Darkest of all games

Chapter 1: The Reaping

I was running. Through trees, through bushes and ocasionally I spotted a little stream. I was running for about 2 hours until I stopped to look from what I was running from. I felt like a dark precence was looking at me but I didn't see anything. I felt it laugh at me and as if it was saying "You can't run little one. I can see you anywhere you go". And then it all went black.

I woke up with a scream. These nightmares started coming more often now. Usually it was just me being reaped. But this time it was worse. My name is Rosabelle Mellark. But everybody calls me Rosie or Rose. I'm 12 years old and I'm from district 12. My parents are Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. I have an older sister and an older brother. There names are Daisy and Cale. Daisy is 19 and Cale is 16. Why am I nervous you ask? Because today is the reaping. I know what you're thinking. Didn't the Hunger Games end after the second rebellion? They did. But after President Paylor died, President Medea Snow came. She declared that the Hunger Games were coming back. And today, the reaping for the 80th Hunger Games is coming.

I crawl out of my bed in the victors village and dress into a dress my mom laid out for me. It was light purple at the top and flowed to my knees were it ended up black. I combed my blonde hair and let my curls fall freely. I put on some black sandals and went downstairs. There my dad and my mom were already dressed with Daisy in her night clothes. Cale was nowere to be seen. Slept in as usual, that boy. I was greeted by dad and kissed by mom.

"So Rose you ready for your first reaping?" Daisy asked. I nodded and had a cinnamon bun. After 15 minutes or so, Cale stumbled into the kitchen fully clothed but his hair was messier than usual. "Cale, fix your hair," mom said without looking at him. " Give me a chance to wake up, mom," he managed before he fell face first on the floor. " Just leave him, he'll wake up eventually," dad said. I started to get up but dad stopped me. "Sweetie, what's up, you're more quiet than usual," he said and looked at me with his blue eyes that were indentical with mine. "Nothing daddy, just a little bit nervous," I said and went outside. I went to the big tree that had our tire swing in it. We used to play with it at all times, but when Cale turned 12 it was only me. It was painted a light orange colour, my dad's favourite. I started swinging and humming a little lullaby, that my parents always sung to me when I had nightmares. Time passed and Daisy came out and called me. It was time. I ran to my parents and hugged them dearly. "I love you so much Rosie," dad said. "I love you to daddy," I whispered and hugged mom. "Whatever happens today, remember that we love you more than our lives," she said and kissed my head.

By the time that we reached the Justice building it was time to sign up. I went to the girls part and Cale to the boys part. After they took some blood, I went to the 12 year olds. I saw that mom, dad and uncle Haymitch were sitting up at the podium. That's were the mentors sit. I craned my neck to see were Cale was, when I found that he was staring at me as if to say, don't worry. I nodded and fixed my eyes on Effie. She started rambling about the treaty and the rebellions. And then finally she said, "Let's start with the girls." She went to the bowl and took out a paper. She started to unwrap it and the name that was on there was "Rosabelle Mellark." I saw my parents shocked faces and my mom was almost crying. I started to go up to the podium and climbed the steps and took my place in front of the people. "And now for the boys," I heard Effie say and go to the bowl. "Zacharias Hawthorne," Effie says and then I see him. Oh Zach, why? Zach was my brothers best friend and we were pretty close too. He came up we shook hands and then the peacekeepers took us into the building.