Chapter 1
It's two days before the "calling." The calling is where for kids from every ten districts get called to fight to the death in an evil, repulsing "game." It's a way for the government to remind the citizens that we have no control and that we are nothing compared to them. I was taken in the last year for my snobby ten-year old sister. I nearly died but if i wouldn't have taken her place I'd be dead for sure. Mother spoils her and makes sure all of her six other kids know, that Penelope is her favorite. She made threats to us that if one of us didn't volunteer for her she'd stave us or poison us. So I, being the oldest, took a stand for the youngest of my siblings. The so-called "games" really make you realize how cruel the world can be.
I run to find Blade, my best friend of thirteen years, to go and get what we need for the day. And by "get what we need," I mean steel. i know it's wrong and it can be costly to the victims we choose but considering our victims are all government officials I don't honestly have any regret. I meet him at our "hideout" which is an alley that we use to plan our next crime. I don't want to steal nut it's the only way I've found it possible to provide for myself and my younger siblings.
I go to the alleyway and see blade, his blue eyes glistening in the morning sunlight. I want to tell him how I feel but I find at this moment unless and there frankly is no point to it. I run to him as he stands at the other end of the alleyway with a look as if he was the cat who ate the canary.
" Who is our victim of the day?" I ask.
" A police officer in the park, he's been patrolling all day. And by patrolling I mean sitting on his..."
" I know. But truly, do they ever actually do anything than make our lives miserable?" I interrupt.
" No. Well I guess he will pay for that today. " Blade tells me.
We go to the park and find the chubby police man sitting on a bench. His wallet is staring me in the is on the verge of falling out of his pocket, which means we have the perfect opportunity. I already know my job. I go around the bench and begin speaking to the man about his work. I pretend as if I truly care about his daily routine while Blade sneaks behind and swiftly removes the wallet from his pants pocket. Then I find a way to end the conversation and it's over. While the police officer sits on the park bench soaking in his ego we make off with an easy sixty dollars. Mine and Blades lives are inchoate, they have just begun and we've already fell into a life of crime but truly there's only three ways to go in the hostile environment they call district seven. You can turn to drugs,lying, become a part of the government, or just steal to get what you need. I'm not saying we chose the best one but we chose that fits our situation. We buy food for our sibling and us with the money we snuck from under the policeman's nose. And with this I'm off home. I get home and mom's brushing Penelope's blonde hair like she's a Barbie doll or some sort of royalty. I know she's my sister but at the sight of this I do believe I have an urge to vomit. Mother looks at me with a harsh, hostile expression. Wow, that's better than the dull slap in the face yesterday for not washing Penelope's clothes.
I hate her. Her old wrinkled face and her graying hair just makes me want to grab her by her gold hoop earrings and drag her into the alley and beat her. I'm more of a mother to myself than she is, always taking Penelope's side just because of the fact that I refuse to do every single thing that she wishes. I'm not her slave but she likes to pretend I am. She looks over at my other siblings in the same manner and promptly states in her annoying coarse voice, " Now you little rats, if Penelope happens to get picked again, one of you will volunteer for her because she is more important than every single on of you useless runts."
At this Penelope sticks her snobby nose high in the air to somehow signify that she is superior to all of us. I would love to just yank every single little blonde hair on her ugly little head out at this moment. How I have kept from doing so beats me. I just hate the life of a slave. But then I look down and see my innocent younger siblings, like Ella May. Her innocent brown eyes stare up at my wicked mother in fright as my mother barks orders at her for Penelope. And my youngest brother Daniel nearly quivers in his worn out boots as she grabs him by the collar of his two sizes too small shirt and drags him into the bathroom to clean. I wish I could help them, or stop her and help us all but there's no possible way to. She's in control. She is an evil person who is completely manipulative. And of course she gets what she wants no matter what the price is to pay. And that's why my father left. In a way I hate him for leaving. But at the same time I cannot see anyone staying in this case. But I cannot understand how someone could leave their children with such a wicked, evil creature. I just hate to see how tomorrow will go. Tomorrow is the day we all do our worse crimes and acts before we go to the calling to see if we are to be most likely sentenced to a grueling death. Police can't contain us all because every single kid from age 5 to 17 has a violent act planned. Some shoot ones they don't get along with. Some sneak up on unaware government officials. and some live in fear of one day having their life taken by undeserving people of the capital. They just decide to take it theirselves never giving them the opportunity. For me though I have a good plan for my mother, and she very well should be watching her back, because she's on my list.