My Hunger Games: Peeta Mellark

The Reaping

Here I am standing sweating in the mass of people waiting for the names of the tributes to be drawn. I'm lined up with the boys my age as we are all standing restless, nervously waiting and hoping that it isn't our name called. The woman from the Capitol prances up on stage in her typical, bright loud hot pink Capitol garb. She calls up the black and white video about the games that we know all too well. Now it's time to select the tributes. Time for us all to know who the unfortunate souls are that will be fighting to their death. Everyone in District 12 knows that our tributes are never the winners, it's always 1 or 2. As we all stand here, we know that the two names called are the names of two people that will never come home. As usual, girls are called first. She reaches into the bowl of names and pulls one out. "Primrose Everdeen," she calls and you can see the uneasiness on the faces of the girls around this one. I can hardly see her, but I see this little girl slowly walking out of the crowd. Suddenly, a scream is heard from right beside me. "PRIM!" The guards race toward the voice. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" The entire crowd is stunned in silence. No one in their right mind would volunteer for this. The girl slowly and blankly walks up to the stage. She announces her name as Katniss Everdeen. I thought to myself, "I know this girl. She's familiar." I don't have much time to think about it because they're reaching into the bowl of boys' names almost instantly. The crinkled stark white paper is pulled out and opened. "Peeta Mellark." I lose my breath. I am about to pass out right there. That was me. Time stood still as I heard the echo of my name bouncing around in my head. I manage to bring myself up on the stage, though I don't know how. As I am walking, my mind begins to wander all over the place. I think of the warmth of my parents. I think of the fresh bread in the bakery. "These two things make up my entire life. I doubt I will never see either of them again," I think to myself. I look over at Katniss standing next to me. Then it hits me like a truck where I know her from. I remember her from school. I also remember her sitting in the cold rain trying to find food for her family. I remember that her father had died in a coal mine accident. I remember that she had a sister. I realize that it was her sister that was called as tribute. That's why she volunteered. I remember one day when I threw some burned bread in her direction instead of to our muddy pigs. This girl was special. I knew I had no shot at winning the Hunger Games. But I knew she did. There was something in her that was different. My thoughts were cut short when we were whisked away by the pink Capitol woman and put on a dark black train speeding straight to the Capitol.