Chapter 1

Peeta's Pov:

As I sit on this hill in the forest of district 12 I feel like there is nothing that could hurt me. Nothing that really matters, besides me and the ones that I love. Looking down at my pocket watch I see that it is time for me to start making my way back to the real world. Sometimes I wish that I could just build a house out here and take my family and live here. Never having to live in the cruel world that we live in now. Being able to truly protect my little brothers from all that could happen to them.

As I make my way back to the seam I pass by the old bakery, which now is just a pile of rubble. You see my family used to own that bakery until it burned down 5 years ago. The fire didn't just take away our business and our home, it also took my father. My mother had gone to pick my brothers and me from school, and when we got back the fire was already in a full blaze. Some men from the town had run in, in hopes of saving my father, but when they brought him out he was already dead. Because the bakery was completely destroyed and we had barley enough money to survive, we were not able to rebuild the bakery and were forced to move to the seam. Every time I pass by this rubble all that I can think about is just how much this world has taken from me and everyone around me, and today its about to take two more things from my district.

You see today is the reaping day, 74 years ago the nation of Panem was engulfed in a civil war and when the government, better known as the capitol, came out on top they blew up the district of rebels, which is known as district 13, and to punish the rest of the nation and make sure that no district would ever rise up against them again they created an event called the hunger games, where each year 2 children, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18, from each district would be chosen to compete in a fight to the death where only one tribute can survive. And today is the day when those to children will be chosen.

When I get back to my house I can't help but to feel extremely nervous. My little brother Rye turned 12 last week and is now eligible to have his name entered into the reaping. He is too young to have to deal with things like this; 12 year olds should not have to fear for their lives. As I stand at the entrance to my door I feel two arms wrap around my waist from behind when I turn around I see a face that I have been dying to see all morning, "Katniss" I sigh leaning in to warp my arms around her and breathing in her wonderful forest and lavender smell. "Peeta, I'm sorry I wasn't in the forest today prim had a bad dream and I stayed in to comfort her, she said that Rye was picked in the reaping and was extremely scared" I look at her understanding how she feels, I hate to seem my younger brothers scared, it haunts me every day that I cant take away that fear. "Its okay I understand I hate the fact that they are both in the reaping this year its so unfair, they shouldn't have to go through this" "I know Peeta I feel the same way but at least both their names are only in once they have little chance of being picked, speaking of which how many time is your name in the reaping this year?" she asks giving me her best answer or die look, "52" I answer not looking her in the eye "what, how did it go up so fast how much tesserae did you take this year?" I take this time to look up at her and I immediately regret it "Katinss I'm not like you I have my mom and my 3 little brothers to feed and with the tesserae amount becoming less and less I was forced to take more than last year just so that we can survive." I turn away from her and break our embrace I know she is upset, and I can't stand to see her that way. All of the sudden I feel her hand on my arm as she turns me towards her and then throws her arms around my neck and brings my lips down to meet hers, at first I am startled, but I soon relax and kiss her back.

Katniss and I have been friends since we were 5 years old and started dating when we were 14. I have always been in love with her since the first moment I laid eyes on her, she is the most amazing person that I have ever met and I hope everyday that I can spend a long and amazing life with her. Her dad died 5 years ago as well in a mining explosion a few weeks after my father passed and we were there for each other every step of the way. Recently after her dad died we started hunting together in the woods to help provide for our families, but soon it became a place for us to unwind as well and it became our sanctuary, and just a place for us to pretend that we lived in a different world.

After we stopped kissing she told me that she had to go back home and get ready for the reaping. So now I sit alone on the couch that I sleep on dressed in the nicest clothes that I have, which are just a pair of tan dress pants and a dirty button up shirt, and I'm looking at the half burned picture of my father the only thing that I have left of him, and I cant help but feel even more terrified for today that I was before, but that's short lived because 2 seconds later the justice buildings bells are ringing signaling that it is time to go.

As my family and me make it to the square in front of the justice building, feel a hand grab mine, as I turn I see Rye nervously looking around. Bending down and looking him in the eye I can tell that he has no idea what to do. "Rye its okay, all that you have to do is go and stand in that line and sign in and then go to the spot designated for your age group." Looking up at me with eyes that would make any man cry he nods and then says "I love you Pete".

After telling him that I loved him too I went and got signed in and then got into my designated spot in the 16-year-old boys section. Looking to find Rye, I find him four sections in front of me looking down at his hands, then I turn and find Katniss staring at me, I mouth that everything will be okay, but before she could do anything else Effie Trinket, steps onto the stage with a bright blue wig on and smiling like she was just told that she was voted most stylish. After the normal speech and video from the capitol she steps up to draw the names "I'm going to mix it up this year and start with the boys first" she says in her annoying capital accent, as she steps over to the boys bowl. I barley have any time to pray before she has chosen a name and is at the microphone reading it out."Rye Mellark"

At that moment my heart stops and I stand frozen in shock as Rye is being brought out of his section, and before I can even think I am out of my section and yelling Ryes name, "Rye wait!" I scream and he turns to look at me, as he does so one of the peace keepers grabs him by the hair and shoves him back towards that stage, and in two seconds I am grabbing the peace keepers arm and snapping it in two and shoving him to the ground screaming "keep your hands off my brother!" As I move Rye behind me I look up and yell, "I volunteer as tribute" and begin walking towards the stage. Ignoring Rye screaming my name I take my place next to Effie on the stage and as I look out I see Rye being placed next to my mother, crying. I turn to find Katniss with a face of complete shock, she seems to be trying to take in exactly what has happened, while also trying to stay composed. Before I know it Effie is calling out the girl tributes name "Beatrice Miller" I look and see a girl with blonde hair stepping out of the crowd I recognize her as the jewelers daughter, and while its sad all that I can do is thank God that Katniss or her sister Prims name didn't come out of that bowl.