Chapter One: Reaping Day.
I clutch the pale blue dress in my hands, running my fingers along the rugged fabric for any holes or loose threads, The buttons are warn and broken, but no visible holes…yet. As I slip it on, I notice that the edges are slightly frayed, I sigh knowing that the dress is coming up to the end of its days. I look in my cracked mirror hanging on the crooked nail in the wooden wall, my dark brown shoulder length hair was a mess, I tried to smooth it out with my fingers which only made it worse I do the best I can to tie it back allowing a few pieces to frame my face. As I begin to walk out of my small dusty shack of a home, I notice something shiny underneath a floor board. Crawling onto my hands and knees I lift the surprisingly loose floor board which revealed a gold chain the pendent, a small mockingjay it probably belonged to my mother but how could I ask questions to those who are dead. I slip the chain on and tuck it in my dress I head out the door the sun beams radiating as always, blind me. It's a while before I can regain my focus away from the hot sun I see the town centre just a few feet away, the grandest thing in all of District 11 was our justice building, and there was nothing much beyond that. A couple shops converted from the deceased homes, a small tented market place that was always closed, the small shack like buildings we called home. On most days the place was bustling with people working, peacekeepers yelling at us to keep going guns in hand, children swinging from tree to tree in the orchard fields, people young to old picking vast amounts of fruits and vegetables off plants, this was my home.
As I quietly go to the large group of people signing their names in, I feel a clutch on my right hand looking down I see those big chocolate eyes staring back at me; Rue. It was her first year as being a candidate for the games she was lucky, her name had only been put in once. I squeeze her hand tightly as I allow myself to register first the buzz stinging my hand like a tracker jacker. I go to my age group of 18, I'm the only one in District 11 who was pale, who looked like a fish out of water in the district where the sun is on you constantly. This is my last year and the odds aren't in my favor, I swallowed hard as I had a feeling out of the big bowl our escort would pick my name. We all stood there quietly the only thing you could hear was the buzzing of the electric fence surrounding us, keeping us in like animals. As the doors of the justice building open, out comes out our Mayor, our 2 lone victors Chaff and Seeder, and our escort, Adelia Ivory decked out in what must be the height of fashion in the Capitol. The music sounds and up on the screen is the story of how the games began, the dark days, the obliteration of district 13,same story every year, as the screen flicks back to the Panem crest, the annoying drone of Adelia's high pitch capitol accent spreads throughout the district via microphone. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor". Her voice was too happy for such an event but she was terribly clueless as to what goes on through everyone's minds hoping they're not picked to battle to the death in an arena, not that we've had much luck in winning or fighting for that matter. "Ladies first" she dipped her hand in the bowl she rummaged around before she finally released a small sheet of paper unfolding it with a tight smile across her face she begins to read the name, I hold my breath. " Rue Herriot". My heart stops the back of my neck starts to sweat as I see the beautiful little girl with the sparkling chocolate eyes slowly walk up to the stage, her lip is quivering but she keeps her face steady holding back the tears she would so easily cry out if she allowed herself to. I feel small tears run down my face. Adelia smiled and moved on toward the boys bowl, I keep my head up trying to stay strong.
As she rummaged through the bowl, she finally comes out with another small piece of paper I brace myself as she begins to read the name again "Thresh Edenthaw". Thresh, the one boy in the district who didn't talk much, he was heavily built for a starving boy, but he worked hard never cracking under the pressure of the day's work. I watch as he confidently walked up to the stage his face, expressionless, but his eyes had a tinge of fear to them. "Well now let us applaud our new tributes for the 74th annual Hunger Games!" Adelia began to applaud but there was nothing but silence, nothing but the buzzing of the fences. After we were released Rue and Thresh's family were lined up to say their goodbyes, Rue's mother Savera, spotted me and waved me over, I ran full force and hugged her tightly we said nothing but she wiped the tears off my face "some of us have to be strong girl, stronger then my Rue is, stronger than Thresh, can you be the strongest one of them all?" I nodded; Savera had taken over as my mother once my grandmother passed she cared for me and accepted me as her daughter for the years I was alone, even though I remained living in my grandmother's house, I never stopped coming to see them after the day's work bringing over my version of the district 11 crescent rolls, helping her bring up Rue, who now was facing her doom in the arms of the Capitol. She gave my hand a light squeeze before her, and the other members of her family went in to say their goodbyes, I stood alone hoping to see her at least one last time.
The justice building doors are flung open one by one Savera, and the rest of Rue's family family step out on to the stone steps, their eyes are red and puffy , cheeks still wet with the many tears they've shed with what little time they've had with her. Savera placed her hand on my shoulder and kissed me on the cheek lightly before continuing on back home. It was my turn; a tall burly but clean shaven peacekeeper grabs my arm almost dragging me inside. There I see her standing alone in a room, which looks like the mayor's office. I go down on my knees and hold her "I'm so sorry Rue, I should have volunteered and I didn't and know it's too late". Her thin arms wrap around my neck she rubbed my back as the tears flow out of my now puffy eyes. I let go, place my hands on her tiny shoulders looking into her beautiful chocolate eyes again, and whisper "Be strong Rue, not for Panem or District 11 or even your family, be strong for yourself". I kissed her forehead one last time before the doors swung open "Times up" barked the burly peacekeeper, he grabbed my arm again and pulled me away leaving Rue all alone. I followed along as much as I could, my eyes trained on the Justice Building doors. My sight of the doors is shifted as he pulls me into a dark corridor as he opens the door of a hidden stairway."Where are you taking me?" I'm now yelling at the top of my lungs, he puts his sausage like fingers over my mouth muffling my screams of sheer terror. I try to fight my way out of his grasp but he's strong, he holds me harder as he kicks open another door and in a moment we're outside. My eyes are again blinded by the radiating sun, I've become weak and disorientated from the iron grip of the peacekeeper, and the burning sun upon my skin. I'm looking all around to only notice that I'm on the roof of the Justice Building I hear a louder humming but it's not from the fences, as I look up, I see it. Over top of our heads is a large silver hovercraft. Without warning a set of stairs appears from an under compartment in the hovercraft they land in the centre of the roof and I'm dragged again. Too weak to fight I am placed on the stairway, feeling an odd surge of pulling at my body, but the peacekeeper has let me go. I am brought up, and swallowed in.
The door snaps shut as I stand there my knees are shaking, my hair drenched in sweat. I have no choice but to sit down as I know I will faint at any moment. I sigh and look up, taking in the luxuriousness of it all, the small blood red curtains draping over the tiny windows, the crushed velvet seating, the smell of roses. I hear footsteps and my attention is brought to a pair of hands opening the long curtains separating the compartments. Staring back at my are dark gray eyes; It's only then do I realize who is standing in front of me, President Snow. He scales me up and down, it was the first time I had ever felt self-conscious. He pursed his lips before he spoke " Lavender Athena Rosemet, daughter of Mairi and Othello, your father was in the 57th Hunger Games, he was what? 18? And you only a mere 1yr old girl." I nod, questioning in my head how he knew so much about someone as insignificant as me. " Such young parents, such a shame that he could not come home to a gem such as yourself". He smiled warmly at me, the only time in my life where I've ever seen him show emotion. " Why am I here?" I blurt out. I gasped covering my mouth with my hands.
He made his way around and sat across from me. " You're here Miss Rosemet, because I believe you no longer belong in District 11". His words confused me, was he taking me to a new district one where I am deemed to belong to? Was he going to send me to the Capitol and execute me because he no longer wanted me in his world? Waves of fear came over me as began to speak again. " I have decided to take you in as my ward, you will be prepped and styled to the ways of the Capitol, and you shall live in your own penthouse with your own set of Avox's to tend to your every need" I bit my bottom lip as he continued " I shall give you your new Identification card once we reach the Capitol, and your last name will be changed to mine." I sat there staring at him as the realization that I was being ripped from all I knew, from the people who were starving set in. I felt like a traitor.
Suddenly he raises his hand waves, the same way Savera had waved me over to the Justice Building back home. Out came a young women not much older than I, her hair was slicked back into a perfect bun, her outfit flowy and poppy red in colour, she was holding a silver tray. She lifted the hidden table from the floor of the hovercraft placing the tray gingerly on top, as she lifted the lid of the tray, steam engulfed my face, my eyes widened at the mound of food on the plate. A roasted duck with light orange sauce drizzled over top. Round, but flat potatoes with a square of butter melting over them, the last thing was a small pile of steamed snow peas, just like the ones we grew back home. My drink was in a silver chalice, it was pink and fizzy. Swiftly she was gone, and President Snow raised, kissed my hand, and left through the same curtains he entered from. I was left alone to eat, I swiftly devoured my meal, by mid meal I abandoned my utensils and staring stuffing the duck in with my hands.