The empty house erupted with fear filled screams. I jumped up, instantly running to my twin sister and embracing her in a tight hug. She had suffered from night terrors ever since our mother had passed away last year.
"Shhhh, it okay Jules, it was just a dream," I whispered into her head slightly rocking her side to side.
I heard her muffed cries in my shoulder and I tried my best to sooth her. I saw my brother enter our room out of the corner of my eye. He looked at me with a worried look in his eyes as he came and tried to comfort my sister. I sat to the side as I watched him sing her favourite song to her - it always seemed to calm her.
Once she had calmed down, I lied down in her bed wrapping my arms around her until she fell back asleep. I knew I wouldn't be able to so I gently got up tucking in my sister and headed out into the kitchen and made some cereal. My brother was seated on a chair watching me as I walked over and sat next to him.
"How are you feeling about today?" He asked, giving me a sympathetic look.
My brother had been through all of the reapings and hadn't been chosen. He knows what it's like. The anxiety, stress, fear that you would be chosen. This is mine and my sisters second reaping so we know what to expect when we get there. We won't be picked our names are only in there once.
"Fine," I replied watching the cereal float around in the milk.
"It'll be okay Abs yours and Julia's names are only in there once.
"I know," i plainly said giving him a small smile for his attempts to make me feel better.
He got up and left me to eat - going to get our clothes ready for this big day.
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After a bath and getting dressed I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a knee length, floral dress and my hair was in a half up half down style with a pink ribbon tied in by my brother. I walked over to him and he was helping my sister get ready. She was wearing the same dress as me but with longer sleeves with her hair tied into two braids.
Julia spotted me and engulfed me in a hug. I instantly hugged her back, feeling her trembling hands around me. After a minute we pulled apart and I saw my brother smiling at us with tears in his eyes. A loud bang echoed through the room. It must have been a peacekeeper. It was time.
My sister grabbed onto my hand and I tightly squeezed hers to try and comfort her.
"I will meet you guys after the reaping okay? Everything is gonna be fine," he told us with a weak voice.
We embraced in one last big hug before heading out the door and to the square where one boy and one girl will be chosen to fight till the death.
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My sister and I stood amongst the crowd of girls our age, waiting for everything to start. I still had my fingers intertwined with hers, the anxiety starting to get to me.
A tall, colourful looking lady walked out onto the stage looking all happy and jolly. How could someone be so happy in a time like this, choosing which kids are going to die this year. She advanced towards the microphone placed near the centre of the stage a huge smile gracing her features.
"Welcome, welcome! Happy hunger games and many the odds ever be in your favour." Her voice echoed through the square filled with terrified kids.
"Now before we begin we have a very special film brought to you all the way from the capital," she finished directing us to watch the huge screen.
This is the same film that had played the year previously, about the rebellion that had happened 69 years ago. I never really payed attention to the film - i was too focused on Julia. You could still see the tear stains on her cheeks from when they had pricked her finger. She had always hated the sight of blood; shed cry every time she sees it.
The woman's joyful voice brought me out of my thoughts.
"Isn't that just amazing," she asked showing her white grin. "Now its time to choose the male and female tributes. As always, ladies first."
She wandered over to the glass bowl containing all of the girls names. She dug her hand deep into it and pulled out one slip of paper and raised it up as she walked back over to the microphone. She gently opened the paper and cleared her throat, clearly saying the name on it. The words that left her mouth would haunt me forever.
"Julia Moore."
