Chapter 2:

Effie bounces towards the first glass ball holding the thousands of slips of paper, each one holding a name of a potential tribute,

"Ladies First!" she squeals, as if she wasn't about to randomly pick a girl to pretty much sentence to death. Jona shoots one look towards me, and I couldn't help but notice the worry apparent on his face. I send a reassuring smile back and it was at the moment that Effie read off the name on the slip,

"Silver Whitte!" she says, too enthusiastic as always.

The smile froze on my face, as everyone turns to look at me. Somewhere deep in the back of my mind I'm slightly aware that everyone must think I've gone completely insane due to the fact that I'm still smiling. But I had a little more to worry about than my facial expressions. I must have heard wrong, there was no way out of the thousands of slips, she had pulled out one with my name scrawled across it, but one look around me and I knew I was wrong. I was going to be the next District 12 tribute.

I heard my mother screaming, but I couldn't make out the words, Jona yelled something, but I had no idea what, but for some reason Effie inviting me up on stage made it through the haze that clouded my mind. I started moving through the crowd towards the stage, the smile finally slipping from my face. I bit my lip, and as hard as I tried to prevent it, a single tear slipped down my cheek. That was all I would allow for emotion.

Effie made her way to the second bowl, and all I could think was, better me than my brother, right as she called off the second name,

"Oh my, this is very interesting!" Effie squealed and looked back at me with a smile, "The newest district 12 tribute is… Grey Whitte!" she said, and the only thought that my mind could form was, no. Effie turned back to us, smiling like a lunatic, "I'll bet my buttons your siblings!" she guessed and all I could do was nod, "What a lucky family!"

Not my brother, there must be another Grey Whitte, it can't be my brother, but it was. He made his way to the stage, and I quickly moved towards him, wrapping my arms around him, expecting to see tears in his eyes, but he held his head high.

My mother was being held back by two men, and I knew the day couldn't possibly get more nightmarish to her, both of her kids fighting each other for the chance to live. A plan appeared in my head instantly, I would keep Grey safe, and after everyone else was gone, I would take myself out of the games. But then Effie asked for volunteers,

"Any volunteers?" she asked, and I expected the silent crowd, but then I saw Jona, and I knew what he was about to do. He would volunteer to take my brothers spot, and if he did, he knew I would kill him. I wouldn't kill my brother, but I would kill him, and the look he gave me told me he knew it. Just as he opened his mouth a voice rang out from nearby,

"I volunteer as tribute!" my jaw dropped as I turned to look at the complete stranger that was making his way through the crowd. No, not complete stranger, I remember seeing him not long ago, creating an intricate carving out of a block of wood.

I practically threw my brother off the stage as the boy took his place beside me, and Effie clapped, "How lovely! What a sport!" she gushed, "What is your name?" she askes,

"Jess," the boy swallows, "Jess Catone,"

"Well, everyone please welcome our newest tributes, Silver Whitte and Jess Catone!" she says and several members of the audience give half-hearted applause before the square falls back into a deadly silence. I see Katniss and Peeta looking at us and back at each other, and I could tell the gears where turning in their minds. But why? That seemed to be the question, for everything. Why me? Why did Jess step forward? Why where Peeta and Katniss staring at us like that? Why?

"Well, good luck!" she says awkwardly, before the mayor steps back up to the podium to read the Treaty of Treason, but I'm too submerged in my thoughts to catch a word. I wouldn't be the one to kill this stranger, he had saved my brother's live, I would leave him for the others to slaughter. I was grateful he had acted so quickly, saving Jona in the process, so I felt bad for thinking like this. But it was necessary.

Before I knew it the anthem of Panem begins to play, and I look around the square wondering if this would be the last time I saw District 12, I hoped not, but I was almost certain it was. The odds obviously weren't in my favor, so why would they be when I stepped into the arena. They wouldn't.

As the anthem ends Jess and I were herded into the justice building by a group of peacekeepers. It was very rushed, as if they feared we would try to skip out, I don't know about Jess, but that sounded wonderful to me.

They lead me into a room and leave me in there alone, no doubt locking it behind me. The room was no doubt the nicest place I have ever entered with the lush carpets and a deep velvet couch with matching chairs. I ran my fingers over the velvet, I had only seen it in shop widows, dresses with velvet bows. I believe my mother might have even owned one, but I wasn't sure. I had more important matters to attend to than the fabrics my mother's dresses where made of.

I wonder how Katniss felt at this time last year, she always looked so strong. I wonder how I had looked today, on the stage, scared, weak, an easy target maybe. I had to control my emotions, I refuse to look weak, and I would not show them how scared I actually was. There would be cameras following me everywhere after I left this room, and the world had to know that I wasn't some frail little girl, ready to be massacred in the arena.

My mother and my brother walk through the doors first, looking defeated, as if I was already dead to them. My mother looked as if she had aged ten years within the past hour, and tears stained my brother's cheeks.

"Silver," my mother whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks, but I have no time for the lovey-dovey stuff.

"You have to stay strong, for Grey, for me." I say, she was the only adult left in the household, since my father had completely abandoned us when I was only four and my brother was still unborn. The way I see it he abandoned us, and my mother being the woman she was and still is was strong enough to get us through until I was old enough to help. The request to stay strong was stupid; I already knew she would, so I turned to Grey, "You mustn't sign up for tesserae. Do you understand?" he nods, holding his head high once again, and I hope I had looked as strong as him in front of the cameras, he was always like that, even though he is only 12 he could pass for fourteen, but had the strength of an army, "Convince Jona to take you hunting with him. It's your job to provide food while I'm gone." I say and he nods again. I can't even begin to express how proud I am of him.

Grey was good at hunting, though I rarely brought him out with Jona and me, I don't know why. Grey was much better with a bow and arrow than I was and could tie a decent snare. I was confident he would be able to bring home game. My mother would stay strong I was certain, she would probably begin to work harder than she already did, which worried me, but I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

I wrapped my mother and brother in my arms, and we just stood there like that until a peacekeeper came and instructed them to leave,

"Goodbye," I say,

"We love you," they both say at almost the same time,

"I love you too," and then they were gone.

Minutes later Jona rushed through the door and before I could say anything he crushed his lips to mine, wrapping his arms around my waist. We stayed there for a while until he finally pulled away for a breathe,

"Promise you'll help them, take Grey hunting." I say before he has the chance to press his lips to mine again,

"I promise." He says and I pull his head back down to mine, slightly relieved.

"You'll actually try to win right? Try to come back to me?" he asked suddenly, and when I didn't answer right away he rushed to continue, "Promise, me. Promise you'll try your hardest to come back to me!" he begs,

"I promise." I say,

"Good," he says before lowering his lips to mine again.

The kiss was desperate, sad. This could very well be the last time I felt his lips on mine, and he knew it too. I tangled my fingers in his hair, determined to keep him there for as long as possible, but all too soon another peacekeeper swung open the door, and took Jona away.

The last person to come in surprised me, one of my old friends, Oliver. We had been friends when we were younger, and sword partners.

"Silver, you have to get your hands on a knife, even better a sword." He says sitting down in a chair across from me,

"What's the point? I haven't practiced in years, I haven't practiced since we were close." I say,

"It doesn't matter, you're a natural, and with the right sword you can win." He argues, and I have to say the prospect of using a sword again excites me.

"Okay. I'll try." I say, and he nods,

"Good, with that and your speed you'll be hard to beat, I know I never could." He chuckles sadly. That's when I remembered something, how I knew Jess,

"Why are you helping me?" I ask and before he could answer I continue, "He's your best friend."

Oliver shrugged and was about to say something when the peacekeepers barged in and swept him away.

When I was younger, I had taken up sword fighting. Oliver's father was amazing and he taught Oliver and me until a couple years ago when I accidently hurt Oliver while we were sparring. I had given it up after that. Even vowed not to use one again, but this seemed like a good time to make an exception.


Alrighty! Silver is in the hunger games, but I bet you saw that coming ;)

So, I really really really wanna know what you guys think so,

Please Review!