The hunger games

Chapter 1

This is the day, the day I know I can finally leave this world drenched in the desires of the Capitol. The reaping day causes much anxiety for many families but for mine well what is left of is much different. I have lost all fear of being in the hunger games with both of my siblings becoming tributes for our district in the previous year. The odds were most defiantly no in our favour.

Hunter the eldest, 17, wise, strong and arrogant but still loveable died in the blood bath at the cornucopia. He was trying to impress a girl from district 2 when the male tribute from five slit his throat, his smug facial expression still haunts me. Clara only 2 years older than me, wise and cunning accidently stumbled upon her own trap which meant death was on her agenda. The death of both my brother and sister sent my father in to a mental free fall. Day by day we could see what was left of the fragile man fade away. In what I still believe wasn't an accident. He and two others died in a 'freak' boat crash out fishing. My mother isn't entirely there either. Seeing I am the only one left I have the responsibility of caring for her. I began fishing at aged 14 instead of 18 so I could support her but I still have to manage school.

Today of all days have been a stress free day even if it is the reaping day where my name is in the ball 62 times. Each and every year we are summoned to the justice building to watch two of us go and fight to death for the entertainment for Capitol where we have the potential to come home and be crowned victor. Most years no one under the age of 16 goes in the games because they have been training much longer and the older tributes love to show off, so they volunteer to take the younger ones place.

The female tribute has been called out by our districts escort Octivena her fashion sense is typical of the capitol bright bold and strange. The tribute is 16 years old takes me a moment to processes but it's her. Sophie! My one only friend I have left. Why her? Why has one volunteered? The crowed seems pleased as if they are feeding on my fear for her.

"Now for the male tribute for the 85th hunger games"

Octivena dips her hand in the ball that contains the names of many. The fear that had been purged with the death of my siblings has made a much unwanted appearance; I'm not afraid for my life but Sophie's instead.

"The male tribute … the male tribute for district four is Bryant"

Why, why must I be the male tribute? I will have to kill the one who brings light to this endless darkness I don't understand? The both of us are ushered in to the justice building. It is a massive building which contains halls like mazes. The foyer of the building is beautiful I am stunned; the other wise unprovoked poke of a gun to my back form a tall peace keeper brings me back to reality. This is no time to admiring the architecture in no more than a few weeks' I will be an intricate piece of the capitol's entertainment. The foyer gives me the impression that it is never going to end with the endless rows of portrait of the fallen tributes form our districts form over the years. The fallen are framed in silver and the victor's in gold. It has become customary for the male and female tributes portrait to be painted.

The room we are taken to is a light bright and fairly modern compared to the rest of the building. the celling's are high which are contrasted with 3 wide but plump windows which overlook the ocean wear I fish to support my mother.

The justice building in district 4 has been the same since the first rebellion which sparked the hunger games. The second rebellions lead by the mocking jay, Katniss Everdean. She was a symbol of hope for the future. She failed to live up to its true intentions. The rebels had the chance of over throwing the capitol till the day they publicly killed Peeta by tarring him apart limb by limb part what sent her over the edge was the death of her mother and sister prim who were transformed in to mutts similar to the ones she faced near the end of her first hunger games. She gave up and slowly but not without a fight the entirety of district 13 collapsed so the hunger games continued.

My portrait is painfully slow it give me time to think over previous years games. What happened, the arenas location and who became allies' with whom?

I am dying to talk to Sophie but a panic attack creeps up my throat at the thought of it. Due to the constant urge I take off slowly by thinking about what I will say. What is needed most is the valuable information of if we will form an alliance with each other and our fellow careers.

A soft deep mumble escapes my mouth "s-so-" some entity invisible to a human cuts me off.

I can't speak any longer or I will break down. I do what I have always done to calm myself down. I think of her. Sophie is 16 years old, tall and lightly tanned. Her beautiful blue eyes remind me of the ocean. Her hair is very different from most of those form district four. It is a rich red she told me as kids her family was from a place called Scotland, which is now long gone. She possesses the art skills that over writes all of those before her. The paintings excel most of the swimming skills shown by the population of our district. She generates a fair bit of money for her family by doing so.

Finally after two hours my portrait is finished. The artist who painted it looks like he would have the skills of a three year old but he has perfectly captured every detail. My messy golden brown hair, pale blue eyes even my tall thin stature is perfect it almost appears to be a photograph. As my height being much different than the artist intended I had to sit further away. I inherited my height from form my father so did my brother. I am 6ft 3.

The residents of the capitol not only have interesting fashion sense they have strict times to live up to. We have only one hour to potentially say goodbye to our families forever and to pick out district token. As per my mother's request my token is my father's jacket he wore on his days off. My fondest memory of him wearing it is a sunny day on the beach. All the laughter we shared used to harmoniously buzz in my ears but now it tortures me. The jacket fits me perfectly, it is a fading black leather jacket it has various pockets. My plan is to hold knives in them. That is if the game makers pass it. One token every single tribute is prohibited from taking in to the arena is anything that resembles a mocking jay.

The far well with my mother wasn't hard for me rather it was harder for my mother, which I believe is understandable it is just I have given up being fearing the games. If I die no one will be there for her. She will be a wounded lone wolf left to die.

"BRYANT! You have a brief meeting with our mentors" my name is called from a far distance, the voice sounds foreign but it is Sophie's. Her voice brings a slight smile. Our two mentors are Amelia Grayth and Tyler Pond. Amelia won the 63rd annual hunger games. She won them with her great sword and swimming skills. That year the arena consisted of a beautiful reef and tropical islands which all had benefits or certain death. Tyler won the 70th hunger games, he as many used the popular stagey of coming off as a weakling then using his skills to kill off the other tributes till the final show down where he decapitated the female tribute from 8.

Upon entry to the brief meeting with our mentors, I catch a glimpse of what looks like to be Finnck Odiar who died in the second rebellion. However I dismiss it. A half-hearted coughs tells me my tardiness is not desirable "Why are you late" I stern voice calls from across the room.

"Sorry I was-"

"Never mind just sit down and listen, we have 15 minutes before you go" a frustrated Amelia says.

"I know I'm not authorised to tell you guys this, but the Capitol are planning to make the ten year anniversary of the second rebellion, this year's games will be, well interesting" the ever increasing anxiety boils and bubble's inside. After this news is delivered Finnick appears in the door way staring blankly into my eyes as if he is able to see through me. An inhuman sound escapes his lips "l-lets…go" is it possible the capitol have reanimated Finncik?