Love & Hunger

Chapter 11- the 73rd reaping

July 4th in history was once a day of independence, but today it's the reaping of the 73rd hunger games. This is Prims
last year before going into the reaping. I didn't sleep very well last night, I can't stop thinking about the idea of myself or Peeta getting reaped into the hunger games. I've always been afraid that I'd be reaped into the games but now that Prims about to be of age it scares me more. The idea that I could lose the two most important people in my life just because president snow & his family decided that the districts must be punished.

I looked at the dress my mother put out for me, reaping day is the only is the one day of the year where my mother actually gets out of her bed. Mother was doing better for a while but when she spirals she usually won't get out of her depression. Getting ready for the reaping is a horrifying each year it never gets any better than they year before it's particularly scary when it your first year but the horror never stops. One year my cousin was reaped and he didn't make it two days, my aunt his mother just like mine has spitald into her own depression. I could only hope to that there is not a day where myself, prim, or Peeta is reaped into the games. If I lost either Prim or Peeta I know that I'd just end up like my mother and I don't want that to happen.

Once I finished my bath I waited about 10 minutes because even though prim won't be in the reaping until next year she still needs a bath. " Prim, it's time to wake up," I said. " Five more minutes ," she said. " Prim you need to get up now and take a bath," I responded. " Fine," she whined. " Thank you, for getting up to take a bath and I'm going to wake up mom," I said. " Sounds good," she said.

" Mom it's time to wake up, you have to get out of bed," I said. Mom actually got up but there was clearly no intrest on her part to get out of bed. " I just don't understand why I have to get up right now because we don't have to be at the hall of justice until much later?" She questioned. " The reason is that I need you to be there with me and you also need to be there for prim I'm going to o give you a reminder that this is her last year before having to go the reaping," I said.

While I started my walk to the reaping mom was still in bed without a sign of getting up. As I walk up to the hall of justice, where like usual the capitol workers will pick my finger to have the blood. I got in line with the other fifteen year old girls, I look over to where Peeta should be, hes not here yet. Peeta is usually on time but he's not it concerns me because he didn't seem as anxious as I was that one of us was going to be reaped into the games. Even though I'm trying to calm myself down I find myself hyper focused on the spot where he should be, luckily he gets there before the reaping starts my hope was that we could talk before the reaping.

Walking onto the stage was Effie Trinket wearing a large pink wig and an extravagantly large dress in the same shade of pink. " Hello everyone and welcome to the hunger games and may the odds ever be in the your favor," she said, Effie almost has a look of shock that no one was happy to see her. Almost on que the victor of the 50th hunger games Haymitch Abernathy walks out obviously drunk.

" As always, Ladies first and may the odds ever be in your favor," Effie said seriously.
" Our female district 12 tribute is..."
" Wren Oceanroot "

" And now for the boys and may the odds ever be in your favor,
" Our male district 12 tribute is..."
" Colt Amberwood"

I felt a large sense of relief, that neither Peeta or myself was reaped into the hunger games. The only thing I can think as I leave the hall of justice is where my boy with the bread is.

Before I see Peeta I see Prim all by herself. " Prim what are you doing here by yourself?" I asked. " Mom didn't want to come today she said that she was tired," Prim said. " Okay, let's go find Peeta and his family meet up with them for a while then we'll go home to mom," I said. We walked over to the bakery to go see Peeta and his family. " Hey, Katniss," Peeta said wrapping his arms around my waist. " I'm so happy that your safe," he said whispering in my ear and then giving me a kiss on the ear. " I feel the same about you, " I said. Eventually Peeta let go of me.

" Katniss where's your mom?" Mr. Mellark asked. " She's still in bed," I said. " She's still in bed?" He asked. " Yes sir, she is still in bed." " How often does she get out of bed a day?" He asked. " Well at the beginning of this year she was working but then she went into one of her slumps again," I said. " I'm going to go over there and get her over here because she needs some sence talked into her," he said. " Mr. Mellark you don't need to do that she doesn't even listen to me," I said. " Well then I'll drag her here because it's not appropriate for her to just not to go to the reaping," he said walking away.

" Peeta why don't you come and help me, Mr. Mellark said turning back to look at Peeta.