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Amaryllis stood in her run-down bedroom, staring into a small broken mirror. She had just put on a dress her cousin Tigris had made for her over the last few weeks. It was a velvet black dress that went past her knees to her ankles. The cuffs of the dress were white, and she had embroidered the flower she was named after on both sides.
Though they were crooked and some lines wavered, she had been proud, as Tigris had taught her. Tigris had been the most proud of her and told her they were beautiful even though Amaryllis knew they weren't as good as they could be.
She remembered excitedly showing her twin brother, Coriolanus, who had been eating some of the leftover boiled potatoes they had that night. He had allowed her to rant and explain how she did it all. He touched the embroidered flowers, smiling as he told her they were excellent.
Though now she wore the dress for the reaping. She patted down the sides as she heard grandma'am belting the words to Gem of Panem. She never had a problem with her singing; the girl would wince only in the parts where she would strain her voice.
"You should eat." She heard a voice she knew was Coriolanus. The two had gotten along well during their childhood and had been closer in their teen years, though they had different friends and would only occasionally eat lunch together.
"You should take it. I ate some leftover boiled cabbage I found, " she told him, turning to face him and making him wince. "Where did you find it?" he asked curiously, holding the jar of boiled potatoes. "I would rather not speak on that, though they will be serving food, and that should be enough for us."
Amaryllis had never been shy about her hunger, unlike her brother, who wanted to appear as rich as they had been. She never told anyone of their troubles, as she would immediately answer with a firm, "We're all okay. We make well for ourselves." Which had been nothing compared to what Coriolanus boasted about.
"Have you seen Tigris?" Coriolanus asked as he opened the jar and held it out to her. Amaryllis sighed before reluctantly reaching her hand in and grabbing one potato to appease her brother. "I heard her leave this morning. She should be back any moment, " she told him as she took a bit from the potato, causing him to smile.
Coriolanus turned as he heard the front door of the rundown apartment open. "Tigris?" he asked as he hurried from the room. "I'm sorry. I know I'm late. But look, I did it." she heard Tigris say from her room as she ate her potato.
As she finished her potato, she sat on her bed and tied up her shoes. They were black and a bit worn down, but Tigris had managed to make them appear fresh. Most of her clothes were nice, thanks to the handy work of her cousin, who was also teaching her how to sew.
When she finished her shoes, she stood looking down at her outfit. As she did, she felt a pit in her stomach as she looked elegant for a ceremony that would send children to their deaths. "Grandma'am! Amary! Come see!" Tigris shouted, making a smile fall onto her face.
She walked out and saw her brother in their father's shirt, though it had new buttons and was now brightly white as though it was new. "Coriolanus Snow. Future president of Panem." Tigris said before Amaryllis showed herself, slowly walking from her room.
