Authors Note
Hello again! So here's Chapter 2 of my first fan fiction! I'd like to say thank you to symphonycirrus for my very first review! This is a slightly long chapter. Please tell me in a review if you think that I've maybe followed the book to closely? As I was writing this I started to think I might have been a bit to...you know...sameish. I didn't want to really go off to much because I do want it to be the whole experience of the Hunger Games from Gale and Madge's point of view. What do you think? Read, review, follow and favourite...Thank you! (Long Authors note OVER!)
:D
I end up walking to the reaping by myself, my mother unable to move out of her bed, and my father already gone. Our house keeper, Jenny, offered to walk me, but with my mother in such an awful state, I wanted her to stay at home. It's always like this when the Hunger Games gets closer. I know she can't help it, but I can't help feeling a little resentful towards her. She's been absent most of my life. I haven't been able to have a bond with my mother like most kids do. I can't go to her when I'm upset, I can't ask for advice on things; it's even difficult to keep a five minute conversation going between the two of us.
I wish she were there to comfort me this morning. To tell me I won't get picked. To stroke my hair and tell me everything will be OK. But that's too much to wish for. I knew it wouldn't happen, yet I still have the bitter resentment deep down in my stomach.
As I get closer to the square, where the reaping is held, the fear bubbling in my stomach is getting worse, giving me a constant reminder that maybe, just maybe, it will be my name drawn from the ball. My mind flickers back to Gale, with all those slips, and how the odds are not in his favour.
As I reach the square, I look around at all the other town and Seam kids. I see a lot of the younger children hanging on to their mothers. Lucky them, actually being able to get the comfort of their mothers that I so much desire. I continue to look around, and I see my father up on the stage, getting prepared for the reaping. How long to go? I look at the big clock face that hangs on the front of the Justice building. 1:50. Ten minutes to go. I shift my eyes back to my father, and see he's looking at me too. He gives me a nod, and then goes back to what he was doing before. Ok, I have to stay calm. Before I even know it, my eyes lock on to Gale Hawthorne.
He's already stood in the section for eighteen year olds at the front, near the stage. I can't seem to make my eyes move off of him. I'm entranced. He's in a pale blue shirt that looks like the buttons may just ping open at any minute as his broad shoulders and muscle strain against them. I could just walk over there and rip his shirt right off. Wow, Madge, getting a bit ahead of yourself there. I still haven't collected my thoughts when his Silver eyes find mine, and I find myself lost again as I stare in to them. He blinks, and in that small second, he's gone, and he's looking elsewhere. Great, he probably thinks I'm some sort of creeper.
…
I hate to admit it, but she has the most amazing eyes. There like the clear sky on a summer's day. I could just stare in to them for hours. Hmm, that's slightly creepy. What is it about her? It's because you can't have her, and you never will.
I'm brought back to reality by the bells. 2 O'clock. The mayor steps up to the microphone, and starts his speech on the history of Panem, the country that rose up out of the ashes of a place that was once called North America. I zone out and just stare at the ball full of boys' names. 42 have my name on. And then I find myself looking at the ball of girls' names. Madge's name is on 5. Just 5 slips. There I go again, thinking of Madge. I shake my head to get her out of my mind. 20 slips have Katniss Everdeen on and one with her little sister Prim on. I hope with all my might that neither gets picked.
The mayor is now listing District 12's previous victors. In 74 years of Hunger Games, we've had two. Only one is still alive. As he reads the name, Haymitch Abernathy staggers on stage, clearly drunk and falls on to one of three chairs set up. The other seats Effie Trinket, the District 12 escort, and the other is empty as the mayor pauses. Haymitch receives a round of applause, as he throws his arms around Effie, who looks so uncomfortable and flustered, as she tries, and fails, to fend him off.
Once again, District 12 will be the laughing stock of Panem, as there are camera men everywhere capturing the reaping. The mayor, trying to get things back on track, introduces Effie Trinket up to the microphone.
Still flustered from her little reunion with Haymitch, she comes up to the microphone, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" She recites in her ridiculous Capitol accent. Her pink wig has been left slightly askew after her encounter with Haymitch, and proceeds to give a speech.
I search the crowd for Katniss, and as my eyes meet hers, I can't help but give her a smile. My best friend just mimics me and gives me a flash of a rare smile. It fades quickly and I can tell she's worrying about me. She needn't. She should be worrying about herself.
"Ladies first!" Effie's voice rings out. Her hand darts in to the ball, hovers over numerous pieces of paper, before grasping one and pulling out. She walks back to the microphone and unfolds the paper. I realise I've been holding my breath, and remind myself to breathe.
…
"Primrose Everdeen!" My eyes widen in shock. Katniss' little sister has been plucked out of the reaping ball. How is it possible, little, sweet Prim, being chosen out of thousands? I know for a fact that she had only one slip in that ball, Katniss wouldn't let her take out tesserae. I can't believe it. I look beside me to the spot where Katniss had stood next to me, but she's gone. It takes a second to find her again, making her way towards her defenceless sister. The other girls have stepped out of her way to make a clear path, and she follows in a shocked trance.
"Prim!" She lets out a strangled cry. "Prim!" She cries again, but the peacekeepers keep marching Prim forward. Katniss grabs her arm just before she reaches the stairs and pulls her little sister behind her.
"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute."
Now it's my turn to go in to shock. Katniss. My one and only friend. The only girl that can look me in the eye with nothing but warmth. She staggers up the steps to the stage. Is this really happening? In a matter of a few seconds? This can't be real.
But it is.