The Unwanted

The reapings

"Up, up, up! Today is going to be another big, big, big day!!!" Una chirped and spread open my curtains.

"Urgg, no," I stuff my head into my pillow and try to block out the sun. Today is going to be a bad, bad, bad....no. No no no no no no. The reaping. "I'm not ready to be a mentor," I I inform Una. But my legs still move, but as if I'm almost...inhuman.

I take a 10 minute shower and blindly change into the dress my prep team has supplied me- a jet black vneck that flows beneath my slender frame, and a blood red shawl.

I meet up with Una, Blight, and my prep team. We all gather in a pool by the Justice Buildings door.

"Smiles on, Chins up. Your on camera," Una says, and I put on my most dazzling smile.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" Una addresses the crowd as we get settled in.

Una is district 7's escort. Her fashion sense is very poor, at least not in my standards. But not as bad as a certain someone's choice in clothing.

*cough* Effie Trinket *cough*

"Don't you just love that?" Una comments just as the "War terrible War" clip ends. "As always, ladies first." Una's heels click against the roomy pavement when she walks. Her hand lingers over the ladies' bowl. "This year's female tribute is.... Marlee Raymond!!!"

A shaky girl..no, young woman, about 15 walks up. She's wearing a long purple dress and she looks so shocked and she reminds me of myself, at my first reaping. An emotional mess.

"Now for the boys," Una says with her usual chirp. Her hand doesn't hesitate to pull out a ting-y white slip. "Corbin Bleu!"

The crowd parts as a young boy emits from the small clearing.

"Someone volunteer!! Please!" A lady, probably his mother, yells from a spot in the crowd. "My baby!"

But no one volunteers as the poor boy takes his place on the stage. Showing no emotion, Corbin stands next to a sickly looking Marlee.

"And here you have it! The tributes from 7!" Una calls.

But no one applauds. No one moves. Crickets chirp in the distance.

And there you have it, folks. The tributes from 7. The tributes that I will not be able to save. But you can bet my bottom dollar that I will try.