A/N ok so no one reviewed yet so I have just decided to continue the story and hope that more people read and review it! (Fingers crossed!)
I unfortunately do not own the hunger games.
I ran my fingers over the soft velvety cloth of the couch as I waited for my first visitor to come and say goodbye. It reminded me of my couches at home. A deep pain erupted in my stomach when I realized that I was never going to see home again. I still couldn't believe that my name was picked out of the bowl. It was so unlikely, yet it had happened. My eyes were puffy and red from crying and wondering why the world was so unfair. I knew that I was going to die in the first 5 seconds of the hunger games. All the other tributes had trained for this, or had hunted for food. They would know how to find food and survive in the hunger games. The beautiful brass doorknob to the oak door slowly turned as my first visitor came. My boyfriend, Kale, coolly slouched in.
"Hey sweetheart!" he drawled. I grimaced, yet quickly turned it into a smile before Kale noticed. I never really liked him but my dad sat me down one day and said that I had to have a boyfriend before I turned twelve. It had to do with wanting the image of the mayor's family to be perfect. Within a day my dad brought in my childhood friend and told me that we were going to be a couple. Yup, you guessed it, that was Kale. Over the years Kale changed from a sweet, innocent kid to a too-cool-for-school type guy. I quickly turned my attention back to him. He smiled and yelled, "Wow, the hunger games! Ouch! I've got a helpful hint for you…stay alive!" He cracked up like that was the most hilarious joke in the world. I plastered on a fake smile and laughed at his insulting joke. A peacekeeper in an blinding white suit popped out from behind the door.
"Thirty seconds!" he stated gruffly.
"Ok, in all seriousness, how in the world are you going to make it through the games?" Kale said, curiosity edging through his voice.
"I don't know, Kale." I replied, sighing. "I really don't know."
"Times up!" the peacekeeper screamed, coming inside to direct Kale to the door. Kale pecked my lips quickly.
"Love ya!" he drawled.
"Love you too." I grumbled. I could only think of two other people who would come in to see me next, Elana and my dad. I wasn't even sure if my dad would come. He would probably say he had meetings to go to and papers to file. Next in was Elana, just as I had thought. She rushed in and immediately hugged me. I felt tears springing to my eyes. She was the only friend I had here and I was her only friend (not including Sage).
"I'm so sorry!" She whimpered, her voice choked by tears. "Of all people to get picked…"
"It's ok." I interrupted. "I can just ask Sage to kill me quickly in the bloodbath…"
"Oh no you won't! Sylvie Jamie Hendrix you are going to try your hardest to win the hunger games! I will be ashamed of you if you let yourself die! You need to go fighting!" Her speech surprisingly gave me more confidence. She was right. If I die without fighting, I would look helpless and small.
" Thanks Elana. You are the best friend a girl can have!" I pulled her into another bone-crunching hug.
"Times up!" the gruff voice grumbled. Why did the sessions have to be so short? As Elana was being taken away she grabbed my hand again. I squeezed it, thinking it to be a friendly gesture. My eyes widened in surprise as I felt something small and hard in my hand. Elana gave me a knowing look as she disappeared behind the door. I looked into my palm and saw a small crystal and piece of folded notebook paper. I unfolded the paper and read:
Dear Sylvie,
I'm giving you this crystal as your token in the hunger games. When I was looking for a token to give you, I noticed something shining in the street. I knew it was the perfect thing to get you. I AM going to see you after the hunger games because you ARE going to win! Whenever you feel lonely just look at this crystal and remember that I am rooting for you to win!
~Elana
P.S. There is something in the crystal that I couldn't make out. Maybe you can try to see what it is.
My throat constricted and tears started leaking out of the corners of my eyes. Suddenly the door started to creak open again. I quickly shoved the crystal and paper in my pocket and wiped the tears out of my eyes. All I saw was a blur of black and the next thing I know my dad was hugging me. Yes you heard that right. My dad was hugging me. For me, you usually don't find "dad" and "kind" in the same sentence. This was like President Snow declaring that the hunger games were banished and that the new flag would consist of rainbows and unicorns.
"Um…dad?" I squeaked.
"Honey, I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" Oh my gosh! Maybe my dad had turned a new leaf! Maybe I finally had a dad who loved me! As soon as I heard the "thwak" of the door my dad immediately straightened up and brushed himself off. Or maybe my dad was just acting like he loved me for the peacekeepers guarding the door. My heart sank to the very soles of my feet. "Sylvie,"
"Yes Father?" I responded obediently.
"I need you to listen close. It was not a coincidence that you got picked to be in the hunger games. I did something to…well…anger the capital. This is their way of punishment. You CANNOT trust them. Do you understand me?"
Overwhelmed by the currant of information, I slowly nodded. I noticed that my dad looked more tired than usual. His hair was staring to get more gray hairs and the bags under his eyes were deeper and had more color. "Good. You cannot let anyone know that we have had this talk, alright?" Again, I nodded like a robot. "I cannot say this enough, Sylvie, you cannot trust- I love you so much!" I looked behind him to see why he had changed his statement in the middle of talking. Sure enough the peacekeeper had just opened the door.
"Times up, sir." He said in a much nicer and more polite way. As he was walking out my dad gave me a look as if to say: Tell no one we have had this talk. I curtly nodded and then he was gone and I was finally alone. I slumped back in the couch wondering what had just happened.
Not long after my dad's visit a group of pristine peacekeepers marched me to the train that would take me to the capital. The train was sleek and high-tech. It had an electric-blue siding and white everywhere else. It looked amazing and out of place compared to my district. I took one look back at district 6, my home. Finally I stepped inside the strange and new device. I should know all about trains and other transportation devices since our district makes them, but I always tune out whenever my dad talks about them. My dad. What had happened when he came to visit me? Was it true that my name being reaped was not because of chance, but because the capital made it that way. You cannot trust the capital,he had said. This was coming from the guy who told me that the capital was amazing and to trust them, since I was six. Suddenly an image flashed in my mind. It was of a small baby with a mop of blonde fuzz on their head. The door in the train opened and I was quickly shaken from my daydream. Sage and Byrd came through it. Byrd looked happy and pleasant and Sage looked like he wanted to punch something.
"Hello Sylvie!" Byrd shouted goofily. "Do you like the train? It is so comfortable that you can't even feel it when it is moving!" I looked behind him and saw our crazy mentor. She came in and collapsed on a couch. I noticed that her eyes were different colors. One was dark brown while the other was electrifying green. Byrd looked uncomfortable with her. He moved a few steps away and glanced cautiously at her.
"Kids, this is your mentor, Pica!" Pica looked at us with her strange eyes and opened her mouth. She let out a bloodcurdling wail and started pounding the pillows on the couch. "I'll leave you to it then. Oh, and the showing of all the reaping' is in 20 minutes!" And with that Byrd practically sprinted from the room. I looked up at Sage. He looked helpless, like he didn't know what to do. I had dealt with a lot of crazy people in my lifetime so I decided I would try to help Pica.
"You go on to your room," I commanded, "I will put Pica in her own room to get some sleep." He nodded, obviously relieved that he didn't have to deal with her. I gently lifted Pica's head. "Pica, are you tired?" She nodded tears slipping down her face. "Come on." I practically dragged her to her room and got her changed in a flowing white nightgown. I laid her down and I was about to leave when she called out to me.
"Wait! Can you sing me a lullaby?"
"A lullaby?"
"Yes, my big sister used to sing to me every night after I came back from the hunger games so I would fall asleep."
"What happened to her?"
"She got reaped two years after me. I had to mentor her and…and watch her die."
"I'm so sorry. Of course I will sing to you." No wonder Pica was in such a mess. I felt a strong urge to help her. I didn't really know any lullaby's so I just started humming a random tune. Suddenly words came to my mouth. I didn't even know this song, yet I was singing it as if it was my favorite song in the world. Suddenly images flashed in my mind. It was the baby again, yet it was in a comfy pink crib now. In my head I heard a strong clear voice singing. That voice was singing the very song I was just moments ago. I stumbled back, gasping. The image slowly faded away. I glanced at Pica, her breathing steady and her eyes closed. I silently sneaked out and padded into the room with the television. Sage was already seated with Byrd.
"It's about time you came! They are about to show district one!" I plopped down next to Sage and watched the giant glowing screen. Reaping after reaping I stared, never really taking anything in. All of the names blurred together: Canna, Darrel, Sorrel. I knew that I should be paying attention. I knew that I would have to face these people to the death but my mind kept wandering. Suddenly, the image flashed to district six. I saw my name being called. I saw my disbelief. I instantly knew that the other tributes would see me as an easy target. They did a close-up of me on the stage. Tears were leaking out of the corners of my eyes. I cried? I don't remember crying! I buried my face in the couch, too embarrassed to look at Sage or Byrd. Finally, it flashed on to district seven. I barely paid attention again. I looked over at Sage and realized that he was jotting things down on a peice of paper. I needed to get my hands on that to assess my fellow tributes. When the reaping's were over, sage folded up the piece of paper and stuck it in his pocket. I expertly weaved my way to get into my own room and bumped into him on the way.
"Sorry!" I mumbled.
"S'ok" he replied. I rushed to my room, trying to keep the sly smile off my face. In my hand was the crumpled piece of notebook paper. I opened it up and quickly read:
District 1:
Girl: Alyssum –major threat—volunteered
Boy: Sorrel—major threat—volunteered
District 2:
Girl: Ember—major threat—volunteered
Boy: Darrel—major threat—volunteered
District 3:
Girl: Canna—minor threat—cried
Boy: Dusk—major threat—volunteered
District 4:
Girl: Juniper—unknown threat—very subtle—didn't volunteer
Boy: Sorrel—minor threat—hugged family before going to stage
District 5:
Girl: Fern—unknown threat—didn't volunteer
Boy: Basil—strong—possible ally
District 6:
Girl: Sylvie—unknown
District 7:
Girl: Hyacinth—unknown
Boy: Spruce –unknown
District 8:
Girl: Magnolia—unknown
Boy: Comet—major threat—volunteered
District 9:
Girl: Poppy—minor threat—cried
Boy: Bracken—unknown—possible ally
District 10:
Girl: Cayenne—possible threat—showed no sign of sadness
Boy: Finch—unknown
District 11:
Girl: Sequoia—very confident—didn't cry
Boy: Flint—unknown
District 12:
Girl: Isle—looked like she knew the boy tribute—unknown
Boy: Dune—looked like he knew the girl tribute—unknown
I was shocked. I couldn't believe he had assessed all of the tributes. He really wanted to win! I remembered Elana's words. I should want to win too! The only thing I didn't understand was my evaluation. He didn't even write that I cried! All he wrote was unknown. That was really strange. I ran back to the lounge and dropped the piece of paper on the ground so that Sage would think that he dropped it. I ran back to my room and plumped on my bed. I was exhausted. So much had happened today. I stifled a yawn. I grudgingly got up and took a long hot shower. I have never had a shower before. The only way to get clean in district 6 would to get in a tub of water. I got out and slipped on a nightgown not unlike Pica's. I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. I had shoulder length auburn hair and bright blue eyes. I was short for my age, about 4'9. I imagined myself taller and with short-cropped hair. I imagined muscles poking out o the sleeves of my nightgown. I smiled. Maybe I could get Sage to change my info in his evaluation. I imagined it…. Sylvie—major threat. I puffed out my chest and started walking toward my bed. Then I stubbed my toe and got yanked back to reality. I would always be Sylvie—unknown, no matter what I do. I sighed. Why does the truth have to burn so much?
A/N: So how do you like it? Hopefully this will bring in more reviews! I am not going to submit the next one until I get at least one review…please! I know this doesn't have much action in it but trust me I am going to put a lot of action in this book! Please read! And check out lilmisstalksalot1211! She has a couple hunger games books also! Please review! Thanks!