Chapter1: Reaping Day
Ahh, the salt water breeze is hitting my face, such a nice feeling. I usually come up to the cliff near the ocean to get away from my father and brother, from all the other people in District 4. For being in a Career district, I'm probably the only one who doesn't want to go in the games. My brother does, and my dad's a former victor.
Just then I hear someone coming my way, they're trying to be quiet but I can pick them out no matter what. "I know it's you Xander."
"Damn it." He says and he sits beside me. Xander Rockwell 16, has nice dirty blonde hair with bright blue eyes, his dad won too, Xander's been my friend ever since I could walk and talk, he's also been my neighbour for many years. "I really want to know how you figure stuff out like that Skye." He says.
"Guess you'll just have to find out." I tell him.
"Lake said I'd find you here. Had a bad dream?" He asks me.
"Of course, but this time it was of my dad killing my mom." I tell him. 8 years ago, my parents got into a huge argument about my dad starting to train Lake and me for the games. My mom grabbed a knife to threaten my dad, but dad just laughed and instead turned the knife on her and stabbed her. It was a really bad time for me, and ever since my dad has actually beaten me, to make sure I train under him.
"I really am sorry Skye, you know I try to convince my parents every day to make the mayor to let them take you away from him. But with my dad the way he is, I don't think it'll happen." He tells me.
I stand up on the cliff and so does Xander. Just then I feel someone pick me up and I try kicking my feet which doesn't help because then whoever it was throws me over the edge and next thing I know is I'm falling down to the water. I brace for impact and I fall right into the water. I swim upwards gasping for air, even though I live in the fishing district and I do fish, I can't swim.
I'm going to die, I just know it, and this is it. At least it's on reaping day, so that means I don't need to worry about the games. Just as a wave rolls over me and I go under again, someone grabs me and starts to float on their back with me, pulling me into shore. I'm still gasping for air when I hear them say, "It's going to be okay Skye." It's hard to know who's saying it, thanks to my ears being filly with water. Just then he pulls me onto the sand and I sit up to see who it was, it was Xander. "You okay?"
"I'll be better when I know who threw me over the edge," I say.
"That would be me," Someone says behind me. I know that voice, it's the voice I hate. Just then Xander does something I didn't think he would, when we both get up he goes in front of me, probably to protect me from my father. "Ahh getting one of the Rockwell boys to defend you, Skye you should know better, you're a Keller you should know how to swim!" He exclaims. Then he says, "Get home and get ready."
Xander starts to walk back with me, there's a gate that leads into the Victor Village, where all victors live and their families. "Thanks Xander, but you could've been killed by him. Actually I'm surprised you're not." I say.
"Well I better get home. Want to walk with me and Rima? Knowing Lance he'll be walking with Lake." He says. I nod and then go into my house. I go upstairs to my room; my dress is laying on my bed. I put it there before I left for the ocean this morning. It's a pale blue green dress and I put on the matching flats. Before I go downstairs I look at myself in the mirror black haired with bright blue eyes. Just like Lake and my mom. I put on the locket I got from my dad when my sister died in the games, it was my moms, then she gave left it to Lilly and when she died the Keepers gave it back to us and I took it in, to remember the both of them.
I go downstairs just as Xander and Rima walk in. Rima's wearing a pink dress with pink flats, her blonde hair is up in a ponytail, her first reaping and she already looks like she been there many times. "Hi Skye." She says.
I look at Xander next; he's got a white shirt on with black pants. Then I look at both of them and say, "Well lets go, don't want to be late."
We walk to the courtyard and we get there in record timing. I go to the girls' side with Rima, she stays at the back with the 12's and I go up to the 15's. On the other side it's the boys, I see Lake and Lance in the 18's and Xander in the 16's. The girls nearby are talking about training and how they'll be the victors of this year, I block them out and just look at my father with Mr. Rockwell on stage with our escort and the mayor. There's also about 5 more sits, those are for the other victors. I see them all arrive, 4 males and 1 female. Wow.
Just then the clock tower starts to ring and then Mayor Snow steps up to the podium. He tells the story about the rebellion in the dark days, then afterwards the Capitol created the Hunger Games. Then he motions our escort up, Nina Grail. She steps up to the podium, her bluish skin with bright pink hair and a bright purple dress. Interesting sense of style.
"Welcome, welcome District 4 to the 201st Hunger Games!" She says and everyone cheers and claps, I just clap. But on the inside I'm in disgust that the Capitol came up with games like this. "Now let's start off with our girl." She says as she steps over to the girls' bowl. I can see my dad's eyes piercing into my heart saying, "If you don't volunteer I'll kill you." But bad thing is that he had said that to both my brother and me, and since this is Lake's last chance I really don't want to. Nina comes back over and unravels the slip and says, "The female tribute is Rima Rockwell!"
No, not Rima. 12-year old Rima, unlike Xander, Rima is too young for these games and has never been trained. Before anyone else can volunteer since I am in the Career district I yell, "I volunteer!"