After Ray and I had basically devoured everything in sight, he shook my shoulders lightly.
"Hey, Mags.." he said, pointing to a chubby woman in a bright green dress sitting in the corner. "Know who that is?"
"Our escort?" I asked, putting down a fork.
"Well, yeah, but do you know who she IS?" He looked at me like it was obvious.
"No…" I began.
"That's the sea-witch." He whispered, staring at me. "Rumor has it that she gobbles up the tributes before they even get to the Capitol. All they find on the train is a pile of bones and a napkin right next to 'em. No one EVER in District 4 makes it to the Capitol. They're all dead before they even reach District 3. So I'd be careful if I were you…"
He smirked, teasingly.
"They do too, there's always District 4 tributes in the Hunger games…"
"But that's just it!" he said, grabbing my hands. "They use Capitol citizens for District 4! I mean, have you ever seen the tributes that got reaped in the arena?"
"Yes." I muttered, raising my eyebrows.
He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just don't come crying to me when she's at your door eating your arms and legs off…"
I shook my head, showing him that I thought it was all a lie.
"So…" he began again." How was the reaping for you?"
I turned my head to look at him. His face wasn't its normal smiley, teasing self. It was serious and held no emotion within it.
"The reaping…" I muttered, thinking back to this morning, and tears began to fill up my eyes at the mention of it.
The reaping had taken place in town square this morning, people sadly walking into the square, waiting for death. As they look up onto the stage, our escort comes up, clad in a beautiful, but slightly tacky, yellow dress.
"Welcome!" she says happily into the microphone. "The time has come for us to choose one male and female tribute for the wonderful honor of participating in this year's hunger games!"
Quickly, she strides over to the female glass ball, and shoves her chubby hand in. Then, she takes out a small piece of paper, probably the smallest paper out of all of them. She tears it open.
"Mag Silverfish?" she calls into the crowd. "Is there a Mag Silverfish here?" she taps her foot impatiently.
My stomach drops, and before I knows what's happened, I'm on the stage, staring into her bright blue eyes. She smiles at me. I don't smile back. Instead, I look out into the crowd, finally finding my mother. She has her head in her hands, crying. I want to reach out to her and comfort her, but I know I can't. I have to content myself with staring at her sadly.
"Mag?" Ray's voice drifts me out of my daze.
"Huh?"
"The reaping?" he asks again, staring at me with wide eyes.
"Oh, yeah, it was- it was fine.."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah.."
His eyes pierce into me, and I give up.
"Okay.. it wasn't really.. nice.."
This I guess is what he was waiting for, because he slings an arm around by shoulder.
"You know.. I was sad too.."
I just nod and look down at my lap.
"You wanna know the last thing my dad said to me?"
"Sure." I mutter, not looking at him.
"He said, "Ray, I don't like you. Never have. But honestly, make us proud. For mom's sake.""
I look up at him when he says this, and he chuckles. Then he stands up and yawns.
"Well, better be getting to bed. You should too, if you know what's good for you."
And with that, he tottles off to a room, and I do too. But just as I'm about to reach for the doorknob, he calls out.
"Mags?"
"Yeah?"
"Just remember, watch out for the Sea Witch!" He smiles teasingly and closes his door.
I try to sleep that night, but all that I can think about is Ray, my mother, and a vision of our escort chasing me around the room, trying to gnaw my legs off like a crazed mutt.