The first thing I see when I open my eyes is my littlest sister, Iris, huddled up against me. It is reaping morning for the 74th annual Hunger Games and my little sister is scared. She isn't scared for her own life, but is scared for mine. It is my first year for the reaping and I already have my name put in five times. One is the one every twelve-year-old gets, but the other four are for terresae, a years supply of oil and grain for one person, in exchange for a name put in to the bowl. Like every kid in District 11, I am scared that I will be picked to go to the Capitol, to be made famous and live a life of luxury for a week and then to be locked into an arena with 23 other tributes to fight to the death. I know that if I'm picked, I won't survive. I'm small and weak and don't have many helpful talents except for some nature stuff. I would be up against people from other districts that are bigger, stronger, smarter, and a lot more likely to win than me. I put the thoughts aside and fall asleep again. I won't have to worry about the reaping until 2:00.
When I wake up again, everybody is still asleep except my 3rd youngest sister, Violet.
"Hey," I say, "Do you want to help me make breakfast?" She nods eagerly, her bushy, brown hair bouncing on her shoulders. We take some cornmeal and pour some goat milk in it. We make eight servings for the entire family. The next person who wakes up is Lily, my 2nd youngest sister. She sits down, tiredly, and eats her cornmeal mush. A few minutes later, Kaeya, my 4th youngest sister walks in and says good morning. Soon, my sister that was born a year after me walks in holding Iris's hand. "Good morning, Rose and Iris," says Violet. "Good morning," Rose replies. I hand Iris her breakfast and she sits down and eats. There is a silence between us for a while and then Iris starts telling Cyra about a caterpillar she saw the other day in the orchard. Father walks in and we all say good morning. He says he has business to do in town so he eats quickly, not talking much. A couple minutes after he leaves, my mother walks in. "Morning, girls" she says. When she passes me, she gives my shoulder a little squeeze. When she sits down, she catches Kaeya bugging Violet, and scolds, "Kaeya Meadow!" That's my last name, Meadow. Rue Lidia Meadow.
Unlike other districts, we are still required to work on reaping day. While Mother stays to get our outfits ready, Rose and I guide our sisters to the orchards. Climbing high in the trees is a family trait that we have received from our mother. We all split up into pairs like every day. I'm with Iris, Kaeya is with Violet, and Rose is with Lily. Iris and I go to an apple tree and I scurry around the high branches and throw down the fruit to Iris who catches them and puts them in the basket. It's a simple process and we're dismissed early to go home. Once there, I help Iris bathe and cleanse myself, too. Everybody has to look nice, if they qualify to be reaped or not. I put my hair into two bunches and slip on a slightly faded yellow dress that matches my gold-brown eyes. I examine myself in our cracked, dusty mirror. I turn around and find Iris struggling to put on a light lavender dress. I let out a soft laugh, "Need some help there little flower?" That's what my nickname for her is. Almost all of us are named after flowers, Iris, Violet, Rose, Lily, Rue. Kaeya is special. She was…different when she was born and we didn't think that she'd make it, but she did. Mother was so happy when she did, that she didn't just name her any flower; she named her Kaeya, which means monsoon flower. When I walk into the 2nd room in our house I see that Father is home and is helping Kaeya get ready. She is dressed in a slightly dirty white dress, Rose and Lily are in light pink dresses, and Violet is in a dress identical to Iris's. We eat a lunch similar to breakfast. "Well," says Father, "It's 1:45. We should head to town." We walk out the door and Iris suddenly yells, "Wait! I fowgot someting!" and dashes back inside. Iris is still 5 and talks a little different; just like any other five-year-old. She returns wearing a woven necklace that I made her when she was 3. I smile and wave her on.
When we get to town, I see that a crowd has already formed. I sign in and go to the roped off area for the twelve-year-old girls. My other sisters go with my parents to the family section. After a while, the mayor, District 11's mentors who are named Chaff and Seeder, and 11's escort, Tibithia, walk on to the stage. Tibithia does the usual introduction thing saying why we have the Hunger Games: "74 years ago, the districts of Panem rebelled against the Capitol; the districts lost and the Capitol made the Hunger Games, where they take 1 male tribute and 1 female tribute, in between the ages 12-18, from each district to go to the Capitol and become known and then fight to the death in an arena…on live television."
"Now," says Tibithia, "We pick our female tribute." She walks over to the right glass bowl and draws out a folded slip of paper. My heart pounds every time one of her feet make a step. My fingernails cut into my flesh as she unfolds the paper. I get extremely dizzy when her lips form the words, "Rue Meadow".
That's my name.