asking for more？ With both of us hunting daily； there are still nights when game has to be swapped for lard or shoelaces or wool； still nights when we go to bed with our stomachs growling。
¨I never want to have kids；〃 I say。
¨I might。 If I didnˇt live here；〃 says Gale。
¨But you do；〃 I say； irritated。
¨Forget it；〃 he snaps back。
The conversation feels all wrong。 Leave？ How could I leave Prim； who is the only person in the world Iˇm certain I love？ And Gale is devoted to his family。 We canˇt leave； so why bother talking about it？ And even if we did 。 。 。 even if we did 。 。 。 where did this stuff about having kids e from？ Thereˇs never been anything romantic between Gale and me。 When we met； I was a skinny twelve…year…old； and although he was only two years older； he already looked like a man。 It took a long time for us to even bee friends； to stop haggling over every trade and begin helping each other out。
Besides； if he wants kids； Gale wonˇt have any trouble finding a wife。 Heˇs good…looking； heˇs strong enough to handle the work in the mines； and he can hunt。 You can tell by the way the girls whisper about him when he walks by in school that they want him。 It makes me jealous but not for the reason people would think。 Good hunting partners are hard to find。
¨What do you want to do？〃 I ask。 We can hunt； fish； or gather。
¨Letˇs fish at the lake。 We can leave our poles and gather in the woods。 Get something nice for tonight；〃 he says。
Tonight。 After the reaping； everyone is supposed to celebrate。 And a lot of people do； out of relief that their children have been spared for another year。 But at least two families will pull their shutters； lock their doors； and try to figure out how they will survive the painful weeks to e。
We make out well。 The predators ignore us on a day when easier； tastier prey abounds。 By late morning； we have a dozen fish； a bag of greens and； best of all； a gallon of strawberries。 I found the patch a few years ago； but Gale had the idea to string mesh s around it to keep out the animals。
On the way home； we swing by the Hob； the black market that operates in an abandoned warehouse that once held coal。 When they came up with a more efficient system that transported the coal directly from the mines to the trains； the Hob gradually took over the space。 Most businesses are closed by this time on reaping day； but the black marketˇs still fairly busy。 We easily trade six of the fish for good bread； the other two for salt。 Greasy Sae； the bony old woman who sells bowls of hot soup from a large kettle； takes half the greens off our hands in exchange for a couple of chunks of paraffin。 We might do a tad better elsewhere； but we make an effort to keep on good terms with Greasy Sae。 Sheˇs the only one who can consistently be counted on to buy wild dog。 We donˇt hunt them on purpose； but if youˇre attacked and you take out a dog or two； well； meat is meat。 ¨Once itˇs in the soup； Iˇll call it beef；〃 Greasy Sae says with a wink。 No one in the Seam would turn up their nose at a good leg of wild dog； but the Peacekeepers who e to the Hob can afford to be a little choosier。
When we finish our business at the market； we go to the back door of the mayorˇs house to sell half the strawberries； knowing he has a particular fondness for them and can afford our price。 The mayorˇs daughter； Madge； opens the door。 Sheˇs in my year at school。 Being the mayorˇs daughter； youˇd expect her to be a snob； but sheˇs all right。 She just keeps to herself。 Like me。 Since neither of us really has a group of friends； we seem to end up together a lot at school。 Eating lunch； sitting next to each other at assemblies； partnering for sports activities。 We rarely talk； which suits us both just fine。
Today her drab school outfit has been replaced by an expensive white dress； and her blonde hair is done up with a pink ribbon。 Reaping clothes。
¨Pretty dress；〃 says Gale。
Madge shoots him a look； trying to see if itˇs a genuine pliment or if heˇs just being ironic。 It is a pretty dress； but she would never be wearing it ordinarily。 She presses her lips together and then smiles。 ¨Well； if I end up going to the Capitol； I want to look nice； donˇt I？〃
Now itˇs Galeˇs turn to be confused。 Does she mean it？ Or is she messing with him？ Iˇm guessing the second。
¨You wonˇt be going to the Capitol；〃 says Gale coolly。 His eyes land on a small； circular pin that adorns her dress。 Real gold。 Beautifully crafted。 It could keep a family in bread for months。 ¨What can you have？ Five entries？ I had six when I was just twelve years old。〃
¨Thatˇs not her fault；〃 I say。
¨No； itˇs no oneˇs fault。 Just the way it is；〃 says Gale。 Madgeˇs face has bee closed off。 She puts the money for the berries in my hand。 ¨Good luck； Katniss。〃 ¨You； too；〃 I say； and the door closes。
We walk toward the Seam in silence。 I donˇt like that Gale took a dig at Madge； but heˇs right； of course。 The reaping system is unfair； with the poor getting the worst of it。 You bee eligible for the reaping the day you turn 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。