A/n: So this is the first chapter of my first real story, the other 'Phantom' being a one-shot. It may seem a little rushed because it's late and I've had this stuck in my head for awhile now, it was a spur of the moment transfer-my-ideas-on-paper sort of thing. I don't exactly know where i'm going with this, but i'm expecting to have some fun. Anyways, without further ado... here you go.

"Now the time has come for us to select two courageous young men and women, for the honor of representing District 13 in the 64th annual hunger games." Effie Trinket shifts over to the platform holding our future, she dips her made-up hands into the massive glass bowl and fishes around a bit before picking up one destiny-changing slip of paper, our life as we know it is in her hands. She makes her way back to the rustic microphone on the podium before carefully unfolding the snow-white paper. She clears her throat and in one lick of the lips she calls out "Maximillian Russo". I feel an immediate jolt through my body, almost as if I had been struck my lightning from head to toe. "Where are you? Come along now, Maximillian Russo" Effie repeats, scanning the crowd through her fake eyelashes and oddly colored eye-contacts. Immediately I feel darkness, I see black patches flying all over the place and before I know it I am out, cold. I see line after line of marching white men storming the small town square, my little brother lost in the madness. I suddenly feel a tingling sensation in my throat, and feel damp and clammy.

"MAX!" I wake up screaming, drenched in sweat. My mother and two brothers come storming into the room.

"What's with all the commotion?" my mother asks as she takes my hand in hers and places a damp towel on my forehead. Apparently I had been making quite the fuss for the past few minutes, I glance around noticing that I am in my bedroom. I go through a quick checklist in my mind to calm my self down. You are at home. You are with your family. Your mother is here. Your two brothers, Justin and Max, are here. You are in your bed. You are safe. It was just a nightmare. The reaping is tomorrow... wait... the reaping is tomorrow! I repeat to my self before I blurt it out for the rest of my family to hear. "Yes honey, it is" my mother replies with a stern, yet lost, look on her face. I don't wait to reply, I immediately grab onto my guitar and flee out the door.

I wander through the lost town known only as District 13. Eventually, I reach the hole under the fence separating us from the wilderness and chuck my guitar over it. I then slip through, pick up my guitar and turn my paced stroll into a run, dipping under branches and vines before coming to a halt, as I have reached my destination. My quiet place. The only area I feel safe. I look around at the beautiful wildlife surrounding me - thick and moist moss covers the deep brown soil, a deer runs off in the distance, a trickling stream flows just ahead. I find my place on a boulder and begin to strum on the rusted chords of my guitar, humming escapes my lips before I begin to find the lyrics.

Everything's cool, yeah

It's all gonna be okay, yeah

And I know,

Maybe I'll even

Laugh about it someday

But not today, no

Cause I don't feel so good

I'm tangled up inside

My heart is on my sleeve

Tomorrow is a mystery to me

Soon the words find themselves as I let my inner emotions flow out through my only savior known as music. Suddenly I hear a rustling in the bushes behind me, I flip out my pocket knife and whip my head around. That's when my eyes meet hers - red as blood, deep as darkness.

ouch, a cliffhanger(; I'm dying for some reviews to hopefully point me in a certain direction of where I could go with this...