Yup! A new story. I'll actually work on this one, okay? xD Of course it's gonna be a Hunger Games story. I'm surprised I haven't made one sooner. I love the Hunger Games, and I got this idea while reading Catching Fire for the second time. Anyway, these chapters take place during the first book. Maybe I'll make another story that takes place during Catching Fire. I dunno. I'll just focus on this story. :3

Also, since we were never told last names (and first names for some districts), I'm making them up. Just a heads up.

Anyway, enjoy the story! :D

District One: Chapter One

Shimmer sighed and put down the necklace that she just got done making. The Capitol's demand for more jewelry was increasing, and the designs for them has started becoming just ridiculous because of this year's up and coming Hunger Games. Actually, the reaping will take place tomorrow at lunch. This will be her last year of being in the drawing, and even though she's trained for the Games since she was young, she hopes that she will not be picked. Each year since she turned twelve, she's been scared of her name being called. And each year a sense of relief has filled her body when she hasn't been picked. Shimmer loves her district, honestly she does. But she wouldn't like to fight for it. Maybe it's just her, but she wouldn't mind if the Hunger Games just stopped all together.

'Stop it. Thoughts like that is what form rebels.'

Shaking her head, she stood up from her seat in the small, luxury factory. The work day for her was finally over. She walked over to the rack of cards, grabbed hers, clocked out, and finally put her card back on the rack. She walked out of the factory's doors and stopped to stretch a bit, her flowing blond hair falling past her shoulders to her mid-back. She looked up at the bright blue sky, which had few clouds scattered about. Shimmer smiled. Her job may blow, but she was glad that she lived in this district. It has to be better than District Twelve. Hell, it's probably better than all of the districts. The only place that could top this place is the Capitol.

She looked around at the people and saw some kids who were old enough to be drawn into this year's Games. Shimmer felt a pang tug at her heart when she saw a small twelve year old laugh at a joke his father just told him. What if he's the one that's drawn? Sure, he's been training, although illegally, but it looks to her like he doesn't have much meat on him. He'd never make it into the Careers, even though he's from District One. Shimmer shook her head again for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. She has to stop thinking like this.

Shimmer continued forward, noticing that the sun was starting to set in the distance. She hadn't realized how late it had gotten. Her parents were probably worried about her, even though this district isn't very big. Thinking it'd be some good exercise, she started jogging home, careful not to slap strangers in the face with her flowing hair.

She was breathing quick, shallow breaths when she arrived home. "I'm home!" Shimmer announced when she walked in through the big front door.

Her mother poked her face out of the kitchen entryway with a warm smile on her face. "How was work today, honey?"

"Oh, same old, same old. Making ridiculous looking jewelry for the silly people who live in the Capitol." Even though Shimmer said the words with as much venom in them as possible, she faked a bright, happy look to make it seem like she was joking. She didn't want her mother to know that she didn't particularly like the Capitol's citizens all that much. She was afraid that her mother would somehow turn against her. It's unlikely, but Shimmer was a bit paranoid.

Her mother chuckled lightly, unsure of what her daughter might actually mean. "Well, we're having your favorite tonight. Go wash up and it'll be ready."

Shimmer nodded slightly and then bounded up the stairs to take a quick shower. When she was done, she did her usual routine. Go down to eat with the family, make small jokes, excuse herself from the table when she was done, and walked up to her small room. She lied down on her bed, exhausted from the day. She sighed and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was going to be horrible. Just like it is every year.

Shimmer went to bed that night hoping that the odds would be in her favor.

Tomorrow morning came too quickly. Since it was the day of the reaping, Shimmer had the whole day off of work to do whatever she pleased until noon. She didn't get up until it was two hours before the reaping, though, so she couldn't do much before then. She slugged out of bed and into the shower to wake herself up, and then picked out a pink dress with a matching ribbon to go in her hair. By then it was already time to start heading toward the town square, where the reapings took place.

When she got there, almost all of the district were already there and sectioned off by age and gender. Shimmer took her place among the eighteen year old girls. She stood next to her best friend, Glimmer, and waited patiently.

"I wonder who it'll be this year." Said Glimmer with a small smirk on her face. Shimmer smiled a bit at the other blond, letting her know that she acknowledged what she said, but didn't have an answer for her. Shimmer and Glimmer go way back, ever since middle school when they found out that their names are almost similar. They ran the school after that.

Suddenly, everyone quieted down when a lanky man named Brutus stepped onto the stage. His face looked like he got hit with a heavy ball way too many times. He looked young, but too many surgical operations had done it's toll on the poor fellow. His hair was an abnormally orange color that stuck up in places, and his suit was a dirty orange and yellow mix. When he took his place on the stage, he smiled at the crowd, and it took everything in Shimmer's power to not shudder at the sight. Brutus was not appealing.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to the annual reaping of the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games! Now, of course, we'll start with the ladies first and then move on to the gentlemen." He nodded, as if to himself rather than to the crowd, and stepped over to two big bowls filled with names. Shimmer grabbed Glimmer's hand and tightened, scared that she might be picked. When Brutus reached in and pulled out a small slip of paper, Shimmer closed her eyes.

"Glimmer Shivel."

Shimmer's eyes shot open immediately as she turned her head toward her friend. Her heart sank. Tears threatened to spill over her blue eyes. Glimmer blinked and looked at the other blond, who was about to have a nervous break down. "Shimmer, I got picked!" The girl said, with a creeping smile. The crowed around them started clapping as Glimmer thrusted her free arm up in the air.

Shimmer swallowed hard. "How can you be happy about this?" She whispered, unwilling to let go of her friend's hand. She didn't know what she'd do with out her.

"Shimmer, let go! I gotta get up on the stage." Glimmer shook her hand free of Shimmer's grasp. Shaking her head, she walked away from the blue-eyed blond, her smile big. Glimmer made it to the stage and bowed to the crowd.

"Yees, yes, calm down, now," said Brutus, clapping his hands to quiet everyone down. "Now it's time for the gentlemen." He walked over to a different bowl and stuck his hand in. He pulled out a slip of paper, unfolded it, and announced the male's name.

"Marvel Revvem."

The section of males that held Marvel started cheering, but Shimmer didn't watch him walk up there. 'Why Glimmer...?' Tears threatened to spill over, so she quickly tightened her eyes to prevent it. This was supposed to be a happy, good time because District One usually wins in the Hunger Games. But something just didn't feel right. Shimmer knew that this year would be different.

She knew Marvel had finally reached the stage when Brutus told the two to shake hands, and wrapped it all up with his quote, "Let the 74th Hunger Games begin! And may the odds ever be in your favor!"