Daughter of the Mockingjay

First Day

I stand there, waiting for my name to be called with butterflies everywhere in my stomach, the uniforms making a blob of green. When my parents came into my room that day and said yes I was ecstatic! I worked so hard to pass all the test and interviews and each time I passed something the more real it felt. Parents weren't allowed to stay so it was 'emotional' for my Mum and Dad to send their 'baby girl' off to her first day in the 'army'.

Telling the people I loved was exciting and nerve racking at the same time, they were shocked at first but after I told them more about it they warmed up and got excited for me. Telling Ashton was the hardest, I don't know why, it just was, and I think its becua- I'm brought out of my thoughts by someone knocking into me.

"Oh my god, so sorry! I didn't see you there." A girl with long dark hair and about my age franticly says.

I laugh it off and say;

"That's ok, your first day to?"

"Yea, I'm starting to rethink this if you know what I mean." She laughs and I join her, I decide to introduce myself as I don't want to be a loner.

"I'm Iris by the way, Iris Mellark." I tell her extending my hand out for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Alison, Alison Reed, that over there is Lydia, my sister." She smiles excepting my offer of a handshake and pointing to a girl behind us with long strawberry blonde hair talking with some other people.

"Pleasure, so what squad?" I ask her as we walk forward, closer to the sign in desk.

"481, you?" She tells me and I get a rush of excitement as I'm in that squad! 

"Same! Oh my god we're in the same squad!" I gush and her lights up like mine did a few seconds ago.

"Sweet! This should be fun." She says.

"Yea." I smile nodding in agreement.

We continue to walk forward in silence until Alison breaks it.

"This is stupid really, it looks like a flippin reaping for a Hunger Games, you heard of them?" She says, shaking her head in desbelife and then looking at me to see what my answer is to her question. If only you knew Alison, if only you knew.

"More than you'll ever know." I snicker and she smiles and replies;

"Cool."

We come to a stop and continue to wait for our names to be called out.

"Iris Mellark!" An older lady yells out and I immediately tense, relax Iris, relax.

I walk forward and the lady behind the desk gives me a light smile.

"Hold out your hand." She instructs me and prepares the needle.

I hold my hand out to her and she takes it and pricks my finger, I squint my eyes from the sting.

"Squads 480 to 490 are to your left and up the stairs, when you get to your squad sign in and stand in line, your Sargent will lead you from there." She tells me and ushers me along.

"Thank you." I reply even though she wouldn't heard it as she's already called the next person up.

I head in the direction she tells me and end up finding the stairs she was talking about, I climb them and see Alison and her sister not far behind.

When I reach the top I stand there for a moment and shut my eyes, just taking it all in, I'm doing this for Mum, I'm doing this for me I say to myself and continue to walk forward to the sign in desk. I scan my eyes along the paper to find my name and when I do I sign it and go join what must be the rest of my squad.