The Reaping

Katniss's POV

Today is the reaping day. My nerves have not stopped. I try to ignore the fact that Prim is 14 and there's a chance it could be her. In my usual hunting place, i see Gale to my right and forest to my left. I walk to the forest to retrieve my bow and arrow, but Gale stops me.

"Are you okay Catnip?" he asked concerned, "I'm worried about you." His concern resonated with me, and i wanted nothing but to be able to embrace him and his compassion.

"I'm fine," I lied. I know that Prim is 14, but I just can't face the fact that she can get reaped this year. I don't know what I would do if she went into the games and didn't come back. She's my sole reason for hunting every morning and taking care of my family.

I walk away from Gale to grab my bow and arrows from g where I stashed them as I make my way to the dense part of the forest. I silence my footsteps and move downwind, walking toward a flock of birds and can barely hear Gale follow me. With a rock in his hand, he throws it to the birds who immediately fly into the air. I notch an arrow at the birds, find a target, take a calm breath, and shoot.

I hear a bird call full of agony as it falls to the ground with an arrow in its eye. I go to retrieve it when i am surprised to hear the music playing in the town center where people are starting to gather.

"Shoot Gale! We're late!" We sprint to the edge of the forest where i put my weapons away with Gale following not far behind. We shimmy through the fence and I toss Gale the bird, "You need it more than I do," i ran for one last embrace before I sprinted away on the dirt path to my home.

Prim rushes up to me with tears in her eyes, and before I can see why, Mother is on the sofa frozen still because she knows Prim, her baby (not me), has a chance of getting reaped today. I walk up to my mother and pull her off the dirty, decaying sofa.

"What are you doing? You can at least try to be a mother for Prim!" I yell ferociously into her face, "Get UP!" I drag her into her room and throw an outfit at her as I storm out and pull Prim into her room and help her get dressed. i wipe her tears with my arm and pull her into a protecting embrace.

She picks out a blue blouse with a white skirt and twin braids in her hair. "Tuck in your tail you little duck," I say lovingly as I tuck in the back of her skirt. Walking both of us into my room to pick out our outfits, I settle on a plain light blue dress, with my hair in a single braid down one side.

When I come back to our living room I see mom at the door wearing the outfit I laid out for her. She stares at me as I take Prim's hand and we walk out of the house. i told tight onto Prims hand when we get to the square to get our fingers pricked and we split to our roped off sections. I gave Prim a kiss on the forehead,

"I love you, Prim, it'll be okay," i follow her with my eyes until i see her standing uncertainly in her age group, to scared to move or say anything.

Our escort Effie Trinket walks up to the stage and says the same speech about the rebellion and the usual video of the last hunger games. i look over to see Gale mocking the words with me,

"War, horrible war,"

Effie is looking quite grand today, she is wearing a big, curly, bright green wig and a dress made of silver plastic bubbles which I thought looked uncomfortable. She comes and stands at the front and says into the microphone,

"Welcome, welcome everybody to the 74th annual Hunger Games, and as always... ladies first."

I'm so nervous right now I can't breathe and I'm scared fo- "Primrose Everdeen."

Oh, no, oh no, oh no! I see Prim start to walk up to the stage and I start trembling and realize if i don't do something now, my Prim will go into the games. Making weird animal noises, i try desperately for them to come out as "I volunteer as tribute" but instead, they come out as "I gramblaooh azta tronboonia" I have tears in my eyes and i cant breathe. im paralyzed from everything down and i can't get a grip. The last thing i see Gale looking at me stunned and hurt from across the square until i feel my consciousness slipping, and the ground coming up at an unnatural pace.

Prims P.O.V.

I can't believe what just happened, Katniss was going to volunteer for me like she said she would, but didn't. I can feel my legs go numb as i methodically walk up to the stage. I remember to tuck in my 'tail' and try to ignore the stares of relief from the girls who weren't chosen.

"Well hello, sweetie, congratulations! Now for the male tributes." Effie says as she gracefully walks over to the boy's bowl and fishes out a name.

"Peeta Mellark," she sees a shocked boy in a faint red shirt, blue jeans, and blonde hair start walking very slowly towards the stage.

"Come on now! Up-it-y-up" Peeta makes his way over to me and takes my hand. When he looks at me, i see great sympathy in his eyes that I think that I might just cry. We put our hands up and I stand up there looking out over my friends who will think of me as just another District 12 girl who is sent off to her death. I see my mother, who has left her space in line and is walking inside the Justice Building, the peacekeepers carrying Katniss with her.

Effie takes us inside and to our separate rooms where Gale bursts in and gives me a big hug, "I'm so sorry Prim, this will be terrifying to you and I don't know what I'll do. Be safe out there and find any weapon that suits you, and just please...stay alive, for Katniss. i believe in you Prim, you can do this." I feel the tears well up in my eyes as I hug Gale until he is swept away from me by the peacekeepers.

Mom walks in with Katniss who immediately runs to me embraces me while apologizing rapidly. She hands me something behind my back, the Mockingjay pin she got it from the Hob this morning. i take the pin and put it on my shirt.

Mom kisses my cheek and tells me she loves me and to be brave, but by the look in her eye, i can tell she thinks she its saying goodbye. She pulls me in for a tight embrace, then walks out of the doors, leaving only Katniss and me in here.

She hugs me in a warm loving hug and apologizes for not volunteering but I quickly shush her and look her in the eyes. "i don't know if i can do this," i whisper, "This might be goodbye." She shakes her head ferociously, "No, you can do it, i know you can, you're just like me. Remember when i took you out hunting and taught you how to survive for a couple of days. it's just like that." i looked hopelessly in her eyes. "Knives are your best bet, you have amazing aim, and you're strong and smart. you once carried Alex on your shoulders to our house just to save him." i kept on listening. "And hunting, you know how to do that, i taught you how to shoot, and your mentors can teach you too."

"But killing," I whined hopelessly, but Katniss shut me up. "Don't think of it like that. its kill or be killed. don't trust anybody, and if you have to kill someone you will. i love you Prim. you can do this." She gives me one final embrace and looks me dead in the eyes. "Don't let them know how strong and smart you are until the end. ill be watching" I'm in the middle of saying my goodbyes when peacekeepers come in and remove her from me, taking away the last of my strength.

Alex walks in after that, my best friend Alex comes in and hugs me. "We're all rooting for you Rose. Be our superstar." He kisses me on the cheek and looks me in the eyes with a love ive never seen him show before. I stare on helplessly as he walks out the door, the still radiant feeling of his lips on me.

Knowing i need to be strong now. I put the pin on my shirt and walk out of the room and to my right of the fancy hall where I see Effie and Haymitch who both nod and shake hands and motions for me to join Peeta on the train.

When I get on, I notice a big pile of food on a nearby china table filled with just about anything I've ever wanted! "Is this all for us?" I ask Effie with starving puppy eyes. She smiles at me nods her head, "Why, this is all yours! Enjoy" She pats my head then walks away mumbling to herself about cute sweet.

I'm full of hunger so I make my way to get a plate of steak with spicy lemon sauce and a plate full of fruits and veggies. ive never had food like this before. I finally get to the desert where I take a big slice of chocolate cake and marshmallow ducks covered in chocolate. Peeta watches me eat in fascination and gets himself a plate of food and sits down across from me. Haymitch comes in grabs some alcohol of some kind and sits himself down next to me. Peeta can hardly contain his eagerness.

He silences the nagging Peeta and lets his eyes hang over me. "Oh young Prim. I think you should play Johanna, act small and weak, then show what you know how to do" Haymitch looks pleased with himself as I correct him. "I'm sorry, but you don't have to worry about me pretending to be weak because I am weak! I can barely use any weapon." I say sadly "I'm just another blank tribute who dies so the games can go on."

Peeta looks shocked to hear the words utter from my mouth, and Effie gasps. "Oh! Sweet child don't you ever say that again!" She looks appalled, but somehow Haymitch only seemed amused. He studied me for a moment before, then said, "Primrose Everdeen, I will make you so good with a bow and knives that those careers won't know what hit them."