"Zinnie! Robin bit me again!"
"I did not! Sunny stuck her hand in my mouth!"
I sighed, rolling my eyes, as I shouted back to my seven-year-old sister and my ten-year-old brother in the hallway, "Do you want me to call Dad?"
"NO!" they yelled in unison.
I chuckled, as I slipped my hunting boots onto my feet. I wanted to get one more quick hunt in before the Reaping: the one thing I loathed more than anything.
Grabbing my patched coat, I slipped into the main room.
"Are you going hunting with Katniss?" asked Wren, my 16-year-old brother.
I nodded silently, grabbing two rolls from the kitchen table.
Katniss Everdeen was my best friend, and also my hunting partner. Since her father died in a mining accident, I've helped her with her hunting skills and such, apart from what she'd already learned from her father. Gale Hawthorne, another friend and hunting ally, had helped us both with trapping. The three of us would take to hunting whenever we could.
"Good luck," Wren stated, a nervous edge to his voice.
I smiled, and hugged him, whispering to him, "We'll be all right."
I felt him nod silently, and I pulled back, looking at him with a sad smile on my face.
"I want you and Sparrow to make sure that Robin, Fisher, Sunny, Bobo and Link are fed," I ordered him. "And make sure that you, Sparrow, Poppy, Fern, Lavender and Violet are dressed nicely when I get back."
"Okay," he answered, nodding. I returned a single nod, and walked out the door.
My house, or small shack as some people may see it as, was in a part of District 12 called the Seam. It was the poorest place in our district. It was also the part closest to a chain-linked fence, which separated us from the woods I called "No man's Woods."
Not the best name, I know.
I stood by a part of the fence that I knew was weak enough so that I could fit through, and I waited for Katniss there.
Soon, my dark-haired and dark-eyed companion came up, her long hair in a French braid.
"Katniss," I greeted, warmly.
"Zinnia," she returned smiling.
"Why do you wear your hair in a French braid?" I questioned, curiously, tossing her one of the rolls as I squeezed through the opening.
"Why are you asking?" she asked.
"No idea," I answered simply.
"Well, why do you wear your hair long?" she countered, following me through the opening.
"Mmm, touché," I said, biting into the roll and eating it.
We talked about her twelve-year-old sister Prim and my eleven siblings as we strolled through the forest. We stopped once to retrieve our bows and arrows, my favorite hunting knife, and an axe in case we needed it.
Twenty minutes later, I was about to make my shot at a fairly well-sized doe. My hand pulled back the arrow.
"You do know what day it is, Zinnia Firehaven?" a voice called out behind me.
Startling both me and the deer, I watched as the deer ran off into the haven of trees. I sighed in frustration, as I turned to glare at the guy who chased the doe away, lowering my bow.
"Damn it, Gale!" I shouted angrily. "Give me one good reason not to shoot you with this arrow and bring you to the Hob to trade."
"Because you love me too much," Gale chuckled, a wide grin on his face. "Anyway, you didn't answer my question." He and Katniss then walked closer.
"Yes, I know very well what day it is, Gale," I snapped, annoyed at his somewhat condescending tone.
"Well, then you would know that if you brought that deer in, you would be whipped on the spot," Gale reminded me.
"I know," I said, sadly. "It would have been nice to bring a deer home to the kids."
He and Katniss nodded in agreement.
"I think..." I told them, cautiously, "that...I'm going to be chosen as tribute this year."
"WHAT!?" they both exclaimed in horror.
"Look, my name is in the mix too many times," I explained. "It's high time for me to be picked. I'm surprised I haven't been picked before."
"You don't know that," Gale argued.
"My name is in there twenty times," Katniss mentioned.
"Mine's in forty-two times," Gale said.
I sighed, and told them calmly, "Ninety times."
Gale and Katniss stared at me, both dumbfounded and horrified.
"No..." Katniss breathed.
I smiled sadly, nodding once in acknowledgement. Then, I asked, "If I am picked, please help my family. Teach Sparrow and the triplets to hunt and barter at the Hob. Wren will help you if it's needed."
"You're not going to be picked," Gale told me, defiantly.
"Then humor me," I begged.
Gale was silent for a few minutes, staring at me. Then, he nodded solemnly. I nodded back at him.
"I better head home," I told them, walking back in the direction where the town was. "I'll see you in the town square."
"Everyone ready?" I asked, as I exited my room, out of my hunting clothes and in a soft green dress my sister Violet had made for me. I walked into the living room to find all of my siblings and my parents standing patiently, dressed up to go.
"Zinnie, you look pretty," Sunny marveled.
I grinned at her, and grabbed her hand in mine.
"Let's go," I ordered, with me and my parents herding everyone out the door.
All fourteen of us exited our home, and strolled down the mostly deserted street. Soon, we reached the square.
Wren, Sparrow, Poppy, Fern, Lavender, Violet and I all signed in, since we were all of age to be tributes. Our parents and our younger siblings walked over to the outskirts of the square while the rest of us filled into the places of the crowd, with the youngest in back and the oldest in front.
We watched and listened as the mayor gave his speech. I could see Haymitch, our only surviving tribute from District 12 (we've had two in the last seventy-four years), wobbling drunkenly as he tried to stand straight.
Effie Trinket, our designated announcer, greeted us enthusiastically, tittering, "And may the odds be ever in your favor."
"As usual, ladies first," she chirped. Walking over to the glass bowl that held thousands of slips with names on them, she stuck her hand into the bowl, and after a few moments, her hand whipped out with a slip.
My breath was caught in my throat, my heart beating a million times a minute.
She walked back to the microphone, and read clearly and loudly:
"Lavender Firehaven."
I know that the ending was a copy off of the book, but honestly I think the ending is well done. So that is the first part of the story. I'll try to put more in. This story is also on Wattpad. I want to know if people are reading it. So please, review!