Title: The 94th Annual Hunger Games
Based on: Hunger Games
Narrator: Katniss Everdeen
Summary: Let's say Peeta Mellark had died to let Katniss live, and there was no rebellion. The 75th Hunger Games was not for past victors, and Katniss goes on to be a mentor for District 12 along with Haymitch Abernathy.
CHAPTER 2: REAPING
It was time. I was sitting next to my good ol' drunken pal, Haymitch, and the mayor, Mayor Hawthorne, who was Gale's long-forgotten second-cousin's son. Effie Trinket, who hadn't changed a bit except for her bizarre outfit and makeup, was at the microphone, giving a boring "special" speech from the Capitol. Mayor Hawthorne already gave his speech, welcoming the 94th Annual Hunger Games.
My eyes scanned the crowd, the entire population of District 12. My old friend, Madge, was standing alone way in the back. She never married or had any kids, like me. We still talk sometimes, but more on the phone these days. Towards the center of the crowd, I spotted Prim and Lare and their three youngest kids, who weren't elligible for the reapings yet. Near them were Gale and his wife, Bree. I remembered with a pang that their only child, a thirteen-year-old girl whom I've only seen about two times at the most, had her name in the reaping bowl. I bit my lower lip nervously, trying to block out more bad memories...
It was after my Games, even after my Victory Tour. I was depressed and couldn't have a proper good night's sleep without nightmares, so I was always a wreck. Never presentable, unless Octavia, Flavius, and Venia were around. But they couldn't always be. And unfortunately, a month after I came back from the Victory Tour, Gale began to be interested in me despite the state I was in, not in a hey-we're-just-friends-right way, and actually kissed me on the cheek a few times. Then a year after that, he proposed to me, but I said no, in honor of Peeta, who had died for me. Peeta was the one I chose.
"...and here are our two mentors, Haymitch Abernathy and Katniss Everdeen!" Effie screamed into the microphone. I cringed. "Would you please give them a round of applause?" I forced my lips to smile, since the cameras were aimed at Haymitch and me for sure, for the whole Capitol and districts to see.
As I stood up to wave, Gale's and my eyes made contact. Gale's expression was hard to understand. It was stern, proud, sad, expectant, and questioning all at once. I looked away quickly and sat back down.
Then it's time for the drawing of the names once more. As always, Effie chirped, "Ladies first!" and headed to the girls' reaping bowl. She made a dramatic show of circling her hands around the inside of the bowl, swaying and wiggling her fingers. I looked down at the floor of the podium, getting a sense of deja vu. Exactly twenty years ago at this time, Prim's name was reaped and I had volunteered. Suddenly, I found it hard to breathe. Haymitch sneaked a swig of the beer bottle he hid in the inside of his jacket.
"This year's District 12 girl tribute is..." Effie paused, even more dramatically. I could feel the tension in the whole crowd. There was absolutely no movement. "...Faye Hawthorne."
Faye Hawthorne? Faye Hawthorne? Could it be... Gale's Faye Hawthorne? One look at Gale and Bree and I know for sure it's the Faye Hawthorne I've laid my eyes on.
"Faye Hawthorne!" Effie called out to the crowd. I tried to look for Faye, poor Faye. A second later, she was bravely coming up the stage, her face set. In the crowd, her mother was fiercely trying not to cry and Gale was looking everywhere except the stage. While I was in the process of shifting my gaze to Prim and Lare, I caught sight of Rob quickly wiping his face, but I couldn't figure out why. He was looking at the ground. I raised my eyebrows at Lare. He just shook his head slightly. Oh well.
Effie asked for any volunteers, and of course there weren't any. Then she congratulated Faye and headed to the boys' reaping bowl, doing the same dramatic hand gestures. She pulled out a name, and all I could do was hope and pray the slip of paper did not say Robert Thompson.
"...Floyd Ralph!"
Whew.
Floyd Ralph was a tall, lanky kid who looked about fifteen. Sadly, he did not look capable to lift a five-pound dumbbell easily. He even tripped going up the stage, which didn't seem like a good sign.
"Whoops!" Effie cried, bursting into a batch of annoying sniggers. She helped Flody steady himself. "Any volunteers for Floyd Ralph?" None. "And here are our tributes of District Twelve for the 94th Annual Hunger Games! Faye Hawthorne and Floyd Ralph! Let's give them a hand!" There's an applause, but it's solemn and depressing as people let out sighs of relief and give the two kids up on stage sympathetic looks.
Both tributes are lead inside the Justice building to have their hour of goodbyes. Haymitch and I follow them but go to other rooms inside the building. Just before the doors closed behind us, I took one last look at Prim and Gale.