Different

3 girls…. 1 game…..

for her family. For her self. For her twin

30 years earlier….

A woman in tight fitting black lace that showed off a round stomach and large hips

scurried through the streets towards a rusted gold gate. She shoved it open and trudged through the snow and up to a wooden door with a large brass knocker. A man answered his face somehow joyful and grave at the same time. "hello Peeta" she greeted warmly.

The woman was brave, the woman was too brave. The woman was Beatrice prior

Now ….

Katniss jerked awake and Peeta pulled her closer to him. they were silent just like they were every night each lost in their own memories each recovering from their own nightmares.

The light shone through her bedroom window and lavender cursed. She scrambled out of bed and pulled on some jeans and multiple tops. Then she brushed her long dark hair into a tidy ponytail and walked downstairs for a hasty breakfast. Her mum was nowhere to be seen but her dad was flipping Through a newspaper. "morning sweetie" he greeted smiling broadly at her . she grinned back. "I baked some bread last night" I look at him closely, my dad, the one who fought in too hunger games, the one who was hijacked, the one who went crazy. The one who used to bake bread. The one who swore he'd never bake again. The one who broke that promise for me, for mum, for my brother.

Ashley Eaton was crying. Not that she had ever stopped. But this time it was different, this time it wasn't the dry mouse quiet sobs that kept her father from waking up. This time it was a heart wrenching wail, the kind where she had tucked her knees up to her chin and was hugging them so tightly she felt as if she might just pop. Her dad was outside the door she could hear his quiet breaths and choking sobs. Ashley was popular, she had a handsome boyfriend, everything she could want and perfect grades. But she didn't want any of it. She wanted to see her mum, she wanted to forget what had happened to her. She wanted things money couldn't buy. But mostly she didn't want to look in the mirror everyday and see a face she could barely remember, one she'd loved as much as she loved her dads, one who would have saved her from being hijacked. Her dad finally came in he didn't say anything just crawled onto the bed and hugged her. " I love you ash" "I love you too dad"

Everyday was scary, being what she was was scary. Knowing that one day she'd just dissapear into thin air. That she existed was miracle enough itself. That she continued to was more then that it was an impossible thing becoming real. Not that that wasn't common these days. Ruby walker was a miracle, half alien half human. And fifteen years of life and she still didn't understand herself.

Cassie and Evan ( her parents) were on the couch when she walked in Sam her uncle and his fiancée Megan snuggling on the bean bag next to them. Cassie got up heaved herself from the couch and walked over to ruby a questioning look on her face. "want some breakfast?" she said and the rest of my family mumbled good mornings. "you okay mum?" Rubg whispered back to cassie who nodded vigorously. "rubes, we have a new president, she's reinforcing the hunger games. I'm really scared for you baby" dad walked over sensing her distress and wrapped his strong arms around her she turned to face his chest and cried into his broad shoulders. He ruffled my hair "they won't pick you hun, theirs a whole heap of people who would volunteer in this part of panem even if it did happen" ruby bloody hell hopes so she may be alien but shes not invincible.

it's the reaping and lavenders trembling with fear. Her mum is standing nearby, glaring at the president heatedly. she's not the only one. Her dad is. Nearby also pale as a ghost. The president doesn't even bother getting a name out of the bowl she looks straight at mum and says lavender Melark. Straight away somebody volunteers but the president ignores them. I don't move , I've known ever since mum told me the games were restarting it would be me. the daughter of the woman who basically killed the new presidents grandpa. The president is getting annoyed now. "lavender!" for Some reason her desperate shrieks reach me and I step out of line. My mums face screws up and I look away and focus on the black shoes if the president. "for my family" I whisper.

Ashley was in the same situation. In line with a hundred other teenages all gazing up at a representative of the president. it's a man name Charlie. Charlie pulls a name out of the hat. And everything in Ashley's world freezes. As the scrawny tiny girl called stumbles out of line Ashley takes a deep breath. I can't be here anymore she thinks desperately. Then she waltzes out of the line past the girl and onto the stage. The last thing she sees is her dads heartbroken face and someone offering him a bottle of alcohol. He catches her eye and takes the bottle. The someone pats him on the back sympathetically and he breaks lose of the crowed. My dad charges towards me and punches the man gently guiding me towards a huge train in the jaw. He drops like a stone. Then Charlie walks calmly towards him grabbing the male tributes roughly and pulling out a gun with the other hand. He aims it at my dads head, the fight goes out of him and he's limp and dead looking . " I love you dad" I whisper he doesn't answer for a long time then he lurches out and Charlie pulls the trigger. "tris" my dad screams and I look away. Charlie hauls the male tribute onto the train and then ushers me inside. I close my eyes and think of my parents in heaven together. "bull crap" I scream. The next morning a steak knife slices through Charlie's wind pipe.

Ruby presses her face to the glass and feels hot tears tumble down her cheeks. She rubs at them angrily. She imagines Mary in her room her face burried in a pillow, her dad and mum crying shamelessly cuddled next to her. She wonders why she volunteered why she couldn't let her twin fight she'd always been stronger then ruby Anway. She pushes thoughs thoughts out of her head and stands up walking over to the boy. "theirs three things you need to know about me. I'm Ruby walker, im half alien, I will not die" the boy scoffs and Ruby glares at him. he shrugs "Whatever, im jase Odeir, I'm half fish (he chuckles) I'll probably die" Ruby rolls her eyes taking in his blond hair and sun kissed skin "pretty boy" she murmurs teasingly " your not sooooo bad yourself" he answers. "you taking that as a complement" "yep"

The hunger games is different from how katniss described it. Theirs no training no interviews no nothing. Their just thrown in the arena. Lavender doesn't even look at the other tributes she looks straight ahead trying to map out the arena. After what seems like hours the buzzer goes off and she runs she's In some kind of desert theirs a forest to the left of her woods to the right and desert straight ahead. She decided to go with the forest. She flew into it and scaled the nearest tree like her mum had taught her to do as a kid. Then she climbed a little higher to survey the whole arena. It was simple, more Simple then her parents ones had been. Their was the woods the desert and a long long way away their seemed to be a beach. Her eyes caught on someone trapsing out of the woods and onto the path leading to the beach when she heard the crunch of someone's boots directly below her. "the careers" she whispered heart pounding.

Ruby looked up into the tree, she beckoned for jase, the boy from lavenders district, a messed up girl called ash and her District partner to come take a look. The five of them looked up Into the petrified green/blue eyes of the girl Anthony prior (lavenders district partner) described. She had no weapons or supply's, only the safety of the height she was at. Sure Ruby could reach that in a few seconds but the branch lav was leaning on was frail. So Ruby turned away and the others followed.

Ash took one last look at the girl…. Lavender and sneered. Disgust washed over her. This girl was a coward. The girl leered back. Ruby mouthed coward and turned on her heel. Something hit her in the back of the neck. Some thing sharp. A warm sensation dripped down into her shirt. She turned back around the girl hurled another piece of hard bark. The rest of Ashley's group swarmed around her like flies. A blind rage took over her and before she knew it She was climbing up the tree knife in hand. She heard Ruby gasp and jase caught onto her foot. She tore it loose and kept climbing. Then when she was the branch down from lavender she jerked upwards and stabbed the knife into her leg. Lav cried out in pain and an evil smirk came over Ashley's face. She stabbed the leg again and again until finally lav pulled it back gingerly tears rolling down her tanned face.

At her house her mum cried and hid her face with her hands while her dad stoically watched and prayed her little brother was lost in the world of sleep but not even he was free from the screams.

Ruby woke up and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. it was the middle of the night, the others started rising around her and looked up towards the broadcast of who had died. Of course none of the faces were familiar and Ruby showed no emotion until an eleven or twelve year olds youthful face showed up on the screen and she screws up her face in disgust "the poor kid" ash murmured but seeing what she'd done to lavender. Ruby wasn't sure if she was capable of showing compassion or sympathy. A silence followed after the broadcast and the cave they had claimed felt earily lonely and cold.

Lavender opened her eyes to blinding sunlight. Ironic huh she thought, mum got burned in the leg I got stabbed. That was the thing with her mum she was always burning. Lavender wondered if maybe she was too if she had the will to live like her mum had. The drive to succeed. As she contemplated she heard something they made her spirits sore. Nothing. All night tributes had passed her tree smelt the blood and assumed one of the fallen had been slaughtered nearby. They hurried on scared the murderer would come back. She eased her way slowly down the tree, until she was on the ground and standing on cool moss. Then she slowly and gingerly started to limp through the forest until after a couple of hours she emerged back onto the desert sand. The place was strangely deserted and lavender hobbled along untroubled.

Ashley tossed her hair away from her dirty slightly puffed up face and stood up. Ruby and the others were gone. Outraged Ruby realised her weapons were too. Then above her came a rustling and she wiped her head up to see a boy jump from out of the tree onto the forest floor infront of her. He had tanned skin and dark blond hair. "jase! Where are the others" she said surprised. "dunno". Ash rolled her eyes.

Lavender froze, Ruby, lavs district partner Cato and Ashley's district partner coyote were squatting over a screaming boy. Ruby seemed to be trying to stab him while the others held him Down. Lavender tore her eyes away afraid she might vomit. Finally the boy was silent. "clear. Out they collect him soon!" she ordered and the three of them sauntered towards lav who jumped head first into a bush. She peeked out from it and watched as Ruby jogged past her covered in Other too were not as urgent they stopped right infront of her bush and faced each other . "geez is Ruby human that was her own district partner" coyote said and Cato shrugged "he was gonna kill her".

Ruby ran until she reached the beach then she dived into the salty waves and watched as the blood dispersed around her. Then she scrubbed at her hair and splashed out of the water. Coyote and Cato finally appeared on the sand and she dragged her way over to them shivering. that's when they attacked.

Jase hurled his axe into the back of cato's head. For a moment nobody moved then coyote took a step away and ash tossed her knife at his heart. It missed and hit him in the shoulder. Calmly Ruby surveyed the blood streaming out of cato's head and coyotes anguished face as he pulled the knife out of his shoulder and covered the gaping wound with his large hand. Then in a quick motion she pulled her knife out of her pocket and held it in front of her protectively. "where did you get the weapons" she snarled "I had the knife In my pocket" Ashley snapped eyes trained on the knife. "we killed some kid and stole his axe" jase finished looking smugly at Ruby. She nodded respectfully.

Ruby was cornered ash had retrieved her knife and Ruby was sure jase could do a lot of damage even without weapons. She glanced to where coyote was trying to block the blood spurting out of his shoulder and made a decision.

So they'd turned on each other. Lavender was staring transfixed at the former group off careers now split off into two groups. Cato was dead , coyote injured and Ruby was outnumbered. It was only the fourth day and already most of the tributes were dead. she'd counted 18 out off 24 including Cato. She focused her thoughts back on what was happening with the careers.

Ashley braced herself for Ruby's shot. After an eternity it came. Straight for jase.

She didn't even see the outcome Ruby had wedged anouther knife out of her pocket and Ashley was staring at it white faced. Then Ruby turned and threw. The knife went straight into coyotes heart.

Ruby ran

Lavender watched as ash took a deep breath, Ruby was running towards the woods. Ash was safe and for some reason lav was glad. Then out of nowhere someone covered her mouth with their hand. Lavs eyes widend and she frantically tried to bite and kick them.

Ashley turned around. Jase was gone, a trail of blood lead towards the forest. Ashley turned back the other way and gathered the weapons.

Ruby zipped through the woods, legs burning chest aching she finally collapsed against a tree. A girl stepped out from the other side of it. A girl that looked just like her.

Lav found herself tied to a tree. A boy was sitting in front of her. "Jase" she squealed he put his finger to his lips. It was nearly nightfall. "just kill me already!" lavender screamed. "no" "why?" "I'm in love with you" he said it perfectly calmly like it was the most normal thing in the world to fall in love with someone you had to kill. Lavender exploded in hysterics and jases cheeks burned "your serious?" she spluttered "very!" her eyes widened and she looked at her feet "you don't even know me" "I don't have too" "I don't understand" jase paused and looked up. "lavender non stop Cato droned on and on about you, how pretty you were . how you loved your little brother, How you went to school with him, how your favourite colour is green. I fell in love with you just by hearing about you and then when you were up in that tree and Cato was just standing there letting the only person he loved nearly get killed by Ashley I fell in love with you"

Ashley walked along the beach watching to see if anyone came out of the forest. She remembered the time her dad had taught her to swim and tears filled her eyes. she tore the hair band out of her waist Long hair and got out her last knife. Then she cut it wasn't her daddy's little girl so she'd have to become her own.

"what is this" Ruby screamed imagining the game makers chortling at her distress. The girl mirrored everything she did. Said everything she said. Ruby stabbed her.

she wrapped her arms around his neck and he tangled his fingers in her hair and they kissed. They kissed like their was nothing in the world but each other like they were never going to see each other again. And lavender hated it and loved it at the same time. Because she knew the closer she got to this boy who had just admitted his love for her the more it was going to hurt when one of them had to kill the other.

Ashley lost track of place and time. She just sat on the edge of the beach in the dark dozing. A rustling came from beind her and she shot up. A lizard scooted out of the leaves and she stabbed it.

Ruby watched as her double fell. Then she walked away and didn't give it anouther thought. It was all a mind game she whispered to herself and scaled up a tree to sleep.

Lavender woke up in jases arms . she shook him awake and told him to get up. He didn't move " Cato,coyote, a girl" she knew he was listing the fallen. "only four" she murmured. Her buried his face in her hair. "lav?" "mmmmm" "I love you" "I love you too" "I'm sorry" "for what"

A cannon went off

Ruby woke up after hearing the cannon. "Three left!" she yelled to no one and then clamped her mouth shut.

Ashley fiddled with her new hair. Then she leaped up to finish the games. To find the other tributes and kill them.

Ashley walked out into the open. Her eyes adjusting to the blinding light. Ruby stepped from out behind a tree and wiped out an axe. Ashley clenched her hand tighter around her knife. A picture of jase swam in her head. Was he the last one. Was lavender. She thought of how he'd left her after they'd killer Cato and coyote and a mask of hatred etched its self onto her soft features.

Ruby inched slowly towards Ashley, a crunch came from the forest and lavender burst out in tears. She was carrying jase's body in her arms. Ashley gasped. Lav didn't look at either of them.

Lavender closed her eyes. she opened them and crouched protectively over jases body. The two blond girls were staring at her. Their faces ghost like. Then she took a step away and just like jase had done plunged the knife into her chest.

A voice boomed over the speakers. "we have decided to have two victors….. well done too Ashley eaton and Ruby walker"

The two girls stared at each other.

For herself… for her twin…..

2 months later….

Peeta held Ashley in his arms. Then he whispered in her ear "I'm your real dad" Ashley stopped and looked into his eyes. her mouth twitched into a smile "I know" katniss watched them sadly. Then her son walked through the door…. Carrying a coffin.