The Hunger Games - Primrose Everdeen

The Hunger Games

My eyes flicker open. Sweat trickles down my face, most likely from my nightmares of the reaping. In all of which, either Katniss or I was slowly and painfully killed. But Katniss was usually not the one dying. She has survived multiple reaping’s. This is my first time. It may be less likely for me to be chosen to be a tribute in the 74th Hunger Games, but it doesn’t feel that way.

            Carefully, so I do not disturb my sleeping mother, I climb out of the rock hard bed. At least over the years I have learned to get a good night’s sleep on that clunky old mattress because today will wipe a lot of energy out of me.

            At the end of the bed sits my scruffy yet adorable cat, Buttercup. Gently, I scoop him into my arms and pat his fuzzy head. He purrs ever so slightly. This brings comfort to me as I walk into the kitchen, a few steps closer to the reaping. The first thing I notice is that the goat cheese I left out for Katniss to take hunting with her friend Gale is gone. Good. She’ll need energy, too, but much more than I need. Hunting isn’t easy. I’ve learned that from the few times that Katniss has tried to teach me to hunt. Although, I was never quite good at it. If I even managed to hit an animal I would beg Katniss to help me try to revive it. One more reason why this reaping is worse for me. If I can’t kill an animal, how am I supposed to kill a human?

            I shake my head to clear those awful thoughts from my mind, which sends my soft blonde hair into my face, jabbing my eye painfully. Let the bad luck begin, I think to myself.

            Before I allow myself to think up any more terrible thoughts I bring my mind to something else. The dinner tonight. After the two tributes from District Twelve are chosen my mother, Katniss, and I will have a delicious meal. In a way, to celebrate another year without neither Katniss nor I entering the Games.

            At least I hope I eat dinner at home tonight. Not on a train escorting me to the Capitol to be prepared to fight and then so carelessly slaughtered.

            You won’t be chosen, Prim! Stop thinking you will be! I scream in my head.

            So, again I bring myself back to dinner. I decide that maybe I should let my mother handle that, as usual. It will take her mind off of my father.

            Instead, I go outside and milk my goat, Lady. When I first got her I guess you could say it was love at first sight. Sure, she was in a terrible condition but my mother and I fixed her up right away. That night Lady and I fell asleep by the fire, curled up next to each other. Right as I began to nod off she licked my cheek. Like I said, love at first sight.  To think that the Goat Man was going to sell her to Rooba, the butcher, for meat. 

            I’m still milking Lady when my mother calls my name. “Yes, mother?” I reply to her while still being outside of the house.

            “Where are you Prim? Come and get changed for the reaping.” Her words slam fear into my stomach. Slowly I get up and walk indoors with the bucket of goat’s milk in tow. “Well, we’ll have to make some cheese out of that. We haven’t eaten any in a while now.”

            “Yes we have. You just didn’t come to dinner that night. Instead you just stared out the window like usual.” I correct. Usually, I am not the type of girl to give my mother the guilt lecture- although, usually it is the child getting lectured- but today I just can’t help it. Is this how I will feel every reaping until I’m 19 and my name cannot be drawn from the reaping ball? Hopefully not.

            She frowns slightly. “Primrose, I do not want to hear it. Just go change into the outfit I have laid out for you. Now, please.” I give up a sigh of defeat and head to the bedroom to change. On one of the two beds sits Katniss’s first reaping outfit. I assume this is what my mother wants me to change into. Quickly, I slip the shirt over my head and pull the skirt onto my waist. It’s a little too big, but it will have to do the trick.