Down the Primrose Path

Chapter One

--CHAPTER ONE--

No. Not me. Anybody but me. I can't remember how to breathe . I've forgotten how to speak or move. I am lost in a world of fear, clutching sanity by a thread. My name was picked out of the bowl in the Reaping.

Effie Trinket, District Twelve escort, stuck her pretty, nail-polished hand in the Reaping Bowl, shuffled the names around. Everyone must have been thinking the same thing I was thinking. Not me, not me. I had My name only once in the bowl, some people had heaps. So, of course, I had a slight chance I wouldn't be picked. But Effie dug in deep and plucked one ticket from the bowl, held it up triumphantly and called "And our lucky girl...is...PRIMROSE EVERDEEN!" Her posh words are echoing loudly in my head. Primrose Everdeen was my name.

My legs, wobbling in fright automatically started moving to the stage as if they had I mind of their own. Invisible hands are pushing, forcing me to the stage quicker. A tear tries to run down my face but I have to wipe it off. 'You'll lose it, Prim,' That wise voice in my head murmured. 'If you cry, you'll lose yourself.' But it so hard not to cry as your district, friends and family, are staring at you forlornly. It puts on tons of pressure, like junk food you love but don't want to eat is putting weigh on you. Gale. Mum. Katniss...oh, my sister Katniss! Her face is so devasting to look at. She wears a blank expression like a mask but I learnt to be able to see through that and see her true emotions. Anger at the Capitol, Grief that she's losing another family member. And Fright. Fright for me.

'I can't look at her any longer. Mustn't look at Katniss. Keep your focus straight ahead, Prim. You'll break down if you don't.'

The old stairs creak as I make my way up to Effie. She holds a manicured hand out to me and pulls me to centre stage. Oh no. They are all staring at me. Everyone I know. Neighbours. School mates. People I've seen but never knew. My mother, alone and stiff as a stick. She couldn't lose another family member as well. It was hard enough for us after we lost Dad. And Katniss. Her face, once again, stands out the most.

I try to stare at Effie, to distract myself from the people. God, could anyone be more pink?! Her clothes, her makeup, her hair, even her skin is dyed a faint cherry colour. She grasps my hand with a reassuring smile. "Any words, Primrose?"

Words. Words? What is the meaning of words again? I open my mouth, but no 'words' come shooting out. Silence. Wait a minute. Why am I here? Why is this happening to me? IS it even happening? It can't be. I'm not going to the Hunger Games. I AM NOT GOING TO THE HUNGER GAMES! My grip on sanity slips away from me and I'm falling. My insides and emotions burst. An explosion of insanity.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IM NOT GOING!!!!!!!!" I collapse on the stage on hysterical sobs. The world is spinning, faster and faster. Effie face comes close to mine as my eyesight blurs. "Wake up, Prim. Wake up."

A wretched scream escapes my lips and I am sitting up into Katniss's warm arms. I'm home. I was always home. I wasn't going to the Hunger Games. Katniss rocks me as I weep. "It was only a dream, Prim. Shh." Katniss croons soothingly.

"It-It was me." I manage to say in a gasp.

"Your name is only on that bowl once, Prim. They're not going to pick you."

"They could." As I cry like a baby Katniss presses me to her body. Probably trying to stop me from waking up Mum.

"Was it the same dream you had last month?"

"Mmm hmm."

"And the month before?"

"Mmm hmm."

"And the month before that one?"

I dried my eyes with my hand angrily. "Face it, Katniss. It the same dream I've had since I turned twelve. It started on my birthday and it's getting worse. Last month, I was still making it to the stage when I broke down. I was on the stage. With Effie. Everyone was looking at me." I started another round of sobs as Katniss stroked my hair. She can only do so much comforting. I can tell that every single year from now I will the have the dreams. For the next six or seven years, I have the chance to go and fight to the death in the Hunger Games. And there's no way to back out.

They've had twelve year olds have to compete. All were as scared as I am and all died. No one volunteers for anybody here, not even the youngest of the two tributes that go. Two people in District 12 have won. One of them committed suicide or something. Haymitch Abernathy is the only living victor, and is a 40 something, single, disgusting alcoholic. Well, that's what Katniss says. The Hunger Games makes people go insane. If I am chosen and I win, I'm sure only a year after I will want to die.

I slip back into bed. Katniss tucks me in. I ask her to stay until I fall asleep but she's staring out the window, desperate to leave and run off to do something productive or whatever she does. Probably hangs out with Gale, her 'boyfriend'. Nah, they are just best friends. So they say. There is only one thing I want her to do.

"Please sing the song." I beg in a tiny voice. She looks back to me instantly. "Of course. But only the first part. Then I've gotta go." I nod with a smile and listen to her soft voice.

Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed made of grass, a soft green pillow.

Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes,

And then when they open, the sun will rise.

She smiles and kisses me on the forehead. "Watch the clock of you can't sleep. Get up at 7:00 and get ready. I'll be back at 11 and at 12 we've got to go to the-" She stops for a moment, not wanting to finish the sentence then leaves, shaking away the horrible thought.

As the door slams, I shiver at the thought Katniss couldn't say. The Reaping. At 12:00 today two teenagers will be sentenced to death. I snuggle up to my mother, asleep in our bed we share together. She can't say anything that will help like Katniss can, but her warmth can pull me back into unconsciousness. I think of the rest of the words to my song and close my eyes.