“We should go” I’d enjoyed the afternoon with Leo so much that I’d forgotten about the reaping. The reaping for the 74th annual hunger games that decided the fate of yet another girl and boy from every single district. We softly tredded through the grass until we came towards the gate that led away from the meadow. It was easier for me than it was for Leo. As we made our way up the path leading to the cattle ranchers homes in the south of district 10, I thought of my family. Of Grace at only 12, and Peter at 8. About the games and how I could be in them. I’d entered for tessare multiple times, my father’s work on the ranch couldn’t provide anymore. I forced all my thoughts from my head and tried to focus on the sound of my feet hitting the soft grass. I glance up at the houses. District 10 was one of the poorest of Panem. Behind 11 and 12, it suffered most. I suppose it would have suffered more if it hadn’t been so essential for the capitol. The rows of houses of ranchers make up a large portion of the district. Leo lives a few houses away. The rest of the district is mainly land, with a few merchants making up the towns area. The well to do live further away, on the outskirts of the district.

As we got to the square, I took in the crowd. Of all the districts, 10 was one of the smallest in population. Everyone knows everyone here, I thought to myself as I tried to imagine the pain of seeing anyone I loved enter the games. Leo, Grace, both of our families, my friends, Lauren, Peeta, Meg and James. I couldn’t bear it. Leo’s face bears the same expression, of what neither of us can change but both so long to.

“I hope it’s no one young this year” I hear Meg’s voice from behind us.

I turn to see her, standing against the cracked railing. I instantly see the pain flash through Leo’s eyes. Last year, his younger sister, Kayla, had been reaped. She was killed in the blood bath at the Cornocopia by a tribute from 4. I feel my hand reach for this, and he reaches in return. This silent gesture doesn’t even need any words, for I know that nothing can ease the pain that has permanently been with him since.

We move from the balcony as we’re signalled to sign in – we separate as peacekeepers divide the districts children.

A bright amber-haired man appeared from the Justice Building behind him. He opens the reaping with the usual speech about war and the capitol. It always intrigued me, the video. Why, out of everything else they so meticulously force upon the Districts, they make the children of new generations pay for the desires of older generations. In some way I hated them for it. In another I understood.

The man introduced himself as Elka. He gestures for silence, and the district silences. Two balls, filled with name cards stood either side of him and the microphone. After the film had finished he wasted no time in pushing his hand into the ball to the left of him. His hand ruffled around for a few seconds before pulling out a card.

The seconds seem to last for hours, and the hours last for days. “Grace Thomson” The man calls. My mind goes blank for what feels like minutes. Grace. 12 year old Grace who can barely reach for the cupboards without needing help from my father. Grace, my sister Grace. I see her a few rows away, the look of horror registering on her face. She steps forward, wearing the clothes too big for her and the hand-me down shoes that always hurt her feet. “I volunteer! I volunteer!” My voice escapes my mouth before my mind has any chance to stop it. And the entire crowd goes silent. Faces one by one turn to stare at me.

“I volunteer as tribute” I cry. Moments pass. It seems as though the whole of time in district 10 has been halted to an unbearable crawl.

“How exciting, District 10 appears to have a volunteer” Elka’s face lights up with the news. No one else’s does.

I’m hurried up onto the stage by peacekeepers, their metal boots clanking together in a solid rhythm. I have just enough time to see Leo in the crowd. I can’t see his expression but I don’t have to, I can just make out the tears beginning to spill out of his perfectly blue eyes. Leo. My Father. Peter. I feel as though the stairs to the stage are mountains, no wait, just centuries of endless time. 

My legs feel heavy as the peacekeepers push me next to Elka. “So, what’s your name?” My name? It’s left my mind. “Kkatie.. Katie Thomson” I stutter. “Katie Thomson” the escort repeats. “Well, Katie Thomson, our volunteer from District 10”.

The eerie silence continues. “Very well, let’s get on” Elka makes his way to the right bowl filled with names. My mind is swimming with the thoughts of the boy who will enter the arena with me. My friend, a friend of a friend. The thought of killing anyone, let alone someone I know makes me feel sick to the stomach.

“and the boy from district 10.. Liam Redwood” The crowd breaks to allow a tall, muscular boy to be separated from the other boys surrounding him. Liam. A son of one of the more ‘well to do’ of District 10. His mother and father ran the butcher where my father used to sell his meat. I look into the sky and for a moment wish I was one of the birds flying far up in the sky. A mockingjay. Free from the capitol and free from the games. Free from the endless pain and hunger and oppression.

Liam joins me on stage. He gives me a half smile, although I cannot bring myself to return in. Elka’s capital accent yet again breaks the air. “So, there we have it, District 10, these are your tributes” A look of pure delight spreads across his face. The look of the crowd couldn’t contrast more. As we’re ushered into the Justice Building I turn to look at the rolling meadows where the grazing cattle are. At my district. At the only home I’ve ever known. At all that I must say goodbye to. The pain is almost unbearable.

We’re led inside, and each put in separate rooms. I guess this is where we say our goodbyes to our loved ones. I lean against the window and close my eyes. I try to search for past victors of 10. We don’t win often. The odds aren’t in my favour. How will my father survive without me to help care of the kids? What will happen to them? And to Leo? How can he lose someone else? I want to scream but it feels as though no one would ever hear me.

The door clicks open and my father, along with Grace rush in. “What have you done?” my father asks. But it’s not in a way of anger. It’s the same way he used to laugh gently when  I spilt something over in the kitchen. I close my eyes and allow him to pull me close to his chest. “It’s okay baby” He whispers softly. “Take care of them Dad” I say with all the strength I can. I kneel down by Grace and look up at her soft grey eyes. So different to my own, hazel brown. Her eyes are red and puffy, and I wipe a tear that spills out of one. “You’ll be okay Gracey, you know that” her lip quivers. “Dad will take care of you, and you take care of Peter okay” She nods, and wraps her arms around me. Two peacekeepers march in. “Your time’s up” They say, and begin to usher my father and sister out of the room. “I love you” are the last words I hear my father say.

Almost directly after them leaving, Leo rushes in. “How could you do that Katie? You’re so stupid Katie, you’re so stupid and I love you” He says, and pulls me into him.  For a moment I feel as though everything in the world will be okay. “They just want a good show, that’s all they want” He says. I nod, and allow myself to take in all the features of his face. The little dent between on his forehead, his perfect blue eyes, swimming with love and pain. His soft sandy hair and his gentle smile. It takes all the strength I have to let him go when the peacekeepers yet again come. I sit on one of the damaged old chairs in the district’s justice building. I can’t bring myself to think about the games. I can’t. I feel myself flowing into a deep sleep. One from which I don’t want to wake.

When I wake I’m no longer in the justice building. No longer in District 10. I rise and find myself on one of the chairs in a train. Presumably the train that takes us to the capitol. Liam is next to me, waiting patiently, and gently tapping his hand against his leg. I allow my eyes to open fully and take in my surroundings.

The train is nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The carriage is delicately lined with walls of velvet, a glass chandelier hangs gently from the ceiling. The mahogany fireplace breathes a bright orange flame, from which heat softly purrs out. “You’re going to do good y’know” Liam’s voice breaks my silence.

“Wwhat?” I ask. The thought of myself even having the most remote possibility of doing well in the games seems ridiculous.

“I’ve seen you in the field, the way you run to get to the cattle, you’re fast Katie. And you’re strong, I’ve seen you lift the meat to help your dad. You know that before the games my mother said that if anyone was going to do it for district 10, it would be you”

I feel astounded and somewhat embarrassed that I was thought of so highly. But thankful too, and I smile softly at him. “I don’t think I have much chance, but thank you” I look into his eyes. Hazel like mine, as if he’d been raised with the cattle ranchers of the district. “Maybe we do have a shot. Together” I suggest.  He smiles in what could be agreement. I feel the pain in my chest ease a little, and though I know anything is far from easier, nothing is ever certain in the games.

The compartment door opens, revealing a man of about forty. He has dirty blonde hair and stubble that matches in colour. I recognise him instantly. He stumbles across to where we are and sits himself opposite. Liam and I both extend hands for him to shake, usually a traditional greeting in our district. However he does not take them, and instead reaches for his pocket and pulls out a cigarette. So this is our mentor. “James. James Ulren” He says.

I glance at Liam, and his expression mirrors my own. “Do you need anything? A glass of water? Or.. err” I ask politely. He shakes his head but there’s something in his eyes that seems to show he appreciates it.

Elka, our escort comes bustling in carrying folders and sporting a now yellow hair-do. “Well, now that your goodbye’s are over and we’re destined for the capitol, we should work on what you’re going to play as your strengths, and that’s why we have James here”  James, who is now pre-occupying himself by flicking a loose button on his trouser pocket.

“So where do we begin?” Liam asks enthusiastically. “In the morning” there’s a grunt from James as he moves towards the exit door, stopping only to take a handful of cigarettes from a silver drawer.

Suddenly I’m standing up, and throwing myself towards the window “Look at that!” I  had to shout to be heard over the roar of the train. “What is that?”

“That is District 2, we’re almost to the Capitol,” our escort said with an amused smile. “Now get your head back in train. I don’t need you falling out.”

“I just want to see everything,” I say “It might be my last chance to.”

Elka didn’t respond.