A/N Here is the next chapter hope every one enjoys it. District Eleven is next but while you wait here is DISTRICT NINE!

~Jennifer "Jenni" Calender~

'Hold my hand as we cross the road Jenni."

"Mommy, I got this." I reassure her smiling, "The district square is right there, I'm not going to die crossing the road." I start laughing pointing at the district square which is filled with hundreds of people all waiting for the reaping to start so the torment can end. But my mom gives me a serious face filled with pain and my smile immediately turns into a frown.

Obviously it wasn't funny, I can see my tiny joke really impacted her, so I gave in and let her grasp my hand to cross the small distance between the sidewalks and district square.

My mom just wants to protect me, I know that, but I also now she can be overbearing, especially around these times. Normally I think it's pointless, because I can't be reaped, I'm too young, but this year it's different.

I hate different!

We walk towards the crowd, my mom's face completely lifeless. She's just staring at nothing. Oh, no, this is my fault, I shouldn't have made that joke. " Mommy, I'm sorry. That wasn't very funny, was it?" I wait for my mom to reply with something, but I don't get anything. It was so stupid for me to say that, especially with what happened in our family.

I look at the stage, where three bowls have been placed, and can't help but see my brother and sister. Both reaped, both dead. Stupid, stupid Hunger Games!

I gently squeeze my mom's hand, who is still remaining silent. "Mommy….." I whisper in a hushed voiced. Out of nowhere, she breaks her fixed gaze of nothing and looks down at me and begins to cry. "I…I…." She stutters, "I love you."

I can't stand to look at my mom anymore; I can't stand to be in this district square! Everything reminds me of my brother and sister. I miss them so much, I need them, but I never will get them. If I'm in the games I may meet them, if I die.

I miss playing hide and seek with them, and that's all I can think of doing right now. I want to run and hide from everyone.

I give my mommy a wide grin, trying to cheer her up, but it doesn't work. She just continues to cry. She slightly regains herself before I leave to stand in my section. She looks directly in my eyes and gives me one last piece of advice. "Jenni, whatever happens, you can't trust anyone. No one."

I smile at my mom, my way of telling her I understand. I give her a hug and reluctantly walk towards my section. I don't want to leave her, she seems so sad that it's a crime to leave her alone, I don't want be alone either. I wish dad was here. I want the family although at this time of sorrow, but the family has been broken up for awhile.

Sometimes I feel my dad doesn't care about me, but mom tells me it's only because he cares about me and has been to hurt with my siblings deaths that he can't handle the thought of loosing me. But it's hard to believe that when I never see him and we never talk.

I walk to my section, standing beside the other hundreds of kids in my district all as terrified as me. It's hard to imagine every single person in this crowd is evil, but if that's what my mom says I guess it must be true.

The mayor walks onto stage and begins the annual speech. As soon as he opens his mouth I lose it. I've heard that speech to many times, and that speech always equaled a loss in the family.

I'm just crying, thinking of all the people I've lost in these games. I can feel people's eyes on me, I wish I was invisible and that I could hide from the world.

I'm so pre-occupied with my own depression that I am completely oblivious to the teenager walking to the stage. He's walking to the stage in big strides and is completely silent, with no expression that I can tell. The escort repeats his name Vorth Raye. I bet he has a family, and I know exactly how they feel right now. Once there he stands with a ghastly look on his face. I wonder what he's thinking? Maybe he's plotting his strategy. Thinking of ways to kill.

The games bring the worst out of people. If I'm chosen I know what I'm going to do. It's going to be a huge game of hide and seek.

Next are the girl tributes. There's a feeling deep inside me telling me I am going to be chosen. I would do anything to stay out of the arena, but I need to keep up the family tradition. The tradition of dying in the arena..

And it looks like nothing is changing this year; the tradition is being held as my name is called. I'm going to be just like them, dead in the arena. But I don't want to die.

As I walk onto the stage I start sobbing. I don't want to go. The escort completely ignores me and simply speaks in a louder voice trying to cover the sound of my crying.

Doesn't she even care that I'm going to die? That all the little kids in the games are going to die? NO she's from the Capitol she only cares about herself.

I barely hear her call Nash. I don't really know Nash that well, but I've seen him around. He's about my age, a year younger I think. He makes his way to the stage whimpering no wanting to go like me.

At least he has a better chance at survival than me, because you can't beat tradition.

A/N Just one last thing we really love reviews. They make our day. So please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!