I was entirely engrossed in my book. It was old and the pages were worn, it was a tale from before Panem called "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and even hundreds, possibly even thousands of years later it was still humorous. I snickered at the simplicity of the main character, Arthur Dent. In some ways I related to him, a completely normal person (by human standards) thrown into a crazy situation. In a sense that's how I felt about the Hunger Games.

Coming from District 4, an apparent 'career district', we're expected to have a certain amount of excitement and pride that for some reason revolves around senselessly sending children to their deaths. Call me crazy but I don't feel an ounce of pride watching kids slaughter one another and come out as an empty shell of a human. But being 17 I'm forced to stand amongst the other children and teens knowing that two of us will be hugging our friends and family goodbye for the last time.

Unlike the rest of District 4 I didn't spend my life outside on the docks or at the beach and I didn't care much for socialising while catching fish. We're taught from a young age how to use nets and tridents to catch fish and I was no special case I went through the same thing everyone else did, in fact I was top of the class. Although at the age of 7 I came to a realisation that this was not what I wanted to do for a living. Honestly I don't even like fish. So I strategically started to work less and less. I went from top of the class, to mediocre, to hopeless. Eventually they decided to place my talents "elsewhere". I didn't have the physical strength to gut fish in the factories, I couldn't prepare food for shit, in the eyes of District 4 I was practically hopeless. But what they could never deny and I refused to hide is that I am one hell of a swimmer. My father had most certainly clocked on to my plan and instead of ratting me out to the higher ups, he suggested I become a swimming instructor. I spent 5 days a week teaching kids and even some adults swimming techniques, the rest of my time I was holed up in my bedroom or in the old archives. The archives were rarely visited, most citizens of District 4 preferring to spend their time out in the sun, but I guess that's why I liked it. It was the one place I felt truly at peace and alone.

I briefly looked up at the people around me, recognising some of the terrified faces as students I've taught. I bit my lip and returned to my book as though it would somehow save me and transport me to the fictional world. Of course, it didn't. I paid no attention to the brightly dressed woman on stage as she showed the soul crushingly boring video they play every year. I paid no attention as she called out the name of a 12 year old boy who almost certainly not be making it home. I paid no attention as she made her way over to the bowl containing the names of all the girls aged 12-18 in District 4. I paid no attention as the slightly blue tinted skin of her hand pulled out a slip of paper.

"Billie Thorne!" She squealed out in joy. Now that… That I did pay attention to. I didn't need to look up from my book to know that the girls around me had moved away as if I were diseased. This was it. I had been sentenced too my death and there was nothing I could do to change it. My heart completely dropped and it felt like the air in my lungs just wasn't enough. I knew I would start to cry if I looked up at the sympathetic yet relieved faces of the people around me, so I kept my eyes glued to the pages of my book as I sheepishly stepped forward. Miraculously, I made my way over to the steps of the stage without falling on my face. I guess that counted for something. I was about to take my first step up the stairs when a man dressed in all white held me back with the end of his gun. A peacekeeper.

I tore my eyes up and away from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" to look at him, and as I did he snatched the book out of my hands, ripping some of the pages as he did so. I quietly yelped at the harshness and glared at the peacekeeper, trying to seem as threatening as I could given my current circumstance and the fact that he has a gun and could literally end my life where I stood. But he walked away completely unaffected with my now torn book in his hands. What an asshole.

I finally made my way up to the stage to stand by the bright and cheerful woman. My plain grey dress suddenly felt drab. It was baggy on me and probably looked more like I had just thrown a potato sack on my body and stuck my arms through the sides. Now that I'm being broadcasted to all of Panem I regret not making myself look just a little more presentable, but growing up on the streets this was about as 'presentable' as I could get. I finally looked down at my fellow District 4 tribute and my face dropped. Jacob. I knew this boy, he was my neighbour and I often babysat him when his father worked late. Much like mine, his mother had died during childbirth. I taught him how to read and write when he was 3, I made sure he did his homework each night, I made sure he ate all that was put on his plate and was grateful for it, I became a replacement mother in a sense, despite only being a few years his senior. I felt my heart drop once more knowing that he would have to die in order for me to survive and I couldn't let that happen. There goes my shred of hope for survival.

I looked down at Jacob's outstretched hand and remembered tributes had to shake hands. As I grabbed it he shocked me by pulling me in for a tight hug, by instinct I hugged him back. In that moment I felt the rest of Panem hold their breath. This year it would be one hell of a game.

This was intended to be a Reader X Cato story however it's against the rules of FFN. I have used the name Billie as it's simple however I won't give her much of a visual description so you can still imagine her as either yourself or your OC.

I do not own The Hunger Games trilogy. All I own are my ideas and any original characters featured in this story.

Story also posted on Ao3 under the same title and the user "candlewriter"

Also find me on tumblr at "candlewriter" for updates on chapter progress, FAQ, fanart and more.