"Oh look at you" I smiled as I came through the door, finding Emily standing in front of a mirror, our mother next to her. Emily was wearing a pale blue dress, her hair was tied back in a long ponytail. I came over and crouched next to her.
"Here" I whispered, passing her the pin.
"It's a mocking jay pin, to protect you" I smiled at her, pinning it to her dress.
"I picked something out for you to" my mothers soft voice said. It sounded like she hasn't used it in a while. She probably hasn't. When my dad died in a mine explosion, she just sat in a chair, staring into the distance. She hadn't talked or moved for weeks. If I hadn't gone out hunting, we would have starved. That's where I met Parv, in the woods. We ran into each other while hunting and agreed to hunt together. We've become friends since then.
I had a bath, scrubbing out most of the dirt from my skin and nails. When I got out, and saw what my mother had picked out, I almost groaned inside. It was a pale yellow dress. I hated dresses. When we wore dresses for the Reaping, we weren't allowed to wear bright colours. So everything was pale or dull. Like this dress. I quickly put it on and sat in the lounge while my mum plated my bright red hair. When she had done, she smiled, but her eyes looked right through me.
"Now you look beautiful to"
"I wish I looked like you" Emily said. "Oh no" I said coming over.
"I wished I looked like you" she smiled and I brushed a strand of hair out of her face. The silence was filled with a bell in the distance and Emily's smile faded.
"Come on" I said, my voice almost cracking.
"Lets go"
Emily and I walked with the crowd of people. Everyone was wearing dull coloured dresses and no one was smiling. I glimpsed the stands where you need to check in and almost froze. Emily hasn't seen them yet, but she will in a second. When she did, she stopped, her eyes wide. I bent down beside her.
"You didn't say-" she started.
"I know I didn't, but it's alright. It doesn't hurt. It'll be over in a couple of seconds."
She took a deep breath and grabbed my hand as we walked up to the booth. I let go as she went next. After a few seconds, she moved off. I walked up and held out my hand. They pricked my finger with a machine and I winced slightly. They scanned the blood, then gestured for me to move off.
I walked quickly, moving into the group of 16 year old girls. I scanned the crowd, finding Parv. He mouthed the words 'you ok?' I nodded and looked towards the stage they set up in front of us. A lady with bright pink hair, who wore a dark purple dress walked up to the mic. I think her name was Kaeyi Dream. She tapped the mic with a gloved hand, before speaking.
"Welcome. Welcome, to the 74th annual hunger games. You all know the rules, two tributes, ages between 12 and 18, usually female and male, but, this year, we are allowing mixes of genders. Two tributes, that can be either male or female, but only if they volunteer." She smiled, it looked forced, and continued.
"Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favour. Now, as always, ladies first." She moved towards one of two of the big crystal balls with thousands of names in them. As she opened it, I looked down, unable to watch.
"Please not me, please not me" I chanted to myself. I heard Kaeyi's voice in the mic again, reading out the name, but it wasn't me. My heart stopped as she said it.
"Emily Proasheck"
I looked up, stunned, and saw the crowd near the front part, revealing a small blond girl in a pale blue dress. I walked out of the crowd, into the walkway down the middle, parting the boys and girls. I saw her walk out of the crowd.
"Emily" I cried, my voice raspy a I tried not to cry. She turned, her face full of fear and panic. I started walking towards her but some guards stopped me.
"No! No!" I pushed them off.
"I volunteer as tribute!" I yelled before thinking. Kaeyi looked surprised.
"Uhh, ladies and gentleman, may I present District 12's very first volunteer" she said unsure as I ran forward and hugged Emily.
"Emily go find mum"
"No, no!"
"Go find mum"
She screamed no as Parv came forward and grabbed her, pulling her back. The guards pushed me up on to the stage. I stood beside Kaeyi, watching as all faces gazed at me, some surprised, some blank.
"What's your name?" Kaeyi asked.
"Zoey Proasheck" I whispered into the mic.
"Well, I bet my hat that was your sister" she continued.
"Yes" I croaked, finding it hard to speak.
"Lets give a warm round of applause for Zoey Proasheck" she said, clapping, but stopping when no one else clapped. Instead, everyone pressed two fingers to their lips and raised them into the air. This is a way in District 12 to say thank you, or I'm sorry.
"And now for the boys" Kaeyi continued. She moved to the second crystal ball. But I found it hard to move, hard to breath. I was going to die. Emily was going to die because there was no one to feed her and mum. I was so lost in thought I almost missed the next name.
"Rythian Enderborn" I heard Kaeyi announced. I saw the crowd part for a boy with brown hair. He wore dark clothes, and even from up on the stage, in the bright sunlight, I could see his eyes were purple. He walked up on stage. No one said a thing.
"Lets congratulate this years tributes from District 12" Kaeyi smiled.
"Zoey Proasheck and Rythian Enderborn"
I sat in a fancy room, thinking. The room was silent, but everything was so fancy. My hands ran over the fabric of the couch I was sitting on. It was so soft. The door opened and I heard a voice say,
"You have three minutes."
I looked up as Emily and my mother came in. Emily ran up and hugged me. "I'm sorry Em" I said. I pulled away and grabbed her shoulders.
"Listen to me. Gale will bring you game. Don't get any other food, it's not worth putting your name in more times. You can sell cheese from Marmite" Marmite was Emily's goat. It has saved our lives more the once.
"I just want you to win" she whimpered.
"I will win." I said.
"I promise"
She took my hand and pushed the pin into it.
"To protect you" she whispered. I smile and hugged her. I pulled away again and walked up to my mother.
"You can't zone out again" I said, my voice firm.
"I won't-"
"You can't. Not like when dad died. I won't be there anymore, your all she has. No matter what happens, you have to be there for her, do you understand?"
She simply nodded.
"Don't cry" I whispered and hugged her quickly.
"Don't cry"
The door opened and a guard peeked in.
"Time" he said. He came in and grabbed Emily and my mother, dragging them out the room.
"I promise Emily" I yelled before the door closed. I sighed and turned away.
Suddenly, the door opened again. I turned, and saw Parv standing there. I ran up and hugged him.
"Your going to win" he said.
"No I'm not"
"Yes you are, you know how to hunt"
"Animals" I mumbled. He shook his head.
"There's no difference"
A guard opened the door, and I hugged him again.
"Take care of then Parv don't let them starve" I felt him get pulled away from me and the door closed again. I sat back on the couch, trying not to cry.
