The Hunger Games: The Untold Story of Peeta Mellark PART ONE

chapter three

Peeta Mellark PART ONE continued...

 I go about the rest of the day icing cakes and making dough until 1 pm. that’s when we have to leave for the reapings, which begin  promptly at 2.

My whole family, Strucla, Barley, my parents, and I, all head down to the square which is decorated with colorful banners and flashing lights, as if this were some sort of celebration. But, we can all feel the grimness in the air.

I’m the youngest of my brothers, Strucla’s seventeen, and Barley’s twenty. While Barley's no longer eligible for the games, you can tell that he’s just as scared as the rest of us. My oldest brother comes up to me and pats me on the back trying to calm my nerves, he and I have always gotten along well. Barley's very protective of Strucla and me. He’s my father’s favorite; I think Strucla’s always resented him for that. I don’t mind too much. If I were my father I’d probably favor Barley too, he’s the best of all of us. Tall, strong, athletic, smart, wavy blond hair similar to mine, and bright blue eyes just like my fathers.

Strucla doesn’t really get along with anyone. He constantly picks fights with my father and Barley. I try to stay out of his way most of the time. Even though Strucla and I aren’t on the best of terms, the thought of him getting chosen for the games makes me sick to my stomach.

 I look at Strucla and study his face, he doesn’t seem too nervous but when he talks there’s a tremor in his voice. “Peeta, there’s nothing to worry about you only have your name in the bowl 5 times and I’m only in six times.” He’s trying to be strong but the panicky look in his eyes isn’t fooling anyone. He continues “I’m sure many of the other boys from the Seam have their names in at least 20 or 30 times. The odds are defiantly in our favor.”

This is true. The capitol offers the districts something called tesserae. It is a year’s supply of grain and oil for one person in exchange for their name being added to the reaping bowl more times. Some kids have to buy multiple tesseraes so that they can feed their entire families. So that means that kids like Katniss Everdeen, have a much greater shot at being chosen as a tribute. However kids like me and Strucla who have enough money to survive, only have to put our names in the bowl the minimum amount of times depending on our age. I’m very aware of that fact that this whole system is completely twisted. Just another example of the capitol favoring the rich and screwing over the poor.