A/N: Hello, thank you so much for reading this story. The idea has been kicking around my head since I first read about Annie. I love her, even more than Katniss. I think her insanity is a testament to the fragility of the human mind. It shows the reader that the tributes are not machines, as they appear to be. They are human, flesh and blood with feelings just like us. It was my goal to portray Annie as a normal girl until the end of the games when she snaps. So here you have it! Chapter 2 has Chapter 1 before it (for some reason). So, when you go to chapter 2, do not be alarmed! Just scroll down a ways and it should be there. Thanks for your patients and May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour!

The Hunger Games: Annie's Story

Desirae Ann

**Chapter 1: The Reaping**

"Annie Cresta." The words came clear as day through the speakers lining the square. I swallowed the hard lump that had magically appeared in my throat. This was how I was going to die, I just knew it. Slowly, I made my way to the lifted platform with Uniformed Capitol Guards hot on my heels. The man who escorted our district's tributes, Crestius, smiled widely on stage. He had on a coral colored suit which made him look almost taller and more muscular than he really was. His hair had been died different shades of glossy blue for the occasion. I mounted the stairs and the guards let me travel them alone. As I approached my mark, I stole a glance at Finnick Odair. All the girls loved him. He had been the victor five years ago at the age of 12. His first year eligible, and he was chosen. My older brother had volunteered to go in his place. But Finnick was head strong and determined to face the games. And boy did he ever. When he came home a victor, he was more of a God than a Man. Then again, by looking at him, you would never be able to guess which he was. And now he was to be my mentor. I stood alone on the stage as applause erupted from the audience. Parents happy their little girl wasn't going, girls more than grateful that they had not been chosen, and boys now assured their love interest was not to be sent off to die. District Four was a career district. But unlike the districts before us, no one was willing to volunteer. Around here volunteers were very, very rare. If you volunteered, you were considered a fool. My brother was only being brave when he did it five years ago. He was eighteen and it was his last year. Back then, he had nothing to lose. Now he is older with a wife and children. Every day he is silently grateful to Finnick for saving him. And now, he will need to hope Finnick can ward off death, because I'm next. Crestius leans into the microphone and calls the boy tributes name. It's Malick Nise. Malick was in my grade, the same age as I. The crowd of boys parts for him, as it did for me. Guards fallow him to the stairs, and then he is on his own. He finds his mark and stares, white faced, at the crowd. And there the two of us stood, both scared out of our wits. I could see he was trying to be brave and strong, but he was wavering. Tears were brimming up. I saw our faces on the screens that lined the square. I look like a fish. Here in district four, we make our living off of fishing. It's our life source. And looking at my eyes there that day, I had the same look a fish does when it realizes the hook through its mouth is about to be its demise. I had a hook in my mouth, and there was no pulling it out. All that was left now was for me to be reeled up into an unfamiliar world where I would surely die. Malick had the same sort of look. We stood motionless as the Panem anthem played. My stomach was replacing the bones in my feet and filling in my toes by the time I got to leave the stage. My legs felt like rubber, and I think my mother noticed my funny way of walking. It felt like every cell in my body was dead, like I soon would be. My mother rushed to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"Annie, Annie, my sweet Annie." She cried into my hair and repeated the same sentence. My Dad came up behind me and wrapped his arms around the two of us. Even he had tears in his eyes. My brother, James, and his wife came up behind him.

"Annie, this is so horrible." My sister in law, Sheridan, cried. He daughter ran up behind her, just finding her way back from where they kept the youngest kids.

"Annie, we'll help you. We'll plan. We'll figure this all out." My brother assured me. Malick came up behind me and tapped my back.

"Annie, I'm sorry this had to happen." I knew he wanted to say more, but he couldn't think of anything. I felt like I needed to say something to, but my brain was buzzing to hard. I couldn't think of anything to say. I just nodded and smiled. "See you at the train station tomorrow." He said, almost apologetically. I walked slowly with my family back to our house. Everything inside me felt heavy. The whole way my Mother cried. She wouldn't stop; she just kept crying and crying. The walk from the main square to our home in the nicer part of town wasn't that long. In no time, we were home. At home, they had watched the televised version of the reaping. Inside, Granny shuffled from one end of the parlor to the other.

"Annie, you stupid girl! Looking like a dyeing fish. You might as well have laid on the ground and flopped around! You'll get no sponsors with a mug like that!" She threw her arms up, sending her shawl flying.

"Mother, hush!" My Mom stuck up for me.

"Oh can it, April. You saw her face. Who would sponsor someone so stupid, so useless looking."

"Anyone who wants to bet on a victor will bet on Annie." James strode in behind the rest of the family. As my family argued over my performance I left the parlor. I walked across the hall to the dining room. The darkness was ominous. Dark, heavy red and gold curtains covered the windows. The large oak table in the middle of the room now had a red table cloth cutting its way down the center of it. The chair cushions, normally white, were now red. I sensed a theme. The chandelier above now had red sashes draped on it. The red charger plates were now slid under the white eating plates. The napkins were even red. Red like blood. Red like my blood. After I couldn't bear the sight of my normally welcoming dining room, I stormed into the kitchen. Our maid, Lisa, was busying herself.

"Did you do that?" I asked, gesturing to the dining room.

"Your Grandmother told me to." She was a shy girl, only two years older than me. She worked to support her Mother and younger brother. Times were tough in the outer parts of the city, and that was where Lisa was from.

"Granny thinks I have no chance, I'll show her. Finnick will train me to be better than all the rest!" With my courage restored, I marched out of the sun drenched kitchen, through the dark hall, and out into the main room. No one was in the parlor, so I marched up the large staircase. Upstairs, my mother was in my room.

"You wore this you're first reaping." She was still crying, and currently rifling through my closet. "You looked so pretty in it! Green is your color, it matches your eyes." The dress my mother was holding was almost identical to the one I now wore; chiffon, light green, and very beautiful. The one I now had was knee length with little pleats in the skirt. The neck line had little green and turquoise gems attached to it. It was then I remembered Malick's compliment. He had told me I looked beautiful and that I probably wouldn't be picked. Guess he was wrong.

I had changed out of my dress and into a pair of khaki pants and a white tank top. I pulled my long brown hair into a wavy ponytail and slowly went downstairs. I sat in my typical dinner seat with Granny to my right and my younger sister Emily to my left. I was the oldest daughter at sixteen.

"The 70th Hunger Games." My brother ate a fork full of mashed potatoes. Nothing on my plate looked edible in my eyes. Potatoes, some kind of fish, steamed vegetables, and a tall glass of milk usually would have been an ideal meal. But at this point, a bullet seemed more like it.

"Shame we won't have a victor in district four this year." Granny grumbled.

"Why do you keep saying things like that?" Usually, I would have never said that. Under normal circumstances I was a well behaved, perfect little girl. But these were not normal circumstances.

"Because they are true!" Granny yelled. "Look at you, slouching in your seat. You ungrateful little pig! Put food in front of you and you can hardly look at it. Lisa worked all day, but obviously it was for nothing."

"I hardly think Annie needs to eat at a time like this, she has bigger fish to fry." My father spoke up.

"Henry, don't you start! This girl won't last a second in the arena because of all the codling you two do. Now she needs to go fight for her life, with what skill? She can hardly catch a fish! Sorry to break it to you, Annie, but you're as good as dead." Granny got up from the table and stormed off. But not before she gave my back a good whack and said "Sit up straight, for Heaven's sake!" When the stinging had gone, I slouched back down. Everyone resumed their supper. James looked up at me.

"So, Annie, what's the game plan?" he asked.

"I was supposed to think of one already?"

"No, but do you have a general idea of what your plan is?" His eyes seemed to twinkle, almost mischievously.

"I can't fight, so I guess I'll hide." I joked. But in that moment, that seemed to be the best thought to cross my mind all day.

**Chapter 2: To the Capitol**

Early the next morning, I gave up trying to sleep. The night before we had talked strategy for hours. Use tridents, use nets, use traps, try and use a bow and arrow. And on the outside, I agreed with all these tactics. But on the inside I knew they would never work. Around two in the morning we gave up, exhausted. I went to bed like everyone else, but I didn't sleep. The entire house was silent as I rolled out of bed, still in my pants and tank top from the night before. With easy, silent movements, I crept to my closet and retrieved a jacket. It took everything I had to sneak down the squeaky steps and silently slip out the front door undetected, but I did it.

Once outside, the world felt colder. But with the cold came crispness in the air. My lungs filled with it, waking me up. With an easy stride, I made my way down to the square. The giant screens and speakers were still there; this way everyone could watch me and Malick leave. I went past that and through the main business hub of the town. Once past that, there was nothing but open fields. I walked down a gravel path to the pier where I usually would go fishing in the summer. After standing there a few moments, I noticed the cliff a little ways above and to the left of the pier. It wouldn't take very long to get there, so I started the climb. In no time at all, I was standing at the edge of the world. The edge of the country as we knew it. I turned and looked at all of district four, namely my city. From here, it looked like I was on a hill. A hill that rose out of the ocean and swooped down into a field which gave way to a city. But it was what was behind me that interested me the most. I turned to face the ocean again, and was greeted with salty blasts of air. At the bottom of the cliff were jagged rocks. It crossed my mind then that one leap, and it would all be over. A quick drop to my certain doom. I would be at the mercy of the waves and the rocks. But then another thought crossed my mind. My family had been torn apart, why tear up another one? There was no use in me offing myself here and not in the arena. That way, the district would only loose one girl instead of two. With my mind made up, I stepped away from the cliff's edge and down the hill, back to the pier. I sat with my feet dangling over the edge, my eyes fixed on the horizon. The sun was slowly rising, and I knew it was the last district sunrise I would ever see. It's funny how you never notice the little things, like the sun coming up, until you know you'll never get it back. Once it had risen above the horizon I got up. I knew it was time to go. I blew a kiss to the ocean and promised I would be back. Although, I knew fully well that I shouldn't promise that at all. My odds of coming back were one in twenty four.

Back at home, everyone was still asleep. I had been gone for two and a half hours. My clock said it was 7:26 when I arrived back in my room. I curled under the covers, closed my eyes, and drifted into a light sleep. It was a cruel, uncomfortable, dreamless place. But I could tell this state was the one I would be in from now on; asleep but just barely. At 8:00 my Mom came in and woke me up. As I rubbed my eyes, she dashed to my closet and pulled out the dress she had picked the night before. It was knee length, black, and silky. Its sleeves were rather odd; big and billowy till about two inches above my wrists. They it tightened around my hand. It had a fairly low neck line and a dropped waist. When it was on, it was smooth against my skin. My Mom left the room after zipping me into it. I admired myself in the mirror until she came back with a black hat.

"I wore this to your Grandfather's funeral. It's full of sorrow, like I know you are." Maybe her giving me her funeral dress should have unsettled me, but it did the exact opposite. She kissed my head and led me into the bathroom. Inside she curled my hair in a way she never had. Most of it was tucked away in itself and big round curls lined my face on either side. For the first time in my life, my hair was silky smooth and not a frizzy mess. I smiled in the mirror. Mom then put on my makeup. My eyelashes were painted, I got to wear bright red lipstick, and Mom put my base on one shade to light. In that moment I remembered a trip my school had made to a museum once. In the museum was a picture of a woman who lived hundreds of years ago, long before Panem existed. I remembered the name plate below the picture read Marilyn Monroe. Unlike her, my hair was brown. But other than that, we both had bright red lips and greenish blue eyes. I smiled at my reflection, wondering if other people would see its perfection. I looked up at my Mom who had tears in her eyes.

"I know this is hard Mom, but don't worry. Just don't watch the games."

"Annie, you know they make us watch it. I just couldn't handle it if I needed to watch you…" she stopped, the tears choking off her words. Without even thinking, my legs carried me up out of the chair and my arms wrapped themselves around my Mom. She shook with sobs.

"Mom, you're going to be just fine! You have James, you still have him. Finnick will help me win, don't worry."

"Oh, that Finnick, he doesn't worry about anyone but himself. Don't put your life into his hands, Annie. Think for yourself." For some reason, her words stung.

"Finnick will help me and Malick survive. Never doubt that." I took my Mom by the shoulders and held her at arm's length away from me. "I will fight. I will come back. I will win these Games." I kissed her cheek and left the bathroom. Something was stirring inside of me that I had never felt before. Perhaps it was fear, churning in me like the ocean. Or maybe it was a new found courage that would help me in the games. Whatever it was, it gave me enough energy to survive my goodbyes. I kissed Granny and told her I would make her proud.

"I never doubted you for a minute, Annie." She smiled her wrinkled, wise smile.

"Then why did you say all those nasty things?"

"Someone had to." She winked, and I didn't fully understand her reasoning. She pulled me in once again and kissed my cheek. "Good luck, my little Annie." She whispered in my ear before releasing me.

"I'll watch every day, and cheer you on every step of the way. Make it out alive, kid." James smiled, tears slowly rolling from his eyes. He was the only sibling I had, and leaving him was one of the most painful things imaginable. My Dad came up with a big grin, trying to hide his tears.

"See you when you get home." My heart broke when he wrapped his arms around me tighter than he ever had before. I hugged him, knowing it was probably the last time I ever would. After I said goodbye to Sheridan and her two children, I stared at the steps. Mom should have been down by now. As Granny told me to go before I was late, she made her appearance. In her hands was a tiny box.

"Here you go, Annie. This will be your object from home." Her eyes were red and swollen, like she had just finished crying. "It used to be Granny's, till she gave it to me. I was going to wait until you were 18, but that may never come." She opened the box, and I couldn't help but gasp. "They are all real. The pearls are from the ocean that surrounds the district. The gold is from the mines that they found. That's a trident, that's a fish, and that's a heart. It's for you to remember home." She choked up a little as she turned me around and put the necklace on me. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. I knew I would never take it off.

"If I die, I'll have home close to my heart." I smiled, tears streaming down my face. I didn't normally cry, but this was a cause to cry. I hugged my Mom for a long time before my Dad said it was now or never. I needed to leave. I pulled away from my Mom and left out the door alone. I walked down the street to the square, which was packed with people. Malick, Finnick, and Crestius were all already there. There was a black car waiting to take us down the road a ways to the train station.

"We thought you were going to chicken out." Finnick joked as a Capitol guard opened the car door for us. Crestius circled around to the front passenger seat. Finnick crawled in and over to the far side of the car. I went in next with Malick right behind me. The door slammed behind him, causing both of us to jump.

"Smile and wave." Finnick advised. Crestius rolled down his window as did Finnick. Both put of winning smiles as they stuck their hands out the windows. Malick fallowed suit and waved. I sat, sandwiched between the only two men I could trust for the rest of my life. The numbness was back inside me. I didn't have the energy to wave or be the perfect tribute girl. I was a dead woman. I was a pawn in their games, but I wouldn't play fair.

We arrived at the train station quickly. Finnick hustled us along, making sure we didn't slow the process down any. Malick walked ahead and Finnick grabbed my arm to keep me beside him.

"You need to smile. So far, you haven't been the charming girl I know you are. You need to win over their hearts, and their wallets. If you want to survive, smile and act happy. Once we are on the train, you can wallow all you want. Fake it for now." He released me and let me walk ahead of him.

The train was at least fifteen cars long. A sleek, silver snake. The windows were all tinted so I couldn't see inside them. In front of the entrance doors was a podium and a mike. Crestius stopped Malick right in front of the doors. I and Finnick followed suit.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the District 4 tributes! Malick Nise and Annie Cresta!" The crowd that had gathered at the station erupted in applause. Crestius gave a little speech, as did Finnick. He promised the District a victor; a promise he shouldn't have made because he couldn't keep it for sure. Then with a fake smile, I approached the mike. It was my job at the moment to give a speech. What I gave was not a speech.

"Goodbye, District 4. May the odds be in my favor!" Was all I could manage to croak. It was slow, but eventually the applause caught on. Malick needed to speak after me. He did the exact same thing with a devilish sort of grin. We gave one last wave and boarded the train.

"How dumb are you two?" Finnick asked a sort of ferocity in his eyes. "Those weren't speeches! They were hardly statements. You need to up the ante. Your interviews at the Capitol need to blow them away. All you're doing is setting yourselves up for failure." He went on and on, but I didn't listen. Instead I fingered the pearls and small gold charms on my necklace. When he was done lecturing us, he stormed off.

"Boy, we sure made him mad." Malick said, pale as a ghost. His dark brown hair looked even darker in comparison to his skin. His eyes were still as grey as they were before all of this happened.

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked, gently putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me with cold stone eyes.

"About as alright as a boy being sent to his death with a beautiful girl can be."

I had been on the train only two hours and was already ready to off myself. It would be a whole two days before we made it to District 3. There wasn't anything to do on the train besides pace. I paced my small room a million times. I noted every detail of the place; the gold swirls in the red carpet, the small lines on the cream walls, the stitches in the white blankets, the folds in the curtains. Inside my head was a inventory of every item that belonged to me on the train. When I wasn't taking inventory of my room or pacing it, I paced the halls. I would sit on the sofas in what was supposed to be our living room and count the trees that flew by. Sometimes Malick and I would have staring contests just to pass the time. The more time we spent on the train, the better we got to know one another. He, Finnick, Crestius, and I had a car all to ourselves. Every district did. We only shared one, and that was the dining car. The dining car was where everyone ate, obviously. But it was also a place to meet and size up the competition.

District 12's tributes looked almost the weakest. The girl was very small and very skinny with auburn hair and black eyes. The boy was taller, but just as skinny with light brown hair and forest green eyes. Their names were Violet and Andy. District 11's tributes looked a little bit stronger, but not by much. The girl was older than the boy, probably around my age. She had dark tan skin, silky black hair, and big brown eyes. The boy was probably 13 with scared brown eyes and brown, curly hair. I came to find out the girls name was also Annie, but she went by Ann. Ann's fellow tribute was named Guy. District 10's tributes looked to be no challenge at all. The girl, Raven, was taller than me but far too skinny for her own good. Her hair was waist long and dark red. Her eyes were pleading, a light green. Markus, the boy tribute, was wider then her but just as tall and thin. He had black hair and the same green eyes. District 9's tributes, Amanda and Vaughn didn't stand out much from the tributes before them. 8's were a little more intimidating. They were both tall and muscular. And from then on, they just got more intimidating. Looking at myself and Malick, we fit in better with the weaker tributes. It was during my time in the dining car I learnt that strength, agility, and will were key in the games. None of which I really had. It was during the visits with my competition that I found out we were all the same; a bunch of scared kids fighting to stay alive. It wasn't until the real careers got on the train that I saw what real competition looked like.

Almost two weeks after we had left, we finally arrived in the Capitol with all districts accounted for. It was also the first time in two weeks that we saw Finnick. He had hid in his room the entire trip, planning tirelessly. Malick and I weren't too sure what his plans were, but we prayed they were good. On the morning of the last day, we all met in the main part of the car. Finnick had evidently just shaved, judging by the small cuts on his face. Crestius was wearing a sea green suit which looked very good on him. Malick was wearing a green shirt and black pants; something he would normally wear. I was wearing a emerald green dress which matched his shirt. Finnick was wearing a black suit with a green tie. He looked very handsome, and without other girls around to ogle over him as well, I allowed myself to marvel his looks. Strong jaw, green eyes you would just swim in, perfect teeth and blonde hair you wanted to run your fingers though endlessly. Finnick Odair was a picture of perfection. It made me feel bad for Malick. He was handsome, but not in the same way. Finnick was manly, Malick was boyish. Malick still had that playful sparkle in his eye and a sort of crooked smile. And then there was me.

"How do I look?" I asked Finnick nervously before we exited the train.

"Gorgeous as always, Annie." He winked at me and offered me his arm. I linked mine in his and faced the door. With my free arm, I patted Malick on the shoulder.

"Here goes nothing." I smiled at him and offered him my arm. He took it, and the three of us stood linked together as the automatic door swooshed open. Fresh air greeted us for the first time in weeks. We breathed it in and basked in the glorious warmth of a Capitol sun. We exited the car and walked onto the platform, still joined together by our arms. Looking up and down the wood walkway, I saw nothing but teenagers. All putting on a brave face, but with fear dancing in their eyes.

Up Next: Chapter 3: Secret Love