Thanks to xXKillerxxCupcakeXx, my first reviewer :) :)

OG...

y "" key just snapped off my acBook Pro.

I' freaking out.

(a inute and a half later)

HAHA. I FIXED IT. :D

And I am proud to announce I have typed my longest freaking document EVER. :)

lys

*

Taylor POV

I shove my hands into my pockets, which I do naturally under stress, and I feel something small in the right-hand pocket of my sweater.

It's a little farming plow charm on a light golden chain.

In an instant, I know it must be from Lauren, an expert pickpocket. I roll it around in my fingers, thinking about how when I die, I'll die a boy.

It's a revolting yet really depressing thought. But I try to thank God for everything that's happened today. I am thankful for my tomboyish appearance and dark pixie cut, and I am proud of what I did.

If only the thing I had did hadn't involved certain death, then maybe I would be happier.

Shanna and I are led into a small room filled with cameras, and I smirk at them, feeling the TV audience saying to themselves, "Oh, she's a contender, that one."

But of course, since I am a "boy," they'll be talking about Shanna and ignoring the strangely girlish male tribute.

I blink to myself, really taking this in for the first time, and I go through a serious struggle to keep the uninterested smirk on my face.

Finally, we depart from the small room and into the train station. The station is old and rickety, the trains even more so.

But the train I see chug-chugging into the station has to be one of the biggest-and one of the only-vehicles I have ever seen. It would take about twenty of me-and hey, I'm six-foot-to measure this humongous vehicle.

The Peacekeepers finally leave Shanna, Mony, Micah, and me to ourselves, and taking a deep breath, we board the giant train one by one.

*

When we board the train, a replay of the district reapings, all except for Twelve which would come on live in a few minutes, is playing on the TV screen next to a few couches in the fanciest lounge I've ever seen-and this is a freaking TRAIN.

A few people really stick out- a dark-haired mysterious looking guy from One, a scary looking girl from Two who threatens to kill volunteers, a gorgeous young girl from Four. I watch my own reaping, abridged into two minutes. I see my poor brother, Ben, heading toward the podium, trying to mask his face but failing considerably.

I see myself, trying to keep the tears from falling. I see Lauren's face, wide with shock, and I distantly hear the reporter's voice, "Is this Taylor's girlfriend?"

That question snaps me back to reality, and I know there'll be questions about Lauren, my best friend, whom I unknowingly dragged into this whole mess. I groan inwardly.

I focus my thoughts back to the present and try to watch the live reapings of District Twelve. An enthusiastic lady by the name of Effie draws from the reaping balls: a plain girl who washes out of my mind, and a familiar-looking boy who looks about twelve by the name of Vick Hawthorne. This seems particularly haunting for some reason, and I think it's because the mentor of Twelve, a girl by the name of Katniss Everdeen, yells out a loud "NO!" and the boy is volunteered for, by his own brother. Is this what I looked like when I volunteered? Full of panic and suppressed fear?

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding, and I feel a surge of respect for this other boy who has volunteered. I think his name is Rory. Rory Hawthorne, who the reporters say is in his final year of eligibility, just like me. He remains indifferent for the cameras, but inside, I see a boy who is scared out of his wits.

And that's when I know who this boy is.

We all know the story of District Twelve's second winner, Katniss. In fact, her name literally goes down in the history books as the only person ever to share a Games victory, with a young man named Peeta Mellark. But when she was in the Games, she was suspected to have another love interest-Gale.

Gale HAWTHORNE. I can imagine how hard this must be for Katniss, to feel the pain of someone else and no longer be eligible to take it herself.

I know I have to try to make allies with this Rory boy, because I see myself in him. I see the desperate need to save his brother, and I feel the pain in his heart, knowing he may never come home.

Plus, he's really cute.

No, I push the thought out of my head and close my eyes. Out of sight, out of mind. I can't like anyone here. I can't, because I can't stand to watch them die, and I'm supposed to be a guy.

My mind flashes back to when I was twelve, watching Katniss volunteering for her sister, and I'm hit with a strong sense of déja vu.

Family.

They really are important. And the sacrifices we make for them just prove that all the more.

I open my eyes to find Micah staring at me. "You okay?" She looks sincere, and I know the Games are a big deal for her.

I nod slowly and stand from the couch. "Yeah. Just kinda tired. It's been a long day."

Micah looks at me, sadness filling her eyes. "I know the feeling."