Chapter One
Katniss POV
One day is all it takes to change your life. One day you can lose your father and your mother. One day your life can be changed by a simple boy with bread. One day you can meet a new friend that lasts forever, but one day can also lead you to lose it all.
From the moment I volunteered for the games I understood that I was probably not going to make it out. Nonetheless, I picture my sister and my goal is clear. I will make it through for her. I will not break my promise to Prim.
"Promise me you'll be back. Promise me." Cried Prim.
"I promise Little Duck, you'll see me soon. If you have any trouble find Gale, he'll help you." I said.
I hugged her like my life depended on it and it sure did. She was my light at the end of the tunnel. The fire to my candle and if I ever make it out of these damn games, it'll be for her.
"I love you." I whispered into her ear and I was taken away by Peacekeepers.
I open my eyes, and I find myself in an empty train. District 12's landscape quickly slipping away as I try to remember every detail of it. I let one teardrop fall as I watch the forests whisk by as I recall Gale and I running freely without a worry through the same forests that I am now seeing but I'm now on my to my death.
"Katniss! We can't go very far or else we'll get lost!" yelled Gale.
"Shut up. I can just climb a tree if we get lost Gale." I screamed back.
"Okay well we have to start going back soon! It's getting pretty dark."
"No it's not Gale the sun isn't even setting yet! Let's see what we can find here."
"Katniss! Watch out!"
I hit something cold and I can't breathe anymore. I fight to find my way back to the surface but something seems to be pulling me deeper. Gale will have to hunt alone, was my last thought before I blacked out.
I slowly open my eyes and shut it again. It's too bright.
"Am I dead?" I whispered to myself.
"No but you could've died."
"Then why am I alive Gale."
"It's called mouth to mouth Catnip, I'm surprised you don't know with your mom being a healer and all."
"So… we kissed?"
"Sort of" he replied after a long awkward silence.
We ran back through the fence without another word. It was never mentioned again and we never went to the lake again.
The train kept going until we passed by all that I have ever known and I looked around in the train. My district partner is a blond with brilliant blue eyes and he looks sort of familiar.
He's tall and has quite a build but he doesn't look like he's from the Seam. I look back at the face and he's staring at me. I just realized it looked like I was checking him out. I blush and turn away.
"Hi my name's Peeta." He says quietly.
"Katniss. You don't look like you're from the Seam."
"I'm not. I work at a bakery."
Suddenly all the memories come flashing back. The boy with the bread. The boy who saved my life.
Recognition must have registered in my eyes because he flashed me a quick smile and asked me how my family was.
"I…I…My…My family is fine... But why…did you…that day?" I asked.
"Well I've seen you before but you've never noticed me after kindergarten when we were in the same class…and I saw what you were doing and I wanted to help… an old friend." Replied Peeta.
"You … saved our lives… thank you."
"You don't have to thank me." He smiled.
Great. Now I owed someone in the arena my life, how am I supposed to repay such a debt when I need to kill everyone including him to fulfill my promise?
I'll think about that later and I look around the train again. Typical Capitol furniture and our escort another typical Capitol figure with oddly coloured hair and a bright outfit. Effie Trinket glaring at our mentor.
Haymitch Abernathy. Our key to survival was an old drunk who probably wouldn't ever be able to save our lives or even survive the games another time. He sat there with two bottles of vodka slurring pick up lines at Effie. This would've been hilarious had the situation not been so grave. These two were watching yet another two kids sent to their deaths in an arena with 22 other kids from other districts.
I glared at both of them. Seems like I'm doing a lot of that lately. I need to win this and it's not for my own life. I need to return to my sister and here is the man who is supposedly giving me tips on how to win slurring at my escort who's escorting me to my death!
I don't know what took over me but I went over to our useless mentor and grabbed both of the bottles and smashed them on the floor. Effie shrieked and Peeta looked at me in surprise but when I looked at Haymitch I knew I was in trouble.
"What…the fuuuuuck….who do youuu thinkkk you aree?" slurred Haymitch
"I'm in the games to win and I need help from someone who has experience but apparently this someone feels to drink himself into oblivion. I need to get home." I shout.
His eyes instantly harden and I feel my own fear but I turn my face into a mask of indifference.
"Why do you think you get to go home." Says the drunk who's surprisingly sober suddenly.
"I have a family to provide for."
"And he doesn't?" He points his finger at Peeta.
"He does … and I don't think I'd be able to kill him if we were the last two but we need to get there first. So why don't you sober up and help us." I say calmly.
He watches me with those gray eyes and I glare back at him. He gets up from the couch and walks to his room.
I plop down onto the soft couches and I realize that I don't think I can make it out of the arena anymore or even off the train to the Capitol.
Effie goes back to filing her nails and Peeta returns his stare to his fingers and I sigh. Why is this so unfair. Every other district probably got a mentor who's willing to help while mine is in his room doing God knows what and I'm fuming to myself.
I almost want to break something again before Haymitch returns to the room. I continue to glare at him. He can help me return to Prim but he'd rather drink. Before I can open my mouth to say some remark he says something I don't expect.
My brain doesn't even register what he just said.
"Wh-What did you just say?" I ask
"Strategies are the key to sponsors." He replies giving me a look as if I was an annoying child.
"You're…helping?"
"Isn't that why you were yelling at me to do like 20 minutes ago?"
"Yes but-"
"No buts. Get your ass over here and you too Peeta."
Peeta looks at me with a look of amusement in his eyes but nonetheless gathers on the floor with Haymitch and I as we plan out our strategies.
It was getting really late and we just finished watching the recaps of the reapings. I was starting to doze off but that didn't really seem to matter because Haymitch and Peeta seem to be whispering about something and I can't hear it. Whatever let them do what they want I already know the basics of what I have to do to get sponsors.
When I'm sure I've fallen asleep, I start to dream.
"Prim! Behind you!" I scream and I try to run towards her but someone is holding me down.
"Get off me you fucker my sister is going to die!" I scream as I thrash around but whoever is holding me is not letting go. Its like fighting a wall, no matter what I do it's staying there.
I watch as the whole scene unfolds. I can't see who it is but they seem to have stabbed Prim in the leg and she screams as she falls.
"Nooo!" I cry "don't stop running Prim! Keep going! Get up! GO!"
It's no use someone is coming towards her again and she grabs Prim by the head and slices her neck and her blood is dripping down onto the grass. Her eyes lock with mine before they roll back into her head.
I scream and suddenly my whole world is shaking.
"Katniss? Katniss! Are you okay?" asks Peeta.
"I had… I had a nightmare I'm sorry did I wake you up?" I ask.
"No it's okay I couldn't fall asleep anyways." Says Peeta.
"Oh okay."
I didn't even realize but I was snuggling into Peeta's chest.
"I'm sorry." And I quickly start go get up but I was quickly pulled down by Peeta again.
"No, it's okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
So I snuggled into Peeta's chest once more and I fell asleep again but it was more of a dreamless sleep.
