按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rn twelve。 That year； your name is entered once。 At thirteen； twice。 And so on and so on until you reach the age of eighteen； the final year of eligibility； when your name goes into the pool seven times。 Thatˇs true for every citizen in all twelve districts in the entire country of Panem。
But hereˇs the catch。 Say you are poor and starving as we were。 You can opt to add your name more times in exchange for tesserae。 Each tessera is worth a meager yearˇs supply of grain and oil for one person。 You may do this for each of your family members as well。 So； at the age of twelve； I had my name entered four times。 Once； because I had to； and three times for tesserae for grain and oil for myself； Prim； and my mother。 In fact； every year I have needed to do this。 And the entries are cumulative。 So now； at the age of sixteen； my name will be in the reaping twenty times。 Gale； who is eighteen and has been either helping or single…handedly feeding a family of five for seven years； will have his name in forty…two times。
You can see why someone like Madge； who has never been at risk of needing a tessera； can set him off。 The chance of her name being drawn is very slim pared to those of us who live in the Seam。 Not impossible； but slim。 And even though the rules were set up by the Capitol； not the districts； certainly not Madgeˇs family； itˇs hard not to resent those who donˇt have to sign up for tesserae。
Gale knows his anger at Madge is misdirected。 On other days； deep in the woods； Iˇve listened to him rant about how the tesserae are just another tool to cause misery in our district。 A way to plant hatred between the starving workers of the Seam and those who can generally count on supper and thereby ensure we will never trust one another。 ¨Itˇs to the Capitolˇs advantage to have us divided among ourselves；〃 he might say if there were no ears to hear but mine。 If it wasnˇt reaping day。 If a girl with a gold pin and no tesserae had not made what Iˇm sure she thought was a harmless ment。
As we walk； I glance over at Galeˇs face； still smoldering underneath his stony expression。 His rages seem pointless to me； although I never say so。 Itˇs not that I donˇt agree with him。 I do。 But what good is yelling about the Capitol in the middle of
the woods？ It doesnˇt change anything。 It doesnˇt make things fair。 It doesnˇt fill our stomachs。 In fact； it scares off the nearby game。 I let him yell though。 Better he does it in the woods than in the district。
Gale and I divide our spoils； leaving two fish； a couple of loaves of good bread； greens； a quart of strawberries； salt； paraffin； and a bit of money for each。
¨See you in the square；〃 I say。
¨Wear something pretty；〃 he says flatly。
At home； I find my mother and sister are ready to go。 My mother wears a fine dress from her apothecary days。 Prim is in my first reaping outfit； a skirt and ruffled blouse。 Itˇs a bit big on her； but my mother has made it stay with pins。 Even so； sheˇs having trouble keeping the blouse tucked in at the back。
A tub of warm water waits for me。 I scrub off the dirt and sweat from the woods and even wash my hair。 To my surprise； my mother has laid out one of her own lovely dresses for me。 A soft blue thing with matching shoes。
¨Are you sure？〃 I ask。 Iˇm trying to get past rejecting offers of help from her。 For a while； I was so angry； I wouldnˇt allow her to do anything for me。 And this is something special。 Her clothes from her past are very precious to her。
¨Of course。 Letˇs put your hair up； too；〃 she says。 I let her towel…dry it and braid it up on my head。 I can hardly recognize myself in the cracked mirror that leans against the wall。
¨You look beautiful；〃 says Prim in a hushed voice。
¨And nothing like myself；〃 I say。 I hug her； because I know these next few hours will be terrible for her。 Her first reaping。 Sheˇs about as safe as you can get； since sheˇs only entered once。 I wouldnˇt let her take out any tesserae。 But sheˇs worried about me。 That the unthinkable might happen。
I protect Prim in every way I can； but Iˇm powerless against the reaping。 The anguish I always feel when sheˇs in pain wells up in my chest and threatens to register on my （ace。 I notice her blouse has pulled out of her skirt in the back again and force myself to stay calm。 ¨Tuck your tail in； little duck；〃 I say； smoothing the blouse back in place。
Prim giggles and gives me a small ¨Quack。〃
¨Quack yourself；〃 I say with a light laugh。 The kind only Prim can draw out of me。 ¨e on； letˇs eat；〃 I say and plant a quick kiss on the top of her head。
The fish and greens are already cooking in a stew； but that will be for supper。 We decide to save the strawberries and bakery bread for this eveningˇs meal； to make it special we say。 Instead we drink milk from Primˇs goat； Lady； and eat the rough bread made from the tessera grain； although no one has much appetite anyway。
At one oˇclock； andatory unless you are on deathˇs door。 This evening； officials will e around and check to see if this is the case。 If not； youˇll be imprisoned。
Itˇs too bad； really； that they hold the reaping in the square one of the few places in District 12 that can be pleasant。 The squareˇs surrounded by shops； and on public market days； especially if thereˇs good weather； it has a holiday feel to it。 But today； despite the bright banners hanging on the buildings； thereˇs an air of grimness。 The camera crews； perched like buzzards on rooftops； only add to the effect。
People file in silently and sign in。 The reaping is a good opportunity for the Capitol to keep tabs on the population as well。 Twelve… through eighteen…year…olds are herded into roped areas marked off by ages； the oldest in the front； the young ones； like Prim； toward the back。 Family members line up around the perimeter； holding tightly to one anotherˇs hands。 But there are others； too； who have no one they love at stake； or who no longer care； who slip among the crowd； taking bets on the two kids whose names will be drawn。 Odds are given on their ages； whether theyˇre Seam or merchant； if they will break down and weep。 Most refuse dealing with the racketeers but carefully； carefully。 These same people tend to be informers； and who hasnˇt broken the law？ I could be shot on a daily basis for hunting； but the appetites of those in charge protect me。 Not everyone can claim the same。
Anyway； Gale and I agree that if we have to choose between dying of hunger and a bullet in the head； the bullet would be much quicker。
The space gets tighter； more claustrophobic as people arrive。 The squareˇs quite large； but not enough to hold District 12ˇs population of about eight thousand。 Lateers are directed to the adjacent streets； where they can watch the event on screens as itˇs televised live by the state。
I find myself standing in a clump of sixteens from the Seam。 We all exchange terse nods then focus our attention on the temporary stage that is set up before the Justice Building。 It holds three chairs； a podium； and two large glass balls； one for the boys and one for the girls。 I stare at the paper slips in the girlsˇ ball。 Twenty of them have Katniss Everdeen written on them in careful handwriting。
Two of the three chairs fill with Madgeˇs father； Mayor Undersee； whoˇs a tall； balding man； and Effie Trinket； District 12ˇs escort； fresh from the Capitol with her scary white grin； pinkish hair； and spring green suit。 They murmur to each other
and then look with concern at the empty seat。
Just as the town clock strikes two； the mayor steps up to the podium and begins to read。 Itˇs the same story every year。 He tells of the history of Panem； the country that rose up out of the ashes of a place that was once called North America。 He lists the disasters； the droughts； the storms； the fires； the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land； the brutal war for what little sustenance remained。 The result was Panem； a shining Capitol ringed by thirteen districts； which brought peace and prosperity to its citizens。 Then came the Dark Days； the uprising of the districts against the Capitol。 Twelve were defeated； the thirteenth obliterated。 The Treaty of Treason gave us the new laws to guar