Chapter 1

District 7

Standing on the partially raised platform underneath my feet just a few centimetres from the ground, grass lay in front. The sound of the birds singing joyfully in the trees reminds me of home. Home-I fall into thought of my beloved district. Birds similar to that of the arena chirp happily above. Hands dusty from the remnants of a fallen tree, palms sweaty and coarse. Lifting the freshly cut logs and placing them into the pile ready to be sent to the Capitol, we people of district 7 are the suppliers of wood.

My father taught me from a very young age, ever since I could stand. Mother passed away as a result of my birth, I was an only child. Father took full responsibility, taking in both roles of a mother and father.

Lifting me up and placing me on his shoulders, he would walk through the woods pointing out particular trees and evaluating their uses. Pine, ash-wood, oak, yew, willow and the occasional birch tree seemed all so similar at my young age yet all seemed to play a significant part in District 7. I grew up, studying from my father like this until my tenth birthday. He presented me with my uncle's axe which he prized so dearly. Father never talked much about my uncle, he only mentioned he passed away in one of the Hunger games many years ago. The smooth glossed handle seemed to hold with excellent grip.

The tempered axe head, slightly worn from years of hard work appeared blunt. My father trained me to use this axe, swinging overhead and down with tremendous force and accuracy. To shift my weight to cut a tree correctly so much that it would fall in the opposing direction.

With my passing years the skills I possessed with this axe strengthened. At the age of 12 I could make a tree collapse that was 18 foot tall, without becoming tiresome. My training proved to become effective and the handiness of my axe may one day I believed, would come of other uses, as all citizens from the 12 districts of Panem at the age of 12 are entered into a public reaping.

Father attempted to discourage me from putting my name in more times but the importance of the grain proved too valuable. Tesserae became a critical key to survival, father was becoming elderly and unfit to work. Arthritis was settling in, and the pain my father felt seemed almost unbearable so as the doctor instructed, father quit his job as a lumberjack. At the age of twelve I became the main supplier of our food and adopting the role of parenthood. Becoming dependent upon me, my father tried to help out as best he could by trips to the market and sharpening my tools on the grind stone.

The reaping once I was 13 became more of a shock to me. Standing and dreading the names to be called out, we all waited in uncomfortable silence. A feeling of relief came flooding in until it was blocked by a sudden shock. The neighbouring boy and girl to me both had their names called. My throat began to swell, holding back the tears in my eyes. Those were the people I grew up with, innocent and kind people. A realisation hit me, within the games there may only be one winner. Even if both managed to become successful against the odds-One of them would have to die for the other to be victorious. I refused to watch the games as much I could, I did not watch unless we were forced in the town square. The two died together several moments after the games had begun, the little girl attempted to pull her brother away from the cornucopia but instead it resulted in attracting attention and the careers to them. Afterwards my visual of the games became more attuned and focused, if I was to enter these games against my will, who would care for father if I died?

This thought rushed my mind for days, the list of people was not large but all were capable of my trust. Finally reaching my conclusion I turned to my closest friend, Eila. She was brown-haired with deep blue eyes. She was not short nor tall, she and I neared the same height with me slightly taller.

We met when we were young, in the woods on one of father's leisurely walks. I had strolled off as father instructed to gather bark from certain trees, a game we used to play. Searching for a grand oak tree, which proved to be an impossible task, I found Eila observing her surroundings. Appearing lost and unfamiliar to these parts as a lost child looking for their mother.

"You're rather far out for a person uncommon to these parts of the woods" I said.

"And you're rather nosey for a person in these parts of the woods" replied Eila, lightly chuckling as she spoke.

Moving towards Eila taking gentle strides to avoid tripping on the vast greenery and branches scattered along the vast Forrest floor, giving a friendly laugh and slight tilt of my head I spoke.

"Well, I thought you could use some help. My names Arvid"

"Arvid? That's interesting" Eila said with a smile "Well then Arvid. I'm Eila, nice to meet you"

After our first encounter we began to see more of each other, we would discuss our knowledge of the woods and our district. I taught Eila what my father had taught me of precision with the axe, swinging it correctly and slicing the wood with a perfect clean cut.

Eila taught me in return how to identify bushes within our district, anything edible within the work place as we were not allowed many hours of rest or breaks, Eila showed what was edible as we searched for trees during work.

We did not do proper work as in every district you cannot begin your district's main production until 18, however we began training and expanding our knowledge ready for it.

In the woods alone with Eila one day, we began to discuss the games. Far deep into the woods, where there were no cameras or peacekeepers to hear your discussion. We talked of particular years, what could be expected of the arena this year. We came across the subject of tactics in the games, what to do. Playing a 'what if' game and how to deal with such an occasion.

Eila's tactic was to run to a backpack placed far out of the cornucopia with little danger and rush into the wilderness whilst the 'Careers' focused within the bloodbath. From then on she would survive till the careers eliminated the other tributes and themselves, leaving her and another tribute, a career. She would try to set up traps, use her surroundings to her advantage if she could and when the career is downed or injured she would bludgeon them to death with any piece of surrounding materials.

From this we trained mentally what would kill us and what would maintain our survival, however as it being the games it would be unpredictable and tougher than it sounded. We agreed that if one of us was to be reaped that the other would help out their family. This gave me piece of mind knowing my father would be safe and cared for despite my death. But weeks after my 16th birthday, everything changed for me.