The next day is the reaping. Now just a peacekeeper announces the tributes. We go through the same routine though. Fingers pricked then watch the video. The peace keeper then starts to announce some stupid speech about how the capitol is better than all then he explains the rules of the Quarter Quell. This year theres only one big bowl for all the tributes. So he starts. The first ten people from District Twelve are called. I know a couple of them. Then the next two people never imagined. "Grace Ward" my best friend. And "Jonathan Everdeen". Shit. Thats me. My stomach was in knots and I couldn't move. I hear my family screaming that I shouldn't go. But then i forced myself to get up on that stage and act weak. That was how i was gonna pull this off. Because this year the reapings are shown Panem wide. So if I act weak, people wont go for me. Then the next thirteen people are called. No one I know. Oh well. Now we get our last goodbyes.
My sister comes in first. "win" she says. Then a peace keeper comes in and takes her while shes crying hysterically. My mom comes in next. "why are you acting so weak? Your gonna seem like an easy target." she says. "I need to. What else am I going to do? Im strong, but I don't want people to know." I said. My mom then leaves and then I'm alone, until I'm guided to get on a bus to the train station were we no longer go on the tour. Just straight to the Capitol for voting then we watch the destruction. Its horrible. The district doesn't even know its coming. It just happens.
So. Since the train is very fast we get to the capitol in less than three hours and we pull into the station with a bunch of weirdly dressed people. We get off and thousands of flashing cameras are aimed at us. It was VERY annoying. We eventually enter a building with 25 little rooms with televisions. We are told we have 1 hour to decide and vote. If we don't vote. Our own district will be chosen. So we all split off and i get a room next to grace and a guy named jack that i used to go to school with. We each get locked in and theres no way out until the hour is up. I sit down and try to think of what district to vote for. But my head keeps on jumbling up and i cant concentrate. The only thought on my mind was how I'm probably gonna die starting in a week and what the hell is the arena gonna be like? A desert? Just a complete destruction? Maybe a jungle? No. But i get my act together and realize who I'm gonna vote for. But i then only had 30 minutes left! Shit. So. I realize I'm definitely not voting for district 12. Nor district 13. They both are close to being fully recovered after being destroyed by the capitol. So. I don't want 11 to be destroyed. Because Katniss, my greatx6 grandmother was best friends with one of their tributes awhile ago. So. 8? i have no reason to. I actually have no reason for any of them. So now what? The smallest district would kill the least amount of people. So district 6? Well i only have 10 minutes. Ugh. 5 is pretty small too. So is 10. So 5,6, or 10. Damn. Well six is useless, so is 5. But 10 has life stock. So 10 is out. 5 or 6. Ummm. All of a sudden i hear an alarm. 10 seconds left. 5 ?!? 6?!? I have to hit a button within the next 3 seconds. Right as i was about to press the district 5 button the alarm stops. I had no vote. Well. District 12 was my unofficial vote. Crap.
The door unlocks and we get let outside. I run to grace and ask what she voted for. "7. You?" I didn't know what to say. Tell her i voted for where we both live? No. "same" i said. "oh cool." "yup." after that we get guided into a room with a huge screen. Theres 325 chairs. Each for a tribute. As we enter. I see people with huge muscles and they're tall as hell. Then i see tiny girls that can barely look anyone in the eyes. Well i sit next to grace and jack and then we wait until they have all the votes counted. A lady named regina comes dressed in all hot pick clothing and lime green hair. " Ladies and gentlemen. Look around you. These are you predators. Maybe some are your pray. But now is not the time to figure out that. Soon 25 of you will watch your district being destroyed. And that district is. . ." A man comes with a red envelope and hands it to her. She opens it and my stomach drops. What if District Twelve gets chosen? And it was just within one vote with another district? It would be all my fault. "and the district. Being destroyed for the making of an arena. Is... District. 12! My heart skips a beat. I get to watch my home getting blown up. And its all my fault. "HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?" Grace said. "I have no idea. but lets hope our families are smart enough to leave." All of a sudden a video projects onto the screen and I see happy families. Not even knowing todays the day. It shows a bunch of areas. I see other peoples families. But I don't see mine. And I didn't see Graces or Hattalines. Maybe Hattaline realized they needed to get out! Suddenly a huge explosion happens. Now. There is no District 12. People are cheering. Some are crying. Some sigh. And me? Im just sitting there. In silence. Grace is crying. Jack too. But i have no emotion. My home is gone. We then get sent to our rooms and told that the parade is tomorrow so we should look our best. I get into my room and i look out the window. It has a great view of the capitol. I try to fall asleep but I don't think its possible.
