I quietly pushed my door open and slid out of the room. As softly as I could, I tip-toed down the grand stairs and into the living room. As I reached the last step I put my foot down and imidiately retreated when the floorboard creaked. I looked up the stairs to make sure I didn't wake up my parents or my little brother. I walked to the bookshelf covering the entire far wall. Looking over the books, I took down an old photo album and went to the wooden chest in the other corner. I lifted the lid and winced as it creaked. I lifted a tape out from the chest and ran back upstairs to my room. I pulled the door shut and thought that I was free when a hand grabbed the door. I gasped.
"Dad!" I whispered.
"It's past midnight. I suppose you have a reason to be up this late," Dad asked.
I brought the photo album and tape in front of me. "I... I just wanted to know."
"Well, come on, then. I suppose you'd have to find out soon enough," he said and took the album and tape. He led me downstairs back into the living room. He flicked on the lamp and put the album down on the coffee table. "Your mother put this together. She found a vault in the mansion where the old Panem leader, President Snow, used to live. It was filled with pictures and video tapes of us not only at the Games, but on the train there, our training with Haymich and Effie, our private training sessions to get our scores, the victory tour, everything. With the pictures, your mom made this photo album. All the videos are in the chest over there."
Dad and I flipped through the pictures. Most were poor quality and were taken through trees and obviously were from hidden cameras. At one point, there was an envelope glued to the page. I reached in the envelope and took out a picture. This one was a better quality than the others. It was of my mom and dad on the train on their way to the Hunger Games. It was at night in what I guessed was my mom's room. My father was sitting on the floor with his back to the side of the bed. My mother was curled up in his lap, crying into his chest. My dad's arms were wrapped carefully around my mother.
My parents were young then. They're older now, but still look the same. My dad is a bit stronger, and my mother more graceful. The picture was from before thee Games, and before my mom knew about my father's undying love for her. This picture was from before the bloodshed, before the lies and the loses. The picture, in a way, was at the start of it all. My parents were two of the most known people in all of Panem. Are they rockstars? Actors? Artists? No. They were something even more known. They're Katniss and Peeta. The Mockingjay and the Boy with the Bread.
And I am Ariana. I am thirteen years old.
I am the daughter of the Mockingjay.