100th Hunger Games

Chapter 22

Sadie Harker's POV: (District Twelve)

My eyes open only to be blinded by sunlight streaming through my open window. I shiver slightly as I push the covers off of me and stand. My bare feet slide across the cold floor as I walk to the window, breathing in the chilly morning air before sliding it closed again, changing out of my night gown and heading downstairs.

My mother stands in the kitchen slicing bread. I take the slice that she holds out to me and she pours me a small glass of goat's milk. When I finish eating, I get to my feet and my mother pulls me into a hug. I nearly ask where my father is but then I remember that it's reaping day and that, as mayor, he has to be at the Justice Building an hour early.

"I need you to go and buy some meat and greens for our dinner, quickly, and then come back and get changed." My mother instructs, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear and then kissing my forehead.

I nod, pulling on my thin jacket and walking out into the crisp air, shutting the door behind me. I walk to the small clutter of buildings and buy a small amount of chicken from the butcher before wandering over to the market to purchase some greens. Once I've collected all of the goods that we'll need for our celebratory dinner tonight, I return home and put everything away before heading upstairs to wash quickly and change into my reaping clothes.

I slip on the grey ruffled dress that my mother has purchased for my last reaping and slip on a pair of light blue flats to go with it.

When I've finished changing I braid the entire length of my hair and pin it up so that the braid wraps around my head somewhat elegantly. The bracelet of homemade clay beads that my mother gifted me shakes slightly as I make my way downstairs and walk to the town square with my mother. Once I've signed in, I head to the eighteen year old section and my mother stays behind, watching me nervously.

The clock strikes two and my father stands and walks over to the microphone, beginning the required annual summary of the rebellion and how the games came into effect. When he finishes, Frostine -District Twelve's escort- takes my father's place.

"Welcome all, and may the odds be ever in your favor. I will now draw the names." She announces, lowering her hand into the massive glass bowl before her before plucking a slip of paper from the pile. "Hazel Rose!"

A girl with waist length brown hair and green eyes climbs onto the stage from the seventeen year old section, her expression stony.

"Mariah Grove!"

A girl with short red hair grins as she takes her place next to Hazel.

"Rory Haw!"

A short blond boy emerges from the thirteen year old section while his mother screams and tries to force her way to him through the crowds but is restrained by the peacekeepers and dragged out of the square. A tear slides down the boy's cheek. Frostine looks obviously taken aback but presses on.

"Rubble Williams!"

A fifteen year old boy with black hair steps forward silently.

"Marx Terret!"

A thirteen year old boy with grey eyes and black hair steps forward calmly.

"Grace Swing!"

A brunette girl makes her way out of the sixteen year old section and onto the stage. She shares a worried look with Rubble.

"Trace Bone!"

The boy standing beside me in the eighteen year old section with short black hair shrugs before walking onto the stage. He stands almost a head taller than the rest of the tributes.

"Caster Strum!"

A fifteen year old boy with brown hair gasps, but makes his way to the stage, obviously struggling not to show any emotion.

"Juniper Grant!"

A thirteen year old girl with mid length blonde hair joins the other tributes on the stage.

"Lane Pledge!"

A black haired boy climbs onto the stage from the fourteen year old section.

"Posy Terret!"

Groans and murmurs come from the adults surrounding the square as the twelve year old girl with bright red hair and brown eyes joins the tributes on the stage.

"Sadie Harker!"

I choke as my name is called. I just had to make it through this last reaping and I'd be safe but of course that thought was too good to be true. I swallow the butterflies that have somehow made their way to my throat, and mount the stage.

"Is this your daughter, John?" Frostine asks, a grin on her face. My father nods. "How exciting!"

I keep a blank expression but see my father watching me in concern out of the corner of my eye.

"District Twelve, I present to you; this year's tributes!" There's a small, polite round of applause, and then we are all pulled into the Justice Building by the peacekeepers.

The moment that they are allowed to, my parents burst into the room that I've been pushed into, and pull me into a tight embrace. My mother cries on my shoulder, and my eyes water as well but I wipe the tears away before they have a chance to fall. I can't have my face be red and splotchy when I'm forced into the view of the cameras again.

"We love you sweetheart." My mother says through her sobs, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

"We'll be proud of you no matter what happens." My father adds, kissing my cheek as well and refusing to let me go. "We'll be rooting for you, though."

My father wipes a tear from his face as the peacekeepers enter the room again to pull them from the room and he leads my sobbing mother away.

No one else visits me for the remainder of the thirty minutes, and when they are up I'm pulled out of the Justice Building and into a car that takes me to the train station where more cameras await me.