.

As I walk down the aisle Maddie appears at the divider and a Peacekeeper moves to keep her back. I give her a sharp look and she backs away from the divider. Tears shine in her eyes and her lip is starting to quiver. I look away because I know if I don't I'll start to cry myself. I need to stay strong in front of the cameras.

I finish making my way down the aisle to the stage. Kaila continues to smile at the crowd and turns her smile to me when I reach the stairs. A Peacekeeper reaches out and places his arm on the small of my back to escort me up the stairs. However, the second his hand touches me I turn and push his hand away roughly.

"We've got a fiesty one this year, haven't we?" Kaila calls out the the crowd with a chuckle. No one in the crowd finds humor in her statement.

A sob escapes the crowd and I falter on the steps. Maddie's heartbroken sob nearly stops me in my tracks. As much as I try to resist it, my eyes find Will. He's sitting on the edge of his seat and his eyes are boring into my own. There is no pity in his eyes like there are in the crowd around me. Instead I see...guilt?

It feels like an eternity but when I finally reach the stage, Kaila hurries over to me and grabs me by the arm. I'd yank my arm from her but my eyes are locked with Will's guilt filled ones. She pulls me over to stand next to her by the microphone. She stands there for a moment to gather her wits before smiling into the crowd.

"Is there girls out there willing to volunteer for Miss Molly Morris?" Her gaze scans the crowd of girls as her question is meet with only Maddie's loud sobs.

I scan the crowd, trying to find my brothers but I can't find Morton. He's lost to the crowd of 14 year old boys, which is a good thing. If I can't spot him near the Peacekeepers then that means his name wasn't drawn during the preliminary. Myron, however, I spot easily. He's standing front row about ten feet from the aisle. He's a nasty pale color and he's got tears trailing down his face. I look away before tears start to well in my own eyes.

I have to be strong. Not only for my family that stands out there, but also to the tributes I will be facing in the arena. Any weakness will be exploited. I can't give them anything to use.

"Alright then!" Kaila shouts out to the crowd. "Boys next."

She moves towards the boys bowl and repeats her previous actions at the girls bowl. She comes back to the microphone, once again waving the slip about. My heart beats frantically and I beg the universe to let it not be one of my brothers.

Kalia leans forward and shouts happily into the microphone. "GREGORY GATES!"

My heart starts beating regularly again but skips a beat when I see a small boy step out from the 13 year old section. He looks like a small gust of wind would knock him over. The Peacekeepers swarm him much like they swarmed me. But it looks like a waste. A single Peacekeeper would be more than enough to contain the boy.

Before the boy can make it halfway to the stage a guy from the 18 year olds section fights his way through two Peacekeepers to stand in the middle of the aisle.

"I'll take his place! I volunteer."

Peacekeepers try to remove him from the aisle again but Kaila holds up a hand and they release him. She sighs into the microphone as if this is an extreme inconvenience to her. "This is not protocol, however, I will allow it. Bring him up to the stage."

I hold back a glare towards the escort. She acts as if this guy has purposefully done this just to mess up her day in someway. Anger starts to bubble up in me at this injustice.

Before I can stop them hot, angry tears start cascading down my face. I have no doubt in my mind that this guy is related to Gregory in some way. He's doing what I would have done in a heartbeat. Yet Kaila is acting as if this is the biggest mess and it's ruining her day. I turn to look at Will and find him with his eyes still on me.

He frowns when he sees the tears on my face. As long as we have been friends, even if the past two years have been a mess, Will knows the difference in my tears. His eyes move past me and I turn to see the young boy embracing the older guy in a brotherly hug I have seen my own brother's share. They pull apart and the older boy motions for the younger one to retake his place in the 13 year olds section. A Peacekeeper stays next to the younger boy as a swarm of them escort the volunteer to the stage.

My eyes follow him as Kaila guides him from the stairs to the opposite side of the microphone from me.

She turns to him and smiles fakely. "What's your name, dear?" she purrs.

He practically spits his name at her. "Jasper Gates."

Kaila grins as if she's never been this excited. "Ah...how darling!" she says into the microphone. "Gregory must be your little brother! Couldn't let him have all the fun, could you?"

Jasper's eyes flash a dangerous look at our escort. One no less lethal than the one I want to give her. She merely chuckles at him and faces the crowd once more. Jasper's eyes stay glued dangerously on Kaila.

"District 8, I give you your Tributes for the 68th Annual Hunger Games! MOLLY MORRIS and JASPER GATES!" Kaila takes a step back and with a smile says, "Shake hands you two!"

I turn to look at Jasper and I feel a mess compared to him. My face is wet and sticky from the hot tears that were just rolling down it while his face is hard and cold. Jasper stretches out his hand for the shake and I accept it, as if I had a choice in the matter. My soft hand feels weird in his large calloused one. With a hard squeeze Jasper releases my hand and faces the crowd. He practically brushes me off but I put no stock in it. He's going to try to come home just as much as I am.

Kaila places a hand on each of our shoulders and then turns us around where we are lead into the Justice Building. Once inside the building, Peacekeepers surround us to lead Jasper and I upstairs to await our families. They seperate us and force us into rooms on opposite ends of the hall. Once inside they slam the door and I'm left alone.

My heartbeat is the only thing I can hear in the room. Any other day I would admire the nice furnishings in the room but today, I can't stop pacing. Random thoughts shoot through my head. Things I need to tell Maddie. Information about the dress I was working on at the shop that Father needs to know. I won't have time to tell them everything I need to so I'll have to ask Will to deliver letters incase I die.

At that thought, I stop my pacing. I could die. This may be the last time I see my family. I notice the fresh tears on my cheeks and immediately wipe them away. It wasn't fair. My family follows the law. We do as the Peacekeepers say. No one has ever been in trouble before. Why me? Why now?

Before I can work myself back up I take a long, deep breath and find somewhere to sit down at. From the many couches and armchairs in the room, I choose a loveseat in the center of the room with a full view of the door. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. I can't be a mess when my family comes. I need to be strong so they can be strong.

Moments later my father to burst through the door and into the room. He searches the room but it only takes a second to find me. His face is red and puffy from crying. His tears send a fresh wave down my own face. My entire life I only ever saw him cry a handful of times. All of which revolved around my mother's death and when everyone thought Myron wouldn't make it.

Father moves forward and gathers me in his arms. Tears cascade down both of our faces. It takes a moment but we finally pull away. When we do he starts talking as fast as he can, like he won't get the chance again. In all likelihood, he might not. 24 tributes enter the arena but only 1 comes out.

"I'll pull out my connections from the shop. I'll try to send sponsors your way from my best clients. You're smart, Molly. You've always been good at finding a way. Not matter the situation you find a way through. Stay strong and don't worry about what you do in that arena. You are my daughter and always will be. Do what you have to and do not give up. Not matter what. You fight until you are either back here in my arms or until the last breath leaves your body."

I shake my head. "Father, please. Can we not talk about the games? I don't want this to be the last thing we talk about if things go south."

He gives me a soft smile. "Whatever you want dear. What would you like to talk about?"

"Can you tell me about mother?" I ask him. I know talking about mom hurts him but this may be the last chance I get to talk to him about her.

He gives me a small smile and nods his head. "Your mother was beautiful. All of you girls look so much like her. Even with your red Morris hair and freckles." Father wraps an arm around me. "I meet her when we were 15. My parents and I were the only ones working in our tailoring shop, the very one that we live in today. We had started picking up business with all the outsourcing the Capitol shops were starting to doing. Your mother was being put through Seamstress school by your grandfather and was looking for work in the afternoons after classes. My parents readily accepted the help."

"So you got to know mom through the shop?" I ask.

Father smiles and nods his head. "Everyday after school I would come home to the shop and your mother would already be sitting there at her station next to mine sewing away. She hummed as she worked. Much like you do, Molly."

I smile at that thought. I unknowingly shared something with my mother.

"Can I ask a favor?" I look up to my father with the most serious expression I can muster.

He nods his head. "Of course, dear. Anything at all."

We sit in silence for a second before I finally ask, "Will you talk about mother to the others? Morton and Myron especially. Morton blames Myron for mother's death and I think Myron does as well. If you talked about her more perhaps they won't be so hostile towards each other. Maybe even learn to understand mother's decision."

Father starts to cry again. "I didn't realize that was why." He goes quiet for a second before nodding his head. "Of course. I promise I'll tell them all about your mother. And when you make it home, I'll tell you anything you want to know about her."

"Thank you." Before I lose my courage I add, "If I die, will you see to it that Will's okay? He hasn't been himself since his games and I don't know how he's going to handle it if he has to watch me die."

Father bows his head. "Will was like family before he went into these games. I'll make sure he's taken care of if anything happens to you."

We sit in silence and I just enjoy being held by Father in these last few moments together. I feel almost at peace in his arms.

A peacekeeper slams the door to the room open interrupting the peace. "Time's up!"

Father stands and places a kiss to my forehead. He gently pets my hair down as tears slowly fall down his cheeks. "I love you, Molly," he says calmly. " I know you can do this. Stay strong and fight until the very end."

The peacekeeper grabs my dad by the arm in frustration and hauls him from the room. But it makes not different, Father said his peace and willing leaves, no matter how much he really didn't want to.

The door is shut for only a moment before Mason, Morgan, Maddie, and Myron enter. Maddie and Myron launch themselves at me and are crying and saying things all at once. I can't concentrate on anything they say. But I keep hearing 'I love you' and 'You can do this.' As well as 'Stay strong' and 'Don't give up.'

Mason and Morgan move us to the loveseat I sat upon merely moments before with Father. They sit in the floor in front of us and place a hand each on my knees. After some time, I sit Myron and Maddie up. I've let them have their tears with me but just like with Father, I don't want this to be our final moments together. So instead, I strike up conversation with them. I tell Maddie about the dress I was working on and ask her to finish it. I also ask her to see to it that Father doesn't stay up to late working on his projects.

As for Myron, I whisper into his ear to never blame himself for mother's death again. I tell him if he ever feels upset about this to find father and talk to him about it. I'm not as close with Mason and Morgan but we still talk about things here and there. I ask them to help keep an eye on the younger ones; Morton, Maddie, and Myron. As well as Mira. As much as she doesn't like to admit it, she needs looking after as much as anyone else.

Instead of shedding tears, I sit amongst my siblings and share funny stories from our childhood. I want them to remember the good times if I don't ever get to see them again. We do this until the Peacekeepers come and announce that time's up. Mason and Morgan give me a lasting hug before Myron and Maddie wrap their arms around me once more. Mason and Morgan have to pry them off of me and pull them from the room so that the Peacekeepers don't do it for them.

I'm left alone for a moment before the door opens and in step the twins. Melvin and Melva merely join me on the loveseat. Melvin wraps an arm around my shoulder while Melva wraps her arms around my arm on her side. They don't have a huge show of tears or telling me to be strong and come home.

Instead they tell me stories of what I was like when I was younger. All the trouble I would get up to. They share stories and we laugh and enjoy this time alone as if we were merely sitting in the common area of the apartment above the shop.

However as it gets near time to leave Melva whispers into my ear, "We need you Molly. You're the sensible one. You hold us together like glue. Go into those games and do what you have to do. Just come home to us. We are your family. We won't think any differently of you. Do what you have to so you can come home."

With that the Peacekeepers come in and announce their time is up. Melvin and Melva give me one last hug each and tell me that they love me before exiting the room.

The door isn't even closed all the way before Mira and Morton enter the room. Morton throws himself at me and bear hugs me.

"You have to win Molly!" he sobs. "Please!"

Morton breaks down and I can't hold back my sobs anymore. I've shed tears but true sobbing just hadn't happened yet. I've seen Morton cry only a few more times than Father. Morton holds on to me for dear life as he sobs. As my sobs subside Mira slowly wraps her arms around me.

"We haven't always gotten along. But you're my sister. I need you." I look up and lock eyes with her. "You've always been a better big sister than I have. I was never good with dealing with the fighting siblings and mediating chores. I couldn't handle the drama that Morton and Myron always seems to have. I know that you never really connected to our older siblings because you were always keeping an eye out for the younger three. I'm sorry for that. I made you grow up far before you should have had to."

I shake my head. "Mira, I don't feel that way. I know you aren't a people person. You can't force something on yourself that just isn't in you. I don't want you to feel like you owe me. I don't want you to feel guilty for the stuff in the past. Just live your life to the best of your ability." I glance down at Morton whose sobs have subsided but is still crying heavily. I lower my voice and move closer to her. "If I don't come back, watch out for him, will you? I know you're not into emotions but he's not either. Just be there. That's all he'll need."

She nods her head. "Of course." She looks down at her hands and holds one out to me. "I want you to have this as your District token."

Mira opens her hands and I see mother's locket. She opens it and on one side is the last photo mother and father took together. On the other is the picture we took last summer of all of us kids.

I reach up and hold onto the necklace mom gave me. It's the only thing she really gave me. It's a simple chain with pair of scissors dangling from it. It was father's gift to her when she became a master seamstress.

Mira sees my hesitance. "I'll keep it safe for you. I promise. I want you to wear the locket as a remainder of what you're fighting for. I know the other's have probably said this but I know you can win. Out of all of us you have the best shoot. I know this is scary and you're being strong for us. Just know it's okay to show weakness. Our family will not judge you and if the other tributes see you as weak, they will never see what you are truly capable of."

Before I can say anything in response, another Peacekeeper enters and announces that time's up. Out of all my meetings, this is the one that I don't want to end. It seemed to pass the fastest as well, most likely due to my time crying with Morton.

I take off my necklace as the Peacekeeper announces times up again and hand it to Mira. She hands me the locket and leans forward to kiss my forehead. "You can do this, Molly. We believe in you."

The Peacekeepers pull a sobbing Morton off of me and Mira follows them calmly from the room.

I'm alone for the first time since realizing that I am likely to be dead soon. Most likely dying in a tragic death to a Career Tribute that spent their entire lives training to kill. I shake the thoughts of my possible death from my mind and move to the single window of the room.

Most of the crowd in the main square have moved on. Only a few groups stay huddled together here and there. There will be a crowd of people to see Jasper and I off at the train station, many of which will be Capital journalists and photographers. The multitude of District 8, however, will be tucked away in homes eating a late lunch or preparing for an early dinner.

Thousands of kids will be counting their lucky stars to not have been chosen this year and several hundred will be heaving a sigh of relief to have gone seven years without being subjected to the Hunger Games. I remember each and every single one of my siblings final Reapings. Father would throw them a feast for escaping the hell that I myself am about to enter into.

My gaze moves from the Square below me to the many buildings beyond it. District 8 is larger than some of the districts but it's not the largest by far. From the looks on TV, I would say that it is most depressing districts. We are nothing but buildings and pavement for miles. I've never seen a tree up close before and I've only seen a few patches of grass in my entire lifetime.

Our weather isn't much better either. Most of the winter months are spent under a heavy blanket of snow. Spring is a downpour of near constant rain. Summer and a few weeks of Fall are our best months. The sun shines but it's never scorching hot.

A knock from the door draws my attention away from the window. Kaila has already let herself into the room and stands frowning slightly.

"My dear! You are a mess! What happened?" she shrieks.

I look down and realize that the front of my blouse is covered in wet spots and a few boogers here and there. My gaze finds a large mirror hung on the wall and I see that my hair has fallen from my carefully placed pins this morning. The curls and frizz that I carefully tamed this morning have made a comeback. As much as I hate it, I have to agree with Kaila.

"I just can't have you go out there like this. Hurry! Fix your hair while I go find you something to cover up with," she orders before hustling out of the room with more pep in her step than I could have in high heels.

Facing the mirror again, I comply with what she says because I know she's right. I can't go out there in front of the cameras looking a mess. If I have any hopes of getting sponsors, I'm going to have to clean up and put off a good image. One thing I have learned after years of being forced to watch the Games is that the Capital love the better looking and more put together tributes.

So while Kaila is gone I carefully pull each pin from my hair and run my fingers through it to get out the knots that have formed. I roll portions of my hair and pin them back amongst the curls. I leave part of my hair down because I didn't to grab a hair tie this morning and with my hair in such a state, I'll never be able to carefully pin everything back into place. When I'm done, my hair has lost half is volume and looks semi-respectable.

Kaila comes back in with a white button-up blouse on a hanger and holds it out to me. "It's all I could find on such short notice. One of the Mayor's assistants had it hanging in her office. It's nothing with flare but it'll do." She gazes over my hair and sighs. "Your hair will have to do. Honestly, I wish you all had the products we do in the Capital. It would make your life so much easier."

I take the hanger from her and don't comment on what she said. Instead I merely thank her politely.

"No need for that dear," she says with another smile. Kaila reaches forward and pinches my cheek. "It's what I'm here for. Now, hurry up and change. I'm going to gather Jasper and then we will need to be on our way. We are on a tight schedule and need to keep it!"

Kaila saunters out of the room and closes the door behind her. Shake my head at the rather….unusual Capital woman. I pull my blouse off, careful not to disturb my hair, and slip the button-up on. It's a size smaller than I would normally wear and hugs my body more than I am use to. I don't complain though. It's far nicer than my wet and snotty blouse.

Since it's so small, I don't have to tuck it in to my skirt but I still take the opportunity to smooth my skirt out. I ensure that the wet stains don't show on the black and red flower pattern. As I'm smoothing it out, I realize that Mira's locket is still in my pocket.

Pulling it out, I examine it carefully. I know that this locket once belonged to my grandmother. Mother had inherited it when she passed away. She was only 8 when she died. It's beautiful even with it's age. It's oval shaped and has intricate designs carved into the metal. It's darkened with age but I have no doubt in my mind that it's just as beautiful as the day it was made.

The door before me swings open and I find Kaila standing there with three Peacekeepers lurking behind her. "Are you ready to go, dear?"

The answer to that is no. I'm not ready to go. I'm not sure how anyone could be ready to face the hell that awaits me. I don't voice these opinions though. Instead I give a slight nod of my head and exit the room with my head held high.