The walk to the square was quite a long one, for the seam lay about a mile from it. I held Prim's hand as we blended into the mass of people heading towards the town.

When we got in sight of the reaping, I remembered something that I forgot to tell Prim. And she saw it before I could hide all b it.

I pull her to the side as she begins to hyperventilate. "It's okay, it's okay," I try to calm her down. "They're gonna prick your finger just to take a little bit of blood, okay?"

That's how they register everyone.

"You didn't say-" Prim begins.

"I know, I know, it doesn't hurt much, okay?" I reassure. "Go and wait over there with the others, okay? Katniss or I'll meet you after."

She nods and I walk to where the fifteen year olds stand. I'm eventually near the front of it where the registrators tell me "hand".

I thrust my left hand out and allow them to prick it with a needle, then print it on paper. When they scan it, the scanner reads Hawthorne, Willow.

I head off to where the fifteen year old girls are supposed to stand. Realising that I'm one of the last people to get there, I turn my head to the Justice Building, the grand stage that every District has as its centre.

Effie Trinket (who we were mimicking earlier) seems to have outdone herself this time as she steps out into the stage. She's in a silly pink frilly dress, and some stiletto high heels, tottering about. She also has a bright pink frilly wig on, and a very odd face of makeup. This is what the Capitol dress sense is.

She taps the microphone. "Welcome! Welcome, welcome!"

Between where she's standing there are two bowls with thousands of slips of paper in them. One for girls and one for boys. I shudder to think of the two slips that will be being pulled from each of them. Even worse to think that it could be me. Or Gale. Or Rory. Or Katniss. Or Prim.

"Happy Hunger games!" She shouts into the mic. "And may the odds be ever in your favour! Now, before we begin, we have a very special film, brought to you all the way from the Capitol!"

I roll my eyes surreptitiously. I know what they're about to play. It's the same stupid film they play each year.

It begins with a series of short cuts from the dark days, when the Districts rebelled against the Capitol. Then the narration starts. "War. Terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the Capitol that-"

And that's another thing. Thriteen districts went in. Twelve came out. District Thirteen was obliterated, buried under miles of rubble, rock, dust and nuclear waste. District Twelve is the highest number now.

"Brother turned on brother until nothing remained," I tuned back into the film. "Then came the peace. People rose up from the ashes and built out own world. But freedom, however, comes at a price. As a nation, we swore we would never see this treason again. So it was decreed that each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one boy and one girl, to fight to the death in a pageant of honour, courage and sacrifice. The lone Victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and forgiveness. This is how we remember our past, this is how we safeguard our future."

"I just love that!" Effie Trinket exclaims as the screen goes blank again. I turn behind me to look at Katniss, who is also looking at me. One thing between us is clear. Prim can't be called.

Effie and her pink head then go on. "Now, the time has come for us to select one courageous man and woman, for the honour of representing District Twelve in the seventy fourth annual Hunger Games! As always, Ladies first."

My body goes stiff as she walks to the girls' bowl, puts her hand in it, swirls the slips about, and chooses one. She heads back to the microphone before announcing the name that makes my heart stop, my lungs flatten and my brain die.

"Primrose Everdeen!"

☘︎☘︎☘︎

I stare at Prim and see her eyes loose hope and her body start to shake. This makes me break down but I know I must stay strong. She deserves that.

"Where are you?" Effie continues. "Well come on up! Come on dear, come up!"

Prim seems to have forgotten how to walk as she slowly starts to go up to the stage. I instinctively move, so does Katniss.

"Prim!" We both shout as peacekeepers hold us back. "Prim!"

Suddenly I lose my head. Shoving the peacekeepers aside, I yell out. "I volunteer! I volunteer!"

Finally I get free of my assailant's and they can see me clearly. "I volunteer as tribute."

Now, this is another unexplained rule. It is possible to volunteer for people as long as you're within the age limit. You see it in the wealthier districts all the time, where winning the games is an honour; people training up until they're eighteen, then volunteering to go into the games. However, in twelve, since going into the games is as good as a death sentence, the word "volunteer" has almost gone extinct.

Almost.

I run up to Prim as Effie shouts, "I believe we have a volunteer!" I hold the little girl by the shoulders, she's crying by now. "Prim you need to get out of here, go to Katniss, go find your mother-"

"No!" Prim wails.

"Go!" I shout harshly.

Suddenly, Gale has broken free from his ranks and he's headed towards us. He picks up Prim in a fireman's lift, taking her away whilst she shrieks. I see him give me a solemn look for the moment I see his face.

"Well, that is a dramatic turn of events, District Twelve's very first volunteer!" Effie remarked as I climbed the steps to the stage. I stood beside the exuberant woman when I got there. "What is your name, child?" She asks, holding the microphone to my mouth.

"Willow Hawthorne," I say slowly, trying not to start crying. It's hard as I look to Prim, who's crying into her mother's chest.

"Well let's have a big hand for our very first volunteer, Willow Hawthorne!" Effie raises her hands to clap.

No one joins her. Instead, they use a symbol that I'd forgotten about. It's simple, really, you take your three fingers, press them to your lips, then raise them in the air. I silently thank them for the support.

"And now, for the boys!" Effie announces. I had forgotten about them in all the craziness and that has just happened. However, suddenly, with all my being, I now wish for Gale's and Rory's safety. This time it works.

"Austin Thatcher!"

I'm suddenly overcome with the strong urge to burst into laughter. How bad can this day get? Austin Thatcher? Austin Thatcher!

That boy had been in and out of my life since the first year of school, when he teased my mother for running off with a coal miner. I had bit back, telling him that my father was ten times as good as his. From then on, him and his big-ish group of friends set about teasing me every once in a while.

But he also did something for me that I'll never forget.

Anyway, Austin makes his way up to stand beside me, furiously avoiding my eye contact. I don't try to make any though. I don't like the boy and I never will.

However, there's no situation I would ever be in that I'd ever kill him.

I decide to eliminate this possibility. We're going into the games after all.

"Our tributes from District Twelve!" Effie shouts. "Now come on you two, shake hands."

Austin and I turn to each other, and for the first time since I was about ten, I look him straight in the eyes. And there's something other than fear there. Pain.

We shake hands quickly, withdrawing them fast. Then Effie takes our shoulders and steers us into the Justice Building where we await our family and friends for our final goodbyes.

I stood in the room, realisation finally rushing over me about what I had done. I was going into the games. I was going to die.

"You have three minutes," A peacekeeper warned as he shoved my mother, Posy, Vick, Rory, Prim and her mother into the room. Katniss and Gale would come later.

Prim, still crying, instantly rushes over to me and I wrap her tight in a hug. For a few seconds, we're together, before I pull back and take her by the shoulders. Kneeling down, I tell her. "Listen, Prim, listen! I love you, I love you so much, okay?"

"Just try to win, maybe you can," Prim cries.

"Maybe I can, I am smart, you know?" I say. Though, deep down, I'm lying to myself as well as her. I can't win.

"And you can hunt," Prim cries.

I know I can hunt. But the competition will be far beyond me. However, I nod. Prim opens her hand to reveal the mockingjay pin. "To protect you."

I take it, barely whispering, "thank you," and hugging her one more time.

I hug her mother and kiss Prim on the forehead before they leave. I turn to my family. My mother is struggling not to cry as she hugs me. I too. Vick hugs me as well, not saying anything either. I pick Posy up. She's too young to understand. Hopefully, however she remembers a brave sister who somehow just disappeared out of her life when she was four. She doesn't need to know how I died.

I put her down and turn to Rory. "Take care of Prim for me, okay?"

He nods, and I pull him into a hug. "Leave a seat for me on your wedding day," I say with glassy eyes.

"That's a big step forward," Rory comments. Somehow, I laugh at this. But I was serious. It'll happen someday.

"Time," suddenly the peacekeepers at the door have opened it, coming in and taking my family out.

"Wiwwo! Wiwwo!" Posy yells. "I don't want you to go!"

I try to stay strong for her.

I stride up to my mother.

"Listen," I tell her. "I don't care how capable you think Gale is, you can't bail on them. You can't leave them all alone because I won't be there to pick up the pieces!"

"I-It's okay, Willow," my mother tells me. "I'll stay strong for them, I promise."

I have to accept this as true, because soon, they're being carted out by the peacekeepers.

Next is Gale and Katniss. My big brother entices me in a bone crushing hug and then his best friend. They'll get together, too, I think, and I won't be here to see it.

"Listen to me," Gale takes my shoulders. "You're stronger than they are, you get in there and you get to some axes."

"They may not have..." I start hopelessly.

"They will if you show them how good you are!" Gale fights back forcefully. "And if they don't have axes you get a bow or you make one, okay? You know how to hunt."

"Animals," I say back.

"How different is it, really?" Gale asks. And the worst part is, that if I forget about their souls and their feelings, it's not.

"There's twenty four of us, Gale, only one comes out," I say worriedly.

"Yeah," he nodded, placing a hand on my neck. "And it's gonna be you."

I move away from him and hug Katniss. "I should've volunteered," she said sorrowfully.

"No," I shake my head. "Prim never would've forgiven herself if she sent her sister into the games, I'm just-"

"The bravest person I know," Katniss nods. I shake my head but it's no use fighting with her.

"Time," is said again and the two of them hasten to leave the room. I hug both of them. "Take care of everyone, you two, don't let them starve!" I shout. The two of them nod as they're taken from the room.

The last bit of home I'll ever see.