Author's Note: This is set several years before the Hunger Games which contained Peeta Mallark and Katniss Everdeen. There was a game that went to plan, this is the tale of four young teenagers who were tributes.
Beta reader: RapunzelInTheSnow
RitS: Yeah, so review if you take the time to read. Seriously.
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Michael Smith
In District 12, one young male teenager was helping his family live. His mother died years before in giving birth to his younger brother. He has had to help care for his siblings for years.
His father worked in the mines and never really had any time off. He was very poor and could hardly afford the clothes off his back, never mind the food that fed his family and kept them alive. But Michael was fierce and angry; he mourned his mother every day, which only made him stronger. He became an adult figure, and wore the mask of a happier boy.
He always let his siblings' friends come around. His younger brother, Sam, had five or so, all Seam boys with a passion for trouble, while his sister Haley had just one, a girl older than herself and two years younger than Michael, named Rose.
He was considerate, but only towards family. Rose seemed to sense the mask of happiness he wore, but apart from the younger girl, everyone seemed to be fooled by his act.
This morning seemed no different than any other. It was a few days before the reaping and he was going off to work at five o clock just like every Saturday. He worked three hours in a café, serving up stew while the owner cooked more. It didn't pay much, but it was enough to help his family along and his siblings just that bit happier.
His brother and sister were asleep, but Michael was awake and ready for work. He spent his time at the café, collecting in the bowls after people had finished, while the owner gave him some soup to take home for his siblings. It was probably rabbit, from the look of it, which meant Haley would refuse it and Sam would eat the lot. There was probably some rice, and Haley could eat that.
He sighed, thinking. Mom… what would you make of us if you were alive? Would you think I was doing okay for us?