The Hunger Games

Chapter 2

          I freeze as Mollie calls my name. I am frozen solid. I don’t move a muscle. I am scared to. I’m hoping she read the name wrong, but I know my hope is wrong as the Peacekeepers come to my line, and the girls shove me out, towards them. I’m still in shock as I start to walk with the Peacekeepers. I don’t blink, and my mouth hangs open, and my breathing is uncontrollably rapid. All I can focus on is the terrified look on Danny’s face.

          “No!” A young girl’s voice screams behind me, I assume it is Kati.

          I turn to see Kati run up and push away the Peacekeepers and hug me. She grabs onto me, wailing and screaming, and it’s hard to make out the words she cries out.

          “Don’t go!” She wails. “Please, don’t go!” Her face is red and tears stream down her face. Her eyes are closed shut, and she buries her face into my shirt as she cries her eyes out.

          “Kati…” I start, but don’t want to finish, but I do. “I have to. I have to go. My name was chosen.” I begin to cry and hug her tightly back. I don’t want to let go of her. She is my precious little sister. She is the only thing I’m certain I love the most. I don’t want to lose her, like I lost Jake.

          “Promise me you’ll win.” Kati then says, looking up, her eyes looking straight into mine. “Promise me you’ll try your hardest and do your best to win. Win, for me. And win for all of those who love you.” Her light brown eyes filled with tears. “Please…win. You have to.”

          “I will.” I say. Even though we both probably know I’m going to be a goner. I’m probably going to die at the beginning, in the bloodbath, the deadliest part of the Games where most of the tributes die. That is why it’s called the bloodbath.

          My mother comes up and takes Kati away, and Kati continues to scream and cry, and calls out for me not to leave continuously. The Peacekeepers then take me up to the stage. I stand there, on the stage, wiping my face clean from tears. I still hear Kati’s screams. My face is turning red, and I am really upset. No kidding. I was just chosen for the deadliest Games ever. Tears continue to stream down my face, and I have to rub my eyes constantly. But I didn’t care if the whole country of Panem sees me. I have guts. I want people to know I love my sister more than anything. I look back over at Danny who seems worried as ever. His face is red and he’s been crying with me. I just hope he’s going to be safe. He has to be.

          Mollie then walks up again and speaks. “Well, wasn’t that heart breaking? The bond of two sisters breaking apart is sad.”

          The sound of her speaking makes me sick. It’s obvious she doesn’t care, and she even giggles. Destroying the bond of two sisters is just cruel. Well, that is the capitol. I sigh. At least she still has Danny and my parents.

          “Okay,” Mollie begins, “Now it’s time to choose are boy tribute!”

          As she reaches her hand in the bowl, I look at Danny again, praying it won’t be him. “Please don’t let it be Danny…please don’t let it be him…” I murmur under my breath so no one can hear me, but I really don’t care. I just don’t want it to be Danny.

          “And our boy tribute is,” She says and pauses. The crowd looks at her, waiting for her to speak again. She then continues with the name I desperately don’t want to hear. “Danny Mercelly!”

          I stare at him, frozen again. I want to run, to hide, and to leave this place for good. I don’t want to kill Danny, my best friend. This is torture. The reaping must be rigged or something and they plan who’s going to be chosen. This can’t be random. For crying out loud, our names are only in there once, out of thousands.