AN:

Hi guys! This is my first story ever! So please enjoy it. Review as I add on.. Chapter One should be up soon. :)

Okay, you need to ignore the chapter titles, because they are wrong, so I put them at the top of the chapter instead.

-Blaise

Prologue

We are rebels. Leaping through the endless grain fields of District 9. This is unusual for me, a Goody-Goody, to be breaking the law, but Gri had finally convinced me. I look over to her as she picks up a piece of grain and stuffs it into her mouth.

"They'll never find us!" she yells, her thick brown hair swaying in the light breeze.

"Well, if you yell that loud, then they will for sure!" I say and roll my eyes.

"Laurel, stop being a worry wart and have some fun!" she replies. "You can't get in trouble, this is my field!"

"Well I just don't want to get caught, I can still get in trouble for ruining the crops" I explain.

We both lie down in the sun, I flip out my blonde curly hair so it stretches out behind me. Gri puts her long legs out far past mine. She's tall and lanky, while I'm short and big boned.

"Are you excited for the reaping tomorrow?" Gri jokes.

"If I was a Career I would be," I reply.

"What if I'm picked?"

"Like that will ever happen, you don't have a tesserae! I do!"

"It only takes one."

I roll my eyes again.

"Why do you think like that?" I ask

"Like what?"

"Negative."

"Sure, I'm the negative one, I just don't want to get caught! Please!"

Our heads zip towards the edge of the field as we hear the thumping of feet on the field.

Peacekeepers.

Our eyes fill with terror. We can't escape. All that's in front of us is doom, and all that's behind us is grain, and a fence.

"We were patrolling, and heard your yelling." the peacekeeper says, "Get up with your hands on your head."

I do as he says, but Gri...I guess she can't resist the chance to argue, and not do as she's told. Especially when it comes to peacekeepers.

"No," she argues.

"Gri! You're going to get killed!" I scold.

She gets up, but her hands are at her sides.

"Hands on your head!" he orders.

"No, I don't care what you say, what he says, or what Snow says! I'm staying right where I am with my hands at my side!"

Everyone's mouths drop, except hers. Her eyes are narrowed, her arms crossed, and her lips pursed.

Then, a bullet goes through her head.

"NO!" I cry. This wasn't happening. I'm going to wake up, and we're going to be picking grain tomorrow and...

"Take her away," he orders as I snap into reality.

My eyes spill with tears as they drag me to the Justice building.

I drag my feet as they walk me over there. When we get inside, they throw me down on a couch in front of the head peacekeeper. One of the most unforgiving one's we've ever had. She looks at me with disgust and says, "Put her name in another 100 times, that should discipline her.

"What if she wins?" a Peacekeeper says.

"You really think a girl of fourteen and this size will win?" she snaps.

"I'm fifteen!" I object.

"For that attitude, your name will be put in 150 times instead. Jark, go get that figured out. Say it's a punishment, not a tesserae. You can walk home now, District 9 tribute," she snarls.

I walk home, and as I do it starts to rain. Mother Nature grieving over the fallen angel. I start to cry. Not only for Gri, but because I'm a natural girly girl, and most people are surprised I wouldn't live in District 1 because of the way I act and look. I have no chance at winning. Not one bit.

I approach my house and look at my parents that greet me. They know.

"Laurel, is there something you want to tell us?" my father asks accusingly.

"I broke the law and now Gri is dead!" I exclaim. Then I collapse into my parents' arms.

"Honey, it's okay, you're alive and that's all that matters," my mother comforts.

"But they're putting my name in 150 times! So I'll be dead in two weeks!" I tell them.

My mother goes into a trance of staring off into the distance, and my father stands up. I should have never done this.

"Let's get inside, it's cold," my mother finally says.

She puts out the chicken broth we are having for dinner. We eat in silence. Let the 26th annual Hunger Games begin.

When I finish my soup, I walk to my room so I can get to bed early. My mother tucks me into bed, which hasn't happened since I was eleven. She must be stressed. Her only daughter competing in the most gruesome thing ever. I lay in my bed thinking about the Hunger Games this year. I can handle a knife pretty well, since I cut the grain in the summer. Axes don't seem hard, neither to spears. I should listen to my mentor, that could help a lot. I hope my partner isn't Gri's brother, that would suck for her family. I finally cry again. About everything, Gri, me, my family, Gri's family. This is the worst day of my life, and Gri wouldn't be dead if she hadn't convinced me to come on her, "excursion."

I start to scream bloody murder at my ceiling. Why did I even live here in the first place? Why could I not live in District 1, or 2? Or even the Capitol! That would be a lot better than this.

My mother must hear me screaming, because she walks in and strokes my hair. She sings an old District 9 lullaby.

"And the darkest day I have ever seen
Was the one that came with that dawn
And you went rushing back
To the world where you came from"

I sob some more, and reach the lightest sleep.