The Hunger Games Peeta's POV

The reaping

I'm running faster and faster, but he's got me. He's going to kill me. With his vicious, bloody face staring me straight in the eye, his sword, already wet with my blood, raised in the air. As he lunges and is about to stab me in the chest, I scream in horror of my impending death.

I wake up, sweating, paralyzed, but not screaming. I don't want to wake up my brother, because then he'll be disagreeable. The sun shines through the window, showing that it's a beautiful day, but that doesn't matter. Today is the Reaping. My life could change today.

My brother is still breathing heavily in his bed, probably not having any crazy nightmares like I am. My name is only in five times, I probably won't get picked. But there is still a chance.

District 12 is not the best place to live, even though my family owns the bakery in town. But we can't afford to eat what we actually sell, we eat the stale bread and pastries that no one wants. Not exactly luxury. The other districts have it so much better.

There's stomping, and I wonder what it is. Then I realize, it's my oldest brother, Mitchell. The middle brother, my other older brother, is named Riley. They don't like me, well I know for a fact Riley doesn't. As for Mitchell, I think he's fine with me. I bet if I was reaped, Riley wouldn't volunteer for me. Mitchell might, but he's 20 years old, so he is no longer qualified for the reaping.

Riley rolls onto his back, and sits up. "Peeta, you know what day it is?" he says with a yawn.

He's so stupid. Of course I know what day it is. "Yeah Reaping Day. Let's hope I can go another year without having to compete in the Hunger Games."

"These games are stupid, but there really isn't anything we can do about it. But we only have our names entered in a few times, so we won't get picked. Now shut up and get dressed pitta bread." Riley answers with a smirk. I ignore the stupid nick name he gave me when I was five.

I roll my eyes. Who does he think he is? My mother? But I grab my reaping outfit anyway, and head towards the bathroom. The tub is all filled up, ready for me to clean up before the Reaping. I undress, and put my pajamas in the hamper next to the tub. I have to be quick, so Riley has time to get ready too. As I step into the tub, I realize the water is cold. Shouldn't have slept in so late, I thought. But after enduring the shocking cold water, I start to wash up, washing my hair, and scrubbing everywhere. Once I'm done, I step out of the tub, and dry up real quickly, and rub my hair dry.

The clothes I have to wear consists of nice leather shoes, brown pants, and a white button down shirt. Nothing fancy. I put it on, and look in the mirror. My ashy blonde hair falls across my forehead in waves, ending right above my piercing blue eyes, which are filled with fear. I slick back my hair using water, to make it look a little nicer. When looking in the mirror, I realize I'm not super tall, but average height, and being a baker's boy, with a stocky build.

Since I'm ready, I leave the bathroom, and go back to my room where Riley is already sitting on the bed impatient. "About time you were done pitta bread." he says.

Again, I roll my eyes at him. I know one day I will probably appreciate my older brother, but that day is not in the near future. He leaves and heads towards the bathroom to wash up himself. I forgot to drain the tub and fill it up again, but that's his problem now.

Sighing, I start to head to the kitchen for breakfast, where the rest of my family is waiting. Breakfast is a little special today, now we have fresh bread instead of the stale bread we normally have. I pull out my chair and sit down, resting my feet flat on the floor. "Good morning Mother, Father. Mitchell."

My mother ignores me, and Mitchell answers with a nod, but my father responds with a "Good morning." Out of all my family members, I like my father the best, honestly.