Abigail Hawthorne is the sister of Gale Hawthorne, she is the same age as Gale. It's her last year to be reaped in The Hunger Games, will the odds be in her favour?
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Abigail Hawthorne
"Abi, could you help get the kids ready?" Mother asked and I nodded, I took Posy by the hand and took her to our bedroom. "Rory! Vick! Wake up!" I shouted at my two younger brothers who were sound asleep in bed. "It's reaping day!"
The two shot up and I chuckled, shaking my head. Even though Posy wasn't old enough to be reaped I plaited her hair into two fishtail braids and got her dressed into a little lilac dress with sandals. "You look beautiful." I gushed and her brown eyes looked up to meet mine. "I wish I looked like you." Posy whispered but I shook my head. "No, I wish I looked like you."
Gale walked back into the house, no doubt he'd been hunting with Katniss. "I'll take over whilst you get ready." Gale said, bending down to distract Posy, I nodded and headed to the bathtub, scrubbing my body and washing my hair. I dried myself and my mother had laid me out her best dress, it was a periwinkle blue colour, it would make my grey eyes pop.
Once I was dressed mother plaited my hair down my back, making sure it was tight. The only time we got dressed up was reaping day, other than that, we didn't have much to get dressed up for here in twelve. Gale placed his his hands on my shoulders, comfortingly. "We'll be alright, Abs. Okay?" Gale asked and I bit my lip. "Forty two times." I whispered, so my mother wouldn't hear.
My mother didn't know Gale and I applied for Tessera to keep our family alive. "It'll be okay, Abs. I promise you." Gale whispered and I nodded. "Go and get changed, I'll take over." I whispered, he nodded not before pecking my forehead, I bent down to Posy. "I love you." I mumbled, pulling my sister close. "I love you too." Posy whispered and I smiled at her, Posy was ten, so I was glad her name wasn't in the Reaping Bowl.
"It's time." Mother whispered as the warning bell had sounded which meant it was time to head to the square. Gale, Rory and Vick joined us in the hallway. "Ready?" Mother asked and we nodded silently, fear flooded through me but I tried to put on a brave face for the kids.
I put my finger out so the peacekeepers could take my blood. Abigail Hawthorne flashed on the small device and they let me pass. "I'll come and find you afterwards, ok?" Gale asked and I nodded, then pulled my brother into a tight hug. "Be safe ok? I love you." I whispered and he kissed my forehead. "You too. I love you too." Gale said and I left to join the girls section.
Effie Trinket, our district escort made her way on to the stage, she really was a sight for sore eyes. She wore a neon pink two piece, heavy pink makeup, and basically everything pink. I hated pink, the sight of her made me grimace as she tapped the microphone in front of her. "Welcome, welcome!" Effie's shrill voice went through me, she was just another capitol Hunger Games fan girl.
"Welcome. Happy Hunger Games. And, may the odds be ever in your favor. Now, before we begin. We have a very special film. Brought to you all the way from the Capitol." Effie said and I looked over at Gale and mouthed war, terrible war causing him to smirk back at me as the propaganda film started. "War. Terrible war. With those orphaned and a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebeled against the country that fed them, Loved them. Protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. Then came the peace. Hard fought. Sorely won. The people rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. And the traitors were defeated. We swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed that each year. The various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor bathed in riches would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future."
Effie mimed the last bit, smiling like a maniac. "I just love that." Effie gushed, I looked at her in disbelief, Capitol people were just so brainwashed and oblivious to the world. "Now, the time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman. For the honour of representing District 12 in the 74th Annual Hunger Games." Effie said and my breath hitched in my throat, my eyes scanned the crowd for Gale, the only person who could calm me down. "As usual ladies first... Abigail Hawthorne."
My vision went blurry, girls in my year turned to look at me, their mouths parted in shock, some with pity in their eyes. I stumbled backwards slightly, but taking a deep breath I made my way through the crowd towards the stage. "Abigail! No!" Gale shouted pushing past some peacekeepers. "G-Gale, it's okay. I'm fine." My voice cracked as I tore myself away from my brother, a lump forming in my throat as I made my way towards Effie.
"Well I bet my hat that was your brother, wasn't it?" Effie said smiling, I swallowed hard. "Yes." I said solemnly. "Let's have a big hand for our female tribute, Abigail Hawthorne." Effie said but no one clapped their hands, a few people kissed their three middle fingers and held them up into the air, this was a sign of respect in district 12, a sign of saying goodbye to someone you loved. My eyes found my mothers and Posy's, Posy was buried into my mothers neck, crying making the lump in my throat grow even more.
"And now for the boys." Effie said as I took a sharp intake of breath, not Gale, anyone but Gale. "Peeta Mellark." Effie said and I let out a breath of relief, Peeta was the bakers boy, we'd seen him a few times when we went to sell the baker our squirrels. "Here we are. Our Tributes from District 12. Well, come on you two. Shake hands." Effie said and I locked eyes with Peeta for the first time, he held out his hand which I shook. "Happy Hunger Games. And be the odds be ever in your favour."
"You have three minutes." The Peacekeeper told my mother, and the kids. "Oh Abi." Mother cried, pulling me into a tight embrace, her smell comforted me. "Please try to win, maybe you can." Posy whispered, her eyes were all red and puffy. "Maybe I can, I am smart, y'know." I said, nudging her shoulder trying to lighten the mood, she let out a small giggle.
"Please try, sis." Vick said, he and Rory enveloped me into their arms. "I will." I whispered into their ears, they just gripped me tighter. "It's time." The peacekeeper said and I cried after my family when Gale walked in with Katniss, I flung my arms around my brother and sobbed. I didn't want mother, Posy, Rory or Vick to see me cry but Gale had seen me cry plenty of times. "Abi, Abs, listen to me." Gale said, his hands on my shoulders bringing me back to reality.
"Get to a bow, you're-" Gale said but I cut him off. "I might not have one." I said and he shook me slightly. "Then make one, just show them how good you are. That's all they want." Gale said and I nodded. "They just want a good show." Gale whispered and I hugged my brother and then Katniss. "Please look after him." I whispered in her ear and she nodded, kissing my forehead. "It's time."
