Chapter 2
"Samantha Lilly?" Nina called out for the third time. "come up to the stage, deary!"
Everyone around me stepped aside, leaving a pathway for me to walk down. I try to keep a straight face as I walk up to the stage. 'I can't cry.' I think to myself as I trudged up to the stairs, onto the stage.
I can hear my mother wailing whilst I stood next to Nina.
"Are there any volunteers for Samantha?"
Silence looms over the crowd, broken only by my mother's uncontrollable sobbing.
"Okay, let's get onto the boys, shall we?" She exclaims cheerfully, taking no notice of my mother. Nina reaches into the glass sphere containing the boys' names, grabbing a folded piece of paper.
"Mathew Sherlock." Escapes her lime green lips.
Near the back of the crowd, children move away from each other, leaving a pale faced boy standing, dumbstruck. His body radiating fear as he trudges up to the stage. He was taller than I thought - I'd seen him around at school. He was a quiet boy in the year above, he was harmless.
Nina finished her speech "thanking" everyone as they filed out of the square.
We were led inside the mayor's building and into a big, white office. A high ranking person proceeded to tell us about when we were leaving and to not pack or say goodbye. We were told that the Capitol train was waiting for us and that we were to board it immediately, without saying farewell to our families. Mathew and I walked out of the office and onto the Capitol train.
A breeze of warm air greets my face as I walk into the sleek, silvery train. The decor reflects the style of the capital; a sap-green sheepskin carpet, teal leather sofas and a table made out of what seemed to be moulded diamond.
"You two are extremely lucky to be chosen, look at the luxuries you get to enjoy!" Nina told us using her bubbly voice.
I felt sick at the thought of enjoying these luxuries - after all, I'll be dead and shipped back in a wooden box to my family. Mathew seems to have the same opinion.
"You two should get some rest, we've all got a big day tomorrow! We'll reach the Capitol by midday tomorrow."
Great, only 24 hours until I get ogled at by the judgemental citizens of the Capitol, with even more outrageous fashion than Nina.
Mathew and I walk into our bedrooms; he leaves again, probably getting his last views of the plains that made up District 11.
I climb into my bed and pull the duck feather quilt over my shoulders, drifting into an uneasy sleep.