The hunger games: if Cato saved Clove

Chapter two

Chapter two: reaping

My mum has put an ugly, lacy dress on my bed with a note saying: "your reaping dress!!! xxx" to be honest, I'd rather wear rags but I put it on anyway, just to make mum happy. What if my name gets taken out of that ball? What if Cato volunteers to save me, then what will I do? Die?

I walk over to a long queue of people with a lady at the end saying "give me your finger." In a dull voice.

I finally get to a group of fifteen year old girls, I find Cato in the crowd and attempt to smile but I'm aware that it probably looks more like a scowl so he smirks back at me and we both start laughing.

Rina Marigold makes us watch the tedious Capitol video for the seven hundredth time before saying in her prissy voice "Ladies first!" I'm probably shaking like a leaf but I don't care. She walks over to the ball and pulls out a slip of paper, she walks back over to the microphone and reads out "Clove Kentwell!" I walk up to the front knowing there are cameras so I try to look brave. Cato looks like he might volunteer as a male tribute to protect me so I catch his eye and give him the "don't do it" look. Rina looks hopefully at the crowd and asks "Any volunteers?" It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. "No volunteers?" Still silent.

Rina declares "Now for the boys!" She scrambled round before picking out this extremely chubby thirteen year old who came up onto the stage holding a slice of cake. I then heard Cato shout the words "I VOLUNTEER AS A TRIBUTE!" I feel like I might drop to the floor and cry but decided against it. Rina says in a happy voice:"Well, here we have it our tributes from district two, Clove Kentwell and..." she whispers to Cato "what's your name?" Cato whispers back "Cato Hadley." Rina continues "Clove Kentwell and Cato Hadley!" The peacekeepers take us to the justicie building and my mum and dad come in to say goodbye but as soon as my dad attempts to make me feel better by mentioning being in the arena with Cato I start crying, mum reassures me by saying that although we're best friends and only one can come out alive, district two will persuade them to let you both out. The peacekeepers then take my parents away. Cato walks in and we get on the train.