A/N
*Hey guys, this is our first story. Please no hate. We do not own the Hunger Games or any of the characters described! This is our spin-off of the beloved book and movie series. All rights belong to Suzanne Collins. Hope you like it! –Suzy and Lottie *
CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNING OF THE END
-Katniss-
I awoke to the sound of Prim screaming and crying. I sat upright on my uncomfortable mattress and scurried to my little sister's bedside. I picked her up and hugged her. I gently rubbed the back of her head and tried to calm her down. "They're gonna pick me," she squeaked. "No, Prim. It's only your first year. Your name is only in there once," I said. "They're not gonna pick you," Honestly though, I didn't know for sure. The capital can be pretty sneaky when it comes to the games. Everyone there absolutely loves them. They make killing people into a fun and enjoying T.V. show. It really makes me sick. "Katniss?" Prim said softly. Her blonde hair was slightly tangled and her green eyes were shiny from crying. "Yeah Prim?" "Will you sing to me?" She asked. "Yes," I replied softly. "Deep in the meadow, under the willow, a bed of grass, a soft green pillow…" I sang softly. When I was done, I told Prim I had to go. "Where?" She asked. "I just gotta go. I'll be back soon. I love you." I tucked her back in and walked to the door. I slipped on my jacket and my old brown boots and opened the door. I shut the door behind me. I didn't bother to be quiet. My mom wouldn't hear me anyway. She never hears anything anymore.
I ran outside into the cold. I looked around and saw people shivering violently, just trying to stay alive. As I kept running, I got near the fence outlining the borders of district 12. The fence is made of metal and said to be high voltage. But I knew it wasn't. I've been around this fence for as long as I can remember, and I've never got shocked. It was put up by the capital to keep people from escaping into the thick wooded areas surrounding our poverty- stricken district. I don't care about the fence, though. I need to do whatever I can to get food for my family. Even if that means I have to sneak past the capital's barrier and risk being caught. My dad taught me how to hunt when I was younger. He was always good at survival. Ask him what any plant or animal was and he would tell you. Of course that was before he passed away in a coal mining accident. Ever since that day, my mother had never been the same.
Pushing away the thoughts of my parents, I slipped between the barbed wires of the fence, careful not to get my old clothes caught on the sharp metal. I ran through the trees until I got about thirty feet in
the woods. I reached in a hollow log and grabbed my bow and arrows secretly stored there. I took one arrow out of my bag and slung it over my shoulder. I hope I can get something good today. Yesterday all I found was a squirrel that was already dead. It had flies on it and birds were picking at it. I needed something good today. I stealthily ran a couple steps and standing right there about fifteen feet away from me was a medium sized deer. It was enough to feed my family for a week! I quietly came closer, making sure to stay out of sight. Even though I was being quiet, the deer lifted its head up from the plant it was eating and looked around.
-Gale-
I saw Katniss holding her bow and getting ready to shoot. She lifted it up to aim. "What're you going to do with that when you kill it?" I shouted. As soon as the words left my mouth, the deer scurried away. "Dammit, Gale!" Katniss yelled. I walked up to her and said "What were you gonna do with that if you killed it Catnip?" I smirked. "I was gonna sell it…to peacekeepers. Hopefully get some food and money for my family. Now I have nothing." She snapped. "Hmm" I picked up a small rock and launched it at a tree. Five or six birds flew out and Katniss shot one directly in the chest. It sank to the ground and Katniss ran up and picked it up. Clean shot right in the center of the bird's body. "Good work, Catnip." I said. She looked at me, still a little anger in her eyes, but then she smiled. "Well at least I have a bird,"
Katniss said. "I can still get something for a bird."
-Katniss-
Gale and I sat at our usual spot and talked. "What if just for one year, no one watched?" Gale said. "It won't happen Gale," I said. "The capital makes everyone watch, and even if no one in the districts watched, the people in the capital would still watch because in some sick way, they find it amusing. They'll never stop unless they kill off every single person, and if they run out of young people, they'll probably throw in old people because they live for this. All year everyone impatiently waits for the games to start and everyone rips their hair out when they're over because they know they'll have to wait another year. And honestly, everyone in the districts has to watch to see if their loved ones are okay or not." Gale frowned. "I didn't ask for you to lecture me, Katniss." But he knew I was right. No one would ever stop watching. We sat in silence for a few minutes, and then he said, "We should probably get back to our families and get ready for the reaping." "Yeah," I agreed.
At home, Prim was dressed in a nice white shirt, a flower skirt, and little high heels. Her hair was done up in French braids and she was sitting on her bed, watching my mother lay out an outfit for me. I got in my small wooden bath and washed my feet, armpits, back and hair. When I was out, I put on a light blue dress and my mom put my hair up in braids on the back of my head. I slipped on my best pair of shoes and Prim and I were out the door.
-Effie Trinket-
(What she's thinking)
This district is so poor… I wish I could've gotten district one or two…Look at every one coming here…even they're nicest clothes are disgusting…
-Katniss-
I took Prim by the hand and walked her up to the check-in table. When she saw that they prick your finger for a blood sample, she stopped. Her breathing got heavier and her face got red. "Prim, its okay. It doesn't hurt much, just a little bit." She slowly walked to the table. When the lady there pricked her finger, she jumped a little bit. The lady put her bloody finger on a piece of paper and said, "Go ahead," as Prim walked ahead, the lady said "Next!" Now it was my turn. She did the same to me, and then I walked up into the crowd. I couldn't see Prim anymore, but she's probably up with her friends. I watched as a very pale creature walked up on the stage. The creature had a white bush on its head and hideously bright fabric on its body. "WELCOME! WELCOME, WELCOME! HAPPY HUNGER GAMES, AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!" Oh, the creature was human, then. Whoever this lady was, she was very enthusiastic.
She, like all the other people from the capital, was very excited the huger games were starting. I honestly zoned out during a video she showed us. I've already seen this video at least five times before and I was busy worrying about Prim. What if she did get picked? The game makers are very cruel people… picking a little twelve year-old is definitely something they would do and- My thoughts were interrupted by the enthusiastic woman's voice saying, "It's time to pick one courageous young man and woman to represent district twelve for this year's hunger games! As usual, ladies first!" She walked over to a big glass bowl with all the girls' names in it. She reached in and grabbed a piece of paper and looked at it for a moment. After the longest moment of my life, she announced the female tribute's name. "Primrose Everdeen!" She shouted. No. This can't be happening. Please be another Primrose Everdeen. After a minute, the woman said, "Where are you dear?" No answer. "Come on up," Nothing. "Don't be shy," Prim started slowly walking up to the front. I knew in that moment that something had to be done. Prim was too soft, too delicate to survive the harsh brutality of the games. I ran up behind her. "Prim! Prim! I volunteer! I volunteer!" I pushed past security guards and gave prim a hug. "Prim, you need to go find mom." "No!" she yelled. "I'm sorry Prim, but you need to go find mom right now." "No!" She yelled again. "I'm so sorry Prim, but find mom!" Gale must have seen me struggling to get Prim out of here because he emerged from the large crowd of males. Gale picked Prim up in his arms and began to carry her away. "Noooooo! Aghhhh!" She shrieked. Soon Gale's tall figure disappeared from my view and I was sucked back into the seriousness of the moment. I had just volunteered to die. I walked up to the stage and climbed up the stairs. The pale woman asked, "What's your name?" "Katniss Everdeen," I mumbled. "Well I bet that was your sister, wasn't it?" "Yes," I replied, feeling numb. "Everyone clap for district twelve's very first volunteer!" Nobody clapped. Instead they raised three fingers as a sign of respect towards my actions. "Well then," The pale woman said. "Now for the boys!" She walked over to the other big glass bowl and pulled out another piece of paper. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that everything sounded far away. I could barely hear the pale woman yell, "Peeta Mellark!" I saw a guy start slowly walking up to the stage. Gale had a nervous look on his face. I could see nothing but black.
Suddenly I was in a room hugging Prim and telling her not to put her name in extra times 'cuz it's not worth it, telling her to sell cheese from her goat and that Gale will bring her game to eat. "Try to win," Prim said "Well maybe I can. I am smart, and I can hunt." I responded. She nodded. I had to lie. For Prim's sake. Now it was my mother's turn to talk to me. "You have to be there for her now. Do you understand?" I asked. "Yes," my mom whispered. "I'm not gonna be here to help her anymore. No matter how you feel you have to be there for her." A security guard opened the door and pulled them out. Prim started sobbing again. "Prim it's gonna be okay!" I yelled. I only had a couple minutes left to talk before I would be dragged away to my death. I was expecting Gale to come in, but he never did. A couple minutes pasted. No Gale… why wouldn't he come? Was he mad at me for volunteering? Didn't he know that I had to this to save Prim? Or was he just too sad to see me? I wanted to cry. This was my last chance to ever see Gale and he wouldn't come.
The guards led me and Peeta onto a big silver train and the creature walked in behind us. Peeta and I sat in two seats next to each other. The creature sat in the seat across from me. "Hello, Cattail and Pizza," she said. "Um my name's Peeta…not Pizza. And her names Katniss, not Cattail." I would usually laugh because the creature said 'Pizza' instead of Peeta and 'Cattail' instead of Katniss, but I felt too numb right now. "Yes, well welcome you two. You're in for a treat! Even though you're here, and it's only for a little while, you get to enjoy this." Well, yay. Lemme go grab my dancing shoes. "I'll go find Haymitch," The creature said. "Um, wait!" Peeta said. "What's your name?" "Effie Trinket." She smiled and walked out of the room.
Later that night, at dinnertime, Peeta and me sat awkwardly at a small table packed with food. Neither of said or ate much. It was a long day for both of us. I kept my head down because I didn't want anyone to see my face. My eyes were probably red from trying to hold back tears and I was exhausted. As the servants were clearing of the tables, I noticed someone familiar. Gale.
A/N
*Oh SHITT CLIFFHANGERR! Sorry if this chapter isn't good guys. We hope you all like it, and please message us to tell us if you think we should write a second chapter.*
-Suzy & Lottie-