Kari

I groaned as my older brother, Kyle, shook me.

"Time to get up Kari. Today's Reaping Day."
"I don't wanna go."
I yawned.

I am not a morning person.

"I know you don't. But we have to. Get ready, everyone's waiting."

How long had I been sleeping in?
I got up and changed into brown pants and a green tunic-looking thing with a brown belt around my waist. I put a green hairband in my short, layered blonde hair.

"Ready!" I shout to Kyle.
We ran out of our small hut with our Mom, reaching the Reaping right before it started. Kyle went to the boy's side and I went over to the girls'.

I looked around but I didn't see my friend, Maddy. I tuned back into the speech, just in time to hear them say my friend's name.

I couldn't believe it! I turned to Kyle. He had a painful expression on his face. I knew he'd had a crush on Maddy ever since we met her. When I was five and he was seven.

He'd even tried to impress her by doing a flip, but instead broke his leg. He still walks with a limp.

"Kari Hardy. Please come up."
I heard, vaguely realizing that he had said it twice, and that it meant me.

Kyle looked like he was about to break. His two favoritw girls (besides Mom) were going to the Hunger Games.

I walked up slowly and stood next to Maddy. I shot her a quick smile, trying to reassure her when I had the same doubts. I'm not sure it worked.

She smiled slightly back.
How am I gonna do this?
All I wanted to do was curl up and cry, but I was on live TV.

I didn't want to humiliate myself. I could do it later. When I was in bed and no one could see me. Maybe no one would kill this time. Most of the rebellion (including me) were going into the games.

All I knew was I wouldn't kill anyone. Especially Maddy.

Even if it killed me.