District 2

Reaping Day

Sleek and ready. It's nose twitches unknowingly, head turning swiftly alongside the gentle breeze. Eyes glistening in the golden morning sun, reflecting off my bedroom window which I am currently peering through. It is covered in a smooth light chocolate coat. Any other day I would have caught the rabbit, gutted and skinned for my family but not today. Today is Reaping Day. Of course, I am supposed to look forward to it. I've trained all my life at the academy, in my garden, wherever I could really. My parents had wanted me to train for the Hunger Games since I was 5 and that's what I've obviously done. I'm a Career. When I volunteer in just a few hours, I will be known to the rest of the Tributes as a brutal arrogant Career. I don't want to be thought if as that person but it was to survive. Needless to say, I had to agree with my parents - well, only my father - who concerned himself with my safety, in that aspect. In my district, it is an honour to sacrifice yourself and volunteer to participate in the Hunger Games. Once you've won the prestigious pageant, the Capitol rewarded you with unlimited riches and prizes for your district, until the day you die. However, for those less experienced or simply unlucky Careers and Tributes, you are to die in the arena. The arena, where the Tributes compete in a brutal battle to the death where only one can be named Victor, is an outdoors controlled environment where you are placed for the entire event and different dilemmas can rise throughout the Games. And yes, this fight to live is what I have been training for my whole life. For the people of my district, competing is a way of life, although I simply see it as a death trap for children. We are forced to compete because of the uprising that occurred 94 years ago. The 13 districts of Panem sought after freedom so began a rebellion against the almighty Capitol. 12 of these districts were defeated, the 13th utterly banished from our country. Ever since, each district is to offer up one boy and one girl to participate in the Hunger Games. This year is my year. Let's hope the odds are in my favour.

"Do us proud, Candace," Father says, and whispers just after."Do me proud." He leans forward and kisses me on the forehead. Mother is tightening my fabric belt around my pastel yellow dress harshly, making me wince as she ties the knot that practically handicaps my breathing. She doesn't care. Whether I come back alive or die in the bloodbath of a competition, she wouldn't mind. I wish that my mother was as supportive as her loving husband but she'll never change, she never did. They say, when my parents were children, that she went around with every man and wanted to marry anyone else but no offers came in so she took my father's, just wanting to have someone there for her, not out of the sheer love that he possessed. She utters nothing as Father assures me of my skills. I am okay with knives, a bow and I could often be compatible but a spear, that is by far my specialty.

In other districts, people dread the Reaping: an annual ceremony where the Tributes were selected from random. But where I live, the children who weren't trained to be Careers never have to worry. If they are chosen, there is always someone to take their place. Always. And today that'll be me. I wish I was as lucky as them, safe from all harm, long joyous successful lives ahead of them guaranteed. That's what's my children will be like, I will never have them go through what I have to go through, never. That is, if I live of course. There is a half and half chance of that happening, which is a larger percentage compared to the outlying district tributes who never win. Then again, District 1, the lapdogs of the Capitol who make luxury items, win just as much as our district. It depends on whether I team up with their Careers or not. Who I make an alliance with or if I make one at all could be the decider between life and death for me. Death is not an option, I plan to win. The other kids at the Academy don't believe that I am strong enough, even though I was chosen by the teachers to volunteer. I will win for myself and my father and to show them that I am not the weak mediocre girl they see me as. They will see that I am strong and able - a winner. Although, as much as I want to be Victor, I don't know how I will kill 23 innocent people who have done no wrong to me, to anyone. It's the Captiol's fault. They are despicable and I loathe them which is quite rare for someone of a Career district as they adore us. It's the Hunger Games that aren't fair. They defeated us and should have left if at that. The Capitol believe that the Games portray their generosity in the long run, allowing the Victor to bathe in riches. Unfortunately, this is after 23 vulnerable children are slaughtered. Anyway, today is my day. I've been waiting my entire life for this. Whether that is good or bad, I don't know.