Summer Reading Essay

Katniss Everdeen- the hunger games

Junior- the absolutely true diary of a part time indian

It was the day of the reaping in district 12 and i watched everyone gathering around a big stage and nervously waited for the announcer to walk up and pick the names. As I looked around I saw mostly familiar faces, except one boy, looked about 13. I quickly walked up to him

“Hey, what's your name?” He looked at me nervously, he had thick glasses on, stood awkwardly and had a really big head.

“uh..my name is Junior” he said.

“katniss, nice to meet you.” I stuck my hand out for him to shake, he took it.

“nice to meet you too katniss.”

I smiled awkwardly and walked away, I sat down in my seat right as a petite woman walked up on stage and tapped on the microphone getting everyone's attention quickly.

“welcome everyone!” she said too excited, the audience was so beyond silent, you could hear a pin drop. she had no reaction to the silence except a weird expression on her face. “Well then, lets pick the tributes!” she stumbled over to the bowl of names, after a lifetime of her fiddling with papers trying to create anticipation, she picked out a name. she stumbled back to the microphone, unfolded the tiny piece of paper. “Katniss Everdeen!” she practically screamed into the microphone.

My heart dropped. With no emotion I walked up on the stage, almost in shock. she ran over to the boys bowl and picked out a second name. she called out junior, the boy I barely knew who I just met five minutes ago. I could see the tears forming in his eyes. He walked up to the stage and shook my hand once again. the woman spoke one last time “Happy hunger games and may the odds be ever in your favor”

Everyone started leaving in small groups at a time until none was left but me and junior’s family’s. My family was filled with tears. Junior’s didn’t say a word for a few minutes. I heard muffled talking, the only thing i could make out was “You’ll be okay son.”, his words were slurred and i'm quite sure he was wasted, at that moment his mother bursted into tears. I actually felt bad for him, I might work together with him, he seems like a smart kid. If he betrays me he’s done though. After the tears and goodbye’s we were led to a train where we would be brought to training for the games, then eventually, the games.

Its been about two weeks and im about to go into the games. We've  been preped, trained, and ready to go. I talked to Junior and we plan to work together. my heart is about to beat right out of my chest as the platforms were rising, Once the countdown started I frantically looked for the platform that junior was on. I saw him and we locked eyes, I motioned my head towards the woods, he slightly nodded. As soon as he nodded the cannon blew, we bolted towards the woods avoiding the bloodbath where everyone was trying to get weapons and supplies.

We eventually found a spot in the woods where we could stop running and take a rest.

“we can find supplies on our own” i stated. there was no response from junior, he just sat there panting like a dog. Just then we hear a beeping noise coming from the sky, a big box with a parachute and a note attached. I opened the note it simply said “good thinking” I went and cautiously opened the box and found a bow and arrows and a big dagger.

“oh my god! awesome!” Junior swiped the dagger out of the box and started whipping it around. he nearly cut my face off.

“woah, calm down there” I said slowly backing away putting the bag of arrows on my back.”lets go”

we started walking and eventually found food. we were standing  there eating berries when junior just gave me this awful look like I was a monster or something. He ripped out his dagger and started to walk towards me, he was actually going to try to kill me. I figured this would happen. I pulled out my bow, got an arrow and quickly shot him while he screamed “no!”. just as the shot hit him, i felt a piercing pain on my side. I screamed in pain, looked down and there was a knife in me. It was different than the one Junior had, it belonged to this tall muscular guy standing next to me. Junior was trying to protect me and i killed him.

The guy next to me just laughed. I fell to the ground in agonizing pain. As I took my last few breaths, I had a flashback of when I First met junior, He was so innocent and I killed him, imagine how his family feels. Soon enough I slowly stopped breathing, a big white light was coming near me. It was all over.

Then I opened my eyes. I was back in my room, with my sister in the bed next to me, everything the same, I couldn't have just dreamed all that right?

the one thing i know is. I'm happy to be home.