The Girl with the Axe

a/n I own nothing. i'm only borrowing the characters. I doubt Suzanne Collins will mind

Chapter 1

Johanna's POV

My jaw drops and I stare up at the small stage in front of the justice building here in 7 . I shouldn't be so surprised, I had taken out far too much tessera but I couldn't put Cain and Ebony in danger so we could have half full stomachs. What's going to happen to them now?. Damn The Capitol I have to get home to them. Why did this have to happen. Damn you Snow.

3 hours earlier.

The sun is blindingly bright reaching out towards you almost trying to warm your face. The Bloody Capitol picked the nicest day of the year for The Reaping. Everyday for the past month had been pouring rain. I stroll out of the large emerald forest towards Aunt Gilda's house at the other side of 7. Working with the lumberjacks is tough work(not that I'd let them think that.) but if it helps feed my Aunt, my fourteen year old brother Cain and My nine year old sister Ebony then it's worth all the sweat and tears.

Today we have a half day due to the reaping( you'd think they'd give us the full day considering we may never see our families again, wouldn't you?. I walk in the door of Gilda's house and spot Cain in the corner pouring over school work. That is some smart kid I think to myself proudly that I had insisted he stay in school as long as possible much to his annoyance as apparently he thought I needed help cutting timber for a living. No way is he or Ebony going near an axe a second before they have to. Aunt Gilda does help too. She make simple cotton clothes. Yet, there is a bit more money in fixing them. In total though there is not enough to even half feed four people ,two of which are still growing, hence why I dropped out of school.

I find Ebony in the small battered looking kitchen playing with a few wooden makeshift dolls. She looks up at me and smiles sadly. I go over and hug her. She is starting to understand what today is truly about and I wish she never had to. I walk over to Cain tapping him on the shoulder and saying quitely for it might upset Gilda or Ebony if they over heard. "you know what happens if I get reaped today" Cain looks up at me sternly but I can see worry in his eyes "you won't, Jo." he says trying to reassure both of us. "but if I do. I want to make sure you and Ebby will be okay". I would try to get home if I were reaped but if I didn't I would want them to get along as smoothly as possible."Jo, everything will be fine. Gilda, Ebony, you and I have been through quite a bit. What's another reaping"