Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games, or some of the characters in these games, although I did invent quite a few characters of my own for these games.
I wake up much earlier than I normally would because something keeps bumping me. That something being my 18 year old brother, Emmett.
"Eve! Wake up and get dressed! It's nearly time for the reaping!"
I get up slowly, taking the luxury of a bath on this very special day where the capitol takes two of our children and sends them off to be pampered and die. I guess by now it's just a way of life, the hunger games have been there since my mother was a little girl.
I meet mom, dad, and Emmett downstairs, now dressed in my Sunday best: a worn yellow sundress, and shovel some food in my mouth before departing and finding my place among district seven's 16-year olds. I play with my wavy brown hair as I stand around, barely listening to the history of the hunger games.
Orchid takes the stage, Lilac colored hand wrapped around the microphone, deep purple and red-purple streaks always present in her white-blonde hair, "Happy 54th Hunger Games!" The faces of everyone present remain blank and she trots over to the girls' ball, "Evelyn Abyss."
"What!" I stumble up to the stage and quickly try to regain my composure and remain unaffected, but I'm going into the games. I had two years left and I would have been free.
She clips over to the boys' ball and pulls "Jupiter Grey"s name from within it.
"Do we have any volunteers?" Orchid looks at the rows of girls, backing away just slightly, then turns to the boys. Emmett's standing next to me, trying to shove me off stage.
"I'll take Eve's place. Only Eve's," his eyes are dark, it's a look I've never seen before and one I never want to see again.
Orchid looks between me and him, "Uh… I'm not sure that's allowed." She pulls a small device from her pocket and holds it to her face "Is that allowed?"
I look up at Emmett as she talks with god knows who, "What are you doing?"
"Dad would kill me if something happened to you. I'm not letting anything happen. You're my sister; it's my job to protect you."
"It's ok Emmett I'll grab an axe and hack away at anyone who gets in my way," I give him my best reassuring smile, but he doesn't buy it.
Orchid walks back up to the microphone, "I'm sorry to say that you cannot take your sisters place in the games. If one of the ladies over here would like to take the place of Blight, you can come in instead of your sister."
Nobody moves, "I'm taking her place."
"Emmett, go. I'll be fine. I know how to protect myself."
He saunters off the stage, "Not from everything."
I bite my lip and shake Jupiter's hand before Orchid ushers off into the Justice Building after the anthem.
I wait in the justice building, mom and dad enter first. I hug them immediately, "where's Emmett?"
"We don't know, he's pretty upset. He wandered off," Mom runs her fingers through my hair, her eyes watering.
Dad stands there silently, unable to bring himself to say anything. They eventually usher my parents out. And I sit on the small couch; I'll never see any of my friends again…
The door reopens, and there's Emmett, the same dark eyes look in his eyes. I shudder involuntarily.
"I brought you something" he holds out a package wrapped in brown paper, "it was supposed to be for your birthday."
I take it from his hands and open it slowly; a smile spreads across my face as I see the small wood carving he's been working on and keeping secret for the past few months: a smooth, round piece of wood with an intricate tree carved into it. It's on a thick brown string and I tie it around my neck.
"I'll miss you, Emmett, but I will be back. I promise," I hug him tightly and try not to cry, because I really don't have a huge chance to win.
Please Review I'd like to know how the story is now that I've completely revised it. :D
Also, I had a comment recently that my grammar is rubbish. I've used Spell Check and thought I got all the errors. If you see any please tell me where. Help is greatly appreiciated and I'll give you a virtual cookie!