I shot up out of bed. It was the dream again. The dream I've been having for years. The dream of the day my life completely changed forever.
I've heard the story so many times before. So many that I had created the scene in my head. And it has haunted me ever since.
Every time the dream is the same. I don't remember a dream besides it. They walked through the woods, a boy and a girl. They were unfamiliar with the area, and quickly became lost. Soon, they came across two other children their age. The strangers were hunting. One was a girl, the other a boy. They had similar features, dark hair and grey eyes. They were obviously experiences hunters, but something made them stop. Overhead a hovercraft appeared. The hunters ran and his, leaving the redheaded girl and her blue-eyed friend in the open. Where they never should have been.
The redheaded girl looked to the hunters. "Help," she mouthed. But the hunters stoof frozen. A net was dropped on the redheaded girl and she was lifted into the hovercraft. A spear stabbed the boy, killing him instantly. The girl screamed for him, but it was too late.
I didn't know the blue-eyed boy very well, but I grieved with his family. But I knew the redhead. Lavina. My sister.
I hated the Capitol for what they did to her. They killed her friend and turned her into an Avox. I knew I had to do something huge to get revenge.
Every day I went to the library and studied for hours. I have read every book at least 12 times. Books on plants, animals, survival. The Hunger Games. I studied extra hard on the Capitol's sick Games. If I was to make a difference, I needed to know exactly what would put them over the edge. Next to that, I studied most about plants. I knew about every kind of flower, fruit, grain, vegetable, vine. You name it, I can tell you everything about it. I was particularly fond of one berry. Nightlock. It was a sweet berry, but it could kill in an instant. I researched for months what made it so deadly, but I could never figure it out. I think that's why I found it so interesting.
When I finally had enough energy, I swung my feet around and slid into my shoes. I still had my clothes on from yesterday. I had been up so late at the library I hadn't bothered to change. I crammed with all the information I thought I would need, because I wouldn't be back in the library for a long time. Today was the day of the Reaping. And I was going to volunteer.