Glimmers P.O.V

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Within ten minutes we get to the town square. As Emerald and I get halfway to the place we sign in I feel Emerald falter next to me.

'Em what's wrong?'

'I don't want them to prick my finger, it's gonna hurt!' She wails

'Ohhhhhhh Em, you will be fine!' I say in a soothing voice 'it's just a little prick, it won't hurt too much, you barely feel it'

'Really?.......'

'Really'

' O-o-okay.....' she stutters slowly.

We make our way to the desk. Emerald gets pushed away from me from the crowd.

'EMERALD?!' I yell

'GLIMMER!' She yells back

'YOU WILL BE FINE!! I WILL MEET YOU WHERE THE OTHER TWEVLE YEAR OLDS ARE!' I yell back again, hopefully that will calm her down. When it's my turn to get signed in my nerves kick in. Suddenly I feel sick and dizzy, what if Emerald gets chosen? Or me? What if one of us gets chosen and Topaz gets chosen as well? Stop it Glimmer!! I yell to myself in my head, you will be fine! Emerald, you and Topaz will be fine! I'm just being paranoid.

I walk as fast as I can without falling over to the place where I said I would meet Emerald. I see her standing solemnly with a tear running down her cheek.

'Em! Em! Emerald!' I manage to choke out

'Glim!'

I scoop her into a hug.

'What if it's me Glim? I'll be the first to die!!' She wails into my ear.

'Em, it wont be you. And even if it was you I'd volunteer for you in a heartbeat'

'You would?'

'Of course! What kind of big sister would I be if I didn't protect you?'

At that point I see mum beckoning me to come over. I hug Emerald one last time and wish her luck and then head over to mum.

'Glimmer! Are you excited?!' Mum asks me excitedly

'No, not really' I reply glumly.

'Really?! Why not? I hope either you or Topaz gets chosen! I hope Em doesn't, she won't stand a chance' she says as she shakes her head at the last sentence. I clench my fists as tightly as I can, it's all I can do to not slap her.

'WHAT KIND OF MOTHER ARE YOU?!' I scream at her

'Glim? Stop screaming, people are staring' she whispers nervously, glancing around. She can be so selfish at times!

'I DONT CARE!! YOU JUST ADMITTED THAT YOUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE! YOU DON'T CARE THAT SHE DIES!! AS LONG AS SHE DOESN'T EMBARRASS YOU!! YOU MAKE ME SICK!!!' I scream as loud as I can and storm away.

I reach the sixteen year old section still fuming at my horrible mother. How could she say that?! She was talking about her own small, loving, sweet child. And Emerald does nothing but try to impress her.

I'm still saying bad things about my mother in my head until i notice my best friend Ruby walking over to me. Ruby and I have been best friends ever since the first day of primary school. A boy called Quartz had been teasing her about her mum. I finally had enough of him and I marched up to him and punched him as hard as I could squarely in the face. Every since then Ruby and I were best friend and Quartz never bothered her again.

'Hey Glim, you nervous?' she asks

'Hi, I'm sure am' I reply, I then realized that I'm shaking. I spotted a beautiful deep blood red heart shaped ruby necklace hanging from Ruby's tan neck.

'I like your necklace Ruby, it's gorgeous!' I say

'Awww thanks Glim, it's my lucky charm!' she giggles 'I hope that didnt sound weird' she quickly adds.

'No, Not at all' I say absentmindedly, Damn, I should of thought of a lucky charm.

All of a sudden Ruby dives on me pulling me into a tight hug.

'Oh Glim, I hope one of us don't get picked. I don't us to be separated' She says sadly and quietly into my shoulder.

'Ruby, we will be fine. We trained for this, I'm alright at archery and you are great at knives. And we won't get picked' I reassure her.

Ruby and I are still hugging when our District 1 escort, Violet, starts the reaping.

'WELCOME! HAPPY HUNGER GAMES AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR!!'

Violet's voice booms out the speakers set up around the square.

I cringe at her Capitol accent, I just cant stand it. And the way she says that speech is like she enjoys picking kids for slaughter. Like, I know it's meant to be an honor in our district but I just hate to be one of the tributes. Her name suits her, because she is basically all violet. Her hair is a short curly violet bob, her eyes is a bright violet colour, her dress is violet with pink and white cherry blossom patterns on it.

'BEFORE WE BEGIN, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL FILM BROUGHT TO YOU ALL THE WAY FROM THE CAPITOL!'

Violet confidently says into the microphone.

Around me, I hear a few groans. Its the same video every year, talking about the Dark Days and why the Hunger Games were created. I use this time to try and find my boyfriend, Marvel.

I finally spot his head in the 16 year old boys section. He isn't hard to spot though, he is quite tall. He must of been looking for me too because I see his kind, brown eyes searching through the crowd. When our eyes finally meet a great big grin spreads across his face, which quickly disappears. I think my nervousness must show on my face.

'Its okay' Marvel mouths to me.

I nod my head just as the video ends.

'NOW, THE TIME YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! THE TIME WHEN WE SELECT ONE COURAGEOUS YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN FOR THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING DISTRICT 1 IN THE 74TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES' Violet says excitedly

'AS USUAL, LADIES FIRST'

All of a sudden everything goes so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Violet struts across the stage in her 7 inch violet stilettos. She teasingly waves her hand inside the bowl which contains 10 slips which read 'Glimmer Katon'.

Violet gives her hand one last wave in the bowl and grabs one single paper slip. She holds it high in the air and she walks back to the microphone.

To me, time slows down. I feel like I'm going to faint. Stop it Glimmer!! It's not gonna be you!! I think to myself. And anyway, if I do get picked I'll let someone volunteer for me, there is always a volunteer.

Violet unfolds the slip and reads out the name.

'GLIMMER KATON'