I open my eyes to reveal the clock on my bedside table saying 7:45. Shoot! I jump from my bed and dart into the bathroom trying to throw some decent clothes on for school. I quickly brush my blonde curls and let them hang down over my shoulders. By the time I am ready it is already 8:00. I am late for school. Awesome….not. The one day I don't want to be late or miss school, I am late. I know what you're thinking, why would Sam Puckett care about going to school? Well because today is the day for the reaping. Let me tell you how this all began.

TheHungerGames,everyone has read the book series. Unfortunately I guess people think that it should become a real life game. The only thing is it is not a nationwide thing; it is only done in Seattle, California, Oregon, and Idaho. The other states thought it was too inhumane. This is the same way I think. Each state is divided into three sections in order to choose the tributes; California has Districts 1, 2, and 3, Seattle has Districts 4, 5, and 6, Oregon has Districts 7, 8, and 9, and Idaho has the last three 10, 11, and 12. I am in District 6. For the past three years 2 tributes are chosen from each district to compete in the Hunger Games, or as I like to call them, The Death Games; because out of the 24 tributes only one lives, everyone else is slaughtered.

I run out the door not even grabbing my book bag because we don't have classes today, today is the reaping when the 2 tributes get selected. I start running as fast as I can to get to school because I know that if I miss it, I will be brutally punished for not attending the reaping. I run through the front doors of school to see Freddie, Carly, and Gibby pacing around as if they are waiting for something. They all turn their heads to see me and all breathe a sigh of relief.

"Where have you been? The buses are leaving! Come on!" Carly says pulling me toward the back of school. We all start running to reach the buses, running fast because we cannot miss the bus to downtown. We barge through the back doors of school just as the buses are closing their doors.

"Wait! Wait!" We start calling. Lucky for us one of the drivers saw us and stopped to open their doors.

"Cutting it a little close are we now children?" The bus driver says as we board the bus and take our seats. Carly sits down next to me as the bus pulls away from the curb. Fredward and Gibby sits across from us remaining silent. The same exact way this happened last year. We are all silent, in fear of our names being chosen. Yes, there are thousands upon thousands of names in the bowl but there is still that one chance.

The bus ride to downtown Seattle takes 20 minutes but feels like a lifetime. When the buses stop we look out and see thousands of teens already gathering, waiting to hear their fate. The bus doors open and the bus starts to unload, student after student getting off and starting to file themselves in the large crowd. Boys on one side, girls on the other, it is that simple. Carly stumbles off the bus in front of me looking around in fear while Freddie, Gibby, and I follow her in fear ourselves. Once we get off the bus we look at each other for a moment before pulling each other into a tight group hug. I am so scared that one of our names is going to be called even though the chances are slim. Once we pull away from the hug none of us say anything, there is nothing to say. Freddie and Gibby walk away from us to go stand with the boys and Carly and I go position ourselves with the girls. You would think the place would be noisy with chattering and clamors but it is silent. Carly and I wait for what feels like years before the mayor of Seattle, Mr. Nestor, walks onto the stage with a microphone in his hand.

"Today is a very special day as you all know. It is the 4th annual reaping when we chose one lucky male and female to take the honor to compete in The Hunger Games. "Mr. Nestor continues on with his speech but I do not listen, I just focus on calming myself down so I won't pass out. "And now, with out further ado I shall draw the names." Nestor sticks his hand in the female bowl and jostles his fingers around playing with the pieces of paper. It feels like hours before he pulls out a name and when he finally does he does not say my name.

"CARLY SHAE"

No. Not Carly. Carly could never last in those games, she's not strong enough. The wind is knocked from my chest, Carly is going to die. Before I can do anything Carly is being led up to the stage by two district guards. No, Carly can't die, she can't. She can't die! I glance at Freddie who had tears in his eyes and without thinking about what I am doing I start running forward.

"No! Carly! No!" I shout as I run towards the stage, two guards try to stop me but I push through. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Carly looks at me and begins to cry.

"No! No Sam!" She shouts but Gibby comes up and carries her away from the stage. I am led onto the stage and stand next to Mr. Nestor. He reeks of cigarette smoke and his clothes are dirty. So much for a decent mayor. I look at Freddie from up on the stage and see he has stopped tearing up and looks shocked.

"Now that we have our female tribute, it is time now to choose our male tribute." Nestor continues to do the same thing with the slips of paper as he did with the girls until he draws a single slip.

"FREDWARD BENSON" No. Not Freddie. No, he can't die. No! Freddie is my best friend and now I'm going to have to compete against him. I can't I refuse.

Freddie is led up to the stage and stand on the other side of Mr. Nestor. He glances at me and our eyes meet for just seconds before Nestor says,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our two tributes for the Hunger Games! Let the games begin!"