the hunger games: if it happened to me

Chapter 2

I start walking towards the town center, there will be about 9000 kids there , what're the odds of me getting picked from 9000 others? There should be more kids, but in my state, Texas, some of the rich cities pay and that gets them off the hook. Rich cities like San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Austin, and many more. But Mission? We're not exactly a rich city. We're not poor either. We have money, just not enough to stop the reaping.
I get to the town center, it's packed. I make line so they can take my blood sample and name. The blood sample doesn't hurt much but it is a little uncomfortable having an officer poke your index finger with a knife and then clean the blood with the information paper.
Once this is done, they send me with the other 16 year olds. We are classified by age. Smaller kids at the back and older kids in the front. I wait a few minutes until everyone is in their section. Then lexi, the Capitol announcer, goes on stage.
"Welcome welcome to the reaping of the second annual hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor" she announces with eagerness. "Let's get started. As always ladies first" she continues. She walks over to a glass bowl filled with thousands of names. She tippy toes and reaches her hand in. She moves her hand a bit and finally gets a name card. As she opens and unfolds the card, times slows down, seconds feel like years but finally she opens it.
She reads, "The female tribute of this year's hunger games is, Iridian Lee Everdeen" Oh no. It's me. Me. How can it be me? It can't be me. There must of been a mistake. But there's no mistake, my name was called out. I'm going into the hunger games. Everyone is staring at me with horrified looks, I hear screaming, it's probably mom. I dont know how but I managed to get my blood flowing again and I'm able to move, I make my way to the stage. I want to cry. But I won't. I can't. I need to show that I'm strong. I stand there as the crowd just looks at me, probably feeling sorry for me, but i just have a dead serious look showing no emotion what so ever.
"Very well, now for the boys" lexi announces. The same process is repeated. She reads "The male tribute for this year's hunger games is, Ferny Mellark the third." Ferny. We've been friends for years. I can't believe this. He makes his way onto the stage, also showing no emotion in his face.
Although I know him well, he's raging with anger. He looks at me and I look at him. We are required to shake hands but instead we hug, in front of everyone, the government is watching and I can tell they did not like this.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes from district 16, Iridian Everdeen and Ferny Mellark, happy hunger games and may the odds be ever in your favor" lexi says and that finishes the reaping.
They take us inside a room, and leave us alone. Ferny turns to look at me. Our eyes meet. He looks so sad, actually he looks mad, or a little of both. Just as I'm trying to figure it out, I see his arms lock around me, giving me a warm hug. We stay there for a few seconds but it sure felt like forever.
"Ferny.." I start to say as my eyes get watery. "Don't cry, we're gonna be fine I promise" he says, but even he doesn't believe that. "You get 3 visits 5 minutes each" an officer dressed in all white tells us. "I'll see you in a bit okay?" yells Ferny as the officer is taking him to the other room.