PROLOGUE:
The Mellarks live peacefully within the renewed village of District 12. Mr. Mellark was a respectable man within the community. He was now currently the mayor of District 12 and radiates peace and calmness throughout the people just as he radiates love and compassion to his family. Mrs. Mellark was silent but calculating. She owned a reputation of heroism and is a living patriot. Their children, Rose Mellark and her younger brother Peter Mellark, attend school each day, leaving their helper to clean the house. She was too young and fragile to be a helper, people always wonder. They could only guess that she came from the Capitol, a city that once governed them with brute. Mr. and Mrs. Mellark had taken her in with welcoming arms, giving her a brand new start. But little did they know, the peace they try to keep will be shattered in only a matter of days.
CHAPTER 1:
"Hello?" Rose answered, irritated. The phone had been ringing for the past 5 minutes and Peter refused to take orders of answering the phone.
"Is your mother there?" the man asked.
"May I ask who's calling?" Rose said.
"An old friend." he said, as if smiling. "Tell her it's Gale."
"Oh." Rose said. Rose of course recognized her mother's friend Gale. She'd heard about him from both of her parents before. She'd also met him when she was a toddler but she hasn't seen him in years. "Hold on. I'll go get her."
Rose bolted out of the study and ran upstairs. She passed her brother and he asked, "Who was it?"
"Nonya." she said.
"Who's Nonya?" he asked.
"Noya business." she said.
"Ha-ha. Sister being funny. Sister has no humor." he muttered.
"Mom?" she said as she neared her parents' room. She could hear muffled voices from the other side. It stopped abruptly when she opened the door. Her father was sitting on the bed, his head hanging down, as if he was trying to control one of his attacks or his anger. Her mother had her a arms crossed and was standing right next to the window, as she was stalking someone outside.
"Mom, phone for you." Rose said.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Your friend Gale." Rose said. They looked at her as if she just confirmed grave news.
"Okay." her mother said and followed her out into the study. "Go play with your brother."
Rose rolled her eyes. Her mother's scripted line each time she wanted private conversations. She walked out of the study but she lingered behind the door long enough to hear her mother say, "How bad is it, Gale?"