"Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favour!"

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Chapter 1;

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Panem, District 12.

My home. My family and I had barely anything. We weren't as rich as the Capitol. (Tch. No one was as rich as the Capitol and if there was, I hope they weren't like the Capitol at all) They had all the luxuries that I couldn't even imagine having ΒΌ of what they own. There used to be 13 districts, until district 13 rebelled against capitol. They were horrifically annihilated; nothing was left from them.

Thus the Hunger Games was born. It was a reminder not the repeat the past, and rebel exactly like 13 did. Every year, the Capitol would take one male and one female from ages 12-17 (1) and have them fight to death for their own pleasure and entertainment. It was sick actually. I have no idea how they think everything is funny. I've watched those kids; I've watched them die, silently hoping that my name wouldn't be chosen. But what could I do? I needed to put my name in numerous times for food. I placed my name in the next repeaing 56 times, to trade for the little grain they gave in return. You wouldn't exactly call us rich. After my father passed in a coal mining accident, we've had a harder time.

My mother fell into depression, which caused us to fall even harder than it should've. My sister, Daisy, had to grow up earlier; barely even enjoying her childhood, she had to work. Selling cheese from her stupid goat that was so frail, I didn't even think it could've survived this long.

Me? Now that was a different story. I had to work too, pushing myself through school and a job at the same time.

I clambered through the electrical fence- well, the electric wasn't even powered, so it was safe. Walking through the tall grass with my worn out boots, I aligned my bow. Grasping the wood in my hand, I prepared to shoot the beefy bird perched up in the tall forest tree.

"Hey kitten!" a loud voice boomed. The bird flew away as I tried to shoot it; I missed.

"Seriously Demetri?" I yelled at my supposed best friend. He wasn't my best friend at the moment, I just lost dinner. A muscular build embraced my tiny frame into a bear hug. I dropped my bow, embracing him back. Demetri Lockwood has always been my best friend from as far as I could remember. We met up on Saturdays and Sundays every week, except for the occasion where we got sick (which was critical because we had no money for medicine) or if it was someone's birthday. According to Demetri, I wasn't like other girls, which made me okay to be around. I remember when Daisy went through the "boys-have-cooties" stage. She said that every boy had cooties except our father and Demetri.

"Oh calm down. Knowing you, you'll catch another one," he said, running a pale hand through his dark ebony locks.

I rolled my eyes. Despite the fact I got annoyed with him, we were a team; I shot and killed and he would set traps. That was something I had a hard time with. I don't do fixing wire and strings together. Heck, I can barely tie a knot!

"You think one of us will be chosen this year?" he asked, as we sat down in the field further out.

"Don't think like that, 'Metri. Hey, how many times did you put your name in the ballot?" I knew far to well that he put his name in more times than I have. Having more siblings to feed and people to take care of, did that to you. Our district wasn't wealthy. Adults did hard manual labour but got very little pay. We couldn't transfer districts; this meant we were stuck here for life. Everyone of us; our ancestors were and so are the future descendants.

He would turn 18 this year. Next year he would be free from the games. "72," he said, pulling out some bread from his satchel.

"Where'd you get this?" I almost screeched in joy. Grabbing it, I ripped the tiny loaf in half and handing him the other half. Nibbling on the edge of the loaf, I felt my stomach fill. I didn't eat much, I never did. With what little food we had, I mostly gave my servings to Daisy. Of course, I made sure I ate what I could but I wasn't exactly healthy looking. Literally everyone in our district was like this.

"I'm never having kids," I said, breaking the awkward silence that flowed between us. I never wanted my children to go through this. Go through the possible chance of being in one of the games. Never. I wouldn't place that burden on my children.

"We could leave you know. Me and you could do this. We could survive." He's been having this idea for awhile. Us running away and living in the forest. I would hunt and he would set traps. We would bring our families. Tch. This only ever happened in dreams- in places where districts and the Capitol don't exist. I would've ran along time ago, if it hadn't been for my mother, who wanted to remain where she was. I couldn't just run with Daisy because we were all she had left. This place was filled with good and bad memories; but the bad out did the good.

"They'd catch us. You know that."

A loud scream irrupted from Daisy's throat as I pulled her into a hug. I could feel her tears soaking my shit but I could care less. I'd gotten back 2 hours ago, when mother and Daisy were fast asleep.

Strangled sobs escaped from her throat. She's been having nightmares about being chosen for the Games, the last couple days. I saw my so-called mother turn over in her bed and act like she didn't hear anything. I rolled my eyes, as I ran my hand through Daisy's hair.

"Shh. Nothing's going to happen to you," I cooed.

She continued to sob, clutching onto me for dear life.

"Remember what I told you? As long as you have this-" I place the cheap Cattleya Orchid in her hand, a present from my father before he died,"-nothing will happen to you." It was the flower I was named after, I just had a different spelling. Daisy needed something stable in her life and my mother obviously wasn't one of them. She was still in depression. She bounced back a couple times but they were never permanent. She just went back to sulking and moping, hoping that my father would come back. That was never going to happen, she should know that. I think she knows that but, won't accept it.

As soon as her sobs subsided, I put her back to sleep, humming a familiar tune our father always used to sing to us. Kissing her forehead, I sat on the window sill, not feeling the mood to sleep any longer.

I looked out and saw the moon's light reflect onto the window's glass. I wished there was something I could do; something to stop the games, permanently. I was only one person though. I knew deep down there were other people who wanted just what I wanted but were to scared to speak out. All of us were scared. After 13 was abolished, people were to frightened. I admired 13's courage; I wished I could do what they did. But I had a family. I had to take care of Daisy and mom.

Sighing, I watched a stray dog run around in the street. Probably looking for food. There's nothing out there, I thought.

I envy the people who didn't have to live like we did, if there were people out there like that. Lives are risked every year in the games. Blood thirsty killers came from district 1 (district in charge of making luxury items for the Capitol) and 2 (district in charge of carving tools and blocks of stones). People from their districts actually volunteer. How sick.

Getting on my knees- not caring on bit if my night gown got dirty- I prayed to whatever god existed out there. I prayed hard. I prayed for Demetri and his family, that they would get enough food and that Demetri would not be chosen. I prayed for mother, that she would bounce back from this ridiculous depression that she has fallen into. (2) And I prayed for Daisy, that she wouldn't be chosen in the repeaing. Even if her name was put in the ballot once, there was a chance. But, I hope, that "chance" would never happen.

Author's note;

(1); Was it 12-17? Or, was it 12-18? I forget.

(2); I'm not trying to make fun of depression. That's something serious.

** I know I haven't updated my other stories but I got excited about this one. I apologize, I haven't had the time. Well, I'm on Christmas break right now, so I hope I could update the other ones. Again, I'm sorry for not updating!