The Third Everdeen

Chapter 2

Katniss and I ventured home, as we traveled we saw parents preparing their children for the dreaded Reaping. Peacekeepers also roamed the streets more often on this day then any other day in the year. When we walked in, Prim was there waiting for us; in her first Reaping outfit.

"Look at you! You look beautiful!" Katniss praised, the two of us crouched in front of her, looking at her clothes. I was trying so hard to pull myself together. I was not going to cry in front of her, I didn't want to scare her. 

"You should tuck in that tail there ducky." I told her tucking in her shirt under her skirt.

"I laid something out for you two as well." Mom told us. We looked at her emotionless. She had barely spoken since our father died, Katniss and I resent her for it. We hid our anger with a small smile. 

We went into our small bedroom and saw our dresses, one on each bed. Katniss was going to wear one of mom's old dresses and I was wearing one of Katniss's dresses since I don't fit in her clothes. Since we are forced to conserve water Katniss and I took one of our larger buckets and bathed together. Once we were cleaner than we were, we got dressed. If it wasn't for the Reaping, I would've said I looked alright. It was a pale blue dress, matching flats and I put my hair in a side fish-tail braid. When Mom saw us, there was a familiar look in her eye that I hadn't seen in a while. 

"Now you two look beautiful too." she choked.

Prim walked up to us, "Wish I looked like you two." I looked down to her cute little features. She was one of the outsiders of District 12 because she is a lot paler than most of us, and has soft blonde hair like Mom while Katniss and I look average. 

"No, we want to look like you Duckie." I put her hand in mine.

Suddenly the alarm blared in the distance, warning us that we only had a few minutes to get to town square before the Reaping starts. Mom and Prim exchanged worried glaces while Katniss and I hid our nerves. 

Katniss looked at Prim, "Do you want to see what we got you today?" She nodded sniffling.

I took the pin out and showed it to her. "It's a mockingjay pin. AS long as you have it, nothing bad will happen to you. I promise." I pinned it to her dress. The alarm blared one more time and the three of us hugged, walking off to what would be the day our lives changed forever.

~

Prim wanted to walk in between me and Katniss so she could hold both of our hands. She's scared, it's obvious to see. I was terrified. Everyone in the District was. No one wanted to be the one who would be forced into that arena. We approached the registration location when Prim saw how it was we sign ourselves in. She started hyperventilating and Katniss and I tried to calm her down.

"It's okay Prim. It's okay," Katniss hushed, I was rubbing her back trying to get her to calm down.

"It's time to sign in now. They are going to prick your finger and take a little bit of blood." I told her.

"You didn't say-" she started and Katniss interrupted her.

"We know. It doesn't hurt much."

"Only a little bit." I finished, we calmed her down enough to stop her frightened breathing.

"When you're done go sit down with the little kids and we will go find you after. Alright?" Katniss told her and Prim nodded.

It was Prim's turn to sign in, the Capitol woman waved her forward impatiently. "Next." She kept repeating until Prim finally reached over and offered the woman her finger. The woman swiftly pricked her finger, causing Prim to flinch. With blood dripping from her finger she put it on the paper and scanned it. "Go ahead." Then Katniss went and walked ahead. I walked up upon hearing her call me "Next." She pricked my finger and scanned my blood and I rushed off to join Katniss.