The Selection in the Hunger Games

Tomorrow was the Games - Chapter 1

Aspen and I had a date today. It was Sunday. I put my long red hair in a high ponytail, sighing as I did. Tomorrow was the selection for the Games, a sick tournament put on by the Capital to show their dominance over the lower districts. I could hear May and Gerad, my cute little siblings, fighting despite Mom's shushing.

I came out of hiding, finally hearing their argument.

"America, Gerad put bugs in my hair!" May shouted, pointing her fingers at him.

"I didn't mean to," Gerad whined in return, youthful eyes pleading.

I looked to Mom, her curvy figure in protest, one hand on her hips and another about to be used for yelling. "Gerad, stop playing with bugs! May, stop yelling please!"

After Dad died from a heart attack, Mom had been less tolerant than ever. No one wants to be a single mother to five kids. Kota, my older brother, had won the Games when he was sixteen. He had gotten the house, the money. And he kept it. He kept it all. I hadn't talked to him in months. Kenna, my oldest sister, was expecting. Her husband, James, tried his best to provide for them but they were struggling. We all were.

Gerad and May moved their fighting to the garage, Dad's old place of work. I couldn't help but smile. They took it so well. I, on the other hand, was still struggling.

"Have you thought about it more?" Mom asked moments after they left, probing me. She was cooking small rations of food in our overused pot. I helped, moving to wash some dishes.

"I don't know, Mom. What will you do for the couple of months I'm out there? And Aspen-"

"America, forget about Aspen," Mom replied angrily. Her tone softened at my expression, her tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I didn't mean it like that but what about us? What about May and Gerad?"

I couldn't think of any other option when she said it like that. I had to volunteer as tribute no matter what named was called. But first, I had to go see Aspen.