HOME | DD

Description
"...And here is the place where I love you." I finish, laughing softly as the Mockingjay repeats my song.

I am trying to escape the inescapable. I'm trying to forget that today is the day of the Reaping. Maybe I'll lose myself and live in this moment forever. But I doubt it.

I'm sitting in the orchards with a Mockingjay, and we're singing songs back and forth. I don't even know if I'm allowed here. But I don't care. Besides, all the Peacekeepers are busy getting ready for the Reaping. The last thing they'll want to do is to check and see if little girls are in the Orchards or not.

I'd been here for about two hours, sitting beneath an old apple tree. I whistle goodbye to the Mockingjays, and walk off towards my little shack of a home. I can't escape the Reaping, after all.

I walk through the opening, since we can't afford a door.

"I'm home!" I call, and several pairs of feet come running to greet me.

My eight year old sister Lily, my three year old sister Potana and my five year old sister Shatina. I hug them all, and I smile at them. I love my sisters, more than anything. Even music.

My mother and father sat at the kitchen table. My dad frowned at me in disapproval.

"We'd been worrying, Rue. Where'd you go?"

"To the orchards." I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Well, you need to get ready. I have a bath ready for you. And I got you a skirt and blouse." My mother says impatiently.

My eyes widened in shock. The fact that my mother can afford such clothes is simply mind-blowing. For a minute, I'm excited. Until I remember what the skirt and blouse are for. I hug my Mother and Father, and walk off to the tub of water that's waiting for me. I pull off my clothes, and slide into the water. It's as cold as ice.

Lily walks up to the tub of water, and hands me a bar of soap.

"Are you nervous, Rue?" She asks curiously.

My voice shakes when I awnser. "Of course I am. But I'll be fine, Lily. I promise."

She grins as if my word is law. "Yay! But...what if you do?"

"Well...I just won't, Lily. I promise. The odds are in my favour, ok?"

She smiles at me, as radiant as anything. "Ok! I'm gonna go play with Potana!" And with that parting remark, she runs off.

I giggle to myself. Mom says that Lily and I are so much alike, it's like we're twins, only she's much shorter. Now I see that it's true.

The skirt and blouse aren't new, and the skirt has a few scuff marks, but hardly anything here is new. But I still love my Mom more than anything for buying me such nice clothes.

As we walk to the square, it's packed with people, so much so, it makes me dizzy.

My mother hugs me. 'You'll be fine baby, I promise." She says soothingly, and I walk off towards the Twelve section.

I stand there for minutes, or maybe hours, I can't remember. Suddenly, our of nowhere, they're calling the names.

"Ladies first!" A scary lady with Pink and orange hair squeaks. She walks over to the glass bowl, and crosses back to the podium.

"Rue." She reads in a clear voice. My eyes go wide, and I stiffly march up to the stage. My mother is screaming in a terrible voice. "NO! NO! No, Rue, NO!"

My mind is implanted with fog, so I can barely think a single thought. The thought dawns on me that I am destined to die.

I can't cry. That will make me more of a easy target than I already am. I need to survive, for Lily. For my family.

By now, they're reading the other piece of paper.

"Thresh."

Oh, no. Whatever microscopic chance I had at winning has been blown away by a single breeze. Thresh is huge, almost twice my size. He'll be the winner, I bet. We haven't had a winner in over two decades.

Despite his monstrous looks, he smiles at me sadly. Nobody likes it when a 12 year old gets picked. They are then playing the Anthem of Panam. Thresh and I shake hands. Everything goes by in a blur.

We are then marched to the Justice Building, where I will say goodbye to my family. I can't cry.

I sit on the the couch, anbd my family walks in. Every single one of them is crying.
Lily stares at me, almost accusingly.

"You promised, Rue! YOU PROMISED!" She screams, and I fight back a sniffle.

"I'm so sorry Lily!" I say, trying to soothe her, but she pushes me away, and hides her face in her hands. My mother is crying like she's never cried before. Potana crawls into my lap, and stares into my eyes.

I can't cry.

"You'll win, won't you?" She asks innocently, her brown eyes huge. She doesn't know that I'll die.

"I'll try, Potana. I really will." I say, and I will. I won't go down without a fight.
Finally the Peacekeepers say the time is up. They walk out, although Potana tried to hit one in the face.

I get one final look at my family. I hope that my end will be quick, for their sake.

I can't cry.