Isaac had a purple hand mark around his throat, his left eye was swollen shut and I could see some purple bruises dotting his collorbone. I think I would pass out if I looked at his back.

"Oh God-" I put my hand over my mouth.

"I'm fine," Isaac mumbled but his hand shook as he took mine.

"You're not fine," I said and almost sobbed it out.

"Let's just get going," he tugged on my hand.

"No, come on Isaac. I'm taking you to my parents," I said and pulled his hand along.

He didn't protest as I dragged him through my back door. Mom and Dad were sitting at the table drinking coffee. Dad stood up as we walked through the door, Mom's expression hardened.

They made Isaac sit on a bar stool as Dad grabbed an ice pack and gingerly pressed it over his eye. I sat on the couch with my head in my hands. I am going to kill his Dad.

Soon somebody sat down beside me, it was too heavy to be Kyle and too light to be Mom or Dad. It was Isaac.

I looked up, he had an ice pack over his eye and a bandaid on some of his cuts. I snaked my arm around his waist and leaned into him. Mom and Dad were outside talking quietly, but I knew what they were talking about.

"Isaac this has to stop," I mumbled.

"Parker you don't understand, they are the only family I've got. They're both survivors of district twelve, they don't have anybody either." Isaac said softly, the pressure in his eye was going down.

"Isaac but he's hurting you," I muttered.

Tears dripped down his cheeks. He didn't say anything after that, we just watched dumb capitol TV.

By that time our show was over, he could open his eye. Dad baked a pizza and Isaac had dinner with us. He refused to give up his address up.

"Isaac please, it will be all better if you just tell him." I whispered to Isaac as I curled up next to him on the couch.

Isaac just turned his head and drew a shuddering breath. "Parker my dad could get arrested."

"Yes and he's hurting another human being," I said softly. "I'm sorry but he deserves it Isaac."

Isaac refused to look at me. "It's 322 Juniper drive."

I pulled his head over and kissed him softly. "Isaac you won't regret this." Then I jumped up to tell Dad, he was out the door in an instant.

Isaac and I sat outside, Isaac was sobbing. I was doing my best to comfort him but at some point he has to suck it up. Yes I get it, his home isn't safe anymore. But he has to do something about it.

In about an hour, Dad came through the door. His face was flustered but he looked a little more relaxed. He made us stay on the porch while he talked to Mom.

Then they both walked out to the deck. They both sat down across from us, Isaac wiped his eyes and sniffed.

"So?" I whispered.

"He's getting arrested," Dad mumbled.

Isaac lets out a sob but quickly covers it up. "Oh God-"

I rub his shoulder and bite my lip. He probably doesn't want to hear me right now.

Dad squeazes Mom's hand and she leans into him. We don't say anything for a while, just let the silence linger. Isaac finally announces that he's going home to find his mom.

"Come back if you need too," Mom said before he headed offf.

"Wait Isaac!" I catch him on the corner and pull him in for a kiss softly. "It's going to be all better now."

He just nodds and heads off. I walk slowly back into the house, everything was going to be different now.

Mom wraps me up in a hug and I rest my head on her shoulder. Dad hugged me too, now I'm sandwhiched between them.

"You don't have to go to school tomorrow if you don't want too." Mom whispered gently in my ear.

"I don't want too," I mumbled.

"You can stay," Dad said. "Do you want to go to the meadow?"

I shook my head. "I just want to go to bed."

Dad wrapped me up in his arms, I breathed in his smell. He smelled like freshly baked bread. "Are you okay?"

"No, but thanks for asking." I pulled out of his arms and started to go upstairs.

I pulled off the clothes I put on this morning and crawled into bed. Mom came in a few minutes later.

She sat down beside me and ran her fingers over my hair. "You okay?'

"No," I mumbled softly.

"Honey I know it's hard," Mom said and laid down beside me. "But everything is going to get better."

I didn't reply to that. I just pulled the blankets up over my head and tucked my knees into my chest.

Mom rubbed my back, "it all gets better."

line break

The next day, I finally sucked up the courage to ask Mom and Dad to see their games. Mom's face went pale, Dad just sucked in a breath.

"Yeah sure," he mumbled.

Mom put Kyle down for a nap and we curled up on the couch. I was a little bit nervous to be honest. What would I see?

The first part was the reaping. There was a pale looking Effie, digging around in a glass bowl.

"Primrose Everdeen!" She called excitedly.

The camera flashed to my Aunt, she had her hair in two braids and an older outfit on. Her face was pale as she stepped out into the aisle.

"Prim!" I hear a young voice call out. "Prim!" Then Mom comes out, she looks young and beautiful. She pushes past Prim and steps infront of her. "I volunteer, I volunteer as tribute!"

Mom closes her eyes and leans into Dad. I know that my aunt dies and this is why she died.

"Lovely," Effie says. "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and asking for volunteers, and if one does come forth then we um..." she trailed off.

"What's the matter?" Somebody asks in the back. "Let her come forward."

Prim is crying behind Mom. "No Katniss! No! You can't go!" She has her toothpick arms around her tightly.

"Prim, let go," Mom says coldly. "Let go!"

Gale comes on screen, he picks Prim up and carries her off toward who I'm guessing is my Grandma. I haven't seen her in forever.

"Well bravo!" Effie gushes. "That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen," Mom's voice is raspy.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on everybody, Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!"

Nobody claps, everybody touches the tree middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out.

"What does that mean?" I ask Mom.

"It means good-bye to someone you love," Mom whispered.

Haymitch saunters of stage, slurrs something and passes out. Then Dad gets drawn, Mom's face goes pale.

Dad's face is grim when I look at him. I know that they both don't want to watch this. But we have to do it as a family.

After a while, we get to the ranking. Mom gets an eleven, Dad gets an eight.

"What did you do to get an eleven?" I ask Mom softly.

"I shot an arrow at the gamemakers," she smiles.

Dad laughed, "and I just showed them my painting skills."

"That little girl. Was she your friend?" I noticed Mom's expression when her score came up as a seven.

"Yeah," Mom says softly. "She helped me a lot."

"I think we should take a break," Dad pauses it. "We'll watch the games after lunch?"

Mom seems relieved, "I'll make lunch. Is chicken noodle soup okay?"

"I'll go get Kyle," I said softly and climb the stairs.

Kyle's awake in his crib, he's getting a bed soon. "Pawker!" He says excitedly as I approach him.

"Hey Buddy," I say softly and pick him up. "Ready for lunch?"

"Yeah!" He says and raises his chubby arms.

I take him down stairs and set him in his high chair. Mom is almost done with the soup, she smiles over at me.

"Thanks P," she stirs it a little bit more.

"No problem," I mumble.

We ate lunch slowly. I could tell that Mom and Dad were dreading watching the games. But I don't blame them, this is their past. I should respect that and I do.

After lunch, Mom sits in Dad's arms. I curl up next to them with a blanket draped over my shoulders.

5

God I am so nervous for this.

4

Mom burries her face in Dad's shoulder, she's not ready for this.

3

I knot my fingers together and close my eyes.

2

Dad makes a small noise, something I've never heard him make before.

1

Let the games begin.

Hello everybody! I only got two reviews but I'm going to post anyway. I just finished a softball tournoment. We either got third or fourth, I don't know.

I also have to be a volunteer for Vacation Bible School until thursday. So that means I can't write, only a night.

So please answer this question!

Q: What grade are you in?

A: I will be registering for ninth grade this september.