Katniss rolled out of bed and looked down at her scruffy cat. It had an interesting backstory that gave some insight into her family's situation, but all you really need to know is that Katniss's Dad is dead. Few protagonists of teen novels have any parents at all, so in that sense Katniss was lucky that she still had her clinically depressed mother.
She pulled on her hunting boots and set out through the cold morning, as blackened miners trooped by her on their way to work. Their fingernails caked with soot, they had wearied of trying to remove the stains of the mines day after day. She made her way to the fence that kept out the predators, who were determined enough to try and eat people, but not quite determined enough to get under the fence like Katniss did every day.
Katniss stalked stealthily through the woods, picking up her bow from a hollowed log. The woods opened into the clearing where Gale was waiting for her. She took a seat next to him on the ground.
"Hey Catnip," he said.
"Catch anything?"
Gale held up a string of rabbits in response. Then he looked out over the green, lush valley.
"We could do it you know. Run away. Live in the woods," said Gale.
"Where is this coming from?" Katniss asked, startled by his tone.
He shrugged. "Do you think you'd ever want to have kids?"
"You don't sound like yourself, Gale," she said, looking him in the face.
"Katniss-"
She stood up. "Let's go. I saw some tracks on the way over here."
Gale sighed. Friendzoned, he thought, Friendzoned so hard.
Several squirrels later, Katniss and Gale were in the Hob, District 12's black market. Most black markets are more of a metaphor for illegal activities, but this was a literal market that you could go to. Everyone was generous with their deals today. It was the Reaping, after all.
Greasy Sae handed them a big bag full of unidentifiable meats. "Good luck."
"Greasy Sae," said Katniss, "Everybody else might think that you're just this big, stereotypical lunch lady type, but I know you're special," she pointed to her chest, "right here."
Gale nodded, pointing to his own chest.
Katniss and Gale parted, and she headed back to her tiny house. Inside her mother was getting Prim ready for the Reaping. The second she stepped in the door, Prim ran at her like a happy puppy.
"Let's get you ready too, Katniss," said her Mother.
Katniss brushed past her. "Whatever Mom, I don't need you. You can't hunt."
"But I can do your hair," she replied quietly.
Katniss threw herself down into a chair. "Fine."
Once the three of them looked fancy enough, they joined everyone at the bustling plaza. Cameras on cranes were positioned around the square, assuring that every moment of entertainment was gleaned and given to the viewers. Up on stage, the mayor stepped up to the microphone.
"Happy Hunger Games! You know," he began, placing his hands on either side of the lecturn at the front of the platform, "I know you're all probably nervous. Will I be chosen? Will my children be chosen? Well I can't tell you that. But I can tell you this: we've got bigger problems, people."
There was murmuring amongst the crowd.
He nodded. "Yeah. Think about it. Hundreds of years ago, America was the most stable country in the world, possibly in the history of government. And now we're some 1984-esque fascist state? What the heck do you think happened to the rest of the world? What about, like, Mexico? Things were already pretty screwy down there. What about North Korea?"
The crowd murmur became confused. A young boy towards the front raised his hand.
"Sir, what is North Korea?"
"Exactly! Is there even a North Korea anymore?" exclaimed the mayor, his face lighting up. Two security guards from the Capitol came up behind him, each grabbing an arm and pulling him away from the microphone.
"What happened to Asia?" his now unamplified voice called out over the crowd," What happened to Asia!"
Effie Trinket took center stage. "What a speech!" she said enthusiastically.
There was sporatic applause.
"And now, what you've all been waiting for. The drawing!" she took several short steps to her right, and reached what was probably at present the cleanest hand in the entire District into the giant ball containing every girl's name. She rustled the slips around for effect, then withdrew a name.
"Primrose Everdeen."
The tiny girl made her way through the crowd to the steps, the sun catching on her necklace.
Katniss squinted her eyes. "Oh my gosh. That's mine," she nudged the person next to her, "That's my necklace."
She began pushing her way through the crowd. "Prim! Prim!"
Katniss caught her halfway up the stairs, grabbed her shoulder, and turned her around.
"This," she undid the necklace, "Is mine. Thank you."
"What's this?" Effie's level of enthusiasm seem to have spiked, "A volunteer?"
"Um, no, I'm actually just-"
Prim clutched at her. "No! Katniss!"
"Jeez, get off me-"
Gale lept up the stairs and snatched Prim off of her.
"Everyone, I give you District 12's new female tribute!"
The crowd roared.
"Dang it dang it dang it," Katniss said under her breath as she marched across the stage.
"And the male tribute will be," she pulled out a second white slip, "Peeta Mellark!"
The crowd erupted into laughter as a stocky blonde boy made his way to the stage.
"It's a real name, okay!" he shouted at them.
Katniss was bent over, guffawing. "No it's not," she wheezed.
He aimed a hand at her. "Katniss? You're named after a plant!"
"That's totally different!" she managed to get out. Her eyes watering up.
Effie patted him on the shoulder. "It really is, sweetie."
Haymitch staggered off of the stage behind Peeta's back, pointing at him and laughing.
AN: So I hope you liked this chapter, I'll be able to update fast since I've already written the next couple! It's not because I have nothing better to do! Ha...