Disclaimer: Don't own it. Unless I've suddenly turned into Suzanne Collins? Nope, I don't think so.
Chapter One
My heart is pounding, as it always does this time of year. The reaping.
"May the odds be ever in your favor!" a ridiculously high voice for a grown man calls out as he walks across the stage to the first bowl of names. I can't for the life of me remember his name, but with any luck, I'll still be around to figure it out next year. Please no. He reaches in, groping around for the one slip of paper that will end someone's life. He smiles, unaware of that with just one name, he will break an entire family's hearts.
Please no. I can only hope that these two little words, that one little prayer, will be enough to get me and my family out safely. Please no. There's no point in hoping for a win, because only one in 24 survive each year, an odd that has never been in my district's favor. Nobody's ever won from district 12, even after 37 years. Please no.
Not me, not my best friend Skylla, not Katriana... I think the last name out of habit, as I have every year since I could understand what was happening. But she's already 20, and ineligible to have her name in the reaping.
The man's voice suddenly rings out, "Aldara Lamont!". I'm still for a moment. My name was only in there 10 times, a low number compared to older kids who have been on tessarae for longer than I was. I can't go to the Hunger Games! I'm too young to die! My older sister, Katriana, shrieks from the crowd, "Dara!". That shocks me out of my thoughts. Katriana Her daughter Hazelle. My older brother, Griffin. I turn and walk up to the stage, careful not to let my face show any emotion. I am wishing desperately for the safety of my brother and for my best friend Dashiel.
From beside me I hear the name of the other tribute. "Griffin Lamont". I open my eyes. When did I even close them? A feeling of dread quickly overcomes me. I feel like throwing up. Why me? My hand is trembling as I shake Griffin's hand. Atlas Spectral. That's the Capitol man's name is. Behind us he made jokes about how rare it was that siblings would be going into the arena together.
I hate this. I hate this. It hasn't even started but I just want the 38th Hunger Games to end already.
A/N- I just want to throw out there that I found out yesterday that my friend Nate died. He was my teammate and probably the sweetest person in the world and made amazing brownies. We knew something was up when he didn't show up to the individual championships, and found out that Tuesday that he had moved. RIP Nate!
On a happier note, R&R?