My name is Seffie. Weird name, I know. My parents thought it would be interesting to give me a name that nobody else had. Of course what they thought was interesting everybody else thought was stupid. So I got laughed at every day whenever I went with my axe to chop down the trees. Everybody would whisper "there's Seffie!" and laugh.

President Hutson was elected a few months ago. He named the new nation Panem and split it into twelve Districts. I live in District 7, the district of lumber. It's a boring and hard job to cut down trees to get their wood, but it's part of the job. President Hutson now has security everywhere in all the Districts; peacekeepers, he calls them. I think they're more like stalkers.

I've been hearing all this talk about some sort of game. People seem really nervous about it, and I don't know why. What's wrong with a game? Games are fun, right?

I should probably explain some things, one of them being how me and my family survived the apocalypse. You see, people had turned against the USA after the President decided to turn communist. They broke into the White House and started wreaking havoc. Soon everybody everywhere was angry and there were multiple riots. Then the soldiers came. People started attacking them, and they started shooting. The shooting made the people even more angry, so they attacked even more soldiers. There were too many people and not enough soldiers.

And then the planes came. My parents looked to the sky and saw the planes coming toward us in the sky. They ushered us downstairs and we quickly went to our "underground safe-spot", as my parents called it. They'd dug it up years before when a strange tornado had whipped through California, where we lived. The tornado nearly destroyed all of LA, but it had never come toward where my family lived. Still, my parents wanted to be cautious so they dug the hole just in case another tornado hit where we lived.

So we hid in that safe-spot for a few minutes, and all was quiet. Then there was a deafening boom as a bomb exploded above us. Then another boom. My little sister, Beth (who was only two at the time), started crying and my mom held her close. I started crying as well (I was only five).

The bombing went on for days. Luckily, we had food and water that had been stored under there, so we would be okay for a month or so.

Then, finally, after three weeks the bombs stopped raining down. All was quiet. My dad slowly opened up the door to our safe-spot and he motioned for us to come up. Our house was gone. Everybody's houses were gone. All around us was rubble, and nothing but rubble.

So we searched around for people, survivors, but there was nobody. Then, out of the ashes, came a few people who decided to make a new government. There were only about one hundred American's left; all the rest had been killed in the bombings.

So here we are today. The people soon multiplied and were sent to various places in what was once North America. People elected Hutson to become President and he decided to rename North America Panem.

But then the Districts rebelled against the Capitol (the place where the President lived and where all the big decisions were made) and war broke out. That era was called the Dark Days.

But the Capitol defeated the rebellious people and ended up destroying District 13. That was only a few weeks ago. Now we live in peace.

So, there you have it. How the world ended and how Panem began. Amazing story, right? Wait, why am I even writing this down? Oh, right. If anybody ever makes a time machine, I could always send this back in time and maybe people would read it and decide not to be as stupid as they were. Yes, I just called the entire human species stupid. Sue me.

I head to the forest where all the other workers are. I'm now fifteen years old, which is the age when you're old enough to work. If you're younger than fifteen, you get to live the dream and stay at home and do nothing. Anything past, though, and you have to work. Doesn't matter if you're fifteen or eighty-one, you have to work (new rule that Pres. Hutson made).

I sigh as I swing my axe at the tree and it buries itself into the bark. Getting lumber is hard work. I remember the first few times I did it. My back hurt for weeks.

After a few hours of cutting down trees, we're sent home early. I don't know why; I never know until I get home. So I head home with my dad. Another rule Hudson has made; at least two family members must work in the forest to cut down trees (as long as you're fifteen or older). I decided to do it with my dad so that my mom wouldn't have to and so she could stay home with Beth (who is twelve years old, now).

My dad hugs me from the side as we walk toward our house. At the front door is my mom who waves us inside. I know something's wrong; the first thing she does when she sees us coming is run to us. Then she kisses my dad. But now we're inside and she's telling us to watch the TV. On it is President Hutson, who has just begun speaking.

"Hello, citizens of Panem," he says, smiling at the camera that is filming him. "As you all know, there was a revolt which caused the world to crumble. People went psychotic and started destroying things. Then we rose out of the ashes, and would you know what? The Districts turned against their loving Capitol. This cannot happen again, as you all know. If it does, the human species is done for. So, to make sure that this does not happen again, I have made and signed the Treaty of Treason."

I look to my parents to see if they know what the Treaty of Treason is, but they only shake their heads. I look back to the TV screen as Hutson begins speaking again.

"The Treaty of Treason will bring forth new laws," he continues. "I'm sure you all remember the Dark Days, which happened only a few weeks ago. I'm sure you all don't want those Dark Days to come back. I'm sure you all remember the starving children in the streets, the dead bodies. Nobody wants that to return. So, in the Treaty of Treason, there will be a new law made. Each year, the various Districts of Panem will offer up in tribute one young man and woman between the ages of twelve and eighteen to be trained in the art of survival. After a few days of training, they will be sent to an outdoor arena where they will fight until a lone victor remains. This will be called The Hunger Games."

My mother gasps and I stare at the screen. I do the Math in my head and find that there will be twenty-four kids, and only one will come out.

"Now, before you start getting angry," Hutson continues. "Know that we could just kill all of your children. But to show the Capitol's mercy, we will let there be a victor. That victor will be showered in riches and their District will be glorified."

He says a few other things, but I barely hear them. One victor. All of the others will be dead. And then I realize something else: Beth is twelve. She's eligible to be sent to The Hunger Games. I look over at her and she has a worried look on her face.

"You won't let them take us to the games, right?" I ask my parents worriedly.

"I'm not sure if we can do anything about it," my dad says.

"But twenty-three kids will die!" I exclaim. "It's barbaric!"

"I know, sweetheart," my dad says, putting an arm around my shoulder as a tear starts to slide down my cheek. What if I'm picked? Or, worse, Beth?