Before the Fire

A/N: This is the story about Finnick Odair's first Games in the 65th Hunger Games. Please review and tell me if there's anything I can do to make this story better and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or Catching Fire! Just making that clear.

Chapter 1: The First Reaping

I groan inwardly as I toss and turn in my bed. I fall in and out of consciousness as terrible nightmares threaten my dreams. This always happens the day of the Reaping, it's normal for me to act this way. My bronze-colored hair I know is a mess and I'm sweating like a pig. My knuckles are clenched as I grip my sheets of my bed hard. My teeth are gritted and I'm just starting to fall back into my nightmares again until…

"Finnick!"

Thank god for my mother.

My sea-green eyes flash open as to my relief I'm fully awake. My muscles relax and I flop down onto my bed again like a dead fish. I can see daylight stream through the slit in between my blinds and my door is ajar also, letting in the light from the kitchen. I can smell fish cooking on the stove and some herbs mixed in with it.

That's all we ever eat here in District 4-fish. You'd think we'd grow sick of it, but you'll eat anything if you're hungry enough. On good days we can get clams or oysters, sometimes even shrimp but that was only one time back when my father and brother were still alive.

It's only my mom and I living here. We're apart of the poorer region in District 4. Though, I can't really say poor, I guess poor according to District 4. We're much better off than the people in, say, District 11 or 12. Sucks for them, doesn't it?

My father and brother both died in a boat accident years back when I was only seven. I don't really know what went wrong, but it crashed and most of the people were killed. I'm fourteen now, so seven years later and my mother and I are doing fairly well.

I toss my legs over the side of my bed and stand up. On the plus side, at least I get a room to myself. I roll my eyes and think how shallow that is, and I push the thought away. I walk into the hallway in my boxers and undershirt. I don't care, though; my mother is probably the only woman in District 4 who doesn't drool over me. They probably think I don't notice, but I do. I can't say that I dislike it, though.

My mother turns when she hears me come in. She looks a lot like me with bronze colored hair and golden-tan skin. But she says that I share my father's sea-green eyes, the ones that people say are "mesmerizing". Alright, I can work with that.

"Morning Finn'," She says with a smile as she sets down my breakfast.

I think my mother is the only one who can be happy on Reaping Day. Usually I would say "Morning" back, but I'm just too exhausted and worried about the Reaping this year. I think she likes to think that nothing will happen to us, but how can she? Who knows if my name will be picked? I mean, I know I would have a better chance than half the country of Panem and I would probably be with the Careers…but still.

"I made you your favorite," My mother goes on with her perkiness as I sit down, "beer-battered fish fry."

"You didn't have to ma'," I say as I force a piece of fish into my mouth.

"Of course I did!" She said, sliding in the seat just across from me, "you need to look well fed over all those other people for the Reaping."

I can't help but laugh and say, "What, like that'll make a difference? People here have been training their whole lives for it." I roll my eyes and continue eating.

"Well, I don't think you'll get picked, but you want to look presentable," My mother murmurs, then smiles and says, "But that isn't hard for you." She gives my cheek a good-natured slap before standing up.

I just shrug and try to be modest about it. Honestly, though, I'm proud of my good looks. Who wouldn't? Call me shallow, but I don't mind the girls looking at me. But, it's not like I would go out with any of them, why would I? I'm not a pig; I don't date girls just for the fun of it.

"Now hurry up," My mother shoves me out of my chair just after I finish eating, "And get dressed. The Reaping will start soon."

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, waving my hand dismissively as I walk back into my bedroom.

I change into a nice green shirt that, according to my mother, "brings out my eyes". I put on some black pants and comb my blond-bronze hair. Finally after looking awhile in the mirror, I head outside. My mother is waiting and she smiles as she sees me.

"You clean up good, Hun'!" She exclaims and then says, "Come on, let's go."

I nod and follow her outside. It's a bit of a walk to the square from our house, but that's ok. I rather like where our house is, it's right in front of a river that winds through District 4. It's a beautiful view in the morning, but I barely ever wake up early except to go to school. Even then I'm like dead-asleep.

Finally, though, we reach the square. We sign in and my mother stays with the other people of District 4 as I go over to the line of 14 year olds. My mother will chat to a mere stranger, as will I, but she always has a perkiness I never had. She always finds the bright side to things, even after my brother and father died.

Finally, Mayor William Greene addresses us. He starts talking about the Dark Days and all that other stuff that happened. I eventually tune him out and look around my surroundings. I see a large group of victors standing on stage. I can't place half the names, but I know that two of them will be training us this year. Those two are in the front. One of them is a very elderly woman who looks about 70 years old. I think her name is Mags. And then the other is another woman. She has jet-black hair and hard blue eyes. Her name is Ebony, I know, who won about twenty years ago. I wonder why they gave us such old victors instead of the younger ones, but at least they'll be a bit wiser than the others.

Finally, a new person comes up. It's Julius, a man with tanned skin and deep blue eyes. He has wavy brown hair with golden highlights-obviously a Capitol trend. His voice has the thick accent of the Capitol that always makes me cringe. I mean, really, do these people hear how they sound to us?

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" He exclaims.

I roll my sea-green eyes at his perkiness, and I just wish he would get on with it.

"Ladies first!" He crows as he reaches in his hand into the girls' bowl. He reaches out his hand with a small slip of paper and goes back to the microphone and says, "Topaz Greene!"

There's a murmur of surprise that runs through the crowd as the name becomes familiar. Topaz Greene is the mayor's daughter, she was a bit older than me at age 17. She has long, flowing golden hair and warm brown eyes. She has slightly tanned skin and you can see the shock and grief in both hers and her father's eyes. But they both soon recover and the Mayor tries to look pleased and proud as Topaz makes her way to the stage.

"Well, well!" Julius purrs, smiling, "You're the mayor's daughter, aren't you? Well, I'm sure you have an excellent chance of winning."

She just nods and murmurs, "Thank you," Before stepping back.

"Now the gentleman!" Julius skips over to the bowl and quickly over. My heart pounds in my chest and I just hope that it's not me, not me, not me. But it looks like the odds are not in my favor today.

"Finnick Odair!"

Shit!

I feel like I'm going to faint and I hear my mother give out a desperate wail. My hands are shaking as I make my way through the crowd. I try to put my features as expressionless, but I can't hide my horror and despair. I finally make it to the stage to shake Julius' hand.

"My, you're a handsome one aren't you?" He smiles at me, "Looks like we have two fine tributes going this year!"

The crowd gives a good-hearted clap as I turn to shake Topaz's hand. She's staring at me oddly as she looks into my sea-green eyes. I want to smile or do something, but I'm just so horrified all I can do is shake her hand. Her expressions become hard once again as we turn to face the audience.

After that we are ushered by Peacekeepers into separate rooms. I'm pushed into a blue room with all plush. I collapse down on the sofa nearby. Already I'm making my strategy. I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to pout, I'm not going to wallow in self-pity, I'm going to fight and I'm going to win the crown as victor. I'm determined to come back home.

My mother soon rushes in and collapse in my arms. She cries on my shoulder and I don't say anything at first, I just let her cry. Finally she leans back, sniffling and trying to keep a smile on her face.

"You're going to do great," She murmurs, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear, "You're going to be the victor, I know it. You're strong, just like your father and brother."

I nod, determined, and say, "I'm going to come back, Mom. Don't worry, I'm not leaving you alone."

She just smiles sadly at me and murmurs, "I think you're right."

I just hug her and murmur, "Before you know it, they'll be crowning me victor of the 65th Hunger Games."