I do not own the Hunger Games or anything in it. I own these characters however. Any similarities are simply coincidental. This story is also based in an alternative universe/timeline.

Chapter One

It's a tradition. Those three words are repeated annually by pretty much everyone in the Capitol, and of course, everyone here. My family is sitting at a table, discussing the upcoming Games. I'm the oldest child in my house, thus the only eligible one. My mother is recalling some of the Games from when she was a child, including her favourite one. It is blatantly obvious that she never tires of it and that all the fuss she makes about the event is to make up for her lost chance to go in herself. Twenty-two years ago, an eighteen year old girl called Marcy Jones was chosen to enter the Games. Barely five seconds later, her dreams were dashed by a girl of equal age. She lost.

"So Edlynne, are you going to volunteer this year? You know, you've only got this year and the next one. You can't just sit back until you're eighteen. You could have won at fifteen, I'm sure of it." my little sister Ruphyna turns to look at me, awaiting my expression. We both know how sick I get of our mother's constant nagging and eagerness about the Games, although at the same time neither of us know why we get so fed up. Our whole family shares the same passion, even my father - his brother got killed in the Games and it didn't affect him one bit. Just fueled his eagerness to get in himself. His dreams were discarded much like my mother's.

"I don't know, maybe. Another years training can't hurt..." now don't get me wrong. I really want to get in the Games just as much as everyone else in my District. I can't say even more than everyone else because that is just impossible, everyone wants to become a victor.
"No! Edlynne, you can't keep doing this! You're capable of winning, I know you are. You know how much me and your father have done to train you up. We both want you to get the dream we never reached. We both made one mistake; I don't want you to do the same." she yelled at first, but as she neared the end, her voice quieted and she looked down at the floor. I suddenly feel terrible even though I had nothing to do with the fact she never got what she wanted. My lips curl inwards and whatever I was going to say next disappears. I don't know how she does it, but my mother has this wonderful effect that whenever she feels happy, sad, angry, any emotion, everyone in the room starts to feel that. For a short while anyway.

"You really want me to win this, don't you? Do you really want me to go in now?" I whisper, my voice deep yet hushed. I pull a strand of my ebony hair out of my face and tuck it behind my ear. Yes, I do know how much they have done for me. They both know of my feelings towards our District's purpose - luxury. I detest working with the gemstones all day long, so they got my sister and brother to do all the work in our shop instead, letting me train. After all, the both had several years before they became eligible. Well, Ruphyna only had one to go, Ocelfa had three still.
"Yes, please. I know you want to." again, she was right. That woman could read me like a book. I nodded firmly. Persuasion was no skill to my mother, it was second nature. That skill had been passed down to me, so she says, but in the end I'm no match for her social skills. She gets her way no matter what.
"Okay, for you. I just hope my traini-" my mother shoots me a glare that stops me mid-sentence. Of course. We're District One. We're the Careers. Of course my training will have paid off. My mother can't stand the thought of me doubting myself for a moment. She always says doubting yourself is a weakness. I don't think so; doubt can become a second thought, and a second thought could be all it takes to save yourself from certain death. My father clears his throat, a grin on his face. I don't know why though, no one does. It seems my father laughs at anything.

"Relax you two. I'm pretty sure Edlynne will get in. You haven't been taking tesserae, no one has, there's no need. There are plenty others that will get chosen, all you have to do is volunteer before anyone else does." he pauses for effect. He loves doing that. "Don't waste that one chance."

I picture in other Districts, families sitting in silence, not speaking, wondering and worrying about tomorrow. Not me, no one in District One. Well, that's not strictly true. Like here, my parents are hoping that I'll get in. So am I, after all, I've been training since I was six. After I've finished eating, Ruphyna takes the plates away and I enter our basement which has been transformed into our personal training space. We're technically not supposed to train before the Hunger Games begin, but it seems that here in District One we can get away with almost anything, including training. But once the Officials start arriving, everyone knows they're stricter, so we have to destroy some of our equipment. Items that can pass off as every day items can stay though, such as knives, needles and paints.

I pick up one of those knives, one that my uncle used to train with according to my father, and run my fingers along the delicate, deadly blade. I press a little too hard at one point and draw blood. It's nothing compared to the blood that will be shed at the Cornucopia in a weeks time. Nothing compared to the blood that I, Edlynne Byrd,will be responsible for.