Chapter 1

When they call my name, I'm so shocked I don't feel surprised.

"Johanna Mason!"

My name echoes. Girls turn towards me. I saw my own funeral in their eyes. They didn't think I would be able to win.

They didn't know anything.

But I let them think their first impressions. First, I burst into tears and start to scream. Peacekeepers grab me and pull me up to the Justice Building.

Through everyone's eyes, I see what they think of me. Weak, coward, dead as soon as the gong goes.

I make eye contact with my best friend, Sam. He knows what I was capable of. I cease my crying to wink at him and then started to whimper. I make my way up the stairs and our ridiculously dressed escort grabs my hand to make sure that I actually stay on the stage.

I let the tears run down my face, showing shock and fear but on the inside, I was laughing madly. The fools believe me.

Our escort draws the name for the boys. It was some kid I recognized but didn't know. Good. Didn't want to be attached.

There was only one winner after all.

Then we were escorted into the Justice Building. I and the other boy, whose name was Jared or something, were separated and stuffed into rooms to say our good-byes. Of course, my parents and little brothers come in. They're twins and have just turned twelve, just in time for the Games. Yay.

They all hug me. They all shake with their grief, their tears thoroughly watering my clothes. This time, I don't have to fake the tears. They're real. There is a possibility that I wasn't going to be coming home.

I didn't bother wiping the tears away when my family left and Sam came in. He gave me a big hug. I feel the familiar strength of him and took comfort in it.

"You're going to win, Jo, I know it," he whispered in my hair.

I just sniffle, keeping the tears at bay. Then I remember my plan: to appear like the most cowardly, snivelling fool that couldn't possibly win the Games. I let the tears flow freely but restrained the sobs.

Sam pulled away from me. He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye; his green eyes to my brown ones.

"Go through with this plan. Don't show how strong you are. Only in the end. But make sure you get your hands on an axe. Even a knife. As long as you can throw."

I nodded. I remember just the day before on our shift, we had axe throwing contests.

I'd always win with my accuracy.

Then a Peacekeeper forces Sam out and brings Jared and I to the car. I looked up at the screens mounted everywhere. My face was a snotty, teary mess.

Perfect.

As soon as we got on the train, our mentor, a twenty year old guy named Blight, stares at both of us. He then gets in both of our faces, staring in our eyes. He stared at me longer than he did at Jared. He then leaves, muttering something under his breath.

Jared and I exchange confused glances. I shrugged and then find a room for myself. I sit down on the bed. I wondered if my older brother had sat here too, contemplating his survival.

Two years ago, my oldest brother, was chosen for the Hunger Games. Like me, he was deadly with an axe and made it to the final eight. But most of the final eight was the Career pack. They knew Hugh could fight and well. So they hunted him down and killed him. One of the Careers won that year, the boy from 1.

I'm a vicious girl but that side of myself intensified after he died. Hugh was my older brother, my protector and one of my best friends in the entire world.

I'm going to win this for him.

Blight makes us watch the reapings. Pretty much all of the other tributes are bigger than me, except for the twelve year old from 6. The Career tributes, of course, look monstrous with their killer eyes and extremely muscular bodies.

I listen to their commentary as the Peacekeepers drag me to the stage.

The commentators sigh in unison as they watch me snivel and sob.

"I guess we know who's not going to win the Games this year," one of them says.

That makes me snort and then leave for my quarters. I feel Jared's eyes on me. Registering my calm now, even sarcasticness.

I wonder if he knows that I'm not weak but strong. Lethal.

All of them have something coming.

Johanna Mason is coming for them all.