Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games that is Suzanne Collins.

Compass

Prologue

Steady. Steady. I tell myself as I aim my arrow at a little fuzzy bunny. I linger with him in my sights for just a minute longer and then…he lies there motionless on the ground mixed in with the leaves. My arrow protrudes from his neck. Not a clean kill. I am frustrated but then remember my father tells me that I am very good for only a beginner. I just wish I could land the arrow in their eyes like him. The bow drops to the ground as my feet carry me forward toward the rabbit. 18:00 – Reflection. Reflection a time one uses to sit in silence, solitude, in order to gather their thoughts. This usually takes place in citizen's compartments. Mother and Father are not around to join me in our compartment for reflection, so I usually slip out to the surface to do some reflection in my own way.

This schedule is tattooed on your arm every morning when you first wake, there is a contraption in every compartment. You wake, stick your right arm in it and the contraption tattoos the smooth skin of your forearm with your schedule for the day in a dirty purple ink. It's mostly the same day in and day out.

7:00 – Breakfast. 7:30 – Kitchen Duties. 8:30 – Education Center, Room 8. (For me at least.) The education is different for every age group and lasts for hours on end. My age group being so young they speak of the basics, teaching us of our roots. I have learned that District 13, which is where I reside with my mother and father, has not always been the way I see it now. At one point the people of this populace once thrived above ground. We learned about The Capitol, who rules Panem with an iron fist, and how they are responsible for why we must live under ground. My parents they are not native of District 13, but come from the next region over. District 12, I learned in school this is the place that produces coal which powers all the other districts and The Capitol. Sometimes I learn about the place when I am not in the Education Center, but when my mother becomes sentimental, she misses her home. I am sure father does too. District 13 is our home now though.

And in District 13 we are also taught not to be wasteful, we are rationed food, toiletries, construction paper, crayons…

We also learn of survival skills, basics, like how to use mold on the base of a tree for a sense of direction. Which berries you can eat and which ones will kill you before they reach your stomach.

My father and I, we prefer hunting for fresh meat.

Snatching the arrow from the neck of the rabbit, I secure it in my quiver which is slung over my right shoulder, then quickly fasten the limp rabbit to my belt.

I hear a familiar white static, then spin around to come face to face with the last person I want to see during my downtime.

"Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing clear up here on the surface? By yourself…" Haymitch Abernathy stands before me decked out in his soldier gear, his communicuff on his left arm being the contraption that gave away his position. Haymitch is a high ranking officer alongside my father, I can count on him not being too far away from my heels when my mother and father are out of the District and he is left behind. I wonder how he feels being a babysitter.

"It's Reflection time, this is how I reflect." I shrug as I gather the bow in my hands and start to walk in his direction. I know my time up here for today is over, I was ready to return anyway.

He sighs at my answer, he knows I miss my parents, they have been gone for a long time now. They left almost a month ago, my father as Soldier Everdeen and my mother Dr. Everdeen, they along with a few select others boarded a hovercraft for District 10 to do what exactly I am not sure. I only know they promised they wouldn't be gone long, and I fear they meant to be back by now. I won't show my fear to anyone else here in 13 though.

"With an attitude like that sometimes it is hard to remember you are only 8." Haymitch pauses as his words float over me, reminding me of the time my father boasted that I was like an adult trapped in child's body. "Come now, Reflection is almost over and Dinner will begin very soon." He holds out his hand for me to take so he can escort me back under the surface, I don't take his hand. Instead I bump my shoulder against him as hard as I can muster and continue on.

It isn't long after we return from the surface that Haymitch and I are in the mess hall, waiting in line to be served our rations for dinner. Looking around I see a few other children my age scattered around the dining space. Another thing in the Education Center we learned was that awhile back a pox epidemic of some sort had ravaged its way through the populace of District 13, diminishing their numbers greatly and effectively leaving many of them barren or infertile. So with this information it was easy enough to accept the small number of children in this place.

Mother and Father always made it sound as if most of the children my age had traveled into the District much like they had. Me? I'm not sure if I was born here, if I am a native to District 13, I only know I have been here for as long as I can remember. Even longer than 85% of the faces I see in this room, most of them I watched filter into the life of thirteen. It was like a moth's flame, I'm not sure what these people were running from but apparently they found it was better here. I can't imagine how, I've never been anywhere else.

After being served we sit in a far corner away from the civilians, not everyone who lives here is a Soldier or a child of a Soldier. I poke at my food in silence, I know that I will eat it all no matter how disgusting it tastes, because we citizens of District 13 do not waste. I sigh and then lock eyes with "Soldier Abernathy".

Gale Hawthorne, a boy a few years older than I, once told me that we were a part of the Revolution. I asked him what that meant and he explained it meant our people were rebelling against The Capitol where the heart of Panem's government was located. I still don't really understand, he says they'll teach me about it more as I get older. What I do understand is that he told me my parents were involved at the forefront, and that was why they were constantly making these trips out of the District. They were visiting other regions, rallying troops and gaining support.

He worries me most when he says that The Capitol would be well off if they disposed of my parents. He apologized after he seen the terror in my eyes from those words. I forgive him, I am well aware many others forget I am only eight when they speak to me.

"Have you heard anything from my father?" Something flickers in his eyes, I am not sure what it is though. Then his eyes glaze over and become firm.

"Things are just taking a little longer than normal, okay." I don't meet his eyes, instead I stare at the wall over his shoulder. "Katniss….there were a lot of injuries in 10, your mother was very much needed and I am sure she is unable to come home, and your father would never leave her there alone."

This sets something off in me and I don't know why, maybe because I am eight? Standing up, my chair toppling over backwards I lock eyes with the older gentleman. "But I'm his daughter and he left me here alone!" Suddenly I realize that all the soft murmuring of dinner discussion in the hall has ceased and everyone is watching my childish outburst. My lower lip quivers and tears sting the back of my eyes. Haymitch reaches for me but comfort from him or anyone else here is the last thing I want so I do the only thing I can think of. I run. I run away while my plate still holds almost the entire portion of my dinner that I was served.

My feet pound the pavement, my twin braids flopping behind me. I run like someone is chasing me, although I know no one does, they don't seem to know how to handle me when my parents are away. I run until I stop and I just want to disappear. Then I see the door to the utility closet and I can't fight the overwhelming sorrow and push through it allowing the door to click behind me softly.

It is then the tears of fear, loneliness, and just pure sadness pour from my eyes. My heart shatters next to the dirty mop bucket in a utility closet in District 13 all alone.

I never even noticed the bottles that fell over from my hurried movements, their caps not secured from their last use.

When I wake up I notice I am not in the utility closet I took refuge in nor am I in the compartment I share with my mother and father when they are home. I think I lie in a bed in the medical wing, curtains pulled shut blocking me from the rest of the wing. No one is there waiting when I wake, again I am alone.

From the feel of my body it would seem I have been inactive for at least two or three days, I am confused.

"…supposed to tell the girl?" I catch the brunt end of a whispered question on the other side of the curtain. Now I am curious.

I almost don't breathe grasping at air for more snippets of conversation. "Coin…take care of it." Something felt like they were discussing her, but what and why was a mystery to me.

"No. Me. And me alone." These words are spoken firmly, confidently and obviously from Haymitch's mouth. I'm tired of being alone and ache for a familiar face, even if that face belongs to Soldier Abernathy.

"Haymitch?" It comes out as a raspy whisper, I almost don't even hear myself but amazingly they do because not even seconds later all conversation stops and he is flying through the curtain to be by my side.

"Hey." He is holding my hand and when I see the look in his eyes an empty hollow feeling takes up residence in the pit of my stomach.

I don't want to say 'Hey.' And exchange pleasantries, I just want him to tell me what he is obviously holding back on.

"Haymitch?" It comes out desperate. Begging him to say it isn't true, they really have been gone for far too long. According to Gale there has been a large red X on their backs for years now, targets of The Capitol.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." His eyes drop to the sheets that I now grip in my hands, his large calloused hand reaches out and covers mine and squeezes.

"Why?" Such a silly question, I know why. Gale already told me why. The Capitol finally did it, they disposed of my parents. Because I am eight years old, I cry and wonder if they had met me maybe they would have spared them. Surely they wouldn't want to leave a child orphaned?

I cried myself to sleep and dreamed about waking in an empty compartment for the rest of my life. I dreamt that I had a hole in my chest where my heart once belonged.

Days go by and nobody try's to move me from my place on the bed, curled into myself. I can feel Haymitch sitting in the corner, staring at my back. I no longer am required to have my daily schedule tattooed into my arm, I barely even eat. He visits me every day just sitting in silence. And every day his visits become shorter, his communicuff pulling him away to more official business.

He always glances at me whispering an apology with his eyes, "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart."

Then one day when I wake up he isn't in the room but I am not alone.

I'm shocked to say the least to find a man I have never met before sitting in the chair that Haymitch normally occupies. He wears the military garb that all other Soldiers wear but is much younger than Haymitch. I can feel his blue eyes bore into my soul, they are nearly the same color of the sky during spring when there is no cloud in the sky, and blonde waves of hair linger above his brow. "Where's Haymitch?" The quiver in my voice is quite obvious and those cerulean orbs of his soften.

"Soldier Abernathy had to leave for District –" I don't even allow him to finish the sentence before it sinks in that Haymitch has abandoned me as well.

"So he too has left me? Just as my parents always would…" This man seems to be bothered by the tragedy that is my life, maybe his heart strings are pulled over the plight of an orphaned eight year old girl who was greatly neglected beforehand anyway.

"Katniss…" He is the first person to say my name, my first name, the name given to me at birth in almost two months. The doctors, nurses and most anyone else who found business to be in my room at the hospital referred to me as Miss Everdeen. "Soldier Abernathy has not abandoned you, I promise you he was greatly distressed at having to leave you. But you must understand, given the circumstances, he has new responsibilities."

I'm eight not dumb, he means that now that my father is dead Haymitch is needed to fill his shoes. If he can. Something tells me that nobody will be able to do what my father has done. "Who are you?"

He blinks and smiles, a winning smile, this man is a charmer. "Soldier Mellark, here to keep you company until Soldier Abernathy returns from duty."

"My baby-sitter you mean?" He frowns slightly, then brings his winning smile back, a job he is probably irritated with being assigned. He is a Soldier after all, not a baby-sitter. "What's your real name? You know mine, I should know yours." I say this as an afterthought, with a shrug.

"To be fair, I think everyone in District 13 knows your name, young Everdeen." I narrow my eyes at him, I know this. "But if you insist, it's Peeta."

Peeta, isn't that a kind of bread?

"Peeta. Soldier Peeta Mellark."

Peeta teaches me to play chess, allowing me to have do overs when I make a wrong move. I quit playing with him though when I realize he is allowing me to win.

I am released from the hospital wing before Haymitch returns home and Peeta continues to escort me everywhere I go. Breakfast. From the kitchen to the Education Center, to the surface for Reflection. He has become my overgrown shadow.

Then one day while we are hunting, though he is hardly helping making all that noise when he walks, I ask him, "Does it not anger you that they force you to escort a child around the District? Surely there are better things you could be doing with your time."

He seems to contemplate my question while he leans against a nearby tree, then he smiles. "No, not really." He sees the confusion that I know must be apparent on my face and continues, "It is a great honor to be able to look out for you Katniss, to assist you whenever you may need me. This is the least that I could do after the sacrifice your parents made for Panem, a sacrifice that you made unwillingly."

His words linger in my ears as I lie in my bed that night. …a sacrifice you made unwillingly. I think I might trust Peeta Mellark.

Even after Haymitch returns to the District, Peeta remains as my escort, well he prefers the term bodyguard. I hardly see the need for a bodyguard here inside the District though, but if it makes him happy.

Then one day I am no longer eight, I am nine.

Not many weeks after my birthday something happens. I am in the Education Center, room 9 now, they teach us about the importance of each District and the specialties they all have when a commotion out in the hall silences the teacher. The door to our classroom is thrust open and there in the doorway stands my bodyguard, Peeta. "Ka…Miss Everdeen, I need you to come with me. Now."

I follow behind Peeta as we exit the Education Center, he hasn't said anything else since I was summoned from class. He seems stiff, on edge as if he is fearful of something. "What's wrong, Peeta?" He doesn't answer me and we continue on taking a right turn then a left followed by three more rights. Before we reach our destination Peeta stops and turns to me, crouching down to meet me at eye level, he looks bothered as if something isn't really sitting well with him. He always seems so concerned when it comes to me, Peeta has fast become my favorite person. "What's wrong, Peeta?" I ask again.

Before speaking he raises his hand and tucks a few stray hairs that have escaped my braids on either side of my head, then clasps my chin between his index finger and thumb, the pad of his thumb drawing small comforting circles on my skin. "It's your mother." He had more to say and settled his free hand on my shoulder to hold me in place so he could finish. "There was an explosion when your parents were in District 10, your father was killed instantly, but nobody was sure what happened to your mother. She was presumed dead." He pauses as if he is fighting with himself of whether he should even say anymore, but he continues regardless, "We presumed wrong, The Capitol took her and we were completely oblivious to her imprisonment." Peeta was never one to oversimplify things when he spoke to me, he knew I understand more than most children my age. "Apparently they decided they were finished with her, some of the scouting patrol found her wandering around aimlessly on the surface. She has been asking to see you."

My heart has sped up beating as fast as a hummingbirds wings flap. My mother, she is alive! As soon as Peeta relinquishes his hold on me I take off down the corridor stopping at the fork looking to my right and then to my left. When I see Haymitch in the left corridor I bolt towards him. "Mama! Let me see her! Mom, I'm here!" I holler not caring for composure and manners, but quickly find myself being restrained by Haymitch.

He is speaking, but I don't register his words until he shakes me, "Did you hear me, Katniss?"

No. "Yeah, sure."

The door opens and his hold on me is gone, there in the room behind that door is my mother. She sits on a small cot, her long blonde hair a wild mess and she seems so much thinner than the last time I seen her two and a half months ago. My pause, my ability to not move, suddenly breaks and I lunge forward calling out to her, "Mother! I've missed you so!"

She looks up at me and smiles, her arms opening up and her hands reaching for me as I throw myself into her embrace. She hugs me tightly to her body, it is almost hard to breathe, such a strong bear hug. Then everything changes, I soon find myself tossed on my back to the cold hard floor, and she is crawling on top of me. She is wrapping her hands around my throat and squeezing tightly, I can't breathe and quickly I begin to descend into darkness.

All the while I can hear Haymitch and Peeta hollering out in the background, and right as I slip into unconsciousness I feel her grip on me release and then a gunshot rings out into the air.