A/N: here is chapter two! This chapter will be longer, I promise
DISCLAIMER: all characters featured in the Hunger Games Trilogy belong to the wonderful Suzanne Collins. Maycee is mine though…..
"I am proud to announce, that the female tribute representing district twelve for the 77th Hunger games is" Effie pauses to unfold the paper in her hands.
"Maycee Holleepath!"
I freeze on the spot. No way. No way that I have just been picked, this has to be a dream! But I am flung back to reality when two huge peacekeepers grab me and haul me to the podium.
"It's OK sweetie! There is nothing to be afraid of!" Effie tries to encourage me, after that comment I just want to slit her throat. As I step up to the podium, my whole body feels numb. All I can think of is how my family are going to lose a second child to the Capitol's masochistic games. I can hear my mother screaming, I can't bear to look or I'll start crying too. The Reaping's are televised all over Panem, which means all of this year's tributes will be watching, and starting to weigh up the competition. I can't be seen as a weak little girl from district twelve, I have to keep my emotions intact, or I could be the first to die.
"Now, Maycee, meet your mentor for the games, Katniss Mellark!" Effie takes my hand and pulls me over to Katniss.
"Help me" I whisper as quietly as I can. Katniss just smiles and rubs my back. I sit down as Effie steps back up to the podium.
"Now it is time for the Male tribute!" Effie completes the same routine as before, except choosing the name from the boy's Reaping ball instead of the girls. "The male tribute from district twelve is" Effie unfolded the paper slowly. "Rory Hawthorne!" I think for a second. Rory is Gale's little brother, he is only twelve. From what I know, he hasn't had to sign up for Tesserae because Katniss has been hunting for their family. Poor kid, given a death sentence at twelve.
Little Rory slowly walks up to the stage, fear easy to see in his eyes. Mrs Hawthorne starts screaming and Rory turns around and starts bawling. The peacekeepers seem to be getting fed up with this noisy child, so they grab both his arms and drag Rory to the stage.
"Rory, meet your mentor for the games, Peeta Mellark!" Peeta shakes Rory's hand, but Peeta gives Rory a look of sympathy and hugs the child as well.
When Effie dismisses the district, Katniss, Peeta, Rory and I are lead into the justice building. We got given an hour to say goodbye to our family and friends, I finally broke down when I was talking to Mom.
"I'm sorry Mom, I promise I will try my best to come home" I manage to get out through the tears. Mom doesn't say anything, she just keeps hugging me. Dad couldn't say goodbye again, so he went back to the mines.
"Time's up" the peacekeeper says, then takes Mom's arm and leads her away. She still didn't speak. Katniss was next through the door.
"Hey Maycee" she sat down beside me. "I'm sorry you have to do this, I really wish these games didn't exist."
"I wish they didn't either, but I don't want your sympathy. I'm not coming home and neither is Rory. He's only twelve and I can't do anything! I can't hunt, I can't fight, I don't know what you can and can't eat in the wild and I can barely start a fire." I am pacing around the room by now. "I won't be surprised if I end up dead after the first five seconds" I say then slump down into another chair.
"Look, if you keep thinking like that, then no, you won't come home. Maycee, you are a fast girl, I have seen you when I was still at school. Use your speed as an advantage, and don't let the other tributes get to you before the games start. Got it?"
"I g-guess so" I stutter
"Good" Katniss replies "c'mon, it's time to get to the Capitol train"
This train is like nothing we have in district twelve for transporting coal. This train was sleek, fast and fancy, I was sure we would get to the capitol in less than a day. A peacekeeper from the Capitol led me to my room. It took up a whole carriage, what with the king sized bed, huge wardrobe and even my own bathroom. After about an hour, Effie took me into the dining carriage for dinner, also to watch the recap of Reaping Day from all of the districts. The majority of the other tributes were younger than fifteen; it seemed as if everyone was shocked at that. The oldest tribute is 16; she is from district one and I am petrified of her. This girl apparently named Dias was huge. She looked about twice my weight and the way she stares at the camera makes my skin crawl.
"This is wrong, the Capitol must be mad at something." Peeta says when he sees eight twelve year olds (including Rory) get called up to be tributes. The rest of the tributes included six thirteen year olds, five fourteen year olds, four fifteen year olds, then Dias.
"Peeta's right. The balls have been rigged" Katniss looks pissed. "Eight twelve year olds! Effie, do you know anything about this?" Katniss jabbed a finger in Effie's direction.
"No, I swear I don't. Even I don't like the amount of younger children; this won't make for an interesting year" Katniss looks as though she was going to hit Effie for that comment, but she managed to stay under control when Peeta started rubbing her back. I absolutely hate the idea of the games, but I think I may actually have a chance in these games, I mean this year, the Career tributes look as bad as kids from the seam. A lot of them are very scared; none look like they can fight.
"Okay then, Maycee, Rory, it is time to meet your prep team for the games!" Effie said, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. Rory and I are lead into separate rooms, in my room I am met with three eccentric women from the Capitol. They all looked like triplets; each girl had bright green hair, blue skin and green lips.
"Hello Maycee! I'm Treena, and this is Seeney and Leisha. We three are proud to be your prep team for the games, and our leader, Kay-lee will see you when we are finished."
"Ok then…" I say carefully.
"Right!" the one I think is Leisha says. "Let the prepping of the next Hunger Games champion begin!"
Chapter two is done! Please be nice and review :D