Not So Safe and Sound

Chapter 1: The Reaping.

Running. Thats all I ever do. Just run with no weapon. No destination. Just running. What am I running from? A twig snaps next to me. When I turn, I see a knife flying in the air. My scream pierces the air before my eyes fly open.

A cold sweat drips down my temple and forehead. My blonde hair is plastered to the side of my neck. The curtains are pulled back enough to let the light from the moon seep in. I look to my left to be met by the still sleeping face of my sister Katniss. She looks so different is sleep, so peaceful. Her brown hair is pulled into its signature side braid. Though there are peices hanging loosly around her face, she still looks pretty. If she were awake, her peircig gray eyes would be looking at mine.

I slip out of Katniss's bed and walk over to our small counter. I pull out some of my homemade goat cheese and basil leaves. Putting the bail leaves around the cheese, I set the snack on the table. I put a small bowl over it, to protect is from bugs and Buttercup, my cat. The cheese is for Katniss. Once she gets up, she will leave for the woods to go hunting with Gale.

I walk over to my mother's bed ad slip in next to her. I close my eyes and attempt to get some more sleep but the second I close my eyes, all I can see is the knife flying towards me. Ive had nightmares before, but this one is different. Probably because is reaping day.

I shudder. Reapig day. For the people in the more popular districts, its a day to show your strength and bring honor to your district. But for people in the less fortunate districts, like my home district 12, its a day that only brings death. And todays reaping is my first where I am eligible to be chosen. Thats the caus of my nightmares. Being chosen and having to fight to the death.

I hear shuffling and snap my eyes closed. Through the small slit of my eyelids, I look to see Katniss get up. She goes trough her noral routine.  After dressing and grabbing the cheese, she slips outside. After I know she is gone, I slip out of my mothers bed. I look out the window and catch a glimpse of Katniss's braid as she disappears into the forest.

I slip on my shoes and a jacket before slipping outside. I run to the Hawthorne house like I do every school day. Knocking on the back door, I wait for someone to answer it. Gale answers the door and shoots a smile downn at me. "Hey Prim. What brings you here?" Gale asks me.

"Rory told me to stop by. You know, before the reaping." I say, tucking my blonde hair behind my ear.

"Oh, Rory is inside in the kitchen. Go on in." He says. Before I pass through, he stops me. "Is your sister already in the woods?"

I nod my head before heading inside. Im almost positive Gale has a thing for Katniss, though they never admit it to each other. When I step in the kitchen, I see a mop of brown hair sittinng at the kitche table, eating some bread. This mop of hair is also known as Rory. He looks alot like Gale, as well as most others in the Seam. His gray eyes are more subdued than most of family's sharp ones. He has olive skin and is quite tan.

"Hi Prim, Im glad you made it." He walks over and gives me a quick hug. Rory has been one of my best frieds since I cant even remeber. His family and my family are actually really close, so we spend alot of time together.

"Im glad I came to. But I can only stay for a little while, my mom will be worried sick if she wakes up and Im not there." I take a seat across from Rory and steal half of his bread. "So, today is the reaping." I say through my mouthful of bread.

"Yep, our first reaping." He says.

I send a small smile in his direction. "Dont worry, Im sure we'll be fine." I say to him, lying through my teethe. Nobody was ever fine when it came to the Huger Games.

"Yeah, Im sure we will." He says sounding unsure.

I sigh as I stand up. "Well I better be heading home. Have to look good for the reaping." Before I could leave Rory grabs my hand. He blushes and pulls his had away quickly.

"Good luck Prim." He says. "Happy Huger Games."

I laugh and skip out the door. "May the odds be ever in your favor."

As soon as I walk in the door, my mom wakes up. "Goodmorning mom." I say. I walk over to our cabinents and pull out a small cup. I fill it with some water and give it to my mom.

"Thank you dear." She stands up and gives me a quick hug. "Now, lets get you ready for the reaping." She walks over to our dresser and pulls out some of Katniss's old reaping clothes. I take a quick bath and dry myself off. I slip into the beige skirt and ruffled white blouse. Since its big on me, my mother has to use pins to keep it on me.

She then pulls me over to a stool as she does my hair. Once she is done, I look into the mirror. My hair is in two french braids down my back. "Thanks mom." I state simply as I walk over and sit on Katniss's bed. Soon she walks in and heads towards the tub of water my mom had left for her to get washed in.

When I hear her foosteps, I look up to see her in a pale blue dress. Soon my mother has fixed up her hair in an intricate design.

"You look beautiful." I say quietly. She truly does.

"And nothing like myself." She states simply. And she doesnt. She looks super different in that dress. She walks over and hug. I hug back. She tucks the back of my shirt back into my skirt. "Tuck your tail in, little duck."

I giggle and giver her small. "Quack."

"Quack yourself." She says with a small laugh and a kiss on my forehead. We drink some of the milk from my goat, Lady, and eat some of the bread we have left over. Soon, we are heading to the square and the reaping.

Once there, I look around at the brightly colored banner. The banners cotrast the air about the square in everyway possible. There are hushed whispers everywhere, though no conversation is above a whisper. After signing in, I am herded into an area reserved for the 12 year olds of District 12. Once the clock strikes 2, the reaping begins.

I zone out as the mayor steps forward and tells the history of Panem. Its quite boring and its what we learn about in chool, so I dont need to hear it anyway. The speech drones until he introduces Effie Trinket and her bright pink wig.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor." She says in a bubbly voice, "As always, ladies first." She trots over to the big glass bowl containing all the girls names in district 12. My name is only in there once, there is no way I'll be chosen. Soon Effie is back in front of the microphone, a big smile plastered on her face.

"And this years female tribute is.." She stops to open the small slip of paper a the crowd draws in a collective gasp. "Primrose Everdeen."

My heart falls out of my chest,