ose 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Today her drab school outfit has been replaced by an expensive white dress； and her blonde hair is done up with a pink ribbon。 Reaping clothes。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 Distr