A/N Hi everyone! Welcome to my second SYOT!

Here's the first prologue!

Orlando Cimber, age 16

Victor of the 70th Annual Hunger Games

One year.

It's been one year since the 70th Annual Hunger Games.

Being a Victor still hasn't gotten easier.

One thing that makes it bearable is that Mom, Dad, Anita and I no longer have to scrape and save just to have enough to eat.

It's still hard, though. It's harder because no one in my family understands.

They don't understand how it feels to be in the arena.

They don't understand what it feels like to see people die in front of you.

They don't know how much it hurts.

Of course, that might be because I hide it.

I smile and I laugh and I act like nothing's wrong.

I tell myself it's better than drinking my life away, like Haymitch.

Another bright spot in my life is the fact that Anita is nineteen years old now. She's safe from the Reaping forever.

I roll over in my bed and look at the clock. 9:00 AM.

I still don't want to get out of bed.

There are only three days left until the Reaping.

And then, because Haymitch and I are District 12's only living Victors, we'll both have to mentor the tributes.

Fun.

I hear Anita clanking pots and pans together in the kitchen, probably washing dishing after breakfast.

My stomach growls, and I decide that I might as well get up.

I put on my plush bathrobe and head downstairs. Anita grins at me.

"Morning, Orlando!" she says.

"Morning," I say with a weak smile.

"I left a plate out for you," Anita says, pointing a plate on the counter.

"Thanks," I say, and this time, when I smile, it's genuine.

She grins back at me and continues washing the dishes.

I manage to eat most of the food, and what I can't eat I give to Anita's new puppy.

The puppy's name is Gingerbread. She was a gift from one of Anita's many admirers.

Anita also has two canaries, a tame squirrel, and four rabbits.

I'm not even going to get started on the candies and flowers she gets.

Apparently being a Victor's older sister has made her the most sought-after girl in the District.

I sigh and get up from my seat at the counter. I walk over to the couch and sit down.

Gingerbread hops up on the couch next to me.

Feeling bored, I turn on the television to see Caesar Flickerman interviewing someone.

She's clearly from the Capitol: her hair is all red and orange with hints of pink, kind of like a sunset, and she has tattoo that is actually kind of cool. It's a phoenix, and the tattoo starts on her right shoulder: the phoenix's body and outstretched wings take up most of her shoulder, and its tail drapes down towards her chest. Then its neck curves up her neck, and the phoenix's head ends up just below her right eye, while its crest curves up to her eyebrow. The phoenix is seen in profile.

She's smiling and talking to Caesar, and suddenly I recognize her. She's that Gamemaker I met during the Victory Banquet. Rain? Rana? Rani, that's it.

She shifts in her seat, giving me a better view of her tattoo, and I notice that the phoenix's eye and her eyes are the same shade of emerald green. She gives the cameras a large smile, and then turns back to Caesar.

"Anyway, enough about your fashion choices, Miss Glyniss," Caesar says. "As spectacular as they are."

He taps his cheek, and Rani smiles.

"We're here to talk about the upcoming 71st Annual Hunger Games!" he yells. The crowd roars, but no one notices that Rani's smile has suddenly become a little forced.

She straightens her sleek, golden-orange dress and takes a deep breath. "Well, Caesar, I can't reveal too much, but rest assured that this year's Games are going to be like nothing you've ever seen before!"

The crowd cheers again.

Caesar pretends to pout. "Are you sure you can't reveal anything else?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she says with a laugh.

"At least tell us if you're going to be designing mutts for this year's Games!" Caesar says.

"Well, I kind of have to, Caesar, since I'm Head of Mutts!" Rani says.

"That's right!" Caesar says. "I'd quite forgotten!"

Then their conversation turns to other things, like how District 5 is getting a new escort, and I turn off the television with a sigh.

I lean my head back against the back of the couch, and Gingerbread crawls into my lap.

I have a feeling that this year's Hunger Games are going to be worse than last year's.

A/N So that's the first prologue!

Just so everyone knows, SUBMISSIONS ARE STILL OPEN! PLEASE SUBMIT!

Anyway, I hope you liked it, and please review!