It is the 96th Hunger Games. My last reaping. And my little sister's first.

My heart constricts just thinking about her.

Ariana is the sweetest, most innocent and loving girl in District Twelve. She sings like an angel and laughs at anything and everything. No one can hate her even if they tried. She has one slip in the reaping bowl. Technically, the odds are in her favor.

But I know that in the Districts of Panem, the odds are in nobody's favor.

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I stand in the blistering sun among all of the other children.

Children, who are standing in their nicest clothes, awaiting the moment when two among them will be reaped to participate in a sadistic show called the Hunger Games. This is regarded as entertainment by the silly, overprivileged, and brainwashed citizens of the Capitol. For the Capitol itself however, it is a ploy to intimidate the Districts by murdering their innocent children and to ultimately vanquish all their hopes for rebelling. Truly sickening, in my opinion.

Once all the residents of District Twelve are herded into their designated areas, Ceci Trinket struts confidently to the microphone at the center of the stage.

This year she is dressed in an awful bright yellow ensemble that is rather painful to look at.

"Welcome residents of District Twelve, to the reaping of the ninety-sixth Hunger Games!" She announces excitedly. "Now remember everyone, it is a great honor to represent your district in these games, so act like it!" She adds, flashing an alarmingly white smile. "Let's get right to it! Oh, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Ceci Trinket sashays over to the bowl containing the slips of all the girls eligible for the Hunger Games. It seems that everyone in the square holds their breath as her hand plunges into the bowl. After rifling through the mass of slips for a moment, she extracts one carefully. This single slip of paper contains the death sentence of one unlucky girl standing in this square. No one wants this girl to be someone they know.

Please don't let it be Ariana. Anyone... Anyone, but Ariana. I think desperately.

Ceci painstakingly unfolds the paper, and opens her mouth to proclaim the name of the female tribute.

"Ariana Hawthorne."

No.

This is all I can think.

So much for the odds.

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I sprint to my little sister. I need to help her. I need to save her.

"Ari!"

"Ari, no!"

My voice is shrill and nothing like it is normally. I curse myself.

Peacekeepers surround me as soon as I reach the center aisle. I struggle against them. Don't they understand? I have to get to my sister! Then it hits me.

"I volunteer!" I shriek.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

The Peacekeepers let me go, and I barrel towards Ariana. She throws her skinny arms around me and starts sobbing.

"No Annalise! You can't do this! You can't leave! You can't!" Ariana's anguished cries pierce through the deathly silence in the square.

Peacekeepers rush to pry off Ariana off from me, so that I can go up to the stage. To my surprise, an elder redheaded peacekeeper whispers something to the rest of the Peacekeepers, and they step back as he gently takes Ariana into his arms. I am grateful for the compassionate Peacekeeper.

The large screens on the stage display the cameras capturing the Peacekeeper bringing Ariana to my parents. Their faces are void of emotion, but my mother's body is trembling. I feel terrible for her. I recall my father telling me that my mother used to not want to have children for this exact reason.

"Well then! Looks like we have a volunteer...Come on up dear!" Ceci Trinket squeals.

I slowly faces the stage and then start walking towards it confidently. I sneak a glance at the screens. I look determined and fearless.

"What's your name dear?" Ceci asks curiously once I am on the stage.

"Annalise Hawthorne."

I feel proud when my voice doesn't waver in the slightest.

"Oh! That was your little sister, wasn't it?" Ceci inquires excitedly. "How sweet!" I merely glare at her. Ceci flinches under my gaze, and turns quickly back to the crowd.

"Let's give a round of applause for our brave volunteer, Annalise Hawthorne!"

Not a single person claps.

Suddenly, every person in the square... young and old, male and female, merchant and seam, kiss the three fingers on their left hand and raise them to the sky.

This is a salute to the bravery and sacrifice of someone. They are giving it to me. I choke back a sob.

The silence is deafening.

When Ceci regains her composure, she clears her throat awkwardly.

"Oh! This is so exciting..."

She clears her throat again.

"And now, we shall the draw the name of the male tribute."

She quickly walks over to the boys' reaping bowl and whisks out the first piece of paper she touches.

I don't even have even have time to wish for the slip not to contain the names of either Storm or Austin, my younger brothers, when Ceci calls it.

"Liam Starkfield."

I recognize him vaguely from school. He is in my grade, a son of a merchant. He is very popular and a complete jerk.

I sigh. At least I won't have a problem with him dying.

The elderly Mayor Undersee reads the Treaty of Treason and Liam and I are whisked into separate rooms to await our final goodbyes.

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My younger brothers and sister come to see me first. Ariana climbs onto my lap and sobs the entire time. She keeps saying how it is all her fault that I am going into the games.

"It's not your fault, Ariana," I tell her. "It's the Capitol's fault."

My brothers sit on either side of me on the couch and are convincing me that I can win. All too soon, their time is up.

I hug all of them and tell them I love them before Peacekeepers take them out of the room. They practically have to drag out Ariana, who becomes hysterical. Seeing my sister in so much pain is absolutely horrible. I squeeze my eyes shut and will the tears that are threatening to escape to stay put. I need to be strong for my mother.

My parents rush to me when the door opens the second time. My mother's face is as white as a sheet. My father's is absolutely furious. I soon realize he's not mad at me, but at the Capitol. He rages about the unfairness of it all, and exactly where he thinks President Snow should go. And then he starts to cry. I have never seen my father cry.

My mother holds me so tightly I can barely breathe. She keeps telling me how much she loves me, and what a beautiful, strong, brave daughter I am.

That's when I start to cry. So much for being strong for my mother. That's when I realize that I don't need to be strong for her. She's strong enough on her own.

"We love you Annalise!"

My parents call to me as they are shoved out of the room. I try not think about how this might be the last time I ever see them.

I best friend Katrina visits me next. She doesn't talk much, and that suits me just fine. To my surprise she gives me a pin with a mockingjay on it.

"It represents hope and freedom." She tells me. "It was my great aunt's."

I am so stunned, I have no idea what to say.

"Thank you." I manage in a hushed whisper. Katrina just smiles sadly at me.

Before she leaves, she says one more thing.

"Annalise, don't let them change you."

I am left to ponder the meaning of her words.

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