The Anniversary

I step carefully as I walk through the forest. The greenery is lush and crackles loudly, but I ignore it, focusing instead on how my feet hit the dry ground and my bones reverberate with its force. It's unusual for it to be so dry around this time of year, but there have been many forest fires recently. It has made hunting hard, as all the animals had either died or fled.

I hate it. On a day like this, all I want is to hunt - to disappear and become part of something else. I don't want to think, and I don't want to feel.

A bush in my peripheral vision shakes, and I pause. My muscles are taut. I wait a few moments, and then turn to my left, slowly swiveling. The bush rustles again, and I look to the root to find the source. There – a rabbit. Its brown fur is brittle, as if the rabbit had been near the forest fires. It hops, but weakly. It probably breathed in too much soot – it must be struggling. It will be an easy kill.

Slowly, I raise my bow, reaching for an arrow from my quiver. The rabbit, sensing the change in the air, bounds off, and I follow in a hot pursuit. It's ridiculous that I'm chasing a rabbit. I could just as easily set up a snare and come back later for the animal, but I need a distraction, and this is a good test.

Despite the rabbit's limp, it's still hard to catch. Its small size and its ability to hide underneath the bushes and undergrowth is a great asset. But I have a bow and arrow, and I can kill it. A straight shot through the eye. I can do that.

"Katniss?"

I jolt to a stop. I can feel my heart in my chest, my throat. I feel like I can't breathe, and it takes all the effort I have to resist bending over and succumbing to my light head and rattling chest.

"Katniss, are you okay?"

I suppress a growl and close my eyes. "I'm fine."

That voice. It was so…familiar. So missed.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to come out into the forest, but Mom needs you and I couldn't find Gale."

"Prim." My voice broke.

I look up, and there she is – as small, blonde, and wonderful as ever. Her eyes gleam as if she never faced the sick and moaning. Her skin glows as if she was never blown apart.

"Prim, stop it, please," I moan. I let myself fall to my knees, and I nearly cry out as her hurt voice pierces the air.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. I didn't –"

"Prim, it's not safe out here! Go back home!"

I'm looking up again. Tears brim in Prim's eyes, and I find myself choking on sobs. She steps back, her hand grazing a tree, and I grab at the dirt as I shake my head. This isn't possible. It's not real. Not real.

I wipe the backs of my hands over my eyes, taking deep breaths. I begin the old drill that I once used to calm myself down: My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am twenty years old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I survived. It is the third anniversary since the Capitol fell. Prim…

I stand up, my eyes avoiding where Prim stood, and I begin my walk back to District 12. Peeta will be wondering where I am.

"Katniss, wait!"

I keep walking.

After a few minutes, I slow to a stop. I want to turn around and see if she's still there. I do. All I can see is greenery – tall, thick trees, dry bushes, and an expanse of yellow grass. There is no Prim. Prim is dead.

A-N: Here is my first Hunger Games fic. Obviously by my most recent activity, I've been trying to branch out of the Harry Potter fandom. I have thousands of ideas for HP, but I think it's good exercise to try new things. Also, I tried to stay true to the tense and POV of the Hunger Games books, so that's the reason why I've changed my style. I thought that would also be a good exercise. Anyway, constructive reviews are best and much appreciated!