The Twenty-ninth Annual Hunger Games: A Fanfiction

District 12 Reaping

District 12 Reaping
Tansy Meadowvale
"You ready for the reaping, Tansy?" Mother calls from downstairs. I hardly feel ready. I am apabbled at how the Capitol picks children to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. It's ridiculous. Sometimes I wonder how THEY would feel if we did that to THEIR kids?

"Almost," I say. I get out the blouse and skirt I will be wearing for the reaping. I put it on and comb back my hair into a ponytail. I go downstairs, where my mother and father and my sister Lilac are eating breakfast.

"What if I get picked?" wails my sister. I do my best to console her.

"You won't. Your name is only going in once," I say. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"How can you be sure?" she asks.

"Your name is only on one slip. You won't get picked. You have good odds."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Reably I'm not sure, but I don't want to scare Lilac, so I try to comfort her instead. After I eat my meager breakfast, we all head to the square. I hug Lilac, then Mother and Father.

"You'll be okay," I tell my sister. "You will not be picked." Then I rush off to check in. I head to the fourteen year olds pen and sit down next to a girl that I don't recognize. Soon it is time for the reaping to begin.

"Hello and welcome to the District 12 reaping for the 29th Hunger Games!" says our Capitol escort, Cornelia Amberville, in her cheerful way. The worst thing about the Hunger Games is that all the Capitol people are cheerful about it.

"Now a special video straight from the Capitol!" says our escort. I try to pay attention to the video, but I am worried that me or my sister will get picked. When the film ends, our escort walks over to the girls' ball and takes out a slip of paper. She then returns to the microphone.

"Lilac Meadowvale!" No! No! Not my sister! I know that people in District 12 don't usually volunteer, but I have to. I can't let my sister die. I stand up and race to the stage.

"I VOLUNTEER! I volunteer as TRIBUTE!" I shout. Lilac looks horrified. Inside, I feel horrified, but I had to do it for my sister.

"What's xr name?" Cornelia asks me.

"Tansy Meadowvale," I say slowly.

"So that was your sister, then," she says. "Lovely. Now for the boys." She goes to the boys' ball, digs around in it for a long time, and finally comes back with a name.

"Thyme Riverspring!" It's a twelve-year-old boy that comes to the stage. He steps onstage and stands beside me. Cornelia asks if there are any volunteers for him, but no one comes up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this year's tributes!" says our escort. With a terrible shock, I realize that I will have to go into the arena. But at least I know that Lilac will be safe.