Modern Day Hunger Games

I wake up in a cold sweat.

Shit. The reaping is today.

I haven't really worried about the reaping ever. Well I've only been allowed to participate in the hunger games for two years. Luckily we don't exactly live in a poor district so tesserae is not needed. District 2; my home. I've never been sent to the hunger games, my mother doesn't see this as a good thing.

I've been training my entire life to go to the arena and be the last one standing. I don't want to be a peacekeeper for the rest of my life. Winning the games would be a one way ticket out of a fixed future.

I jump out of bed happily. I pull my wavy black shoulder length hair into a ponytail.

By the time I get dressed, my mom is awake and in the living room.

"Hi mom." I say in an upbeat tone.

"Hello Natalia. Excited for the reaping today?" She replies looking at me sleepily.

"Sure and don't call me Natalia." I say, now feeling  annoyed.

"That's your government name, so that's what I will call you." She says bossily.

"Goodbye mom." I say in an annoyed sigh, heading for the door.

"Bye. Come back in time to get dressed before the reaping!" She yells after me.

"I will." I say while walking out the door.

I step outside and let the sun wash over my dark brown skin.

I run to the town square. My best friend Chelsea Anne is there waiting for me.

I run up to her.

"Hi Chelsea!" I say as I sit down next to her on the bench.

"Hey Natalie." She says sounding dazed.

She's distracted by something.

"Are you Ok... OR NAH?" I scream. She giggles quietly and continues to stare off into the distance.

"I'm Ok. I'm just watching them set up the square for the reaping." She says looking at the dust covered stage in front of the justice building where Effie Trinket is standing, talking to some important looking men.

"Are you excited for the reaping?" I say ignoring the set up team.

"Can you keep a secret?" She asks quietly.

"Duh...." I say quickly.

"Ok, to be honest, I'm scared shitless." She says while quietly laughing.

"We are all shitting bricks on the inside. We don't want our parents to be disappointed in us." I say thoughtfully.

"Speaking of shitting bricks, look!" Chelsea says pointing at the clock on the justice building.

"God dammit! 12 o'clock? I better go. I promised my mom I'd be home before the reaping." I say quickly while getting up.

"Ok see you soon!" She says waving after me as I start to run home.

I get home and quickly change into my sky blue mid calf length dress.

My mom and I make our way down to town square. Once we get there she goes and stand with the adults, giving me a small hug before leaving. I go and stand in the kids line waiting to have my identity confirmed.

I finally get to the identity conformation table a couple minutes later.

"Give me your hand." She orders. I hold out my hand and she pokes my finger with a needle. She takes my finger and presses it onto the paper in front of her leaving a bloodstain on the paper. She scans it.

"Natalia Peterkin?" She asks looking at me.

Unfortunately.

"Yes." I say before she gestures towards the group of fifteen year old girls.

I get to my group and look back into the adult crowd. My mom is smiling at me. I mouth the words 'I love you' to her. She does the same.

Suddenly I feel a tap on my shoulder.

Chelsea!

"Still scared shitless?" I ask her.

"Yup. How about you?"

"Same."

**********************

After 30 minutes of waiting the last few people walk to their groups and Effie taps on the microphone.

The loud feedback makes everyone stop their side conversations and turn to her.

"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to the reaping of the 105th Hunger Games for District 2. Before we start the actual reaping, I want to show you a little video about why we participate in the Hunger games.

The video starts roaring through the speakers.

" War. Terrible war." The video begins, like every year.

There is going to be terrible war if this shitty video doesn't end soon.

***********************

After 30 grueling minutes of that damn video. The reaping actually started.

Effie walked up to the microphone.

"That video gets me every time." She begins while sniffing, "Anyway, we are now going to choose the two lucky, lucky tributes. One female and one male. As always, Ladies first." She says before reaching her hand into a transparent bucket filled with paper. "Catherine Belle." Effie says after deeply inhaling.

I can hear faint crying. I look down the middle aisle to see a small fair skinned thirteen year old girl. She had light brown hair and big horn rimmed glasses. She was slowly walking down the aisle crying. She eventually got to the stage and shook Effie's hand. Effie continued.

"And now for the boys!" She says dunking her hand into the bucket opposite the girls bucket.

"Petar Marjanovic." Effie says loudly into the microphone.

"Aaaaaaaaand we're screwed!" I whisper to Chelsea. Petar walked up to the stage. He ruffled his short brown hair, looking nervous as usual. Chelsea silently started giggling, sounding like a snake.

After the reaping Chelsea came over to my house for dinner.

"Well I can tell you one thing I got from this reaping." I say while sighing.

"What was that?" My mom and Chelsea ask at the same time.

"This is going to be a very short hunger games." I say notedly.