"Saleah Barnette, winner of the 72nd Hunger Games,.known as the Butterfly in the Capitol for her gentleness, and her love for the winged creatures. She won her games at 18 and then proceeded to live in both the Capitol and District 11."
"She doesn't...
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WHEN SALEAH BARNETTE WOKE THE DAY OF THE REAPING her mind was full of fear. She'd hated the reaping days, like most children in Panem did.
She washed herself in the makeshift shower (A hose taped to the top of the outhouse wall), and tugged on her dress that barely fit her. She'd had the dress since she was twelve, she had no idea how they were expecting the children to keep the same reaping clothes until they were eighteen.
Saleah brushed her hair and braided it into two pigtails that fell on each side of her head.
After this year she'd have one more. One more year until she was eighteen and free from the treacherous reaping bowl. Her name wouldn't be there anymore. She just had to wait one more year.
That was what she repeated in her head as she got ready to leave the house.
She was 17 currently, but her 18th birthday was just around the corner. In fact, her birthday was the first day of the Hunger Games, unfortunately. The day of her birthday was the day that several innocent children would get brutally slaughtered by other children. How horrific indeed.
Saleah was the oldest of 6 siblings. She was the first born, then it was Rue, then her brother Quin, then the twins Dahlia and Kinni, and Raven was last.
Even though Rue was the second oldest, she was only ten. She was quite responsible for a ten year old, Saleah couldn't deny that.
All children in Panem had to grow up faster then they should. This why Saleah worked extra hard to make sure her siblings enjoyed the little time of childhood they had left.
"You look beautiful as always Leah." Her father held her shoulders and brushed some lint from her dress.
"Thank you papa." She gave a half smile.
Willow, her aunt spoke up, "Don't be worried baby, just one more time after this and you won't have to worry anymore."
"She's right. You'll be fine, you've gotten this far haven't you?" Her father pulled her into a hug.
"You two go on, don't be late! I'll stay with the youngins as always." Saleah's aunt shooed both Saleah and her father off.
The father and daughter walked outside the house, heading to the reaping, when a voice stopped them.
"Wait!"
"Rue, what are you doing?" Saleah furrowed her eyebrows as her younger sister ran to envelop her in a tight hug.
"This is for you!" Rue handed two white flowers to Saleah. "It's called a, uh, I think its called a Queen Anne's lace flower."
Saleah smiled. "Thank you Rue." She kissed the top of her sister's head, before their father told the younger child to run along.
They continued to walk, once they reached the reaping area, the father hugged his daughter tightly before letting her go.
After getting her finger pricked, Saleah filed in with the other teenagers her age.
