Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Hunger Games characters or the Hunger Games, all rights go to Suzanne Collins.

I was running, in what looked like a forest. There was a large boy around 17 chasing me, and I was running as fast as I could. The boy was armed, he had a spear and seemed like a good thrower and his blonde hair ruffled in the wind. All I had was my small bow and two arrows, but I couldn't shoot that would give him an advantage. Yes, there was the end of the forest, I put my hands up wanting to cry out in victory but a strong force pushed me back. A force field, the boy came at me faster and raised the spear about to strike….

I screamed loudly, and found myself shaking terribly. That was just one of many nightmares that had occurred this week. I looked over to my little brother, his blonde hair smoothed across his forehead. He's always been a deep sleeper, like dad. I'm like mum, I have easy nightmares. However it seems dad heard me screaming for he's here now. 'Mattie calm down it was only a nightmare,' he says quietly sitting down on my bed. Little did I know there were small wet tears dripping down my face and splashing onto the black and purple pillow. Me and dad we get along, you wouldn't think it though. Yeah I have his blue eyes but apart from that I take after mum with her brown hair and facial looks. My long hair's braided in its usual braid, mum's signature hair style it was how she looked in the arena and still how she looks now. I'm 15 now, Finn's 7 and there's no danger at least I thought there wasn't. Dad gave me a quick hug and stood me up 'Look there over now, the Games, you or Finn or me or Mum can't be drawn out of the reaping ball ever,' he reassured me and gave a quick smile. I looked over to the blue clock that ticked on my shelf '5:00 am' it said. The thing is when I wake up I can never get back to sleep, annoying I know.

My parents were in the last Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell, or the 75th Hunger Games. After that the rebellion started, my father Peeta Mellark was captured by the Capitol and tortured using Tracker Jacker venom 'Hijacking' and my mother in District 13 (which was thought to have been destroyed) acting as the 'Mockingjay' the symbol of the rebellion. After that moved to the new District 12 because the old one(their home) had been destroyed earlier by President Snow and had me and Finn. Many of their friends died in the Games and the Rebellion such as Rue a girl from District 11 who formed an alliance with my mother, Finnick Odair who was a man from District 4 whom my brother is named after, Wiress and Beetee who were former victors and took part in the 75th Hunger Games as District 3 though Beetee actually survived and went to District 13 with my mother. President Snow and President Coin were kind of in my eyes, heartless monsters so many died under both of them. Dad looked at me and said 'Well knowing you Mattie, you'll probably stay up the rest of the night reading a book so how about we have early breakfast,' whilst picking up my dressing gown and wrapping it round me. I slowly walked down the white stairs looking at the three pictures of me and Finn playing in The Meadow when we were younger. Even now I can still hear the butterflies dancing on the flowers and the bright green crickets chirruping in the grass. Those days are over now, for me but not for Finn who often goes with Mum. In fact the only thing me and my mother do together is Hunting which we both have a huge passion for. 'You know I still have nightmares, even now,' Dad said to me smiling. I raised my eyebrows 'But you don't even- ' I started to say but he cut me off 'Unlike you and your mum I tend to not wake up at quarter to five screaming my head off,' he laughed his bright blue eyes twinkling. I laughed, my arms crossed over my stomach, Dad was SUCH a smooth and easy talker like me. Finn's quiet like Mum, I've watched her interview with Ceaser Flickerman, and boy did she look nervous! 'I'm sorry but when you're being chased by a huge 17 year old boy who just happens to have an extremely sharp spear that he is itching to impale you on, and your running in a forest and it just happens to have a force field on the edges let me know!' I said trying to look serious.

Dad chuckled and replied 'So you had a nightmare about the 74th Hunger Games? I think I know who was chasing you to, it was probably a boy named Cato remember the one who got killed by the mutations?' he asked me cutting some bread. 'Yeah I remember now, funny I dreamt about him,' I said glaring at the video of the 74th Hunger Games. I could hear someone creaking down the stairs, definitely Mum. Her steps were very quiet, probably because that's the way she hunts. Mum walked into the kitchen her hair in a braid like mine 'what the hell are you two doing up?' she asked smiling slightly. 'Mattie had a nightmare….AGAIN!' Dad half shouted, not wanting to wake Finn up. Mum shook her head 'Just like I did,' she muttered. The sun warmed the kitchen, gleaming on the white shiny surface. 'Perfect for hunting, the animals will be by the watering hole won't they Mum?' I asked her. She nodded 'We'll go today,' she said smiling, I'll have to admit I do love my Mum as much as Dad it's just her time is taken up with Finn. 'Yes!' Dad said fist punching the air 'Finally a day without the women badgering me,' Me and Mum both glared at him, then looked at each other laughing. It was now six in the morning, usually the time I wake up however my earliest was one. My name is Mattie Mellark and my parents are Katniss and Peeta Mellark, the 74th Hunger Games victors and District 12 tributes in the third Quarter Quell, my brother is Finnick Mellark, Finn for short. To be honest I don't know who I'm named after but I bet it's someone good, someone who stood by my mother and father when the rebellion was on.

I eat a few slices of warm white bread with a thin spread of yellow butter on them, and then walk upstairs to get dressed. First I have a warm shower, the hot water trickling down my back and dripping down my hair, next I dry y hair and put on my dark brown trousers and black top with the mockingjay symbol embroidered on the right arm sleeve, my leather hunting jacket which used to belong to Mum and my leather hunting boots. Finally I braid my long hair into a braid down my back. Finn is still sleeping, his angelic face golden by the warm sunlight which drifted through his thin blue curtains. I shake my head and tread almost silently downstairs, grabbing my bow and arrows on the way. This was my absolute favourite weapon, though it provided absolute concentration to hit the target I still favoured it from knives and guns. Usually I dip the tips of the arrows in poisonous berries to ensure my prey a quick death, they say I'm too kind. Well they should see me in full blast, Mum says I'm a killing machine sometimes. It's worse at school where everyone wants to be my friend, mostly because of my surname Mellark and they know I'm the offspring of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. But in truth my real friend is Jodie, she's the same age as me and has long ginger hair and bright green eyes.

We always hang out together, but unlike me Jodie hates hunting and says it's barbaric. However that doesn't stop her from coming to the meadow with me where we usually catch fish in the lake and collect berries to eat. I remember Mum telling me about how she used to sneak into the Meadow with her friend called Gale, he used to love Mum but settled in District 2 with another woman and a fancy job. I'm glad he's not my father as we probably wouldn't ever get along. Mum's waiting for me 'You ready?' she asks and I nod while opening the door. To my instant surprise Wolfie- a boy from school- is waiting for me. 'Mattie, I came to say-'he begins to say 'Sorry Wolfie I'm very busy today, can't talk,' I say and quickly walk my mother away. 'Another admirer?' she asks me and I nod 'Your so like your father!' she says giving me a soft nudge. I smile slightly and shake my head, 'You should see the playground on Monday their always shouting 'Mattie, Mattie come hang out with us' I just sneak round the back and find Jodie,' I say to Mum laughing. We reach the start of the Meadow and climb under the electric fence which no longer works. Apparently someone disconnected it from the power supply and it's never been reconnected. We go down to the watering hole and just as I suggested there is a flock of rabbits and deer there, trying to hydrate themselves in the hot weather. I raise my bow and release the poisonous arrow which falls into the neck of a rabbit, which dies instantly. I do this until 5 of the 10 rabbits are dead and let the other five go. Me and Mum ignore the deer like we always do, this is because one their too heavy to carry home and two their far too beautiful to kill. I collect my game and put it in our Game Bag, sealing the top as I do. The deer have run off now, scared that we might try to hurt them. We wonder a little more into the woods, to the strawberry patch that Mum said she'd found years ago and pluck a few strawberries off and putting them into a small wooden basket which also carries a variation of other berries. 'Mum, the arenas have been destroyed now?' I ask her wanting to confirm that there will be no more Hunger Games. 'Yes all of them,' she replies 'why do you ask?' I think why I needed to ask her and it comes to me 'Well it's just I think their building something in the Capitol and I was worried that they may be replenishing the arenas,' I tell her my heart starting to thud. 'Probably some new houses to indulge in,' she tells me 'don't worry, me and your father made an agreement with President Coin that there would be no more Hunger Games, well apart from one but that won't include you or Finn,' she says smiling trying to reassure me as Dad did in the early hours of the morning. 'But President Coin was really one of the bad guys,' I say quietly looking at my watch, it said nine o'clock which was time to go back. We slid back under the fence and back to our house. Finn runs to the door and opens it 'Mattie, Daddy said you gone hunting, I was so worried!' he shouts at me hugging my waist. 'Finn you know me and Mum always go hunting at weekends,' I tell him, silently laughing in my head. 'Yeah but you always have to tell me!' he shouts again but I just ruffle his golden curls and walk inside, putting the game bag onto the kitchen table. 'Mattie a boy called, think he was called Wolfie he wants to meet up,' Dad says as he comes into the kitchen. 'Well you can tell him that his dreams are officially over,' I reply. Dad looks horror struck 'I never knew you were so heartless,' he says then laughs and ruffles my hair. Climbing up the stairs I sit on the black covers of my bed and find a note that reads,

Meet me in the old Hob

Wolfie.

I scrunch it up into a little ball and throw it into the waste paper basket, then hear a scream from downstairs. Definitely Mum. 'Mum what's wrong?' I shout charging downstairs. The television is turned on and on it is a news flash. Dad is standing by her his face pale. The newsreader says 'A few days ago there was an attack on the Capitol from Districts 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and new arenas are being built as we speak for the 76th Hunger Games! All districts are to prepare for the reaping which will be held on the 24th June, thank you and may the odds be ever in your favour!' She shouts and the screen goes blank. I shiver and shake 'Mum I have to go don't I?' I ask her. Dad nods and I run out of the room. I thought we were safe, that no one could harm us but I was wrong, so so wrong.