Chapter I

I'm running. Running for my life. Because if I'm caught – well, that would be a fate worse than death. Something I can't even imagine. By my side, a pale streak amongst the overwhelming green, is my brother, Caden. Just 12 years old. I know, I should never have let him come with me. I was expecting far too much. But what's done is done. I can only hope, pray that we escape. He knows what to do, he does. I've told him so many times, the harsh suggestion burning my throat. Is it worth it, I wonder. Was it really worth it, risking everything - my friends, my family, my entire life – just for this one slim chance of freedom? I used to hear tales when I was growing up, tales of the once mighty District 13, now reduced to rubble. They deserved it, I was told, they brought it upon themselves. Rebels. Good-for-nothing. And all, or so I was told, dead. But here I am, thousands of miles away from home, searching for that last salvation. We must be close now. But it might just be too late. We know they are on to us.

Lost in thought, I almost didn't hear the hovercraft approaching. The singing of the birds suddenly stopped. My brother too, beside me. The only sound for that one split second was the cry of one solitary bird. Looking back, I think I should have known, should have been warned. Or maybe I'm just torturing myself. Either way, I didn't. Didn't know until there was nothing I could do about it.

Frantic, my eyes darted all around, searching desperately for a way out. Nothing but the endless green of these woods, nothing but trees, and bushes, and – wait! What was that? I could have sworn that I'd seen something. There. Under that bush, a pair of startled eyes we looking back at me. My heart leapt. They would help us! Iknew they would. But nothing happens. No help comes. Confused, my eyes lock with them, those haunting eyes. Surely there must be some mistake? They can't leave us here! I started towards them, when a scream pierces the air. Caden. Before I could think, I spun round, not believing what I was seeing. Something, a spear, my brain processed, was sticking out of him, not quite at right angles to his body. It looked almost comical, I remember thinking. Not now. That's not what I think now, not at all. Someone was screaming, a high, piercing sound. I realised, with a dawning sense of realisation, that it was me. Something struck me then, from above, tangling itself around me, pinning my arms to my sides no matter how much I struggled. No escape. With all my strength, I unpinned my left arm, stretching as far as I could. I felt a lurch, felt as the net I was caught in was lifted towards the sky. I doubled my efforts, but to no avail. Could not reach my side, where my last resort, my knife, was hidden.

I'm so sorry, I thought. Sorry, Caden. I tried. My arm, uselessly freed, stretched out to the lifeless form on the ground. I was too far. NO! My heart was shattering, shattering into a thousand broken pieces, falling to the earth. On to the broken body of my brother. My precious brother. I stopped struggling, all energy gone. They pulled me into the hovercraft then, laid down my limp body onto a table.

'Wait, what?' I thought numbly, as they strapped me down. He came towards me, a tall masked figure, dressed entirely in white. It was only then that I realised I did have strength to scream. And as the syringe was injected into me, as I felt my consciousness slipping away, the sole image running through my mind were those eyes, and the sole thought was

'Why didn't you save me?'