Chapter 1- The Beginning
"Elia Nasset." It was quieter than I remembered it. When I got picked, it seemed everything stood still for a lifetime. Of course it wasn't any different than anyone else. I hadn't been all that popular. Hell, none of us were. Not in nine. We all blended together. One big pack of harvesters and factory workers all dressed up, and most of us with nowhere to go. Except me. I had to go somewhere now. And I probably wouldn't be coming back.
The goodbyes were the worst. I always thought that it would be the walk. With all eyes on you, not just from your own district, but all of Panem watching together to see how much you can bleed before you die; how much you can make someone else bleed, it should be the worst. But the goodbyes. The private goodbyes that no one ever sees, that no one except those who will truly weep for you when you fall will know. That was the worst.
I knew of people who had two or three family members to send them off with their fondest words, for their only little girl or boy. My family was huge. In total, before the reaping eleven years ago, my family contained eleven children. Six of which were older than me, four younger. I can't say I wasn't loved. My parents made sure that each of us knew we were near and dear to their hearts. But I was seventeen, my name in the lottery too many times to count, as I took extras for my family. Just as it had been with Micah. Except he was only fifteen when he had been called.
I remember sitting and watching the interviews and other pre-game features, praying that Micah would come home to us. The countdown started and I held my breath until the games started. It was only about fifteen minutes in that desert wasteland that my brother lasted. He caught a spear in the back trying to run for cover. After that, we all knew our odds.
My mother and father desensitized themselves to us every year around the reaping, just in case one of us was chosen for the slaughter. So, when they came to say goodbye, with nine of my siblings, I could see the deadness in their eyes.
"Good luck," they said somberly, "Goodbye. We love you. Be safe. We'll be rooting for you." That was it. That was all my dear mother and father said before they slid to the back of the room to let my siblings come to me. The first were my little sisters and little brother.
"You have to come back, Elia," little Ted whined, "You said Micah never came back."
"It's ok. Everything will be fine," I lied.
"Please come back," said Delila "Yeah, come back" chimed Erina and Alita.
My older siblings knew that the chances of me coming back were slim, but even they gave their well-wishes and told me to be strong. I felt tears come to my eyes as I hugged each and every one of them quickly before I was whisked away.
As soon as they were gone, I let loose every emotion I had inside me. Anger, sadness, fear, and regret made me curse and scream and cry. Then they came to put me on a train. The train that would take me away from all that I loved to a strange new world of death.
It wasn't until I was on that train that I even thought about who would be the one accompanying me to the arena from district nine. Sitting in one of the cars completely tuning out the musings of my mentor about how to survive, I looked to the opening door just as Jona walked through. We locked eyes and they were filled with hate. I had never liked him even before it happened. Now I hated him.
It was one particularly hot summer when it happened. We were both working in the fields gathering grains, my little sister Alita pretending that she was a princess. In a split second of stupidity, I picked a few blades of wheat and made them into a halo crown for her. Her smile was so big as she danced around. That was when he saw us.
Jona smirked and said, "Wonder how many lashes they'd give your little sister if they found out she was wearing good crops on her head."
"Take it off, Alita. Take it off, and give it to me," I insisted hurriedly.
"Hah, you think that'll get you off, Elia? If I tell a peacekeeper, it'd be my word against yours. And you know, with my father being of great importance in the factories, who do you think they'll believe?" Jona said pointedly.
"What the hell do you want, Jona?!" I shouted angrily, "You wouldn't benefit from telling anyone. Just leave it alone."
"Yeah, but I could benefit from not telling anyone. Just depends how much you love your little sister," he said.
"Alita, go find Delila. Work with her the rest of the day. Go now," I whispered to my sister urgently. She turned around and ran. It wasn't until I saw her disappear into the waves of un-harvested grains that I turned around to face Jona. "What do you want, Jona?"
"You," he stated hungrily. It was at that moment that I knew I was in for it. Jona had a reputation, but as the son of a powerful person, he always got away with it.
My eyes widened and I turned to run. I got about two feet before he tackled me. I struggled but it wasn't enough. Soon he had me on my back, I punched him in the nose and in return he grabbed my hair and slammed my head into the ground until I could only whimper a faint "No, no, please, no."
I remember seeing his silhouette towering above me, the sun shining so brightly behind him. I closed my eyes and out spilled so many tears. He took my lips in a hard, forceful kiss. I hated it, but he didn't stop there. When he was finished with me he stood up and said, "I won't tell anyone, if you don't."
With the last bit of strength I had, I cried out, "I'll kill you for this someday! I promise!" He just laughed and walked away.
As I sat across the table from him on the train, I smiled. "I keep my promises," I said. I stood up and walked back to my room.
When we arrived at the Capitol, first they bathed and waxed, then they had a stylist come in. The woman was tall and amazingly thin with her blue hair done up to look like a tornado. She whispered little things to her assistants and looked me over. Pursing her lips she studied me. She took my measurements and walked out of the room, leaving me naked and confused. I don't know how long it was, but when she came back she carried with her what looked like two huge blades of wheat one pointing up and the other pointing down. Her assistants quickly helped me into this gold dress.
After half an hour of doing my makeup and another hour for my hair, I was allowed to look at myself in a mirror. I gasped at the sight. They had painted my skin gold and done my dark hair up into points like wheat and wrapped gold foil around the spikes. Around my eyes was a dark brown powder that made the green in my eyes stand out.
Soon we were all loaded into carriages and paraded in front of thousands. I played my part and waved and smiled like I knew I should. All of the Capitol was cheering for their favorites and despite being stuck next to Jona, I allowed myself to lose myself in the roar of the crowd.
Later that evening, after all the paint was washed off and I was in regular clothes, I sat down with my mentor and seriously discussed strategies for survival. I wouldn't be like Micah. I would do what I could to win, even if it was a lost cause.
