HI! Thank you for reading! Feel free to review, good or bad! :D DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own the Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins does.
Chapter 1: Reaping
Again. Again it is reaping day. Only this time it's different. It's the 100th annual Hunger Games, and President Snow is dead. I am Raven Black, District 5, age 16, and alone. My parents died around the same time President Snow did. I live alone, well, not quite. My best friend, Rebecca, lives with me. Well, she's become more than a friend, more like a sister. We've been through everything together since our parents died 4 years ago. We have endured 4 years under President Dump's (Yes, his last name is Dump.) term. By the way, terms were much longer in Panem, at least 15 years. We lived off of animals and berries in the field and fish in the lake. I slip my combat boots on and wake up Rebecca. "Ugh…" she groans. "Come on, it's reaping day! We need some more food for tonight." She groans again and reluctantly slips her hunting boots on. I put on my usual all black outfit and grab by bow and arrows, my knife, and my hunting pack. Rebecca walks in dressed in her all red outfit with her throwing knives at her belt and pack at her shoulder. She was handy with a knife. "Ready to go?" She asks. I nod and we walk out to the field.
"I wonder what the Quell is this year." I say. Dump decided to announce it live at the reaping. "Maybe it's only kids 16 years of age." wonders Rebecca. "That would suck, considering we're both 16." I say. "Yes." We get to the field. "Alright, you get berries and I'll get small animals. I have better aim." i say, pulling out my bow. "Mhm, sure you do." She rolls her eyes but takes out her pack. She goes towards the berry bushes and I wander around with my bow up looking for rabbits and small foxes. I find one, shoot it in the foot, find another, shoot it in the foot, and so on. About an hour later, I found about 11 animals and she found at least 3 pounds of berries. We both knew plants like the back of our hands, so I knew she didn't have any Nightlock. Nightlock was the most deadly berry in the universe. It would kill you before it even reached the middle of your esophagus. "No Nightlock?" I ask anyway. "No Nightlock." she says. We walk back to get ready for the reaping.
I decide to wear an elegant red dress, and Rebecca goes for a casual baby blue one. We get there just in time for the history of the Hunger Games PowerPoint. Rebecca and I had listened to this for 4 years. Finally, Dump gets ready to announce the Quell. "This year is a milestone," he starts. "This is the 4th Quarter Quell, the 100th annual Games. This Quell is…" He opens the box, pulls out the label numbered with the number 100, and opens it. "Only girls will participate in the 4th Quarter Quell. This is to show that women are not the superior and the Capitol is above all, even Katniss. Now for the reaping." He walks off stage and Effie Trinket walks up. I still can't believe they actually put Katniss' name in the envelope. Katniss was a hero. She died trying to defend District 12 from President Snow. She almost ended the Hunger Games. "Happy Hunger Games! Made the odds ever be in your favor." says Effie. God I hated her. "Today, only females will be reaped. Excited?" No one claps or anything. "Great! Our first tribute, Raven Black!" I am not surprised. There were not a lot of girls here. I walk up to the stage and stand there, blank faced. "Any volunteers?" No one says anything. I don't expect them to. I see Rebecca's eyes on me, threatening to water. I shake my head. Don't give them that satisfaction. "Our last tribute, Rebecca Foster!" I gasp this time. NO! She reluctantly walks up and stands next to me. We lock eyes. "Any volunteers?" asks Effie. No one says anything. "Alright! Goodbye District 5" We follow Effie out.