It was as though the clouds had all covered the bright, sunny day, and the sky was nothing but grey and dreary.
The air had whooshed from my lungs, and I stood gaping, choking for air. Prim took a deep breath, tucked in her duck tail, and started to slowly walk to the stadium, as four Peacekeepers came to escort her.
The Peacekeepers blocking my sister from my sight kind of snapped me out of my shocked state.
I willed my legs to work and moved forwards a bit. 'Prim,' my voice came out weak and hoarse. She doesn't turn around, and nor do the Peacekeepers. 'Prim!' I say louder. 'Prim, no! I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!' I shout. Prim's facing me now, and I'm running to her. I open my arms and crash her to my chest, forcing the tears away.
'N-no, Katniss. Don't go!' Prim cried.I had to pull away just then, or I would never be able to.
Effie looks as though she's going to say something, but the mayor says, "No, let her. What difference does it make."
Prim is wailing as I pull her off me, so Gale comes forward to get her. Normally I would of been angry at him for doing this, but in this case I'm grateful.
"Alright then,' Effie says uncertainly. "Come on, dear. I won't bite."
I seriously thought otherwise.
I walked slowly up to the stadium, up the stairs, and beside Effie. "Now, I bet my buttons that was your sister?" Effie asks, her annoying voice back in full blast.
"Yes," I reply flatly.
"And what is your name?"
"Katniss Everdeen." I'm afraid I'll burst out crying, I really am. Especially with Prim shouting and crying in the background, and Peeta looking at me like someone's just told him he's going to die.
"Now, next is boys!" Effie says, and leaves me standing there by myself as she goes to the other big bowl filled with boy's names.
She does the dramatic hand thing again, and puts her hand in the bowl, then takes it out again with a piece of paper.
Moving over to my side to speak into the microphone, she says, "Peeta Mellark!"
Oh no. Not him. I see the shock register on his face, and then he's moving up to the stadium. Faster and more strong-looking than me, I might add. No, I don't want my Peeta to go into the arena. He just can't!
He goes to stand on one side of Effie, me on the other.
"Well, here we have two courageous tributes from District 12! Shake hands, please." Effie says. She backs away a bit, to give me room to see Peeta. I look into his crystal, sea-blue eyes, and almost break down then and there. The sorrow in them, the sadness, the.. determination?
I'm confused for a moment, and then remember I'm supposed to shake Peeta's hand. But we don't.
Instead, I pull him to me with such force I'm almost whinded. His arms are wrapped around me, crushing me to him. I accidentally let out a little tear, but it's quickly dismissed as I pull away.
We're escorted through big doors into the Justice Building, and Peeta goes into one room while I go in the other.
While waiting for my visitors to say my farewells with them, I take a moment to study the room I'm in.
It's very fancy, and big. There are red velvet sofas, a fireplace, and even pictures of past District 12 mayors. I slump down onto one of the sofas, and knowing no one will see me just yet, I start to cry.
I cry for the fact that Prim was almost taken by the Capitol, that even though she was saved, I'm still going to have to leave her.
I cry for the fact that Peeta and I might have to kill each other. I also cry for the fact that we won't come back to District 12 alive.
Once I'm all sobbed out, I just sit down and act miserable.
Soon after, the door opens and I look up. Prim comes rushing in with my Mother, and she jumps into my lap, crying once again. I hold her to me, whispering soothing words,and stroking her golden hair.
After a while we pull away, when Prim puts something in my hand. It's the Mockingjay pin I gave her earlier on today. "For luck." she mumbles. I smile and pin it to my dress, then look up at my Mother who was watching us.
I got up and walked over to her, putting my hands on her shoulders.
I stared into her baby blue eyes, and said, "You've got to promise me you won't black out again. I won't be there, so Prim needs you. Promise me."
"I-I promise." she says.
I study her, then see the water in her eyes. "Don't. Don't cry."
She nods, and seems to pull herself together, so I give her a big hug. I know she zoned out and left me and Prim to fend for ourselves as she was succumbed to her depression after my Father died in the mine explosion, but she couldn't help it. She lost someone too that day, and you can't help having an illness.
A Peacekeeper then came in and told us our time was up, so I nearly started getting teary again but thankfully, I didn't. Too much of my Father in me.
I sat down again once they left, feeling empty. I heard the door open once again, and looked up, wondering who it could be.
It was Gale.
I stared confusedly at him. "Gale-?"
He silenced me with a kiss. A kiss? What?
He had my face cupped in his hands, and the kiss was soft.
I didn't care. He was rude, and he was kissing me!
I aggressively shoved him off me, wiping my mouth on my arm.
"What are you doing?" I shout. "I-I have a boyfriend! And when have you ever taken any notice in me?"
He looks quite put off, and just walks out of the room. I stood speechless, my face red from what he'd just done.
A while later, while I was still standing in the exact same position, a Peacekeeper came in and told me it was time to go. I complied, with him holding my upper arm, much to my annoyance.
I met Peeta at the car with Effie, and saw that his face was red and puffy. I wonder if I look like that too. He gives me a weak smile, which I return.
We get into the car, with Effie in the middle, and she chatters on about how 'grand' the train is.
I can hear Peeta crying, and I want badly to comfort him, but this Capitol lump is separating us.
Well I don't care. I reach over Effie, take Peeta's hand in mine, give it a reassuring squeeze, and say determinedly, "We'll get through."
We both know the lie in that statement, but we don't say anything else as we arrive at the train station.