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Chapter 1
I shift onto my side in the small bed that I share with my sister, her dark brown hair sloppily fanned out across the pillow. I look to my left and gaze at the dirty glass encased in the window pane, the sun is just now deciding to make its presence known to the world and a few rays filter in through the clouds. I release a sigh and slowly make my way out of the comfortable bed being careful not to wake my sister. I pull on my hunting boots and expertly tuck my worn down cargo pants into the sides. Slipping on my dad's old hunting jacket I stride over to the door, only stopping to glance at my mother and little brother Jace snuggled comfortably in their own bed. Opening the door I'm instantly hit with a cool breeze, I savor it only for a moment before breaking into a slow jog to the fence that surrounds District 12. As I approach it, constantly making sure no one is following me, I listen for the hum that warns me the fence is live with electricity, there is none. I shimmy under the hole in the fence that is concealed by a bush and make a bee line for the rotten stump where I hide my weapons. I retrieve my bow and arrows and begin my hunt. Two hours later my efforts are rewarded when I have three rabbits and two squirrels in my game bag that I carried with me to the woods. That's when I spot it, a doe just standing in the clearing right ahead of me. It has no clue that as I raise my bow I am preparing to end its life, I mean why wouldn't I? This one deer could feed five families. I'm just about to release the arrow when- "Hey Ander! You caught anything yet?" Gale. He knew good and well that I was about to kill that deer!
"What the heck Gale!" I scream as I stomp over to him and punch him in the arm. "Why would you do that I haven't seen a deer in months!" I'm still shouting because I'm furious, and what is Gale doing, standing there with a smirk on his face! "You forgot didn't you" he says, forgot what could I have forgotten its just- oh no. The reaping, I guess my theory of "block it out and try to forget that its Sally's first year" worked a little too well. "Yes" I begrudgingly admit to Gale, now I know why he stopped me from shooting that deer, he knows I wouldn't miss and that our district is crawling with peacekeepers who are trying to make up for their leniency on rule breakers on this oh so I'm important day. I roll my eyes. "Gale next time you do that I'm going to shoot you in the foot" I state. He knows not to mess with me during a hunt. After that I sock him in the arm for good measure and to wipe the cocky grin off of his face. "Come on Ander" he chuckles pulling my arm and dragging me back towards the fence. I follow him knowing that its high time I get home and pretty myself up, wouldn't want to disgust the capitolites when they see us on screen at the reaping, note the sarcasm. We reach the tree line before the fence and I stop and turn to my best friend. "Gale please promise me you won't get picked". He reaches over and grabs me pulling me into a hug. I wrap my arms around him. "You know I can't do that Ander" he says. "I know you can't" I sigh into his chest "but it would make me feel better to hear you say it". "Alright then" he sighs. I give him a squeeze and turn back to the fence to crawl under when he speaks again. "wear something pretty" he snickers, knowing that I despise dresses. I give him a dismissive wave, "oh shut up" I huff. I crawl back under and begin the trek back to my house, well more like shack, its basically one unstable room with a leaky roof and rotting side boards. But I love it, its my home. Its where my father taught me to sing and I made daisy chains with sally and chased Jace around the meadow beside it. But being from the seam, the poorest part of District 12, you couldn't expect much out of our little house. We were lucky, we eat better than half of the district because my dad taught me to hunt before he died. Dad. I know it would break his heart knowing that his youngest daughter has her first reaping today. All this crosses my mind as I walk back to our house. I open the door to find that Sally, Jace, and Mom have all dressed and left my clothes laid out on my bed. I smile at them and scurry off to the small tub where I try to scrub off all the coal dust that accumulates over literally everything in this freaking district. Afterward I pull on the worn down gray dress that my mother lent to me, pulled my hair back into the ponytail that consistently adorns my head and slip on my old shoes that are much too tight. But who cares about shoes when its a struggle just to put food on the table. Walking out of the small bathroom I spot something strange with Sally's hair. I hurry over to her and re braid it considering that she had done it herself and left many pieces out of place. In no less than a minute I am finished, I used to braid my hair every day, until I had it cut off at my collarbone and sold. We needed the money. Now my straight dark blonde hair is tossed into a ponytail every morning before I go to hunt. Sally looks up at me, she's short for a twelve year old and I'm considered tall for a 17 year old girl, her warm blue eyes that are so similar to mine are swelling with tears. I know that she tries to put on a brave face and pretend that she isn't scared of the reaping, she says that she is going to be strong like me, but what she doesn't know is that I'm not strong I'm weak and pathetic and scared to death that her name will be the one plucked from the reaping ball. But I hide it. I'm the protector and provider of these children and my mother, who completely checked out when my dad died in a mine explosion. So I put on my impassive mask and do what needs to be done, not dwelling on the past and letting a tear claw its way out of my eye and down my face. I bend down and wrap my little sister in a tight hug and tell he she will be fine, I mean she will be right? Her name is only in there once. I tell her that also. Then Jace wobbles over and scoots in between us, he is five and doesn't understand what is going on. He wraps his arms as far as they will go around Sally and she stops crying. I tug her up gently "Come on duckie" I coo using the nickname my father gave her long ago. She stands and we all exit the house and trudge to the town square, checking in a taking our respective places in the roped off areas depending on age. I spot Gale in the 18 year old section and flash him a hesitant smile. The time of impending death is upon us, and the entire district knows it. Its thick in the air, threatening to smother the helpless starving children who each have a slip, if their lucky, or multiple slips in the glass balls that rest on the stage. That's when I see her, our district escort Effie Trinket, hopping along the stage in her extremely high and pointy heels. I wish I could stab her with them. She is dressed in a green so bright that it burns my eyes and has a wig to match it. I roll my eyes. This is what controls our country. No wonder were all starving, they wouldn't know common sense if it came up and slapped them square in the face. The worst part thought is when she opens her mouth, her capitol accent ringing in my eardrums. "Welcome, Welcome. The time has come to select one brave young man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games!" she pipes. "Honor, please. The only out of this with honor if your reaped is to kill yourself so some Career docent have the joy of doing it" I think to myself. Then the green woman speaks up again, blabbering on about the same crap she does every year like, "the capitols generosity" lies, I scold in my mind. Or "how merciful president snow is" that right there is the biggest load of bull crap out of all the fabricated rehearsed lies they shove down our throats. I ignore everything else until Effie trills "as usual, ladies first". I hold my breath involuntarily as I silently plead that its not me pulled out of the ball. And, it isn't "Sally Evanthe". No. No, how could this happen! It was one slip, one freaking slip out of thousands! I regain my coherency just in time to see Sally hesitantly walk towards the stage, then I lose it. "I volunteer!" I shout as loud as I can. "I volunteer as tribute". Sally whips her head around and stares at me as if I'm dressed in the same color as Effie. I jog up to the stage, earning sorrowful looks from everyone in the crowd. That just makes me angrier, I don't want their pity, in need to look strong and confident if I'm going to get out of this alive. "No!" sally screams. She starts running toward me and latches herself onto my dress begging me not to do this. "Let go." I tell her. She stays. "Sally I said let. Go." I say it more sternly this time and she releases my dress just as Gale scoops her up. She is thrashing and kicking and screaming for me but I just nod in thanks to Gale and begin to mount the stage. I'm about to reach the first step when I feel something wrap around my ankle. No, I think. Because I know exactly who did it, its Jace. I look down into his gray eyes that are filled with tears because he knows that this means I'm going away and might not come back. I pick him up and plant a kiss on his forehead, I whisper "I love you, its OK" to him and pass him to my mother who has run out of the crowd to collect her son. I still remain strong, keeping an impassive nearly bored look plastered on my face, making sure there is no fear in my eyes. I climb onto the stage. "My my my" Effie says "District 12's very first volunteer, what's your name dear"? "Oleander Evanthe" I state with a clear strong voice. "Well I bet my hat that was your sister" Effie comments. "Yes" I boom into the microphone in front of me even stronger than my first reply.
"Well lovely" she pipes "District 12 meet your very first volunteer Oleander Evanthe". "And now for the boys!" I completely tune out after that, I stand there and think about everything that just happened and am lost in thought until I see a blond haired boy making his way up to the stage. I recognize this boy though, its one of my very few friends. Peeta Mellark. "Could this possibly be any worse" I think to myself as we shake hands and are escorted into separate rooms in the justice building. The goodbyes were enough to make me cry, but thankfully I didn't Seeing tiny little Jacob latch on to me and then Sally crying and telling me to try and win to come back to them, it broke my heart. Two of the three people that I'm sure I love crying. I told them I would try to win for them and followed with a tight hug to each. Then came my mother. I swear if she checked out again like when dad died I swore I would come back from the grave and kill her myself. But I just told her to stay strong and then gave her a hug, my voice was low and threatening though so I think she understood what I meant. Next was Gale, telling me I could do it, that I could win. I just nodded and hugged him tighter. And that was that. I might never see my family again but I block the thought from my mind as I enter the train. I will win, and I will come home to my baby sister and brother that I love more than anything in the world. I enter the train and my jaw nearly drops. Its huge and decorated in what I can only assume to be the most expensive furniture, wallpaper, and carpet. Then there is the food. Its absolutely sickening, everyone in District 12 is starving to death and they have enough food on this train to feed the entire district for months. To say I'm appalled is an understatement. I collect my thoughts quickly and continue through the train. Peeta slumps down into a seat and I follow suit in the one next to him. We just kind of stare at each other, he is probably thinking the same as me. We are going to have to kill each other. I push it to the back of my mind and turn away from him and stare straight ahead. "Peeta" I say, "you know your my friend and that I would do anything for you, but I have to try and get home to my sister and brother, I don't even know if my mom is going to take care of them while I'm gone." I take a deep breath. "I hate to do this but, we need to detach ourselves from each other, the last thing on earth that I want to do is kill you but if it means that I can go home to take care of them then I might have to do it". I put my head in my hands and stare at the floor, I sound like a terrible person just throwing my friend away like this, but I have no other choice. I feel a hand on my shoulder. Peeta looks at me and he says, "Ander I completely understand, but I don't want to die with you as my enemy, we could train together and just try and forget each other when we enter their arena" I look at him and nod in agreement, but now I'm just angry. "You know what Peeta your right!" I boast. "If I'm going into this sick game then I'm going to make sure that the capitol can't take anything from me but my life. They aren't allowed to have my friends and family too"! "Now that's what I like to hear" says a man from the door of the train car. I recognize him as my mentor and District 12's only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy. "Looks like this year I actually got a fighter" he says staring at me. I smirk at him. "Looks like it" I retort. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way pleased to have this man controlling my resources and training in the games. He isn't just District 12's only living victor, he's our perpetual drunk too. Even currently he smells like booze, which is probably why he didn't even reprimand me for my borderline rebellious comment. Heck he practically even encouraged it. He stumbles over to the table that holds all kinds of alcohol in crystal bottles. He begins to pour a glass but ends up bringing the entire bottle with him to the seat across from me. Then he stares. Not one word for at least five minutes, he just drinks. I glare at him, and let's just say if looks could kill his head would be rolling across the pretty blue carpet right now. Finally Peeta speaks. "So umm do you have any advi-" Haymitch cuts him off with a cackle that erupts from his throat. Now Peeta is starting to look angry but I'm near to losing it. "What you are our mentor you're supposed to give us advice and help us." Peeta retorts. Haymitch snorts. "You want some advice?" he takes a sip of his drink. "Stay Alive." And that was the final straw for me, he is gambling with my life in a few weeks and he is so drunk he probably can't even spell his own name. I pounce up from the seat and knock the putrid liquid out of his hand onto the carpet and before you can say Happy Hunger Games I've got the drunk pinned against the wall with a knife from the dining table pinned against his throat. His eyes are wide and he is breathing heavily. "Listen up!" I yell. "In a few weeks you are in control of weather I live or die inside of that freaking arena and I intend on winning so your either going to sober up and help me or I will bleed the alcohol out of you!" I finish the last part in a deadly whisper letting him know I am completely serious. And for the grand finale I slam the knife into the side of the wall directly near his neck, nearly catching skin. Haymitch grins. "I like you, and if your serious your threats we could actually get you out of the arena." "Oh I'm completely serious" I growl. I turn around and Peeta just sits there with his mouth open. I stalk out of the compartment and into the room that Effie had told me earlier was mine. I slam the door and flop down on the bed, not giving a crap about their expensive bedding, because quite frankly the capitol can just go screw themselves. Then I fall into a much needed sleep, hoping I will be more calm and less out for blood when I wake up. "Oleander, dinner is ready!" an overly excited Effie says as she peeks her head through the door. I sit up and decide that now would be a good time for me to change into some more comfortable clothes. Looking through the closet I finally find some comfortable looking black sweat pants and a gray v-neck thirst. I slip them on and shuffle out the door and into the dining cart. Peeta sits in the seat across from Effie which leaves me to sit across from Haymitch. Fine, it will just make it easier for me to stab his hand if he reaches for a drink during dinner. I slide into my seat and gawk at the sheer amount of food sitting in front of us. I have never seen so much of the stuff in one place at the same time before, and again my rage towards the capitol returns full force. I think for a moment and finally decide that it will be best to not eat more than I usually would at home, because there won't be much food in the arena so I shouldn't get used to this. I place a small serving of some kind of bird I had never seen before and some kind of white grain that resembled the tessera that we are issued back home. Everyone looks at me. Peeta stares at me in utter disbelief as he has some sort of vegetable hanging out the side of his mouth. "Hey Peeta you have a little something on your chin there." I tease. He instantly looks embarrassed and turns his face from us to clean it off. Haymitch gives me a look of, what? Approval maybe? "Well it looks like one of you finally figured it out." he mutters to himself and goes back to eating his dinner, which thankfully did not consist of alcohol. "Alright kids" Haymitch booms after we finish eating and are seated on the couch. "I have a deal for ya. I'm gonna stay sober enough to help you in the games as long as you" he says pointing to Peeta "grow a pair and defend yourself and don't just roll over and die in the games. And you" he says now directing his attention to me "don't try to kill me again, although I was pleased to see that I finally got a tribute that has some sense." Peeta just nods his head and I smirk at Haymitch as he grins back at me. I could already tell we were going to work well together. We all get up and head to our respective rooms to go to sleep for the night, Haymitch informed us that by the time we woke up the next morning we should be in the capitol. I lay down on my bed and ball myself under the covers, but then my mind begins to race, finally realizing that I was going into the hunger games. I could be dead in a few weeks. No, I promised Sally and Jace that I would come home, and no one is going to stop me. After that I fell into a bit of a restless sleep.
I'm running, playing in the schoolyard then is see it, a giant puff of black smoke coming from the mines. The warning bell rings in the school and I burst into a sprint and collect sally from her classroom. We run like crazy over to the collapsed mine entrance, the same one our father went into earlier this morning. Suddenly a hole opens up and sucks me down deep into the ground and black surrounds me, its suffocating me. Then he's there, staring at me asking why I didn't save him, why I let him die