The Hunger Games - Katta: KATNISS & PEETA

chapter 2 the reaping

Today is the day of the reaping,  where at age twelve, your name is entered into the drawing once; at thirteen, it’s entered twice; and so on up until age eighteen. But you can choose to have your name entered again in exchange for a tesserae, a year’s supply of grain and oil for one person. Poor people often need tesserae to survive, so the children of the poor end up having their names entered numerous times. I am 16, but my name is in twenty times, & Gale, who is eighteen, will have his in forty-two times. My sister Prim, is only twelve and has taken no tesserae, so her name is only in once. As I return home, & get ready I go with my mother & Prim to the town square. Prim is wearing a blue dress with a white skirt it's dress made in 2 pieces, I always tell her tuck in that tail little duck. Because she leaves a piece of her shirt sticking out in the back well the rest is tucked in. I wear a white dress, plain but simple to me. I walk into the sign in where we all have take a prick of blood to check in. As prim walks to the 12 year old section I walk over to the 16 year old section, trying to search for Gale.  That’s where the reaping, which is televised and treated like a festive event, takes place in my district. In the square, the mayor gives a speech that provides the history of the Hunger Games. Panem was formed of a Capitol and thirteen districts, but the districts eventually rebelled. The Capitol defeated the districts, with the thirteenth being so badly destroyed that it ceased to exist. To punish the districts and remind them of their powerlessness, the Capitol holds the Hunger Games, in which a male and female “tribute” between twelve and eighteen from each district must fight to the death in a large outdoor arena. The tribute that survives wins, and that tribute’s district receives extra food. Haymitch Abernathy, one of only two people from District 12 to win the Hunger Games and the only one still living, comes out on stage. He is drunk and tries to hug Effie Trinket, a public figure who acts as an escort to District 12’s tributes. Effie then states with a booming tone in her voice "that the time has come to welcome everyone & their annoying selves to the 79th Hunger Games!" Gale looks at me & states "Oh, no the bad news begins now!" Effie Trinket then draws the name of the first tribute: Primrose Everdeen. At first I think clearly & make sure the name I heard is true. As Prim walks up to the stage, I panic & run into some peacekeepers. Who say I can't go through Prim looks back & screams "Katniss!" I run to her & yell "I volunteer as tribute!" A volunteer takes place of any one who's name was called as tribute, but that never happens in district 12. Prim hugs me as Gale has to pull her away from me. So I try walking up on stage without looking like I want to die. Because if you show any emotion it shows the other tributes that your a weak link. Effie Trinket asks for a round of applause, but the crowd remains silent and offers only a gesture of respect to me. Haymitch falls off the stage while offering his congratulations. They give a 3 finger salute to show their respect. Effie asks who was the girl I volunteered for, as I say my sister, she asks my name I say Katniss Everdeen. Then Effie goes to pick the boy tribute: Peeta Mellark she says.  We shake hands & walk to the Justice Building.