Prim sleepover here last night. She was afraid. Afraid she was going to be reaped. Afraid that she was going to die. I did the thing that seemed right. I hugged her and whispered that everything was going to be fine. It didn't work so well like it does when it's you, but it helped a little. Rory is afraid too, but he doesn't show it. There's 10 papers with his name on it. At least Prim only have two. I look around. Prim is sleeping with my mom, and Rory is sleeping in the bed besides mine. He seems peaceful. Maybe he didn't notice that today is the day of the reaping. I wish I could volunteer for both of them. But I can't protect them both, Catnip. But I can't let her die. Not after what you did for her.

I get up slowly, not moving my back to much. It's full of scar, but I'm not sure if the wound will open if I move too much or something. It has been 2 weeks, though. Since tomorrow is Sunday, I still have a free day. I go to the kitchen, and I see my mom sitting in the couch, worried.

"Is Prim alright?" I ask.

"Still sleeping." We stay quiet for a few moments.

"I'm going for a walk." I mumble, and leave. I have an idea, Catnip. I'm going to safe your sister, no matter what. I'll do what you'd have wanted me to do. Keep her safe. Keep her alive.

I stop in the front of the major's house, and I think what should I do know. I mean, normally we had some strawberries to give him, and we weren't here to ask his daughter to volunteer to death. But, fortunately, I won't have to say such thing to him. Madge is in the backyard, reading a book.

"Madge!" I call, and she looks at me, with a harsh look in her eyes. And now I remember what I said to her last time I saw her. "I… Well… I'm sorry." I say. I know that if you were here, you'd be rolling your eyes at my stupid attempt to apologize. "But I need your help."

"Oh, now you need my help?"

I clenched my teeth. "Don't be rude." I can hear your voice in my mind. "You need her. Don't be rude."

"Yes. Yes, I do. Please. Is about Katniss."

She looks at me again, and now she's interested.

"What do you want?"

"You know them. They'll get Prim reaped. And they'll kill her in the arena, and you know it. They'll do that to show that fighting is hopeless."

"But what I can do?"

I took a deep breath.

"I need you to volunteer for Prim." She opens her mouth, afraid, of course. She's doesn't want to volunteer. "Please. If you go in her place, I'll volunteer for the boys, doesn't matter if it's Rory or not, and in the arena, I'll make sure you get home alive. I promise."

"I'll volunteer." She says slowly. "But I don't want you to try to keep me alive. If Rory doesn't get reaped, you won't volunteer. And if he does, in the arena, we'll be both apart. I don't want your help. Just because I'm the major's daughter doesn't mean I'm useless. I can stay alive by myself." I look into her eyes hoping that she's kidding with me, but she's dead serious.

"Right." I say. "If you say so." I lie.

"Gale, promise me you won't volunteer for me. Promise me. Promise me in the name of Katniss."

"I… I promise." I mumble.

I swear, Catnip. Her pride is going to kill her.

I get home, and I see that Prim isn't here anymore.

"She went home." Rory says, and when I look at him, I realize he's wearing his best clothes, that were once mine. "To get ready." He seems like he wants to say something.

"Yes?"

"Look, Gale, you… You don't need to volunteer if I get reaped. I'm not afraid. I can survive. I can win." I sigh. He's trying to act like he stronger than everyone thinks. Like you did, Catnip. But he's only 13. And there will be 47 other people in the arena. That means 12 careers. This is a scary thought even for me.

"Nice try, buddy. Now let's go." I say, as I get up, and leave the house with him. My mom, Posy and Vick are probably there. I can imagine what is going to be like next year. Rory can get reaped. Vick can get reaped. I just hope this all ends before Posy can get reaped.

When we get there, it doesn't seem so different for the last year. There is the major, sitting in his chair, Haymitch. This year he seems even more drunk, but probably too depressed to do a show like last year. He cared about you, Catnip. There's also Effie sitting next to him. She liked you too, because she seems slightly sad today. And then, the difference of the year. The new mentor. Peeta Mellark, wearing expensive Capitol's clothes. His eyes are out of focus. Probably wanting you to be besides him, or even in his place. He have the peacekeepers in the corners of the place, and I see Prim standing on the second line in the girls side, looking quite pale, and wearing one of your old dresses. I also see Madge in the last line, and she looks at me and nods. I would never forgive myself if she dies because of something I asked her for. The major gets up and say the same speech he says every year, and then, he sit down. We have to watch the stupid video of the stupid story of this stupid country once again. And then, Effie gets up, and walk to the microphone.

"First… The girls." She puts her hand in the glass ball, and grabs a tiny paper. "Emma Parker!" a pale girl, with probably 15 years old, walks to the stage. She has black hair, and green eyes. She isn't from the Seam. I would know her. I don't remember seeing her before. Probably I've spot her in school, but never payed much attention to her. No one volunteer for her. Effie puts her hand in the ball again, and grabs the second paper. I close my eyes, and say to myself "Please, don't be Prim, don't be Prim."

"Primrose Everdeen!"

But it is. Of course it is. Is the Capitol that we're talking about. They have no mercy. She fixes her blouse, putting it inside the skirt, and starts walking to the stage. I fix my eyes in Madge, and she's frozen in her place. After a few seconds, she opens and her mouth and say out loud. "I volunteer!" she says, looking just like you, getting in the middle of the peacekeepers. She isn't pushing, or desesperate like you were. But she's scared. Prim is completely lost, so I pull her out of the way, and get her back to her mother, who hugs her tight. Madge is up in the stage now, close to that Parker girl. She looks at me, with a severe look, probably don't wanting me to volunteer to help her. But I promised in your name, Catnip. So of course I couldn't break that promise. Effie is asking her her name and why did she volunteer. I don't hear the name of the boy that follows Madge, because I'm too busy making sure Prim's okay. But it's a boy from the Seam. Tobias, I think. He's 12, and has no siblings, so no one volunteered for him. He's really thin and looks like about to faint. Effie is once again with the hand looking for other paper, but now in the boys' ball. She takes a little piece of paper and reads.

"Rory Hawthorne!" Of course. He try to make it quick. To run to the stage before I can volunteer, but I'm faster than him.

"I voluunter as tribute!" I scream.

"Gale, you can't, you…"

I pass by him, ignoring his cries for me stop being so stupid. I won't let my little brother in that arena. I won't them take him from me like they did to you. I get in the stage, and Effie seems a bit exited. I can almost hear her thoughts. "Two volunteers? That's better than last year! I'm totally going to another district next year."

"What's your name, sweetie?"

I look at her, hiding and the disgust I feel for her and this whole games.

"I'm Gale Hawthorne." I say, in a low voice.

"So that's your brother."

"What do you think?" I ask, rudely. She backs off, and the peacekeepers take us to the building where we'll have to wait until they're ready to take us to the slaughter.