We finally reach the dusty square. The peacekeepers have made it look presentable for TV, and for the rest of panem to look at. Big green trees to represent our district, banners with the symbol of panem on it. It looks out of place, not like it usually is here in 7. Me and Jeramy are one of the last people to reach the square. Small 12 year olds stand in groups, and the older children stare at the ground. Most of the 12 year olds don't know what they are facing. The reaping is always difficult. Even if you don't get picked you still have to look at that one person that gets send to fight to death. You have to look at the screaming family, as their child gets send away to Capitol. No one in district have any hope for the tributes. We are so much smaller than the rest of the districts, and no chance for the careers. Tributes from our district barely make it through the bloodbath, and it was been many years since we have had a winner.
"I'll see you later." I let go of Jer's hand.
"You know you could just stand with me." He says as I turn away. We have separate places for the girls and boys. No one ever checks them, but no one ever stand at the wrong place. I think everyone's to scared to do anything to defy the Capitol.
"Sorry Jer, I can't." I walk away from him an over to the girls side. He gives me an angry look, and walks over to some other guys from his class. I walk over to some other girls. I look down at the ground. I don't want him to think that I like him as more as a friend. Even though I've always been with him, and never meet any other boys. I just can't get myself to feel that way.
A woman walks on to the stage. Behind her sits the mayor, his wife and children. The previous victors also sits there. An old man, maybe 70 years old sits with a young woman, no more than 23. Her name is Johanna Mason. She won her games when she was 15. She fooled everyone in the Capitol by pretending to be weak. She got a 5 From the judges, and did poorly in the interviews, but when she got in the arena she proved everyone wrong. She knew how to kill.
The Capitol women walks up to the front of the stage. She taps the microphone with a happy laugh. She looks like the average Capitol woman. Her hair is blue. Not blue like the sky, but shock blue. Her dress is big and tight at the same, and it wiggles as she walks. Her shoes makes her so much higher, so when the mayor steps up to say a few words he looks like a dwarf.
"Good day people of district 7. Today is the day of the reaping, and you all know miss Claudia." No one claps for her as she stands in the middle of the two large bowls. One bowl for the girls, and one bowl for the boys. With a crocket handwriting stands the name "Rose Woods" on 5 pieces of paper. What happens if she pics me? I can't say goodby to my family. They are still at the flower show working, and I don't have any sibling. The only person I have here that I care about is Jeramy, and still I haven't given him a second thought. The only thing I have been thinking about is how I feel, and how scared I am. I haven't thought about how he feels. He must be scared just like me. I feel a sudden urge to run to him. Hug him and tell him that everything is going to be ok. Everything is going back to normal just as it does every year.
"Happy Hunger games everyone." Claudia's voice is to light.
"And May the odds be ever in your favour." My eyes meet Jeramy's. He looks worried, and I smile at him and nod.
"We are gathered here today to select a young woman, and a young man for the honour of representing district 7." I roll my eyes as she speaks. There's no honour of representing any district, only death.
"As always ladies first." Claudia walks over to one of the bowls. I can see that the blue hair isn't real, only a big wig. It wiggles as she walks, and almost falls off. She has to steady herself before she picks a piece of paper from the bowl. While holding her hair she walks over to the microphone again. The square falls silent as she unfolds the little white piece of paper. You can hear the pin drop to the stage. Claudia takes a deep breath, and says the name out loud, and I can't believe it.
