Sorry this was so short! I didn't have as much time. ;)
CHAPTER TWO
I felt the squeeze of a hand on mine. It was brief, but it was comforting. I stared into Magaly's deep green eyes, which Daddy often commented on how much they looked like Grandma's.
Grandma didn't want me to wear the dress; it was the one she was reaped in, so she's afraid it would bring bad luck. The nervousness of the situation creeps up on me again, but I forced myself to stay calm. So Arnetta and Arletta would be calm, too. I was the example for the three of us...I am the most likely to be chosen, considering I'm 17. The Capitol woman who was drawing the names approached the girl's bucket. Fausta, I think her name was. I suddenly let out a gasp of pain, and fell to my knees. Magaly gripped my shoulder hard, bending down to stare straight into my eyes. Her face wiggled for a moment in my vision, before coming into focus.
"Are you alright?" She asked, concern etched into her face. I gripped my lower stomach, and gritted my teeth.
"Fine," I got out. "Just a cramp...I-I think." I pullet myself to my feet.
"Are you gonna be sick?" She asked, looking suddenly scared. I shook my head, and brushed the dust off my knees. I stood up at attention, ready to hear the names. I thought my name, seconds before my thought was spoken aloud.
My head reeled, but I had been expecting it. I was also hoping I was wrong. But what is the Capitol known for? Crushing hopes. I swallowed hard and tried to move my jelly-like legs up the stairs to the stage. To look at the faces staring up all around me. To know I will probably never see any of them, ever again. Some were angry, some sad, some excited, some relieved. It took everything I had not to look at Grandma and Daddy, and Magaly or Retta, who was screaming by the other little girls, held back by a couple of peacekeepers. I was just glad it wasn't my sisters. Arnetta opened her mouth, perhaps to volunteer, but quickly closed it shut at a tiny shake of my head. Fausta reached her hand into the bowl with the boys' names. She didn't talk much, but had a grin so wide it looked surgically altered. It gave me cold chills, similar to when I fished in the winter. I tried not to look at it.
"Filiberto Kopke," she squeaked out in her Capitol accent. I felt an incredible pang in my heart when I saw the young man approach the stage. He looked older than he was. He spent long hours, usually the whole day, fishing, and he was usually tired. He had very dark circles under his eyes as he dragged himself up to the stage, two little girls wailing as they tried to run to their Daddy. I swallowed back tears. I was going back to the Capitol, which was one thing, but having to go back with someone who had children back home? It would make it all the more harder to kill him. I closed my eyes, and hoped for the best.