A/N To Kick off Spring Break, I'm publishing my first Hunger Games story! Enjoy! And May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!
Chapter One
The warm, golden sunlight floods through my window, shining across my nose and into my already-open eyes. I sat up and stretched. I was awake. My feet fell on the floor. Even though it was reaping day, I still had to go to work. I pulled my long, silky hair back into a ponytail, put on my uniform, and opened the door. "Hello." Nick met me on my way to the grain fields. "Good Morning. Happy Hunger Games!" I tried. Nick forced a barely audible chuckle. "Happy Hunger Games Kenna!" He replied, in a near-perfect imitation of President Snow. He's been practicing.
We feed, water, and treat the grain. There will be no new planting or harvesting today. At noon, a loud buzzer rings. In the ninth district of the country of Panem, there are no sick days. We have a lunch break, then work until dinner. The laborers of our district are given one extra break per year. They are given the day off, beginning at noon, on Reaping Day. Upon reaching my family's cottage, I take a small drink of water, check on Jackson, make sure dad isn't too drunk, today of all days. Luckily, he isn't. Then I take a shower.
Don't get me wrong, we have perfectly nice showers. They just aren't a thing like I hear the capitol's are. I hope I never use a capitol shower. When that's done, I put on my mother's old Reaping dress. It's cornflower blue, which makes my indigo eyes pop. I brush my caramel hair out, because I never get to wear it down. I only have one pair of shoes, so I make due with them. The toes clicked against our wooden floors as I rushed to get Jackson ready. It was his first Reaping. Even though I was only two years older than him, it felt like I was ten years older.
"Dad, come on. We need to get to the Reaping." Dad groaned, but followed us to the square. I squeezed Jackson's hand and sent him to stand with the boys, while I stood with the girls and tried not to look too nervous. I'd been taking teresae because we'd been struggling since mom died, every year. I was only fourteen though, so my name would only be in nine times. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen!" Rooney, our overenthusiastic games coordinator, said. "As always, Happy Hunger Games! And May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!"
Rooney brushed her thick black hair, shaved on one side, back behind her bright red scarf. Her green eyes gleamed with pleasure as she stood to stand at what Nick and I had nicknamed "the fishbowl." Nick caught my eye, smiling and nodding through the crowd. I was far more worried about him than myself. He was feeding a family of five, so he had taken the teresae fifteen times. Fifteen times vs. my nine. Nick had me beat. "Ladies first." Rooney grinned, stopping at the first glass bowl. We all held our breath as her white hand swirled our futures around the glass. She removed one piece of paper. "McKenna St. Clair."
A/N I'm so sorry it's short! I convinced myself that this would be a perfect cliff hanger! The next chapter will be extra long, I promise...but only if you review! So what do you think? Tell me in the reviews!