The Final Goodbye

1

I awake to hear the door shut as my father, unmistakably, went to work. The sky is still dark, and clouds spot the sky. The Reaping is later today.

I get up slowly. I wrap my small blanket around me as I exit my bedroom and find myself in the kitchen.

My father had left a note.

Mis-
I will be at work until the Reaping. Until then, I set out a dress and bread for you.
See you as soon as possible.
-Dad

I look at the dress beside the note. It is an off-white color that is tighter around my waist then goes out only by a smidge until my knees. Thank you, Dad.

The bread is warm and I immediately take a bite. It warms up my body almost instantly.

After a bath and brushing through my untameable blonde hair, I put the dress on. It fits perfectly, and I wonder where my father got it.

I pin the short pieces of my hair back and leave the rest down. My hair is only a couple shades darker than the dress as it flows a little overtop of it.

The sky is now the morning shade of light blue, and the clouds have disappeared. Sounds of people and workers fill the air.

I put on my shoes and head outside. The Reaping will start any minute.

I start to walk towards the Town Circle, but I am caught off guard by a voice yelling my name.

I turn around to see my only friend, Samuel, running towards me. His light brown hair was even messier than usual.

"Artemis!" He calls, and stops in front of me, out of breath from running from the outer edge of the District, where we live, to the Nut.

"Yes, Samuel?" I ask.

"I brought you something."

He brings me something every year since I was first put into the Reaping two years ago. He is two years older, and likes to help out.

He gives me a necklace, a charm of a small sword with leaves wrapped around at the end. All in silver.

"Thanks, Sam, where did you get this?" I ask, putting it on.

"I found it on the ground by the Nut yesterday. No one claimed it, so I kept it."

"Thanks."

More people arrived, and we follow in. The Reaping has begun.

We separate with our age and group and wait.

"Welcome!" The outrageous Capitol lady, Oracle, announces into the microphone in a thick Capitol accent. "To the 65th annual Hunger Games!"

After her speech, a speech from the mayor (Samuel's father), they get to the drawing of the names.

Ladies first.

I close my eyes and whisper to myself in my head not me, not me, not me...

"Artemis Stone."