NO MATTER WHAT: CHAPTER 1
HELLO EVEYBODY! Emma B. And Mabry B. here, cousins, BFFs, and authors in training ;D! This is a new story we're working on, about the Hunger Games. Don't worry The New Girl fans; I (Mabry) am juggling both stories at once, and Emma might be writing new stories as well. We will be alternating chapters, she does one, I do one, etc. I'm sorry if it gets confusing, but hey- our middle NAME is confusing. Mabry Confusing Censoredlastname and Emma Confusing Othercensoredlastname. So there. Enjoy chapter 1! Sorry if it's short!
Emma's POV (yeah that's my real name)
When I wake up this morning, I know something was up, because I don't hear the trains.
Maybe I should explain a little bit, Mabry (my twin sister) my family, and I live in the outskirts of District 12, and I can't remember a single day in my entire life when I couldn't hear the hum of the trains shipping coal to other Districts.
Except on reaping days.
Like today.
I shudder involuntarily at the thought of one of our younger siblings getting reaped. There's Joseph, (12) Ben (12) Lauren (10) Braden (7) and Jackson, who is 20 and married and doesn't live here any more. Mabry and I are 13 and do and share EVERYTHING., and I have shorter dirty blonde hair that only goes to about my mouth (the result of having to cut it when I got maple syrup in it 3 years ago). Other than this, we are twins in every way, with identical facial expressions and the same piercing green eyes.
I'm more of the quiet one, usually following rules and not getting into much trouble. Sometimes I have bursts of rebellions, but only occasionally.
Then there's Mabry. She has long fiery red hair, and a fiery personality and temper to match. She's the rebel, always questioning, always wondering, always dreaming of doing something different, going somewhere else. Sometimes I worry about her, but she's my best friend in the entire world. Mabry's the kind of person that rebels often, but is one of the most kind and comforting people you'll ever meet. I don't know what I'd do without her, but
I go downstairs and see Joseph, Lauren, Braden, and Ben all sitting at the table quietly. Reaping days are about the only day that happens. "Where's Mabry?" I ask Mother. "Oh, she went...out." She replies uneasily, sneaking a glance at my younger siblings. We both know where out means. It means she had gone hunting in the woods 10 yards away from our house. We never actually said the word "hunt" for fear any of the children would repeat it. When we where younger and Jackson went hunting we actually said that word and then my little 5 year old self repeated it at school and my mother had to tell the teacher I was mentally "special" and had me and Mabry move schools.
I grab a piece of toast from Mom. "I guess I'm going to meet Mabry, then." I say, biting into my breakfast. "Be back in time to get ready for the reaping!" Mother calls as I run out the door, knives in hand.
Yeah right, I think bitterly, heading for the District fence. As if I could ever forget.