Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. :(


Roses. I smell roses. I see roses. I am a rose. Red, yellow, orange, peach, light pink, dark pink, lavender, and so on. So many forms and stages of budding, so beautiful. Except for me. I'm a white rose. The only white rose. I'm different. But in a bad way. A door on the other side of the room I am in - I'm in some garden or greenhouse- and a man appears in front of me. He's the man, the man who gives me the deep-down creeps.

I first saw him when I was about six years old. I was filing through the attic for something interesting, and I found this box that had the number 74 on it. And as the curious little brat I was, I opened it and found a tape in it. I then started watching the tape on the old television that was also in the attic, and saw things I shouldn't have. I saw people die brutal deaths, but what really scared me is at the end of the tape when Mom went crazy. Dad was being treated by doctors, but Mom somehow didn't understand that. In the tape, she was pounding on the glass separating them, screaming her head off. Completely insane.

Then, the tape cut to a scene where Mom and Dad were being interviewed by this blue-haired guy. Both looked fine, unlike the previous scene. But, if you looked close enough, you can tell Mom isn't fine. She's broken. I bet he could see it to. After the interviews, he came in to crown Mom and Dad victors. Him with his over-puffy lips and snake eyes.

The man looks down at me, and smiles. His puffy lips stretch against his unnaturally white teeth, and reaches down to pick me. But he doesn't. His fingers hover centimeters away from my stem.

"Well, Miss. Mellark, it would be a shame if somebody were to pick you..." the voice is low and cruel, just like on the tape. He flashes me one last smile, and snaps my stem.

I sit up in my bed so fast, my head starts to spin. It takes a while for my head to clear up, but I manage. Once I feel well again, I begin to scan my room. The light green, almost mint green, walls envelop me with the warm feeling of calmness. I suck in a deep breath and smell - yum- cheese buns. Dad only bakes cheese buns on special occasions and Sundays, and I sure know it isn't Sunday. Maybe Haymitch came over! Only one way to find out.

I bound down the stairs and jump over the last two steps, just because. When I arrive at the kitchen I see my little brother, Finn, already beat me to breakfast. And so did a special surprise guest.

"'Morning Haymitch! What's the special occasion?" I ask him. He doesn't visit often for breakfast.

"Well, I just thought I'd especially just stop by to see how you're doing, sweetheart." he replies sarcastically. I roll my eyes at him.

Haymitch is actually the closest thing I have for a grandpa. When the second rebellion was over, pretty much all Mom's and Dad's family members were dead. Only my grandma from Mom's side is alive. She never visits. The last time Mom saw her was when she gave birth to Finn. The second rebellion robbed me of my family members. So now, Haymitch is all Finn and I got.

"Hey, Rose, why don't go help Peeta with those cheese buns over there?" he suggests. He holds out his empty plate for me to refill with a smirk.

"Fine." I snap. I snatch his plate away, and turn around to Dad to avoid his satisfied smirk.

"Ooh... she's a little snappy today, don't you think, Katniss?" Mom smiles at this comment, but doesn't reply.

"Haymitch!"

"Rose, you and Finn have to leave for school soon, so it's better if you eat your breakfast on the way" Dad advises me.

"What? What time is it?" I ask as he refills Haymitch's plate.

"7:00."

"WHAT?" I jump from surprise. I run over to the kitchen table to hand Haymitch his plate, then run back upstairs to get ready. When I run back into the kitchen, this time dressed properly and lugging my backpack over my shoulder, I make a beeline back to Dad. "Cheese buns?" He hands me three cheese buns, and start towards the front door. "Finn, come on!" Finn gets up from the kitchen table (he already had his backpack on) and follows me to the door.

"Bye!" Finn and I chorus out, then turn around. Finn runs ahead of me, and I stay behind to take my time. I am eating cheese buns at the same time.

"Rose! Wait!" Dad shouts after me. I turn around to acknowledge him, but then I wish I didn't. "Remember today's Everdeen day!"

That reminder just about ruins my day.


REWRITE! YAY! It's summertime, but I have no ideas at all. So, it's rewrite time! I'll try to rewrite every day, and this time, I can actually keep this promise. Nothing in my way, too much time on my hands. YAY!