Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)

by Suzanne Collins

Widowed young when my pa died in a coal mine fire, she’s raised Sid and me by taking in laundry and making every bit of anything count.

The parallels between him and Katniss wow... Except Katniss' mom sucked

The second Quarter Quell. Twice as many kids. No point in worrying, I tell myself, there’s nothing you can do about it. Like two Hunger Games in one. No way to control the outcome of the reaping or what follows it. So don’t feed the nightmares. Don’t let yourself panic. Don’t give the Capitol that. They’ve taken enough already.

I have to agree and, though I’m not a drinker myself, I’m glad to get the bottle.

Oh my god

She wasn’t one of Burdock’s Everdeen cousins, but I knew he had some distant ones on his ma’s side.

EVERDEEN, Katniss' dad

They’re not blood kin, her being a Baird, but the Covey look out for their own.

Related to Lucy Grey Baird????

“And that’s part of our trouble. Thinking things are inevitable. Not believing change is possible.”

Ok real

That’s when she revealed that he’d been together some thirty years with the fellow in town who replaces busted windows. They have to keep it quiet because loving differently can get you harassed by the Peacekeepers, fired from jobs, arrested even. Given his own challenges, you’d think Clerk Carmine would be a champion of our love — I’m certainly supportive of his — but I guess he thinks Lenore Dove could do better.

ok ally!!!!!!

Asterid March,

Katniss' mom omg

We lost, and in punishment every July 4th,

I love u suzanne

And always remember, whatever happens, his family will love him and be proud of him forever.

Bitch im sobbing

Most of the people in District 12 weren’t even alive then, but we’re sure here to pay the price.

No one laughs, though, because here she’s the face of evil.

“And the lucky girl is . .

Boooooooooo

“Maysilee Donner!”

Oop

My eyes find Lenore Dove’s, and all I can think is, It’s not you. At least, not for another year. You’re safe.

His kinfolk shout encouragement and bodies instinctively block the Peacekeepers. Just when I’m thinking he might make it — all those Chance kids run like greased lightning — a shot rings out from the Justice Building rooftop, and the back of Woodbine’s head explodes.

Otho Mellark, a big lug of a guy whose folks own the bakery, seems bewildered.

Like father like son

“Well, I think we’ve just found our replacement.”

Nooooooooo

“Oh, just shoot that girl, would you?” says Drusilla.

effie save us

Everything’s all wrong. Minutes ago, I dodged this bullet. I was headed home, then to the woods, safe for another year.

She isn’t crying, so Plutarch won’t get his tearful good-bye. Not from her and not from me. They will not use our tears for their entertainment.

Now, what I need you to do is to react exactly the way you did when you heard them call Louella’s name. In three, two, one, action.”

Disgusting

If anything, the McCoys are more stony-faced than before. It’s not confusion; it’s a blanket refusal to put on a show for the Capitol.

I crush them against me for what I know is the last time. But time’s a-wasting and we are not a wasteful family.

Bro

“I know she will. Because I can always depend on you.” I kneel in front of my little brother and hold out my sleeve like I did when he was tiny, so he can wipe his nose on it. “You’re the man of the house now. If you were some other kid, I’d be worried, but I know you can handle it.” Sid starts to shake his head. “You’re twice as smart as me and ten times as brave. You can do this. Okay? Okay?” He nods and I muss his hair. Then I rise and hug my mother. “You can, too, Ma.”

Bro

I’m lifted off my feet as Sid begs, “Please don’t take my brother! Please don’t take him. We need him!”

Oh my fucking god

That’s when I see Lenore Dove. She’s up on a ridge, her red dress plastered to her body, one hand clutching the bag of gumdrops. As the train passes, she tilts her head back and wails her loss and rage into the wind. And even though it guts me, even though I smash my fists into the glass until they bruise, I’m grateful for her final gift. That she’s denied Plutarch the chance to broadcast our farewell. The moment our hearts shattered? It belongs to us.

I JUST SOBBED SO HARD ON THE TRAIN

It’s all been taken away. My love, my home, my ma, my sweet little brother . . .

Haymitch pre-games is wow

Plutarch was right. I did mess up. Big-time. And I will pay for it with my death and with the broken hearts and lives of everyone who loves me.

WHY IS EVERY LINE SO HEARTBREAKING

Either we outrun the storm or it outruns us.

Wait this is beautiful

The train keeps rolling on, putting miles between me and everything I’ve ever known or loved or hoped for. Dreams of one day letting Ma quit the laundry business. Leaning on Sid about his schoolwork so he might get a coveted aboveground mine job — like keeping books or loading trains — where he could always lay eyes on the sky. And a life with Lenore Dove, loving her, marrying her, raising up our kids, her teaching them music and me doing whatever, digging coal or making white liquor — it wouldn’t have mattered if she was with me. All gone, all lost.

out west

The west... Us

sweetheart?”

Im gonna cry again

In fifty years, we’ve only had one victor, and that was a long time ago. A girl who no one seems to know anything about.

“You mean, he’s given the Capitol a total makeover,” scoffs Maysilee. “Made you look competent when you couldn’t even pull off the reaping.”

ATE

“Honestly, where do you people find these things?”

Like what the fuck actually

“Careful,” says Maysilee. She drips sugar as she goes for the jugular. “Might be time to rethink those boots. Wouldn’t something closer to the ground be safer for a person your age?” Drusilla hauls off and slaps Maysilee, who, without missing a beat, slaps her right back. A real wallop. Drusilla’s knocked off her boots and into the chair I recently vacated.

IM GAGGED WHAT A BADDIE!!!!!

You’re nothing but a low-rent escort hanging on by your fingernails to the trashiest district in Panem.”

Maysilee’s a mockingjay,

“Oh, no, we’re University students, not Academy.

Ok fashion major

They run off then, because Proserpina’s sister wants to touch up her magenta hair pom-poms in case she ends up on camera, and Vitus promised his mother he’d help her decorate for her Hunger Games party tonight.

Wild

My fingers find the snake head at my neck and trace the scales transforming into feathers and then the bird’s pointed beak.

Tattoo???

I’m embracing that when I realize the blood isn’t mine. That fate isn’t mine. And the tribute who’s escaped the arena is Louella.

NOOOOOOOO

So I do. And I’m a fast runner. The only kid who can beat me in footraces at school is Woodbine Chance. Well, he used to anyway. I run for Louella, but I run for Woodbine, too, because he’ll never run again. I have no idea where I’m going. I only know that I do not want to give Louella to the Capitol. Maysilee’s right. She doesn’t belong to them at all.

So much loss

You are on a high horse, mister. And someday someone will knock you off it straight into your grave.

Then I gesture to him and begin to applaud, giving credit where credit is due.

PERIOD

she was a little girl I met on the day she was born when Mr. McCoy, his face alight with joy, held her up at the window for all us kids to see.

Crying again

“You sound like my father. He’ll laugh when I tell him that.” I could point out that Ampert will never see his father again,

bro please give me a break

“Oh, they already have. But I’m trying to build an alliance to counter the Careers. I’ve got all of Seven and Eight on board, and Eleven’s thinking it over.”

LOVE

“Where’s your escort and your stylist? Your mentors?”

Like???? Isnt it YOUR job to know????