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2- The reapings (longest... chapter... ever...)

A peacekeeper directed her to the mayor’s house, leading the numb girl into room. There were no windows, nowhere to look out at her old home, nowhere for her to escape. It was only a few minutes later when Mark and her mother came into the room. Her mom grabbed her in a hug, weeping uncontrollably.

                “Abby” She muttered, staining Abigails shirt with her tears. But that didn’t matter. Abigail wrapped her arms around her mother and held tight. “Abby” She muttered once more.

                “I love you mom. Don’t forget it” Abigail whispered. There was a good chance this was the last time she would ever see her mom. “I’ve always loved you, if I die I have dad to look after me.”

                “Don’t think like that Abby” Mark said from beside her. She hadn’t even noticed the hand he had placed on her back. “You aren’t going to die.” Abigail looked up from her mother. She couldn’t respond. “You aren’t going to die” He repeated, joining the hug. “You can’t”

                The first time Abigail had seen him cry was during her father’s funeral. The last was only a few weeks later during his fiancées. It had only been a year. Once more the boy cried for all he had lost. Abigail couldn’t force herself to shed a tear more. She felt detached, apart from everything.

                “You have two minutes” A peace keeper grumbled from the doorway. 

                “Stay out of trouble Mark, promise me. Don’t leave mom, don’t leave her.” Abigail told her brother. He dumbly nodded.

                “Only if you promise me you will come home.” There was nothing to say. I can’t make that promise. No one can. The peacekeepers led Mark and her mom out of the room. Abigail sat down, her face dry, her head spinning. She didn’t know what came next. She barely knew what the Hunger Games were! Could the Capitol be playing a prank? Could this all just not be happening! Peace keepers came in for Abigail they led her out of the mayors house where she met up with Thor and Iris. The two tributes walked in silence, in the wake of the ever babbling Iris. Reporter’s surrounded the train station, flashing pictures of the tributes. Abigail looked everywhere but at them. She examined Thor, he must have met with his family as well. How many good-byes did he have to say? How many people will he have praying for him and his survival?

                When the three finally walked onto the train Iris led them to a dinning compartment. Abigail had never been on a train before. She had always walked through the district, something that often took large portions of her day but she had no other way of transportation. No one did. The motion of the train unsettled her. The scenery flying by in the windows seemed impossible. It scared her to be moving at such a speed. She had little time to dwell on the matter, as Iris and another man had taken seats at a dining table.

                “Thor, Abigail take a seat!” Iris invited them over. The two children shared an uneasy look before taking their seats. Food, more than Abigail had ever seen at one time, sat on the table. Much of it she recognized but had never gotten to try. Following Iris and the other man’s lead Abigail grabbed some of the food she recognized and began eating. It was slow at first, but soon she was gorging herself with food, practically inhaling the table. When she and Thor had finished the only food still left on the table was that which her and Thor had never seen before. A rare occurrence indeed.

                “Now that you’ve completed your meal let’s talk” The man from before said. He was young, couldn’t be older than thirty, stubble ever present on his face. It was obvious he was from the capitol by his accent and unique hair color, a rather dark blue, but why he was here fathomed Abigail. “You two have been selected to participate in the first Hunger Games. I need to make sure you are clear on the rules” He instructed.