My eyes slam open and I awake from the 3rd nightmare of the night. I look out my dirtied window to see the dim light of early morning seep through the dense woods that surround District 7. "Lane!" I hear my mother call out, "Get your lazy ass out of bed, it's reaping day." She yells, "Coming mom, let me get dressed." I groggily climb out of bed and grab a purple shirt that I'm told goes well with my amber colored eyes. I throw on a plain pair of black slacks and walk out of my room, patting my brown hair down to the point that it looks, hopefully, presentable and enter our kitchen where I prepare a very quick meal of fruits and roots that we grew out back.I eat briskly and realise the time, Almost time for reapings, I think to myself. I quickly walk out of my home and look around at the Victors village in which I live. Dad would live here too. That is, if he were alive.
I guess I should explain, my father and my mother were both entered into the 39th Hunger games, both were 18, and they knew nothing about each other beforehand but fell in love in that short time. Anyway, they went into the arena together and made it to the final 3 by hiding and running most of the time. Dad killed the boy from 2 and the girl from 8 before they got to the final 3. The only thing standing between their inevitable fight was the boy from 4. They fought, my dad and him. Dad tried to stab him, but that was in vain as the other boy had already impaled him. As it turned out, Mom could be crazy ,she took Dad's knife and she lost it, even after the last cannon sounded and the trumpets of victory blared, she didn't stop until a Peacekeeper had to neutralize her. Then a few months later I was born, mom didnt care for me much, she felt I was the reason dad died, though I don't quite understand why, but she does, says that if I hadn't been there, in her womb, Dad could have been less willing to die.
I briskly walked to the reaping. I sign in and scan my eyes over the area and quickly enter the 16 year olds section and wait, only to watch a very unfamiliar woman trot on to the stage and say with a very large smile and a bright and bubbly voice, "Welcome District 7, to the reapings for the 55th annual Hunger Games. I will be your new escort, Eva Lockhart, and before we begin we have a very special video, brought to you all the way from the capitol." At this point I blank out until I hear the words, "As usual, ladies first." She slides her hand over the top of the bowl and quickly grabs a paper and calls out, "Heather Tamber." I stay silent as I realise who she is, Heather Tamber, the girl that bullied me for living , she grew up in the slums of the district. She had to fight to survive and feels entitled because of it. She thinks that because I was born into the Victors Village that I got life easy, and sure I did, but I never really used any of mom's money. I grew my food, bought my own supplies for school from the store I worked at. Anyway, the girl walked to the stage with her head down and Eva giggled brightly and walked over to the other bowl and quickly drew a name, "Lane Hale." My heart sinks at the words. I take a second to process what my strategy will be and I smirk for a second before I begin sobbing and slowly walk up to the stage with my face buried in my hands. I know that my small size, even though I may be 16, will definitely help with a quick plan.
