Ch. 1
Pain. The one thing I can never seem to escape. First, when my mother was killed in one of our districts many forest fires. Then, when my father committed suicide after he found out that my brother wasn't his son. Now, staring up at the massive screen in the district square, watching as the brutal blonde monster from district 2 hacks my brother, the only family I have left, the only person left I love, to pieces.
The final cannon sounds. Blood smeared on his face, the blue eyed monster stands over what was once my loving brother, wearing a sickening grin. "Ladies and Gentleman we present to you the 73rd Hunger Games Victor, Cato Lockhearst!"
Something inside me breaks. It's the last small piece of hope I had left. That tiny bit of optimism, the hope that things might get better, now gone. I crumple to the ground screaming, my body racked with sobs. A peacekeeper walks over to me and attempts to get me to quiet down, but I don't. I won't. I want everyone to know exactly how I feel. Some people say emotions are weakness. To me, they show bravery. That you have the courage to not only feel something, but to let others know.
Someone bends down and whispers comforting words in my ear, but I don't listen. He was all I had. Now he's gone. Now I have nothing. Nothing to love. Nothing to care for. Nothing to live for.
2 YEARS LATER
It's Reaping Day. The 75th Hunger Games are about to begin. I wonder what this Quarter Quell's victims will have to endure. Just one more year and I'll be free from the monstrosity of these games. Not that I care, though. I wouldn't mind dying. I wish for it daily now. I've tried to grant myself its comforting numbness, but someone is always there to stop me. Stupid people, always in the way.
Making my way through the crowd of people gathered in the square, I am completely silent. I try my best to avoid this place. It brings back to many bad memories. This is where it happened. This is where I watched him die. This is where a part of me died too. A few unintended tears fall from my hollow, green eyes. People once called me pretty, due to my thick lashes, emerald eyes, and curly golden hair. They stopped after his death, though. He used to call me his pretty girl. Those who didn't know soon stopped after they witnessed my reaction to the compliment. I would stare at them blankly, and then fall to my knees crying hysterically. No one calls me pretty anymore.
"Oh how happy I am to see all of your lovely faces!" All eyes turn to the stage, falling on District 7's tribute escort, Auricula Sentemply. This year she's stuck with her usual tree theme. She's dressed in what looks like a body suit made of pine needles with a pinecone tutu. Her hair has been dyed bright green, and her skin seems to be the same color.
"Aren't you all just so excited about the Quarter Quell?" she trills enthusiastically. Silence follows. "Well you should be. It's the Quarter Quell!" she says in an attempt to get some reaction from the crowd. Silence. "Alright, now I'm going to read this year's Quarter Quell specifications!" She then proceeds to open a small white envelope. "Ooh, this is exciting! Alright, here we go. This year's specifications are the following: Any previous victors still within the reaping age and any family of past tributes from the last five year's games that are still within reaping age are eligible. If there isn't a boy or girl who fits these criteria then the spot shall remain empty."
I can feel everyone's eyes one me, but I keep my eyes trained on Auricula. She's about to draw the tributes. I don't know if any other girl fits the requirements, but I pray someone does. It's not that I'm afraid of dying; I just can't go to through with it like he did. I can't go to the places he went. I can't meet the people he met. I just can't. "Ladies first, of course." Auricula's thin, green fingers slip into the girl's bowl. She clears her throat before calling out the name, "Shayleigh Chrysanthe." I'm dead. I'm going to die, but not before I'm tortured by living all if his last moments. "Will Miss Chrysanthe please make her way to the stage. I don't bite, I promise," she calls out with a smile.
I snap back to reality and wipe my face of all emotions. Showing emotions shows bravery. I am not brave. I am weak. I am breakable. I am already broken. Making my way to the stage, I try to keep myself from shaking. I take my place beside Auricula, staring out into the crowd, not making eye contact with anyone. "Well aren't you a pretty little girl?" Someone in the crowd gasps. I fight to contain the sob that threatens to spill from my lips at any given moment. I won't give her the satisfaction of my reaction. I won't allow the Capitol to get to me. She still is staring at me as if waiting for a response. I guess she gets tired of waiting for my thank you that I won't be saying and dips her hand into the boys bowl. "Miles Jenley." I have no idea who this person is, but that good because now I won't feel bad if he as to kill me.
We are then ushered into the Justice building, where I am then escorted to the train. I see Miles pushed into a room. He gets to speak with his family one last time. I have no one, so therefore I have no need to sit in there.
In the train, I'm showed to my room. It's extremely luxurious. Of course, if we're going to die we might as well spend our last days in comfort. It's simple Capitol logic. I don't realize how tired I am until I lay down onto the bed and instantly slip into unconsciousness. When I wake, the train is moving. I walk out of my room, still in my mother's old grey dress from the reaping, and make my way to the sound of voices.
"Well look who it is. Sleeping Beauty finally decided to join us," a sarcastic voice says to me. I look up at the owner and see Johanna Mason, one of District 7's mentors. "And what can you do?"
I know the question is directed at my weapon and survival skills. I'm pretty good with an axe, pretty great actually. My survival skills are way more developed than any other district 7 tributes have been. I've been living off the streets for the past two years all alone, and before after my father died. But she doesn't need to know any of this. "Don't worry about me. I'm not going to try and kill anyone. I'm a bloodbath, and if not then, I'll be dead by the second day. No need to waste your time on me." Two shocked faces and one disappointed stare back at me. Miles looks like he didn't understand what I had just said, as if I had said it in another language. Auricula looks as id she might faint. Johanna seems to be disappointed in my giving up, like she expected more from me. Who is she to be disappointed in me? She doesn't even know me.
I sit down on the velvety couch and they all make their way over to where I'm sitting. I think that they're about to try and convince to not to give up, but Johanna just turns the T.V. on. It's the reapings. The District 1 girl is bubbly and flirty. She has way too much enthusiasm for my taste. Her brother was the 70th Hunger Games Victor. The boy, whose cousin was reaped in the 71st games, is really cocky. When their escort asks if he would like to say anything to the crowd he replies, "See you guys in a few days. That's all it's gonna take for me to win." He flashes a grin to the camera before it switches to District 2. The girl is short with dark hair and looks vicious. Her father won the 62nd games. Then the camera switches to the boy. He's huge, with blonde hair and icy blue eyes. He won the 73rd Hunger Games. I was planning on dying, but that all changed the second he smirked at the camera. Before I knew, my hand finds a letter opener and it's embedded between his images eyes. Auricula faints and Miles looks bewildered. I turn to Johanna, whose face flashes surprise before settling into contentment.
"I change my mind. Not about dying, but about killing. He's mine."