Maysilee Donner - The Hunger Games

My family and I were Gathered around the TV, to watch the capitols Quell announcement. It was the 50th Hunger Games, so it was bound to be something horrific. My sister Estelle was sitting next to me on the rug, I could see that she was scared.

"Its okay Estelle, what ever happens we'll be okay, their not going to pick us." I said calmly. It was funny, me and Estelle were twins-she was the oldest- yet I protected her. She put her arms round my neck, I loved her hugs. 

"I know Maysilee, It's just somethings not right I feel this year the Quell is going to be something bad, I'm just - I'm just scared." said Estelle Pleadingly. I pulled her in tighter, her small body was warm and I could feel her heart pounding against my chest. I was scared too, but I couldn't show it, I had to be brave for Estelle.

There was a loud boom as the anthem starts to play and the capitol seal appeared brightly on the screen. Estelle let go of me and watched the screen as Panem started to appear, I could see she was shaking. My parents slid down of our sofa and sat on ether side of us, holding out our favourite cherry sweet - which they had taken from out sweet shop. They put their arms around us, as we watched the screen, I felt safe as their body heat warmed me up. Estelle and I took the sweets and sucked on them, they tasted sweeter than ever, my parents must have put extra sugar in them. 

The anthem finished and we saw president Snow in font of the training center. He was standing on a balcony high above the capitol citizens, with two peace keepers on ether side of him.There is a small boy in a white suit holding a simple wooden box(probably made out of some expensive wood that costs more than our sweet shop).In the box are Pieces of card with the numbers 50, 75 and 100, for the other quells. President snow was old, considering the capitol citizens seemed to have bright clothing, hair and make-up he seemed to be out of place. He always wore a big white fresh rose on his suit pocket; which almost matched his hair.He was not a man of joy, his face looked like it hadn't cracked a smile in years, with all the aging wrinkles. With all that technology in the capitol, I'm surprised he hasn't had any surgery.

His voice boomed out across the captiol and into our living room "On the twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold a vote on the tributes who would represent it." I Thought for a moment who would have been voted, there arn't many strong people from out district, half of us are poor. Imagine being picked by your own district sentenced to death, the thought sent chills down my spine. Estelle put her hand out and I clasped it tightly, I had butterflies in my stomach. I felt my parents move in closer making me feel enclosed in a sanctuary. My eyes were locked on to the Television screen.

"And now to honour the second Quarter Quell," boomed the president. The boy in the white suit then came forward and held out the box. The President then ran his fingers slowly across the cards as if he was reading them, and then stopped on the one labelled with a bold '50' and picked it up. I felt Estelle's hand grasp mine tighter as we watched his eyes scan the card. "On the fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the stongest among them cannot overcome the capitol, twice as many tributes will be reaped from each district,"He Read.

I gasped, there was more of a chance of any of us going into the hunger Games. Estelle slung her arms around my neck and whispered " Its okay Maysilee, we'll be okay.." I was speechless I didn't know what to say. I was suddenly enclosed by a family hug, my parents were obviously as shocked as I was. I jumped as the capitol seal appeared and the anthem boomed again. Our parents released from the hug and kissed our heads, " You two will be alright, there's many children that could be reaped and your names are entered four times, Think about those who are enetered forty times, don't worry about it, go get some rest, you will feel better" proclaimed my dad. What he said was true me and Estelle were only fifteen meaning our names were entered four times. Other kids who are a lot poorer had to take tassera -which meant they got simple things like grain and oil. Because they took tessera this meant they had to enter their names into the reaping for the amount of times they took it.

Estelle and I kissed our parents good night and headed to our room. We were greeted by my Canary bobbing around his cage, singing delightful tune. He was called Pavarotti and he had bright yellow feathers, my parents bought him for me when I turned 12. I loved him deeply, his songs always brightened my day and he was great to chat to. I gave him some seed and slumped on my bed. I could see that Estelle had already got into bed and was staring at me.

" Good night Estelle, Just remember what dad said," I said sweetly

"night Maysilee," she said with a faint smile, i could tell that she wasn't going to sleep tonight.

I grabbed some fleecy bottoms, put them on and sat on my bed. Pavarotti gazed at me with his innocent beady eyes, I could tell he was reassuring me. I opened the cage door and Pavarotti bobbed on to my finger, I held I'm there stroking his feathers looking out to the icy white moon. I couldn't help but wonder what the reaping would bring, who would get reaped? I just hoped it wasn't Estelle, she wouldn't cope, not after watching her best friend Miranda starve to death last year, She still has nightmares. I promised my self there, that if she did get reaped i would volunteer to take her place.