Disclaimer: I don't own this. Suzanne Collins does.
Chapter One
I was entirely focused on the hunt. I felt the wind whip through my hair and I heard the twang of the bowstring. I heard the thump as the poor creature, my meal, hit the ground. I felt the rough texture of the bark as I swung down from the tree. I permitted myself a brief grin. Through the eye, as usual. And it was running too. I skinned its carcass and chopped up the meat. I wrapped the meat up and tucked it away in my duffel bag. I was lucky, I had hit three squirrels in the head with a sling and shot one doe with my bow. I sighed as I went to hide my weapons. I locked them up and then hid them in the hollow tree way up high on a shelf inside the tree. I brushed my hip-length hair out of my face.
You might be wondering where I am. I live in District Four. The Peacekeepers don't really watch the forest. Who would go out there? Besides they have an electric fence that's never off. They watch the water like hawks though so this is the only way I can get extra food.
I walk over to a willow tree that's leaning up against the fence. I climb up and then slide down a vine that hangs over the other side. I turn around to see Vyrn glaring at me.
" Jayna Everett. You went hunting without me." she said. I nodded and smiled tiredly.
" Unbelievable." She turned around and stalked off, her gold hair swinging behind her. I sighed, Vyrn always loved to be dramatic. She could be an actor.
" See you at the Reaping." I called after her. She just kept walking. I walked home. My two little sisters met me at the door.
" Jayna, Jayna! You're home!" they shouted excitedly.
Rell and Raven were twins and look exactly alike. They both had jet-black hair that had recently been cut to their chins. They had icy blue eyes that could cut you like a knife. They were small and petite. I however was completely different.
My hair was a couple shades darker , and redder, than a fox's coat with some gold strands mixed in there too. I was fourteen, but my birthday was in a couple of weeks. My eyes were yellow, which was stupid. Who has ever had yellow eyes? Oh yeah, me. I was tall and willowy, with muscles beginning to show from years of hard work. I should be tan from working out in the sun all the time, at the docks, but I wasn't. I had ivory skin that never got darker than the crystalline sand at the beaches.
I went inside and nodded at Maera. She was my older sister. This year would be her last in the Reapings and then she would be safe. She was taller than me and had hard muscles. Her skin was gold from the sun and she light blonde hair.. Her eyes were pitch black, from our father.
My friend, Cal, was also waiting. He had just turned seventeen yesterday and would soon be out of the Reapings too. He had dirty blonde hair. My head only reached up to his nose and he was almost taller than Maera. His skin wasn't as gold as Maera's but it was still tan. He had wiry muscles and light caramel eyes that were always sparkling with mischief. He was like the big brother I never had. I gave him a hug.
" Hey Cal." I said. He smiled wryly.
" Hey Jaybird" He said.
That was his nickname for me. I glanced up at his playful eyes. They were a little sad, probably because of today.
"Don't be blue." I whispered.
" Okay." He whispered back. He glanced to his right.
" I think your mother wants you." he said. I turned around and I saw my mom looking at me impatiently, holding something in her arms. I gave him another hug.
" See you. Good luck." I turned around and faced my mother. She pointed wordlessly up the stairs. I understood. I went upstairs and stripped off my clothes and stepped quickly into a tub full of freezing water. I quickly cleaned and got out. I put on a robe and went into my room. I got dressed.
I was wearing a floor-length gold gown. My mom always said that gold brought out the gold in my hair and the yellow in my eyes. I sighed. It had long sleeves that were close-fitting until my elbows, where they widened. I wore golden ballet flats and my hair was piled on top of my head in a sophisticated fashion, courtesy of my mom.
We walked outside and everyone in the district gathered at the square. We separated and went into different groups. I went into the Girl's Fourteens. Rell and Raven went into Girl's Twelves, Maera went into Girl's Eighteens, and Cal went into Boy's Seventeens. And then it began.
Okay so what do you think? Review! R for review, E for enjoy, V for very awesome story, I for I wrote it, E for everyone read and review, and W for write what you think.