The rhythm running feet plays by my ears as I lie in my cot, barely awake.

"Everett! Kade! Keep it down! I'd like to sleep in for one morning! "

"C'mon Piper, have a little fun," Kade, my 15 year old brother, calls back to my complaining as he dodges a pitiful punch thrown by Everett.

I glance out the window next to my bed and groan. It's snowing again. My brothers and I live in a small, three-room house in District three. I was told in school that our country, Panem, was once in an area called North America and, supposedly, District Three is located just outside of what used to be the Rocky Mountains, where District Two is found now. We are one of the districts that very slowly eases into spring.

A thud sounds from the kitchen, and Everett burst into laughter. A heavy sigh escaped form deep in my lungs as I swing my legs off the bed.

"What are you guys doing!" I demand, even though I am the youngest in the house. I walk into the kitchen only to find Kade lying on the floor near the wobbling table and Everett holding the chair for support as he laughs uncontrollably.

"Kade tripped... On the... Leg of the... table!" My 18 year old brother answers through is laughing fit and I just roll my eyes and continue walking.

Kade, Everett and I live together alone. My father used to be a highly ranked electrician for our district, but had a complication with the wires he was working with and they wouldn't turn off. He tried to fix it over a couple days, but the gloves weren't strong enough. He was electrocuted. My mother was a very frail women. She had troubles in child birth with my brother Kade, and the troubles grew as I came along. My brothers tell me that she died in child birth with me. I've never considered any other death for my mother, but my brothers had changed the story a couple times which leads me to believe there was more to her death.

Kade got back up off the floor and Everett continued chasing him through the small quarters of the house as I began breakfast. Even though they are much older than 7 year olds, they sure do act like them sometimes. My brothers and I definitely love each other and have really grown closer in the 13 years after my mother died.

A shiver runs up my skinny spine applying goose bumps to my skin. I turn around to grab a jacket off of our hook by the door. I sit down at the table and begin eating. I know the boys will come as soon as they see me. Sure enough once Kade enters the kitchen he sits down and grabs a bowl of grainy oatmeal. My oldest brother walks in, sits down with a huff, and snatches a bowl as well.

"So," Everett says through a mouthful of food. "We all know that tomorrow is the reaping, and I just want you guys to know that you don't need to worry. We've all been through it once and-"

"Everett, you say the same thing every year. We know the drill. " Kade cuts in.

"All right fine, I get it. I just want us to feel safe." Everett finishes.

But we're not safe, I think. The Hunger Games require every 12-18 year old child to put their name in for each year. Someone will always be picked. No one controls who's picked. I could be picked. I don't bother saying any of my thoughts out loud because I know it will create and argument.

None of us have ever been chosen as a tribute in the Games, but every year we've watched it, grieved as our friends were killed, and had to witness families mourn over their child's death. I don't want my small, young family to ever go through that. My brothers have reassured me that I couldn't get picked my name, is only in there twice. I'm only thirteen. Some people have way more slips than I do. "Nothing wrong will happen to you or our family," they say. I sure hope that's true.

"I think I'm gonna go over to the market later today, see what I can trade," I say as casually as I can. I really just want to be alone for a while and take my mind off the reaping.

"Mmk, see if you can get something from the bakery," Kade notes and I nod.

Everett just lets his stare linger on me for a few more seconds then goes back to eating.

Another shiver creeps through my body as I walk into the market place early in the morning. I pull the edges of my coat tighter around me and jog quickly under the awning. In the puny pockets of my jacket I have a bracelet that my mother used to wear. My gloved hands hold firmly around the laces of some old boots with rabbit hide lining that became too small for my feet.

"Good morning Piper! How our you and your brothers doing?"

"We are doing very well, thank you Mrs. Abernathy." I force a smile as I pass the tiny glove shop Mrs. Abernathy runs. She has been a great help to Kade, Everett and I after our parents died. Every once in a while she would come and check up on us, bringing warm fury gloves and soups if need be.

I stop at the bakery and pick up two hot loaves of bread in return for the boots. The bakery always smells the best in the market. The baker and his wife are expecting their first child and gladly take the tiny boots I offer.

The wind begins to pick up a little bit, flinging poky white specks into my thick hair and eyelashes. My ears and cheeks are rose red when I walk through the door holding the bread in the flaps of my coat. I'm not sure if I did this too keep the bread warm or myself warm, but either way it worked.

"Yes! Fresh food!" Kade jumps up from tinkering with some wireless bulbs and gathers the bread from my coat. I tell him to save it for tomorrow, but we both end up having a piece anyway. Everett gets home later in the day from the School of Technology where he is studying to become an inventor or engineer or something. I still don't know. Kade starts his semester in a couple months. The school is almost like a college from way back when the districts weren't formed.

Kade stores the bread in one of our few cabinets and goes back to his small light bulb. I sit and wait by the window watching the world become blanketed in a white substance.

Long thick blonde hair. Bright baby blue eyes. Pale skin with rosy cheeks. A nose sprinkled with freckles. I stand in front of the mirror gazing at my reflection, waiting for Everett to come home so we can eat dinner. My hair runs almost all the way to my belly-button. It's barely cut because of the weather. It keeps my neck warm.

I hear the creek of the door opening and Everett walks in, his hat almost flying off from the minor blizzard.

"Hey Pipe," he calls. I turn my head and smile, shifting my weight to look at him.

"I think we should talk a little about..umm tomorrow, okay?"

My smile fades. I give him a nervous nod and stand to follow him.

A/N Hey guys first of all thanks for the readers and always remember REVIEWS ARE LOVE! Okay so I won't be able to upload the other chapters 'til umm June 9th because I'm in the last week of school and I need to study for finals! UGH! Anyway, thanks again! I love you all!

3 GTHN