I awaken to myself screaming on the day of the the 74th annual Reaping for the yearly Hunger Games. Mom and Katniss said told me to take a nap to relax myself. Wrong. I was reaped for the Hunger Games. I screamed as the bell went off in the arena, and I was running. Not fast enough to avoid the incoming sword. Then, the screaming and light of the outside world.
Katniss is holding me in her arms, trying desperately to calm me down. "Shh," she whispers. "every things okay, Prim. Everything's alright."
"Okay," I say. "But it was me. And I was the first one to be taken out." I sob into her shoulder.
"Shh it's okay," she says and pulls away, hands still on my shoulders. "Listen Prim, it's not you it's not going to be you. Trust me." I nod and she hugs me once more and whispers,"I love you." I ask if she can sing me "Deep in the Meadow" She nods. Katniss lays me down onto the bed. She pulls the covers to my chin and starts to sing.
"Deep in the meadow,
Under the willow,
A bed of grass,
A soft green pillow," She stops when I start to sing along. "Remember that song?" I nod. "Okay, well I'll be back soon."
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere, I just have to go," she leans in and kisses my forehead. "Sweet dreams." She smiles and leaves. I hear Buttercups, hiss and Katniss's mumble. In the room next to the only bedroom in the house, my mother's feet shuffle around the kitchen. I throw the blanket off of myself, and grab Buttercup from the front room. And I walk around this four-room house, and see nothing new. Nothing ever new. Bedroom, many splintered wooden boards as walls, Mom's and I really don't think I should say who else's desk it is black carved wooden desk, and two bed's Mom's bed and Katniss's and my bed.
Front room, splintered boards, a dusty faded yellow couch, a small fireplace, and a government authorized projector. Kitchen, splintered boards, an island and a cutting board and a bowl with an apple left in it, a wood burning stove, a small wooden table with three seats (we burned the fourth one), and an ice box. Bathroom, a toilet, and a bathtub/sink, cold running water of course. I return back into the kitchen, were Mom says to take a quick shower before four o'clock. So, I do and returning to my room, Mom has spread out my favorite sandy peach dress, with ruffles going from the neck down the center to the waistline.
Later after I have brushed my hair and put on my knee highs and factory-made plastic shoes, Mom ties my hair into two braids. Two blond braids running down my shoulders. I frown into the mirror. Mom smiles behind me. The door in the front room opens. Both Mom and I go to the front room. "Hello Dear," Mom says. Katniss smiles in response.
"Oh, look at you! You're so beautiful!" she says to me."Might want to tuck in that tail Lil' Duck." I smile.
"I layed one out for you, too, Katniss." Mom says. Katniss smiles and dusts off the tail of my skirt of the dress.
"Okay," she says. Her heavy boots thump through the house to the bathroom. The rush of the cold water goes through the pipes under the house. I walk away to another room to wait for her to finish dressing after her bath.
