Chapter two: Willow Everdeen.

It's taken me at least an hour to look through this book. I'm certain I've left some tears on one of the pages at least. Why would Mom and Dad make this? Who are these people? What are the hunger games? I have so many questions that I know I should never ask. I shouldn't have found this. But I can't take my actions back.

I have to tell someone.

Rye.

I run up the second flight of stairs to Rye's room. The typical "Keep Out" sign hanging limply with a flimsy piece of string on the door handle.
I don't knock.
It's now 6am. Two hours before my birthday.

"Rye!" I whisper. "Rye, wake up." I shake him, probably too hard. His head jerks and he turns promptly. "What do you want?! Willow I don't care of you've just turned eighteen I... "He glances at the clock. "Oh come on, It's 6am. What is wrong with you?!"

I shush him and hand him the book. "What is... Real? Who wrote this?"
I sigh. 16 years and he still doesn't recognise her hand writing. "Mom's. Just look inside!"

He flicks through the pages, touching Dad's paintings. He stops on the page I could barely read. A lot of the writing was smudged. From tears I'm guessing.

The page was titled "Prim".

Prim. Primrose Everdeen. My Aunt. Mom says she died of an illness when she was my age, so I never got to meet her, but they both say I look like her. Same fair skin. Same blonde hair. The painting Dad made of her on the worn down pages is beautiful. But all I can think about is why all, or most, of these people are so young. Rue, Prim, Finnick... It can't just be a coincidence. Can it?

And the message at the end said these people died. Why so many?

"Willow? Are you okay? I have no idea what this is. I swear. Just forget about it. Hey, why are you crying?" I snap out of it and look up at Rye. "Some of these people... Who are they? Why would Mom and Dad keep a record book of their deaths? Who does that?!"

"Calm down! Don't be stupid, you don't even know these people!"
Anger boiled inside me. I don't even know why this is happening. He's right. I didn't know any of them.
But I can't help being mad, so I retaliate.

"Calm down?! How can you te-"

We're interrupted, caught.
"What are you two doing?! It's 7am! Why are you shou-", Mom sees the book in Rye's hands. Something in her eyes change, a switch goes in her mind. I can see it.

"Where the hell did you get that, Rye?"
"What?! I didn't it w-"
"I said, where the HELL did you get it?"
Rye's eyes widen. I've never seen Mom like this before. I guess it's my turn to step in.
"Mom. Stop. It was me, I found it under your bed."

Her lips tremble, and then she breaks down. "You had no RIGHT to look through my stuff! You had no right!" She snatches the book from Rye's hands just as Dad comes in.

"Katniss, what's going on?" By now, Mom is sobbing on the floor holding the book close to her chest. Dad sits next to her after seeing the book, kisses her forehead and smooths her hair down. I don't know what to do, so I do the thing I'm good at, and ask a question.

"Dad... What are the hunger games?"