So I found this old story I wrote years ago, and I just touched it up on some parts, too lazy to fix it properly like I probably should've... Anyway, I decided to start putting it up here; gonna post some chapters now, and then we'll see when I'll put up the rest. This story is definately finished though, so you won't have to worry about it being abandoned or anything. :)

Okay, so there's obviously going to be some character death... It's HG, couldn't really escape that could we?

I wake up, panting deeply from one of my usual nightmares that frequently come this time of year. I usually dream about being reaped and then sent to one of those stupid arenas, being chased by someone who wants to kill me, mutants or what-not.

It has been four years since all of this madness began, and soon it's time for another round. I wonder who it'll be that will go over there this year and slaughter so many innocent children. I seriously doubt it will be me; because first of all I only have my 6 votes in there, and second of all there ought to be some volunteers as it's always been so far.

I can't say I blame them for it either; so many of us were left bare after the uprising, and these 'games' are pretty much a godsend for some people. Killing a few people to get to that point where you don't have to worry on a day-to-day basis doesn't really seem to bother the chosen ones at all.

It would however bother me. Though luckily my family isn't in such a dire need of money and food as most of the one's living in this district. I don't need to offer myself to the Capital's whims to stay alive – not yet anyway.

I get up, since falling asleep at this point is impossible, my mind is all too worked up with it being reaping day and everything. I look at the clock, 5.30. Hmph, my usual good luck, what am I supposed to do for several hours until the rest of my family wakes up? I think about my brother and my sisters; thank god none of them actually got chosen during that time that they actually could. My youngest brother Aros is twenty now, and my identical twin sisters are both 21, so they only had to deal with this one or two times. I'm seventeen now, so next year will be my last in the reaping process thank god.

I walk outside, the sun has nearly started to rise above the ocean, and it really is a beautiful sight. It's quite chilly outside even though it's in the middle of May, but I don't have the energy to go in again to fetch a jacket. I start to walk down our pathway, down to the street and then over to the beach. I sit down on one of the rocks there and just watch out at the mesmerizing sight. This is a place seemingly made especially for me, as I'm usually found somewhere near to this place; swimming around in the water, fishing or just plainly hiding around these parts somewhere, thinking.

I watch the sun as it travels up on the sky, and I can see how it makes the ocean glisten where the light hits it. I see how wave after wave hits the shore and darkens the sand that is hit. I watch everything the nature does as I think about nothing and everything.

I think about Riley, one of my sisters, and her upcoming marriage to the principal's only son Simon. They had met while the war was still going on – a long time prior to the games introduction – when she was just fourteen. He was two years older and had just joined the army; he never left however but got stationed right here back home, so their love succeeded to grow – and now, seven years later, they got engaged. I thinks she's really lucky to have been able to find someone, as all the boys I know are pretty childish and not worth falling for, but as friends they are great 'cause they make me laugh a lot.

I wonder when my other sister Ivy will find someone. I mean, she has quite a collection of boyfriends in her history, but she never really fell for any of them. And Aros doesn't seem to care about that so much, I guess he looks at the girls, but he doesn't try to get to know them. I hope he will soon though; I don't want to see him walk through life alone.

Suddenly something hurts on both of my sides as someone screams: "POKE!" and I immediately knows who it is that poked me. It's Jade, my best friend, the goofball. She is the apothecary, Mr. Oaks, oldest daughter and I've known her since I was born. Our mothers were friends and it was just natural for us to become friends too. We grew up side by side and became even better friends as the time went on. I give her an evil grin before I smile at her.

"Hey, what are you doing up so early Jade? Couldn't sleep either?" I ask.

"Naw, you know how it is these days." And I get exactly what she's talking about. Usually the beach would be filled at this hour with people on their way to work or out searching for food, but considering it's a reaping day most people stay at home and spend as much time with their family as possible. And even though nobody has to go to work - apart from those few that are so poor that they really need to - most people actually still get up around now, just to make sure to enjoy their loved ones presence those few spare hours before the reaping at eleven. One can never know who will get picked.

"Yeah, I know," I answer a bit solemnly. "I hope I won't get picked."

"Me neither, but one of those Hail girls will probably volunteer anyway."

Oh yeah, I think, the Hail girls. Raven and Becca Hail are younger than me – sisters and have tried to volunteer every year these games have been going on, always pushed aside by girls of stronger and greater build. Everyone knows that they have been training for them since they found out about the games, and they have gotten really good when it comes to weapons and such. They're utterly lethal, and, oh yeah, not to forget, they hate me.

I don't really know why actually, I think it's because of my attitude towards the game or something, but I don't know. They really didn't like me prior to the games either, so it might be for the mere reason that I'm considered rich and they're not, but then again, they both are rather messed up. They're biggest wish seems to be to win this game and I so don't understand how that can be their only wish, not considering they are obviously doing this for the fame, not the money.

"Yeah, but you'll never know."

She sighs and says: "I guess not."

Jade is like me when it comes to these games, she doesn't approve of them either, and like me she resents the idea with the game. To take 24 kids, put them in an arena and make them fight to the death. We don't talk about it though, if the wrong people heard us we could get seriously punished, maybe even executed.

Then we just sit there, both dead silent and just watch the sun rise higher and higher, until the time is running so late we'll both be having a stressful time getting ready for the reaping. I tell her bye, hug her hard and then run straight home.

Well back home I get in to find mother by the dinner table, apparently waiting for me, but before I even get to ask her what's for breakfast she's sending me to my room with just two words: "Get dressed." And although she sound rather harsh I see that she's close to tearing up, so I quickly walk up to her and kiss her on her cheek before I go to my room.

I switch into a white summer dress, although I hate it, because it's the proper thing to wear on a day like this. I swiftly brush my blonde hair and tie it up so I get a ponytail. In my room I actually have a mirror (it was an inheritance from my great grandmother; she died about eleven years ago, and although I didn't really know her, I liked her very much, the parts about her I could remember anyway) and when I look into it I see these grey eyes staring back at me. Most of the people here in District 4 have blue eyes, but my entire family and a few other have grey eyes so we stand out quite a bit. But then again, being from the upper class of this district makes us stand out quite a bit too.

My dad is the mayor of this district, and that means I haven't had to work a day in my life. Due to this, none of my siblings had many friends, but I do. Maybe it's because I'm the youngest or something, I don't really know, or care as a matter of fact why it is so, but I'm enjoying it never the less. The only thing that is hard with having many friends is that I have known most people that were picked for the games. Two years ago it was my neighbor's oldest boy Travis that got picked, and I cried for hours, because I knew that he would die, and I was right. He died at only fourteen being stabbed in the back by a boy from District 1.

Oh gosh, I have to stop thinking about this, it will only get me all worked up and I can't afford that right now. I must be strong so my mother won't cry again. She has always hated watching these reaping's; she's so afraid one of us would get picked, but we never are.

I walk down again and sit down beside my brother Aros and one of the twins, Ivy. We're not talking at all as we eat our breakfast, the tension around us so high one could touch it. We are all really nervous about today.

After an unpleasant and long meal we all go down to the Justice hall were the reaping is held. We all scatter away in different directions; my dad goes into the building were he's supposed to greet the people from the Capitol, my mom and my brother goes off to some of our neighbors and my sisters walk away to some friends. I'm left completely alone, but not for long. Jade walks up beside me and we go together to get signed in.

I find myself in the girl's folly, next to Jade and some others of my friends. I look around and search for familiar faces, and I find all too many, anyone of these could get picked, and I can't help but wonder who it'll be.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of my father, welcoming us to the fourth annual hunger games. He talks about the treason and the foundation of the games, all of it said in a monotone and boring voice as it is the only way he can show his hatred and disgust for what he is forced to do, before he welcomes up this creature in green, Miss Havanna Glissen from the Capitol. She has been holding these reaping's all three years prior to this, and apparently she's here again.

"Welcome everybody," she says in her capitol dialect that otherwise would be so funny to listen to, but that right now just give me the creeps. She continues: "May the odds be ever in your favor. It is once again time for us to choose our young man and woman who will have the great honor to represent District 4 in the fourth annual hunger games!"

As she walks up to one of the two glass container's on stage, holding all of the girl's names, I wish it won't be any of my nearest friends she will call up.

And it isn't. It's me.

"Mariana Field!"