AN: Hi guys, I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while, I know I promised to updated more frequently and I didn't, my Internet is acting weird and will only let me access Microsoft word, but not the actual Internet. (I have a crappy computer and I need a new one,) and my mom always hogs our laptop so it was hard to post. Plus I haven't had much free time because I do Community Theater after school, and I just finished The Wizard of Oz! Now I have a ton of my free time and I will devote it to this, I am already almost done with chapter three, (I bet you can guess who it's about after reading this)sorry if there is any grammatical errors i wanted to post this and i didn't read it over. I hope you like it, I always loved this character(you'll have to read to find who it is) and I hope I did well capturing there voice, thank you for all the reviews, and thanks for waiting so long, anyway I will stop rambling, on with chapter two!

I heard the howling dog barks and I quickly turned over to see my supply bag completely shredded up into nothing, my food gone along with all my supplies. "Damn it! " I said. Everything I had, gone. "Of course it would happen today," I mumbled standing up; if I had only had some sense last night and tied the sack into a tree this wouldn't have happened.
I rummaged through the shreds to see if anything had survived, but alas nothing did. I carefully headed up the alleyway, behind the shops looking through the garbage's for anything to calm my uneasy stomach, but there wasn't a scrap to be found. I walked into town square and sat down with my back against the wall and put my hat out so that people could drop their spare change into it.
Here in District 8 it was uncommon for beggars to line the streets because most people had a good income, not rich, but an average income. I was different, I was left abandoned in a field in District 8 a few months ago, leaving me with no memory of where I had come from, only my name, Edmund, and that I was fifteen. Ever since then, I was fending for myself, no one took me in because I was supposedly old enough to live on my own, at least by District 8's standards. I know that's a bunch of bull, the only reason that I am left outside in the cold is because the orphanage is over populated, surprisingly even though not many are dying from starvation here in District 8 many of us are dying, mostly from disease, leaving many children orphaned.
The mayor of District 8 is the most idiotic man I have ever seen. He is afraid of everything, even his own shadow. He outlawed over the counter drugs because he was afraid of over dosage, so he said screw the sick people and outlawed them. I am almost positive every citizen in District 8, besides me, is extremely stupid, and afraid of everything. I mean seriously, how much can you possibly be afraid of in a District that makes fabric? Trust me more than you think. The District has outlawed so many things because of their irrational fear, that there is barley anything that is legal. I wouldn't be surprised if me sitting with my hat on the curb is legal, but I guess I'll have to find out.
I pulled out my pipes and began a tune; it was light and happy, intertwining with sadness and despair, perfect for reaping day. Evangeline, a pretty girl with long red hair, came over and sat down beside me, listening to the soft tune. She gave me a smile and began to sing. Her voice was sweet as a hot cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Within two minutes a giant crowd gathered around us to listen.
"We are all alone
All on our own
We are silenced of our freedom
Let us come together
Fighting for our home
We can do this if were all together
Fight
For what's right
Don't ever let go
This is our time
Our time to fight
Against the ice of the other side
With fire
And let there be a revolution
Against
Her…"
I pulled the pipes away from my lips as a distant and unpleasant memory began to appear. Clapping filled the streets with a mass of thumps; my can was full after only a few minutes. "Thanks," I whispered.
"No problem, I only sang the truth, King Edmund," I looked at her puzzled, I wasn't a King not even near wealthy, she sensed my confusion and smiled, "Whether you are rich or not it doesn't matter, it is your nobility and bravery that makes you a true King. I believe, that one day you will change the world." She smiled and winked, she carefully stood up and wandered down the street, I watched her until she was out of sight. Me, I thought, change the world, never going to happen.
I stood up walked toward our market to buy breakfast; I sloshed through the snow until I reached the small entrance only to find a closed sign on it. "CLOSED FOR THE REAPING" I shuttered, I had forgotten about the reaping for a moment. I shook off the thought that the reaping was in a half hour and decided to go look for food somewhere else.
After hopelessly wandering around for a half hour and still finding nothing, I began toward town square along with everyone else. I felt like a mouse in a room of cats, everyone looked at me like I was nothing, the girls quickly hurried away afraid I might contain some disease, and the boys began to go on how I smell like a stray dog and how they don't want to stand too close.
A particular boy Nick Lutherbean hated me the most, and I hated him. He stood there with a grin on his face, he was the richest boy in District 8and he always looked for anyone who he could pick on that was poorer then him, and especially if they were tall, I wasn't too tall, actually, shorter than most boys my age, but he would make do. Nick had this disease that dwarves him, it wouldn't have been so bad if he wasn't named after a famous legendary dwarf named Nikabrik, it made him hysterical, but because he would kill you if you even mentioned it, no one did. One of my favorite pass times was watching his face turn bright red and his friends snicker when I would call him by his full name.
"Hello Edmund," he said and I knew there was going to be trouble, but I welcomed him openly.
"Nikabrik," I said with a grin as he turned tomato read, it was even worse today, sincenot only his friends, but almost everyone in our year could hear us.
"Heard your bag was torn up by a dog of mine, to bad." the grin quickly turned into a scowl, I should've known, he was the only one rich enough to have a dog, I had assumed it was stray.
"Well it was only a SMALL amount; I have a ton of money and food hidden elsewhere." I lied, emphasizing the word small, just to get on his nerves.
He clenched his fists at his sides, he wanted to fight but he was waiting for me to deliver the first blow. "Oh, good at least you won't go starving," he said scanning my face, I made it emotionless, I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of seeing me get angry, "so where's your new girlfriend Evangeline? Shouldn't she be here by now?" I scanned the crowd and he was right, she wasn't anywhere to be found. "Maybe she got held up." He smirked.
"What did you do to her? And she is not my girlfriend, I barley know her." I said much more angrily than I tried to.
"I don't know, why don't you ask the Peacekeepers, they heard your little, song, in town today and weren't very happy, I saw them grab her, you're probably next, you will probably be an Avox in a few days, that'll put you in your place."
"And what place might that be?" I asked, I hoped he was lying; I didn't want Evangeline to get hurt.
"A good for nothing low life, that no one cares about, and belongs as a servant in someone's house, you will never make anything of yourself, and you will always be, scum." The words stung like the stings of a bee but I wasn't going to let him get the last word, especially not those last words.
"Well I am better then you, at least I am not only followed around because my daddy's money bought of all my friends. No one would ever hang out with a pig like you unless they were paid. But you already got what you deserved, because you belittle others you will remain the size of a pea for the rest of your life."
His friends didn't disagree, because we all knew it was true, even Nick. The look on his face made me feel guilty instantly; I hadn't meant to make him feel that bad. He looked to his friends for reassurance in their faces, but there was none. He looked like he was going to cry. I instantly wanted to apologize, but in a way, I knew that would make it worse, because then everyone would notice how much the words hurt and that would embarrass him.
So instead we stood there in silence, for about a minute and then, he socked me in the face. All my guilt was gone. I felt my lower lip and blood trickled down my cheek, and stained my fingers. "You son of a…" I began and then he socked me again, this time hitting my cheek. I socked his face, and he looked surprised for only a split second and then he tackled me to the ground.
After three minutes the Peacekeepers pulled us off each other and took us to the back of the crowd. I could hear Trivance; the man from the capitol who comes to District 8 every year, to read put the names of the boy and girl who are going to participate in the hunger games.
He reached his scrawny wrinkled hand into the girls bowl, I could hear the peacekeeper lecturing us but I wanted to see who would get picked.
" Amelix Ramera" I knew her she was a very popular girl in our school, she usually wore contacts, but today however, she had her glasses on, she had silky red hair, it was straight and today put into pigtails, she was in my year but we had never spoken more than two words, she was dainty like a flower and I knew she wouldn't last more than two seconds in the arena. It was sad seeing her go, I wished I could've said goodbye or something, but it was too late now. Trivance headed over to the boys names, he quickly pulled out the name.
"Edmund Rugmen" I shut my eyes and forced a smile for the cameras. Secretly feared what was to come, but I didn't dare show it. "It's me," I said to the Peacekeeper and shakily head toward the podium, masking my emotions of pure fright into excitement. I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to block out all the thoughts of what was to come. I heard a small clap behind me and turned to see Nick.
"Finally he gets exactly what he deserves, a true honor." I knew he didn't mean it that way, I knew he meant that I am getting exactly what I deserve, death. More faint claps came from behind me. "Exactly what he deserves." More people began to say, what was wrong with them, I hadn't done anyone any harm, except for Nick, but I knew they were all overjoyed, some worthless bum can go to the Hunger Games, and no one cares about him, and the only person that might have, probably has been turned into an Avox.
I can feel the drumbeat my heart is producing as if it was the rhythm to my sad tale, I reached for the railing and carefully walked up the stairs and stepped onto the podium. The world began to spin and my legs crumbled beneath me, as I fell to the floor a wave of gasps were let out across the crowd.
My stomach churned and I felt nauseas, I began to shake uncontrollably and my heart beat fast. My breath shortened, as invisible hands wrapped themselves around my throat suffocating me. I opened my mouth but no words would form.
"He is probably passing out cause of his stench," I heard Nick say and a few laughs passed over the crowd.
Amelix yelled at him, "Oh stop being such a beast, he doesn't deserve it, just as much as you don't, just shut up." This was the second kindness shown toward me today. After all the hate that was directed at me, I was glad at least someone was being kind. Right then my vision began to blur and I was left unconscious.
I woke up lying on an uncomfortable table. A doctor saw my eyes flicker open and smiled. "You're awake." He said in a low raspy voice. "It seems you had a panic attack, too bad, you had to miss saying goodbye to your family, since you were out for a day."
What did it matter, I didn't have a family, no one cared about me ever since I woke up in a field in District 8, with no memory whatsoever of anything, except my name and age, and probably no one cared about me before then either, seeing as I was abandoned there. I was a nobody, I was all alone in this world and it didn't matter if I died in the hunger games, because whether I died there or in District 8 I would still die as someone with no purpose except existing, I would die as just a body sack without a soul, I would die unloved and uncared for, I would die alone. At least the games would end me quicker.
I swung my legs over the edge of the table. "Whatever, can I go now?" I asked sharply.
"Of course." The doctor said, reaching for a small paper bag on the counter. "Here" he said handing it to me, "someone brought this to me and said to give it to you when you woke up, they said, to say it was from a friend." I jumped off the table examining the sack. "Your room is to the left, two doors down."
I left the room following the instructions. When I came to my door I carefully opened it and walked in. It was the largest room I had ever been in. I walked to the bathroom and turned the shower water on hot throwing the sack and my clothes on the bed.
I never get hot water in District 8, in fact, I rarely ever took showers because I was a beggar, but now because I was I tribute in the hunger games, it didn't really matter what I did because the capitol would pay for it all.
If I really wanted to I could run around the capitol stripping down to my knickers, actually I could take the knickers off as well, and they would make it into the most amazing thing on the Telly.
News reporters would say "Edmund Rugmen, from district 8 strips down for the starving children. Capitol people are so idiotic it's hysterical. In fact I think some did that in the capitol once.
I stepped into the shower and let all my fears and troubles roll off my back and down the drain, once I was clean (for the first time as far back as I can remember) I changed into a light green shirt and brown pants. I laid down on the wide bed feeling fully comforted for the first time since I woke up and not completely frightened.
But that only lasted a mere three seconds, on account of the hunger games and that I was going to be participating. I heard a loud clank and sat up and looked around. The paper bag had fallen onto the wood floor of the room. What's in there? I wondered, it had to be made of metal, I guessed, on account of the sound.
I reached over and picked up the bag from the floor. I opened it and pulled out a small box made of sliver colored metal, flowers were carved along the edges, it looked ancient, more than 100 years old, I stroked my fingers along the edges of the box, and the smooth metal against the tips of my fingers gave me familiar chills that I couldn't place.
I touched the latch, carefully unhooked it and opened the box, inside was something I couldn't see for it was wrapped in tissue paper, but the smell was of sweets. Placed on top was a small envelope. I took it in my hands and tore it open. Inside were two things, a note and a necklace. The necklace had a silver chain with I charm on the end, which was a circle and a wolf howling at the moon was carved inside the circle. I put it around my neck and reached for the note inside. The note said:
"Dearest Edmund,
Here is a treat from an old friend, I have missed you dearly my King, and maybe we will see each other in the near future. Enjoy your treat.
Jadis"

I shuttered at the name, who was Jadis? I didn't remember ever meeting a Jadis before, with her name the thought of snow and despair came to mind. I shook myself.
"Oh, stop it Ed." I said aloud to myself. "How evil could she be? She was kind enough to give you a gift and all." I pushed the fear out of my mind and tore at the tissue paper to find my favorite treat waiting inside. "Turkish Delight!" I cried, shoving a piece in my mouth savoring the sweet taste. I took another piece of the sugar coated sweet and plopped it in my mouth, the soft jelly filling wrapped itself around my tongue tickling my taste buds with the fruity sugary taste. After five minutes I had finished off the box and I stared at it wishing for more.
Finally, I pulled away from it when I heard knocking on the door. I carefully closed the lid and looked at the clock, 7:30pm? How long had I been sitting there, I thought hesitantly taking the door knob in my hand, twisting, and swinging the door open.
It was Amelix. "um... Edmund,"
She said pointing to her lips, what's she going on about? Then an answer came, "okay, I guess I can kiss you." the wrong one. I leaned toward her to kiss her and she put her arms in front of her face
"Ew… No… I mean you've got something right here." She said pointing again, my face turned beat red from embarrassment, I walked back into the room and looked in the looking glass.
"Oh bother." I said quickly wiping my face and heading back toward the door. Amelix smiled,
"I came to tell you they are replaying the reapings, if you want to see the competition." She turned around giving without giving me the least bit of attention after that, and walked down the hall.
I went back in my room and put the box under my bed and tucked the necklace in my shirt and then headed down the hall. It took me ages to find the viewing room, but then again it didn't matter much since I would be meeting them all tomorrow morning.
When I reached the viewing room they had just showed District 12 and they were moving onto 13. I had missed it all. Oh well, I thought taking a seat on the couch, I had been hoping to see myself, but I was sort of glad I hadn't. I didn't want to see myself have a panic attack.
I heard a lady come on the loud speaker for District 13 after picking a name. "Molly Amule." She read and gasps went through the crowd. A young girl, about my age, escorted by an elderly woman came up to the podium. The girl trembled in fear, the woman began to move her hands in an odd fashion and the girl began to calm down, it all became clear, she was deaf, the hand movements were sign language.
I sighed sadly. "Easy kill" I muttered. The capitol woman pulled the boys name out of the ball, I got up and left the room, I didn't want to know, to know there was a deaf girl was already sad enough.
I found myself in my room wishing I could die. Suddenly I found myself thinking about Turkish delight, instead of its glorious taste, I tasted iron, but it was different, a distinct taste... blood. I swallowed but that didn't do me any good, the taste of blood filled my mouth with the scratchy iron taste.
I sat awake for a while until I found myself reaching for my necklace, I wrapped my fingers around the wolf charm and it made me feel comforted, the blood taste gone, I shut my eyes and fell asleep clenching the charm as hard as I could between my fingers.