This is my first attempt at writing any fanfiction stories so please bare with me! Let me know if you think I should continue or not! Thanks!

I do not own any of the characters from the Hunger Games but the others are mine.

District 2.

That's the hellhole where I live.

Yeah, yeah. I know District 2 is supposed to be one of the better districts but I don't see how people can come up with that conclusion without ever being here. District 2 is still a bad place to live.

Yes, we get more food and resources than some of the other districts, but we are still worked into the ground. All the districts are the Capitol people is slaves. We provide for their EVERY need and they sit on their lazy asses all day.

If they have to get up to get a bit of food, they whine and cry. When some of the other district get up for food, they're crying because they can actually eat tonight. Some of us beg for food on the streets and they drink some sort if concoction so they can hurl and eat more. They throw out pounds of food and don't think twice about it. Me? We eat spoiled food at times because my dad is a graphite miner and barely gets paid enough for one meal a day.

Even though I'm not always fed well, I'm still perfectly healthy. I eat as much as I can at school so I can stay at the top of my game during training.

We all know that districts 1, 2, and 4 are the Career districts. We train our whole lives to volunteer to be in the Hunger Games.

People know we are trained. But they think we choose to be trained. That's not the case though. We are forced to do this from birth.

My uncle and grandpa were victors in the 30th and 52nd Hunger Games. Incase it wasn't obvious, my grandpa won the 30th games and my uncle won the 52nd games. My dad didn't get chosen out of shear luck. Even thought he was the oldest child, his brother went to the games. Since my dad was the original chosen one, I was chosen to be the tribute in the 74th Hunger Games.

I have known my fate since I was young. Too young. My fate has been haunting me for as long as I can remember. My father told me at the age of three. THREE! He has been very cautious when it comes to my destiny. He saw how the Games messed up his dad and his brother. He has been training me for years, hoping that when the time comes, I'll prevail and come home. He hates that I am being forced to slaughter people. I am too.

I will never admit this because it can get me killed, but I hate the fact that I am being forced to compete, and it's likely that I'm not coming home. I have to keep my confidence up and my negativity down. I am trying to stay positive, trying to be happy that I've had the opportunity to be in the games. I hate the fact that if I come home, I might be messed up like my uncle. He never married and died a few years back, not able to take the horrors of being a victor. He committed suicide because he didn't want to be my mentor and have that weight of the guilt on his shoulders if I died. It's only been two years since he died, and I know it's because of me. I try not to let it bug me but sometimes I can't stop myself from feeling the pain and guilt over his death.

"Cato! Get down here or we're going to be late! The peacekeepers will have our necks!" my mother yells from downstairs.

"I'll be down in a second Mom!" I yell back.

Yay! The reaping is today! The day I get picked or have to volunteer on pain of death! (Note the sarcasm)

As Mom and I walk to the square, I start to panic. I am starting to freak out because I know my fate and it doesn't look good.

I stop dead in my tracks. Today is probably the last day I'll ever see my mother again. My father. My friends. All of them to live the life they deserve while I have to go and fight to the death or come home with serious mental issues. I'm never going to be the same again.

"Honey, I know you're nervous but you can do this. I have faith in you." Mom said, gently.

"Mom... I'm... I'm scared..." Wow. Never thought I'd hear those words ever come out of my mouth.

She steps forward and grips me tightly in a hug. I hug her back and we stand there, no words needed to express how we were both feeling.

We eventually pull away and start walking to the square again. My mom gives me one last hug and kiss on the cheek before we separate. I go off to the area where my best friends is, and she goes to stand by my father who had arrived earlier.

I nod to my best friend, not up to saying anything. He knows nothing about the fact that I am the one volunteering today. I didn't want him to know all the other times I could've told him, but I feel now is the right time.

"Aaron, there's something I need to tell you." I say hesitantly.

"What's up?" Asks Aaron.

"I'm...the one volunteering this year..." I cringe at the thought of leaving with him mad at me for not telling him.

"Not funny. Don't play around like that." Aaron says.

"Aaron, I wish I was playing around, but I'm not. I'm going to the Hunger Games." I say.

"WHAT!" He almost yells. "And you just decide to tell me this now? I thought we were best friends."

"We are best friends. I just couldn't make myself tell you. I never told ANYONE. The only people who know are my parents, you, and some Capitol dips," I take a deep breath. "I have never been more afraid in my life. I don't know what to do."

"I'm not mad. How can I be mad at my best bud, when he's about to leave? But I can't help you out. There's NOTHING you can do to get out of this... All I can say is I love you like my brother man, and I'll be rooting for you every second," He says.

"Love you too man. And thanks for keeping me up about this." I say, truly grateful he's there for me.

We turn to the front and wait in silence. I am waiting for one of my few chances to make an impression. Everyone else is waiting to go home.

The lady up front is talking, but I barely hear anything she says. I snap out of my daze just in time to see a girl walk up to the stage and stand there. I know her from training. What is her name? It's on the tip of my tongue. Clove! That's it.

I hear her call the boy's name. And I am utterly shocked at who it is. Aaron.

He looks at me, his face colorless, as he makes his way towards the steps to the stage.

Even though he knows I am the one volunteering, he is still scared shitless. Who wouldn't be? If we didn't have this system in District 2, Aaron would be going to the games. Actually, no he wouldn't. I'd still volunteer to save him. He may as well be my brother, and I know if our positions were reversed, he would volunteer to save my ass.

I wait there until she asks for volunteers. When she does, I step forward and say, "I volunteer!"

I walk up to the stage as Aaron walks down. He hugs me quickly and says, "I'll see you in the Justice Building."

I nod and walk up on the stage. The escort waves me to my place and I wait for her to tell us to shake hands. But she doesn't. Instead she asks, "What's your name?"

"Cato," I reply quickly.

I stand there until she tells us to shake hands. As we do, we both give each other a look. It is the same look. It clearly reads, 'Allies.'

We stand there as the anthem plays. When it's over, peacekeepers take us away from the stage and into the Justice Building.

I sit in my room and think for awhile. It's hard to be there, knowing that I could be dead in the matter of a week. Ugh! I need to think positive! There is a possibility that I could come home. No. That's not good enough. I AM going to come home. I am going to make sure of it. I can't abandon my friends and family. I will try my hardest to win and come home. For them.

Let the Games begin.