The Hunger Games (Peeta's P.O.V.)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

I'm used to Katniss locking herself away from the whole world. Making herself a math equation where its almost all variables and then the answer is some insane number and you have to solve for x, y, z, a, b, and c. But right now, that element is lost. Katniss stands there completely in shock. Her grey eyes wide, terrified, and distant. I know how much Katniss cares about Prim. I'm afraid she'll do something drastic like scream or cry or say something insane. I look between Prim and Katniss. Prim takes after her sister right now. She bravely walks towards the stage. As she walks by me I see her blouse untucked. I look at Katniss; it's almost as if this is what brings her back to us. The crowd mumbles a little as they always do when a twelve year old is picked. This is as close to rebellion as I think District 12 will ever come. I wait for the yelling that is surely about to spring from Katniss's throat.

"Prim!" She cries, a strangled weak and wailing cry, "Prim!" She cries again.

This time her body springs into action. She barrels through the crowds of people; well they make space for her. Prim is just reaching the stage. She turns to Katniss, her blue eyes swelling with tears. Katniss shoves her away from the stage like the stage will suck her up and butcher her. But that kind of is what the Hunger Games does.

"I volunteer!" She gasps, "I volunteer as a tribute!"

Effie Trinket gets this look of confusion on her face like she doesn't know what to do. Mayor Undersee bites his lip in the same confusion. I don't see why. Katniss is an eligible girl. So she should be able to take her place, end of story. That's how the volunteering has always worked. I've seen it happen in other districts, but never in District 12. The way it works is if girl is pulled another eligible girl can take her place. If a boy is pulled another eligible boy can take his place. A boy can take a girls place and girl can't take a boys place. Just so the Hunger Games balance out.

The rules for the Hunger Games are simple and easy for everyone to grasp. There are twelve districts in our country of Panem. From each district a boy and girl's names are pulled from two glass balls. You are eligible for the reaping from ages twelve to eighteen. Once your name is pulled you are referred to as a 'tribute'. All twenty four tributes are put into an outdoor arena and forced to fight to the death. The last one standing is called the 'victor' and given a lifetime's amount of ridiculous money.

Then there tessera. Suppose you are poor and starving. You can go to the JusticeBuilding and sign up for tessera. Tessera is when your name is put in the reaping one extra time and you get a years supply of grain and oil for one person. You can take tessera for each of your family members as well.

Your entries in the reaping roll over and one is added each year starting at age twelve. So when you are eighteen and standing in the ropes of hell for the last time you have nine entries in the reaping.

"Lovely!" cries Effie Trinket, "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers. And if one does come forth then we...,"

"What does it matter?" asks the mayor irritably.

 "What does it matter?" He says again, "Let her come forward.

Prim is not about to allow this though. She is in hysterics with her skinny arms locked around Katniss.

"No, Katniss! No! You can't go!" She cries.

"Prim, let go!" She says in a voice that's almost a growl.

I can tell she doesn't want to cry. A lot of people might just think she's embarrassed, but I know that Katniss does not want to be seen all over Panem crying.

"Let go!" She yells.

Gale jogs up to the steps of the stage and pries Prim from Katniss's back. He says something to her and nods towards the stage. He is not as good as she is and you can tell that emotion is dying to seep out of him. He carries Prim off in the direction I'm guessing Katniss's mother is standing. Katniss walks up the stage.