Willow Mellark

Chapter 2

The weeks pass by so fast, right now I'm standing in front of the mirror wearing the same blue dress me mother wore to her reaping.
"Willow"
I see in the mirror that Rye has entered my room, I turn around and embrace him tightly as this may be one of the last hugs we get. I still don't know if mom was telling the truth or not, about one of going in there, I hope she's wrong.

We leave the house, al of us in silence. It's not a long walk to the main square, mom, dad and Haymitch go over to where the parents stand, and as for me and Rye, we follow the crowd to what seems like several cues, peacekeepers are sitting at desks, I can't see exactly what they are doing though. I step up to the desk as I am now at the front
"Finger please" the women says
I hold my hand out as she holds a small machine, it connects with my finger and I feel a slight pinch in my finger, the women then proceeds to press my finger on the paper and scans it with machine and I see my name spear in it
"Off you go" she says
I head over to where every other girl goes, i seems we are placed girls one side and boys in the other.
A women spears on stage, she is wearing as bright pink dress and a wig that matches and with ever accessory you could imagine.
"Welcome, welcome to the 1st annual hunger games"
They call it the first one not 77th I don't know why.
"Now, there is some different rules to these games" she announces.
"Each year, it will be up to the capitol of what the games shall hold or planned out"
That's good to know, I say in my head sarcastically
"There was a small incident last time in the games, and do as not to cause any of the events that happened, two Victors may me crowned, one male and one female"
A lot of people are either looking at me, Tye or our parents.
"Now, to select our tributes, I'm going to do the boys first"
I'm really nervous, I don't want Rye going into the games, even though he is my older brother I still look out for him.
She walks over to the bowl and carefully pulls out a slip of paper, she walks back over, opens up the paper very delicately and reads out
"Atticus Appleby"
I sigh in relief but the anxiety comes back as I realise it might not be Rye but myself going into the games.
A boy around my age slowly walks up to the stage, I think I have seen him before.
"Come, come" says the women in her high pitched capitol accent.
"And now the girls"
She heads over there and quickly pops her hand in, but as she does I notice her wearing a golden bangles and one of the slips of paper is drawn to it, the bowl has been rigged.
She carefully walks back over to the Center if the stage
"Willow Mellark" she reads out.
Everyone turns to look at me and I think they all know it was rigged too.
Tears threaten to fall but I know, I cannot show them I am weak.
I walk up to the stage and stand on one side of the women as Atticus stand at the other.
" Well those are out two tributes, now shake hands"
We do as she instructs and shake each other's hands.
"Now, give a round of applause for district 12 fist tributes.
There is silence, I look back and see that my mother has raised her hand and soon follows my father and haymitch and everyone else in district 12, I look closely to see that they have just raised their 3 middle fingers.
I know what it means, it means thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love.
We are quickly taken by the women into the justice building.
I am shown to a room down the corridor, it a very nice room, velvet, soft and red sofas.
I sit down on the sofa.
The door opens and Rye steps in I don't hesitate to hug him.
We stay like this for a couple of minutes until a peacekeeper comes in
"You can do it Willow, you can win" are his last words before he is taken away.
A couple of minutes past and my dad comes in, he kisses my forehead and whispers in my ear"you are strong, like your mother"
"I love you dad"
I stay in his arms until, again, another peacekeeper takes him away. Haymitch comes in and we hug like I did Rye and my dad, and just the same he is taken away by the peacekeeper. I'm afraid my mom won't come in, to upset to say goodbye.
That's when she comes in, I embrace her immediately, this time I let the tears spill.
"Shh, shhh, don't cry" she says to me
I still let them fall though.
"Look at me, you are brave you are strong, your a fighter" she tells me firmly
"You can win, you have both mine and your fathers mind, strength and blood, you can do it"
"I love you, mom" I hug her even tighter
"I love you too"
That's when the peacekeeper comes and takes her away, I might never see my family again.