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s are all but extinct。
¨Lovely！〃 says Effie Trinket。 ¨But I believe thereˇs a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers； and if one does e forth then we； um 。 。 。〃 she trails off； unsure herself。
¨What does it matter？〃 says the mayor。 Heˇs looking at me with a pained expression on his face。 He doesnˇt know me really； but thereˇs a faint recognition there。 I am the girl who brings the strawberries。 The girl his daughter might have spo23 ken of on occasion。 The girl who five years ago stood huddled with her mother and sister； as he presented her； the oldest child； with a medal of valor。 A medal for her father； vaporized in the mines。 Does he remember that？ ¨What does it matter？〃 he repeats gruffly。 ¨Let her e forward。〃
Prim is screaming hysterically behind me。 Sheˇs wrapped her skinny arms around me like a vice。 ¨No； Katniss！ No！ You canˇt go！〃
¨Prim； let go；〃 I say harshly； because this is upsetting me and I donˇt want to cry。 When they televise the replay of the reapings tonight； everyone will make note of my tears； and Iˇll be marked as an easy target。 A weakling。 I will give no one that satisfaction。 ¨Let go！〃
I can feel someone pulling her from my back。 I turn and see Gale has lifted Prim off the ground and sheˇs thrashing in his arms。 ¨Up you go； Catnip；〃 he says； in a voice heˇs fighting to keep steady； and then he carries Prim off toward my mother。 I
steel myself and climb the steps。
¨Well； bravo！〃 gushes Effie Trinket。 ¨Thatˇs the spirit of the Games！〃 Sheˇs pleased to finally have a district with a little action going on in it。 ¨Whatˇs your name？〃
I swallow hard。 ¨Katniss Everdeen；〃 I say。
¨I bet my buttons that was your sister。 Donˇt want her to steal all the glory； do we？ e on； everybody！ Letˇs give a big round of applause to our newest tribute！〃 trills Effie Trinket。
To the everlasting credit of the people of District 12； not one person claps。 Not even the ones holding betting slips； the ones who are usually beyond caring。 Possibly because they know me from the Hob； or knew my father； or have encountered Prim； who no one can help loving。 So instead of acknowledging applause； I stand there unmoving while they take part in the boldest form of dissent they can manage。 Silence。 Which says we do not agree。 We do not condone。 All of this is wrong。
Then something unexpected happens。 At least； I donˇt expect it because I donˇt think of District 12 as a place that cares about me。 But a shift has occurred since I stepped up to take Primˇs place； and now it seems I have bee someone precious。 At first one； then another； then almost every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out to me。 It is an old and rarely used
gesture of our district； occasionally seen at funerals。 It means thanks； it means admiration； it means good…bye to someone you love。
Now I am truly in danger of crying； but fortunately Haymitch chooses this time to e staggering across the stage to congratulate me。 ¨Look at her。 Look at this one！〃 he hollers； throwing an arm around my shoulders。 Heˇs surprisingly strong for such a wreck。 ¨I like her！〃 His breath reeks of liquor and itˇs been a long time since heˇs bathed。 ¨Lots of 。 。 。 ¨ He canˇt think of the word for a while。 ¨Spunk！〃 he says triumphantly。 ¨More than you！〃 he releases me and starts for the front of the stage。 ¨More than you！〃 he shouts； pointing directly into a camera。
Is he addressing the audience or is he so drunk he might actually be taunting the Capitol？ Iˇll never know because just as heˇs opening his mouth to continue； Haymitch plummets off the stage and knocks himself unconscious。
Heˇs disgusting； but Iˇm grateful。 With every camera gleefully trained on him； I have just enough time to release the small； choked sound in my throat and pose myself。 I put my hands behind my back and stare into the distance。
I can see the hills I climbed this morning with Gale。 For a moment； I yearn for something 。 。 。 the idea of us leaving the district 。 。 。 making our way in the woods 。 。 。 but I know I was right about not running off。 Because who else would have volunteered for Prim？
Haymitch is whisked away on a stretcher； and Effie Trinket is trying to get the ball rolling again。 ¨What an exciting day！〃 she warbles as she attempts to straighten her wig； which has listed severely to the right。 ¨But more excitement to e！ Itˇs time to choose our boy tribute！〃 Clearly hoping to contain her tenuous hair situation； she plants one hand on her head as she crosses to the ball that contains the boysˇ names and grabs the first slip she encounters。 She zips back to the podium； and I donˇt even have time to wish for Galeˇs safety when sheˇs reading the name。 ¨Peeta Mellark。〃
Peeta Mellark！
Oh； no； I think。 Not him。 Because I recognize this name； although I have never spoken directly to its owner。 Peeta Mellark。
No； the odds are not in my favor today。 I watch him as he makes his way toward the stage。 Medium height； stocky build； ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead。 The shock of the moment is registering on his face； you can see his struggle to remain emotionless； but his blue eyes show the alarm Iˇve seen so often in prey。 Yet he climbs steadily onto the stage and takes his place。
Effie Trinket asks for volunteers； but no one steps forward。 He has two older brothers； I know； Iˇve seen them in the bakery； but one is probably too old now to volunteer and the other wonˇt。 This is standard。 Family devotion only goes so far for most people on reaping day。 What I did was the radical thing。
The mayor begins to read the long； dull Treaty of Treason as he does every year at this point itˇs required but Iˇm not listening to a word。
Why him？ I think。 Then I try to convince myself it doesnˇt matter。 Peeta Mellark and I are not friends。 Not even neighbors。 We donˇt speak。 Our only real interaction happened years ago。 Heˇs probably forgotten it。 But I havenˇt and I know I never will。 。 。 。
It was during the worst time。 My father had been killed in the mine accident three months earlier in the bitterest Januar