Forgive me for this chapter, okay? You'll see what I'm talking about in a minute...

Fun Fact of the Chapter: … I'll think of something later.

…..

Yon Trizzle, District Eight

"Yon, please. You're not just a robot, Yon. You're not just an order-following machine. You have personality! Trust me!" says Thera for the third time this week. We're sitting outside of her house on one of those public benches, bundled up in our coats and mittens. My family is still asleep.

"Okay," I say, blinking. "Sure. I can do that."

Thera hits her forehead with her palm. "No, Yon. That's not what I mean. You have to form your own opinions and actions, not just do what everybody else does!"

"All right. I'll form my own opinions."

She glares at me. "Not just because I told you to?"

I sigh. "Okay. You got me there. Thera, I just can't not follow orders."

"Yes, you can, Yon," she says encouragingly, smiling. "You have a personality, an opinion, buried deep inside of you. You just have to find it."

"Yeah. You're right."

Thera sighs again. "Yon, I—you know what? Never mind. I have to go get ready for the reaping. You should be heading home, too."

"Okay." I stand up and start walking in the opposite direction as Thera. "I'll see you at the reaping!" I call after her, and she nods as she ducks into her house.

My own house is only down at the corner, so I don't have to walk for very long. Avoiding the icy sheets that have formed along the sidewalk, I climb up the front stairs and and push open the door.

My mother stands there, waiting. As soon as I take off my coat, she starts screaming curse words at me. My mom is angry most of the time. I just stand there until it stops.

Finally, she sighs. "I'm sorry, Yon. Your father just went out on Capitol business, and I was afraid you might have accidentally followed him out. You were with Thera, weren't you?" I nod. "Well, okay."

She looks me over. "It looks like you're already dressed for the reaping, Good for you. Sit down at the table and eat while I get your sister, okay?"

I sit and eat the plate that's in front of me. Warm eggs and bacon, a treat. It's good food, and I dive right in.

I don't think a lot, you see. There's not a lot to think about. I know a lot of other kids my age would be thinking about the reaping, but I just... don't. I'm very dull, or so say the kids at school.

Mom comes down the stairs a minute later, Ren in tow. She's got her music chip in her ear and is lip-synching along to some Capitol pop star. According to Mom, she's not a very good singer, but Ren is convinced she's going to be the next big hit, once she gets to the Capitol. If she gets to the Capitol.

Ren eats her breakfast as I finish mine, and then we head off to the reaping. We walk to the City Square, because it's within walking distance. We technically have enough money for a car, but Dad says that he'd rather not get one. It would draw too much attention to us, he says.

As Ren and I stand in line to sign in, I run into Mr. Bates, my science teacher, and his family. He reminds me of the test we have next week and asks if I've been studying. I have, since he keeps telling us to. School is pretty easy for me; I just study what they tell me to and remember the facts. I don't enjoy it, but at least it's something.

I find Thera in the 15-year-olds section. We talk for a few minutes, but then we have to stop because the mayor has started his speech. He tells the history of Panem, introduces the victors—the same old speech that he does every year. Then the escort, Gregor Dellacroy, comes up. He's annoying, but then again, nearly all escorts are, according to Thera.

"Hey, District Eight! Are you ready to rock this reaping?" He's trying to imitate one of those Capitol rock stars, and isn't doing a very good job of it. No one, not even Ren, says anything.

"Well then... sheesh, tough crowd... Let's make this an awesome Hunger Games this year, okay? Let's shake it up and do the the guys first!"

Boys first? That's strange. I guess Gregor wants to make an impression on the Capitol escort-assigners.

"Yon Trizzle!"

That's me.

"Go on, then," Thera whispers to me, something—a tear?-glinting in her eyes. I walk up there, not looking at anything but the little glass bowl that held my name.

I'm not stupid, you know. I know what the Hunger Games are, what they do to people, how it's insanely hard to make it out alive. I know that I probably won't live to see another year, not when my life is pitted against twenty-three other kids'.

I don't care. At least, I'll try not to care.

But maybe... if somebody tells me what to do...

"Parker Bates!" Mr. Bates' 14-year-old daughter is called up to the stage, looking scared yet firm. There are no volunteers.

The mayor reads the Treaty of Treason, and we shake hands. Parker looks almost scared of me, though I can't imagine why. Is it because my dad works for the Capitol?

We walk over to the Justice Building for our goodbyes. Mom and Ren come in first, although Ren isn't really paying attention. We sit there in silence for a moment, and then Mom says, "I wish your father were here."

Now that she mentions it, I wish so too.

There's just more silence, until the Peacekeepers escort them out and Thera comes in.

"Yon!" She's actually crying, which is more than my family ever did. She rushes over to me and plants a kiss on my cheek.

What?

"Yon, please..." She trails off, crying some more. I'm still confused.

"Thera...?"

"I love you, Yon," she says through sobs. "I didn't know it until you were called... please come back... come back home... maybe you'll even... y'know, find yourself... in the Games..."

I take in a few breaths. "Thera?"

"Yes?"

"What do I do?" I ask. "To get home? Tell me what to do."

She looks up at me, her face a mix of incredulity and sadness. "I don't know."