The 100th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 1

The silence of the dark room calms me and I'm able to think clearly. Staring at myself in the mirror, I realise that I look like something from my history book. My hair is tied up in a high ponytail and I'm wearing a brown dress that looks like autumn leaves. Or dirt.

I hate the dress, but I can't wear anything that goes higher than my ankles to the reaping.

The reaping. I have been dreading this since they announced the details for the Quarter Quell. Nobody had seen it coming. Three boys and three girls would be chosen this year, and it terrifies me. My name is in there five times.

My name is Sylvira Swan and I'm sixteen. I live in District 12 with my parents and my eleven year old sister Marina. I had an older sister, Alexia, but she died when I was five. I don't remember how, and I wouldn't dare ask my parents. Mentioning her name causes silence in the house, so I've learned not to.

I fiddle with a strand of my hair, twirling the black lock around my finger. I distract myself from thinking about today by tying vague knots in my hair, but that just frustrates me and I angrily tear them out. I am suffocated with fear and it becomes difficult to breathe.

The door opens and my mother stands there. Her face is pale, but she doesn't let her voice crack.

"It's time to go Sylvira." She says, and I nod with a jerk.

I stand up and follow her down the narrow hall to the kitchen. Marina sits at the table staring into space and my father stands at the sink washing his hands. He smiles at me and I try to smile back, but my face feels frozen. We get our thin coats and I fight the urge to run back into my bedroom and hide under my little bed.

The four of us leave the small house in utter silence and trudge down the cobbled street to the Square. Other familes walk past us proudly. They have no children in the balls, merely tiny toddlers running around their legs. Seeing such innocence makes me smile a little, but then I remember where I am.

Then we reach the Square. My parents hug me and kiss my forehead and Marina grips onto me, close to tears.

"It's okay, I'll see you soon." I whisper and she nods.

I walk over to join the queue and sign in. I join the group of sixteen year olds waiting and stand next to some people I know from school. We all exchange looks of fear and stare at the stage. I smile at my best friend Kane but don't go over to him. I want to be alone.

I hear a gong and face forward. There are four chairs on the stage. One holds Asea Jennings, the organiser and another holds the District Mayor. The two next to them are occupied by Raul Bine and Talia Ney, the two living District 12 winners from previous Hunger Games and the tributes mentors. By the front of the stage stand two glass balls, containing thousands of pieces of paper. Seeing the stage gives me an urge to run away, but I don't. I have more chance of surviving in the arena than I do against the Peacekeepers. However I do see a few try to make an escape, only to get pushed back by the Peacekeepers.

After a few minutes of bustling around everyone stands still and stares at the stage. Asea stands and takes up a microphone. She gives an introduction, the same as every year, and then plays the video from the Capitol. I can see tears in her eyes and her head is down. She hates this as much as we do, but the Capitol are making her do this and at least she isn't in the reaping balls anymore. Asea smiles and stands by the reaping balls.

"We'll pick the ladies first."

I swallow slowly and fidget. Asea puts her hand into the ball, pulls a piece of paper out and returns to the microphone. She clears her throat and reads out the first name.

"Sylvira Swan."