Chapter 1
"And now for the boys." Effie said As she walked over to the bowl that contained the names of all the boys in district 12 that were between the ages of 12 and 18. I was standing on stage. She called Prim. I couldn't let her go.in the arena. She was only 12. So I volunteered for her. Effie put her hand in the bowl and carefully chose one piece of paper. She then walked back over the microphone "The boy tribute for district 12 is.....Gale Hawthorne." My head shot straight up and I searched in the crowd of boys for Gale. He didn't look shocked. He did have his name in there 42 times. He slowly walked up to the stage, led by the peacekeepers. "Now, put your hands together for the tributes of district 12!!" Everyone clapped and cheered and yelled things like good luck. I was just trying not to cry. I wouldn't let it be that the last time they saw me, I was crying. So I stayed strong.
Effie then led us into the justice building and we got put in separate rooms. Just as I sat down, Prim came running in the room, crying. I embraced her in a tight hug. "It's going to be okay Prim. You can trade milk from Lady to get meat and mother will help you get meat as well. You're going to be okay." "Here, for protection." She passed me the mockingjay pin that I gave her before the reaping. I hugged her again. "Promise me you'll win, Katniss." "I promise I'll try my hardest. Just for you, Prim." I kissed her on the forehead and then went over to my mother. "Look at me. You have to look after Prim now. You're all she's got." I looked her straight in the eye. "I'll try" "No! That's not good enough! You have to be there! You have to stay strong! You can't leave like you did when dad died! Okay?" "Yes" I smiled at her and brought her in for a tight hug. "It's going to be okay." Peacekeepers came in to take my family away. "NO! KATNISS?" Prim shouted. "It's okay Little Duck, I'll be home soon." I smiled at her as she got dragged away.
I sat back down and looked out the window at the woods. Just this morning Gale and I were there, never guessing we would be here. That we would be in The Hunger Games. But we are. "Katniss Everdeen, follow me." Effie said. I followed her to a train where Gale was already seated. "I'll leave you two to get to know each other." Effie smiled and walked away. I looked around and then sat down next to Gale and stared out the window, getting my final glimpse at district 12. This may be the last time I see it. "Looks like the odds weren't in our favour this time." I turned around to face Gale; there was a small smile on his face. "I guess not." I said rather blankly. "...and only one of us can come home." He didn't say anything. Nothing was said until Effie walked back in with Haymitch. "Gale, Katniss, this is Haymitch, your mentor." "Hello" Gale and I both said in unison. "Congratulations on getting chosen to get this special honor of being killed while the world watches." Haymitch said, obviously drunk. "One of us will go home! I'll make sure of it!" Gale quickly snapped at him. "District 12 will have a victor!" I added. Gale stood up and got real close to his face and whispered "We know how to kill, one of us will come out." "Wow. Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" Haymitch said rather surprised with a hint of humour in his voice. Neither of us answered. There was a tension filled silence. "Well, I Don't know about you, but I'm starving! Lets say!" Effie said with obvious awkwardness and trying to brake the tension in the room. I grabbed Gale's wrist and pulled him away giving Haymitch a dirty look. I pulled Gale down so his ear was level with my mouth and whispered "I think it's going to be harder to survive the next few weeks then the actual games." He stood up straight again and laughed. "I think you might be right, Catnip." He laughed more and I smiled.
