The 68th Hunger Games

Chapter 1

Sitting in class before the reaping day is always the scariest. When I was younger I would wonder which of my friends or family would be ripped away from me this year.  As the bell dismissed us my friend Cora walked up to me.

"How many times is your name going to be in the bowl, Tess?" She asked me.

"29, you?"

"62."

"Why so many?"

"My family needs the food."

"Yeah I get it."

"No you don't."

"What?"

"You don't know what it's like to be hungry, you haven't gone weeks with out food, you've never had to give up a meal so that your  bother could eat. You've never been hungry." She said angrily.

"I'm sorry, but that's not my fault."

She walked away with out a another word. I start walking back to the victors village. I look around watching the birds fly away as I walk past. I walk up the steps. My mother is asleep in her chair by the window. I walk over to her and shake her arm gently. She jerks awake, fear in her eyes, her eyes dart from one place to the other. She slowly calms down . She clears her throat before asking  me "Do you need something sweetie?"

"I wanted to tell you that I was home." I kiss her forehead and go to the kitchen and start dinner.

Once we've eaten I go up to my room. I lie down on my bed and stare at the ceiling. I look over to the dress my mother has picked out for me to wear this year. It was a dark blue strapless dress, the shoes were black flats with a bow on them.  I glance over to my desk were my father's wedding ring is resting. He had died a last year when my brother got taken to the games, he tried to run up to my brother at the reaping after they called  his name. Long story short a peace keeper  killed him. I slide the ring on to my pointer finger because that's the only on it doesn't fall off. I slowly fall asleep thinking  about tomorrow. When I wake up I put my dress on with my shoes. I wake down stairs and see my mother's waiting for me so that she can do my hair.

"Thank you ma'am."

"No problem Tess."she looks at my hands a notices  my father's ring. "You'll be okay, I doubt that you will get called " She said as a single tear rolls down her cheek.

"I know but it's still nice to have him with me, you know?"

"Yeah, I'll see you after the reaping."

I walk alone to the reaping mother will catch up later she hates walking their, she did even before dad died, i think she just doesn't want me to see her cry. I watch as people gather around and organize them selfs  I get my finger pricked and stand in the spot  for 16 year olds.

As soon as everyone is in there correct place Jason Jade walk up to the speaker. "Welcome everyone the the 68th annual Hunger Games." he beams into the microphone.

"Wow, look at that capitol prick." The girl next to me  says.

"I know right." I say back to her she giggles and looks over to a little girl in the front. "That your sister?"

"Yeah, I worried about her, this is her first reaping. She's scared out of her mind."

"She has no reason  to worry  her name won't get called this is her first reaping hundreds of other names are in there. "

Just before she says something else Jason says. "As usual ladies first."

"What was your name"  I ask her.

" Evan, my friends call me Blue." She said pointing to her aqua blue hair.

"Well Blue it was nice to meet you."

Jason pull out a pice of paper and reads it outloud. "Teresa Merrill" my heart pounds  I look over to the girl next to me my eyes  wide with terror. My hands are shaking, my vision starts to blur but I walk quickly with my head up high.

"And now the boys." Jason squealed. He reached in and pulled out the price of paper. "Hec-" before he can finish the name a boy around my age cuts him off.

"I volunteer as tribute my name is Marcus Dolson" he says as he walks up on stage.

"A volunteer this is already a great Hunger Games. Now shake hands and we can hop on the train." Jason beams

I shake his hand weekly. I stare at the glass bowl behind him my mind blank. We walk off stage and into the rooms where we say our last good byes. A group of my friends walk in and say good bye. But then Blue, her little sister walk in.

"Are you okay?" Blue asked.

"Yeah, but I'm sacred, I don't want to die."

"Then dont" she said in a series voice as she pulled me into a hug. "Be careful in there."she whispered when she pulled away from the hug she smiled at me. "Good luck Tessy." I smile at her as they leave but as soon as there out a tear rolls down my cheek my mom didn't come to say good bye. A few minutes later a peace keeper came in and escorted me to the train.