[Flowers] • The Hunger Games

Prologue

"This year...let's switch things up a little. We'll start with the boys!"

Effie reached into the bowl. The glass was almost taller than she was, but she shuffled around the papers a bit. A thousand heartbeats quickened, a thousand breaths were held.

She brought the paper up tantalizingly slow. Right up to her microphone, where she dragged out opening it up. She cleared her throat before reading the name inside.

"Gale Hawthorne."

Asteria paused, her breath hitching for just a moment too long.

Gale was the boy she bought turkey from. The occasional beaver, if the season was poor. The boy with the little brothers that she often saw on their way to school. He and that older Everdeen girl, Katniss, kept a meat supply to the district that wasn't unbelievably expensive-like the butcher's.

She usually knew the tributes by some proxy. And she tried to not let herself be surprised anymore. But while she'd usually known the tributes distantly- friends of friends- she'd talked to Gale a fair few times before this reaping.

The district watched as Gale moved slowly towards the stage. He didn't hesitate, he didn't scream or cry, like they did most years. Like he had already known he would be picked. With as many siblings as he had, Asteria could only imagine how many times his name was inside of that bowl. Even with the extra money from hunting, he wouldn't bring home enough to support them all.

No hands raised. No tributes stepped forward.

They never did, in twelve.

"Fabulous. Now, as for the ladies." Effie patted Gale on the shoulder a bit too comfortably, before moving over towards the bowl with the female names. She took a breath before reaching inside. She picked up one off of the top of the pile and went through the same painstakingly long process of creating suspense.

"And the female tribute from district twelve...Madge Undersee."

Though the district had been quiet before, it was like their world had stopped spinning. They all knew that none of them were above the rule. Not even the mayor's daughter, Madge. But her name was only in there a few times, probably the least of anyone except for the youngest girls. She wasn't supposed to be the one. No one thought it would be her.

A thousand eyes rested on her. Asteria's included. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her dress as she watched the terrified girl take a few shaky steps forwards. The district seemed to share her uncertain and surprised sentiment as they watched peacekeepers push her along.

"And here we have our male and female tributes for the 74th annual Hunger Games, from district twelve, Gale Hawthorne and Madge Undersee!"

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A/N:

I know that the map above is not totally accurate. However, it's the one I've chosen because I like how everything is laid out the most. It's not too important, but if locations are mentioned it's easier if everyone's on the same page.