The Reaping | 65th Hunger Games You stand there, shuffling your feet in the dust. You stare at the hastily put-together stage that Octavia Kagari, the Escort to the Capitol for the tributes of District 4 is standing on. It's a scorching hot day - hotter than it should be this time of year, but that thought does nothing to tame the butterflies soaring around your stomach. You avert your eyes from the huge glass orbs, reflecting the sun into your eyes, that hold a few hundred names on slips of paper. Octavia reaches her hand into one, as the female tribute - Hally Bjornsen - tosses her exquisitely plaited braids over one shoulder, darkened by the raging sun. A confidence is in her eyes that unnerves you to a degree. Octavia fishes around for a slip of paper, and lifts it up. You try to tune everything out, in fear that she will read out your name. But, your fears are quenched when she reads out, "Finnick Odair!" A young, blonde boy, who looks to be about fourteen - a year older than you - walks onstage confidently. When he, along with Halley, is escorted offstage, you realise that you hadn't taken your eyes off him the entire time.

The Reaping | 68th Hunger Games You stand in the same spot you have stood in, every year since you turned 12. It's cold - colder than the past 2 years you have stood here. It's a small relief, perhaps, but a relief nontheless. As Octavia reaches her hand into the same huge glass orbs that have held hundreds of names of 12-18 year-olds for years and years, ever since the Hunger Games began, you feel a certainty that it will not be your name read out. You look at your shoes, planning on inspecting them until you can go home. You think that you will go to the market after this; try trade that old necklace you have. It'll be worth a lot - you're sure of that. But all those plans come crashing down around you when your name is read out by Octavia. All you can think as you are escorted offstage is that at least Finnick Odair will be your mentor.