CHAPTER ONE – SHOCK
Dany POV-
"Ladies first" I heard Candi Darling screeched into the microphone.
Not me, please don't let it be me.
"Lobelia Clarkson"
Phew! I am safe for another year! I don't have to worry about being reaped into the horrible Hunger Games where children between the ages of 12 to 18 fight to the death. 24 children enter the arena, only one makes it out. 23 families lose their beloved all for the "entertainment" of the Capitol. This horrible tradition was inflicted upon us due to our failed rebellion 72 years ago. They still haven't let the grudge pass by. Why is it that the innocent suffer the most in these politician's games of power?
"It's time for the gentlemen" she screeched again and ran on her ridiculously tall heels towards the bowl containing the boy's names. Please not Robb, Jaime or Willas. Robb is my big brother, Jaime is his best friend and Willas is my baby brother. Robb turned 18 this year. If he make it through this year and he's going to be out of the fear of being reaped for life. Jaime was 17 and he is Robb's best friend. It was Willas's first Reaping though. He was so shaken and scared. If it was him, I was ready to volunteer for the girl to protect my baby brother.
"Robb Stark"
"Nooo! Robb no! I vol-"
"I will never forgive you if you volunteer. Look after the family until I get back. Be their rock" he whispered to me before managing onto the stage. I broke down into sobs and had to be forced into line by the peacekeepers. I will put my faith in him. He can win this. He'll come back to me.
He was taken off stage and lead into the Justice Building of District 7, my home. I burst through to the room he was placed in, running at the top of my lungs. My brother looked defeated and frightened in front of me for a moment. My overprotective big brother had given up.
"You're good with axes; you can fight, swim, run and climb. You can do this Robb!"
"Dany, how can I kill innocent, young children who remind me of you? Do I look like one of those heartless, monstrous Careers to you?"
"You will kill them only if it is absolutely necessary. I need you Robb! Promise me you'll come back to me. I need you! I will be an empty shell without you! Promise me!"
"I'll try my hardest Dany, that's the most I can promise"
I broke down crying in his arms as he tried to console me whispering sweet nothings into my hair as I cried into his chest. He's being sent for slaughter to the Capitol and he's the one consoling ME.
"Promise me you'll return this to me once you get back" I said and gave him grandmother's beautiful, intricate ring. It fit into his index finger perfectly. Great! It was loose even in my thumb and there it looks like it was made for him. A peacekeeper walked in and told me our time was up. I gave him a bone crushing hug and ran down to my home.
Little did I know it would be the last time I personally saw him alive…
One month later-
My brother's made it through to the last three. I took a deep breath and looked at him through the screen. He had killed no one so far and had survived through the games. It was now time for him to meet the other tributes, the sly girl from District 9 and the monstrous boy from District 4. He was making his way through the woods which looked almost identical to the ones we have at home. My brother's girlfriend, Jayne, sat next to me gripping my hand tightly. I knew he could do it. He will come home to me. I know he will.
"Hey 7! It's a surprise you've made it through this far in the Games. Tell me, how many have you killed?" the boy from 4, Gilligan, asked my brother.
"Unlike you, I respect others' lives and don't look forward to killing young children. I only kill when it's absolutely necessary. I promised my baby sister I'd make it home and you're standing in my way. So I'm really sorry about this" my brother said and withdrew his axe. Then we heard a blood curdling scream. The girl from 9 was being torn apart by mutts and now some were running towards the direction of my brother and the boy from 4. Run Robb!
The mutts were now chasing Robb and Gilligan. There was a stream and Gilligan jumped into it. My brother was always frightened of water, even though he was quite a natural at swimming. Swim Robb! Jump into the water you bloody idiot!
The mutts were now closing in on him. It hurt to watch him being trapped. He valiantly tried to fight off the mutts but failed. I could hear them tearing the flesh off my brother's body. I closed my eyes and tried to not listen but my brother's pain-filled screams filled the air. Help him Gilligan, please help him!
Instead of trying to help my brother, Gilligan began laughing. "Dany! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't keep the promise. I love you baby sister" my brother whispered when the mutts left him, he was barely hanging on to his life. "Jayne, I will always love you. I'm sorry I didn't make you proud, dad and mum. Will, don't ever take any tesserae. I love you all." He whispered and gave away his hold on life. A cannon sounded my brother's death. I was shocked. My brother was dead, he wasn't coming back. I'm so sorry I didn't volunteer to protect you. It's all my bloody fault. It's all my fault….