I find myself looking out my bedroom window. The sky was a cloudless diamond, clear and shining. The rays of sunshine seem to bounce on forever. In the distance, I see one of District Five's many solar power plants, powering most of Panem. I would actually think that today was beautiful, had it not been the day of the Reaping. The day each child fears of being chosen to slaughter other innocent children on live television. This will be my fifth reaping, and hopefully I survive like the last four.
"Bong! Bong! Bong!" Signals the clock in the Town Square.
"Let's go!" Yells my mother from downstairs.
"Coming!" I shout back. I take one last glance in my mirror before I head downstairs. This year, I only wear a small blue jean jacket and a plain pair of pants. Not much, but it really doesn't matter in my opinion. To get dressed up, just to see if you live until tomorrow? Not buying it. I walk down the stairs to find my mother already waiting for me.
"Where's Dad?" I ask.
"He's working at the power plants today." She sighs.
"On Reaping day? I thought all the plants were closed?"
"They usually are, but he's just trying to make the best out of his job. Without him working, we'd be a lot more poor, you know." I slip on a pair of flats before we head out the door. Once we leave, my mother says,"Don"t worry. You won't be picked.District Five is a big district. Chances are, a child from the poor side will be picked from taking tesserae."
"I hope so." I reply. Children start shuffling into the Town Square from all around. I head into the sixteen year old section near the back.
Mayor Dunbryll takes the stage before I know it. My fate will be decided in a matter of minutes. After he reads all the previous Victors' names, he sits down. Amelia Frost, our escort, walks over to the microphone in huge high heels. This year her costume consists of a puffy lime green dress and her hair, which goes past her back, is also dyed the same color green.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" She booms in her irritating Capitol voice. "Welcome to the reaping for the forty-seventh annual Hunger Games! As always, ladies first." She shuffles over the the girl's reaping ball. She pulls on a sleek black glove over her hand, and plunges her hand into the ball. As she pulls out a slip of paper, my heart starts to beat so fast, and so loud, you could hear it over a hundred thundering drums.
She gets back to the microphone, and unfolds the slip of paper. "Our female tribute is," she takes a pause,"Lyra Jesson!" I can't believe it. I've been reaped. No. This can't be true. There must be a mistake, but the Capitol never makes mistakes.
The other girls in my section have already made an opening for me. I walk out of the sixteen year old section, and head for the stage. By now, I know the whole district is watching me. Slowly, I walk up, my hands at my side.
Halfway to the stage, I have a flashback. "You won't be picked." My mother assured me. "District Five is a big district. Chances are, a child from the more poor side of the district will be reaped." If only she were right.
Now I've reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Come on up, dear." Sylvia says from the top of the stairs. I walk up the stairs, and follow Sylvia to the middle. "Here she is!" She exclaims. "District Five's Lyra Jesson!" With she gives a small round of applause for me, but no one else follows. "And finally, the male tribute." Again, she crosses over to the boy's reaping ball, and chooses a name. While she walks back over, I think about my dad. What whill he think when he comes home, just to find out that his only child was reaped? I just wish he weren't at work so I could say goodbye one last time. My eyes start to burn, but I won't let myself cry. I won't show the others that I'm weak. I wont.
The boy Amelia chose comes walking across the stage. He, like many others in the district, has shaggy brown hair. As he gets closer, I can finally see how lean and muscular he is. Where could he have gotten that muscular from in Five? I wonder. Most of the kids here have close to no muscle. He could be a fierce competitor.
"Our two tributes from District Five!" Exclaims Amelia. "Lyra Jesson and Isaac Barrick!" After she finishes, Panem's anthem starts to play. "Shake hands you two." She whispers to us. And we do. After the anthem finishes, she leads us into the Justice Building. A peacekeeper forces me into a room on one side, and Isaac in the other. This must be where we say our final goodbyes to our family and friends. Well, in my case, only family. I've never been up to making friends partially because if they were reaped, I woudn't want to watch them die.
The door opens, and a peacekeeper walks in. Behind him, is my mother. She already has tears flowing down her cheeks. "You have three minutes." The peacekeeper says, and shuts the door, leaving only my mother and I in the room.
"Stop crying." I order her. She ignores this and comes running over to me.
"What will your father think of this?" She cries. "Coming home to realize his daughter was sent off to some death games!"
"Stop." I try to say, holding back tears. "I'll come home. I promise. Even thought I have no idea how to survive or find shelter, I could still come home. I've seen it."
"Yes. Please try to come home. You can really do this. I believe in you." The peacekeeper barges in and takes my mother's arm. "NO!" She roars. "DON'T TAKE HER! PLEASE! NO! DON'T KILL HER! WE LOVE YOU!" She wails before the peacekeeper yanks her out of the room. Down the hall, I could still hear her yelling. Tears start to roll down my cheeks. I don't care if the Capitol is watching me now. They could think of me as weak. That I won't survive. But I'll prove them wrong.
The door opens again. I hoped it was my mother, just so I could see her face one last time, but it's only Amelia. "Yoo-hoo!" She calls
"What." I say, not in the mood for her Capitol crap.
"Ooh. Someone's a little feisty today."
I sigh. "Can we just get out of here already?"
"Yes, my next topic. You and Isaac will be leaving for the Capitol in a couple minutes, and then will meet your very own prep team and stylist!" She squeals in excitement. "And then, you will be dressed up in costumes representing District Five! It will be in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and will be cast all over Panem!" She says delightfully. She takes me by the arm, and leads me over to where Isaac is. She takes his arm too.
She leads us out of the Justice Building to where the tribute train is located. From what I see from the outside, it doesn't look too appealing. But once we step instead, I'm blown away. All kinds of delicious food on platters line the both walls. A huge chandelier hangs in the center. There are also four chairs lined with blue velvet.
"Well, this is where you two will be spending the day at once we reach the Capitol." Amelia says. "Your mentor will be out shortly, so just wait patiently." Amelia says as she trots off into the next room.
The train starts to move. I jog over to the window, watching the rest of District Five, quickly fade away.
~
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
yay my first chapter is up and hopefully you enjoyed it. yes i know i'm not the best writer but you'll have to deal with it sorry.
"May the odds be ever in your favor."
