Half-Blood Prince62: Hope you like this character and chapter!

Chapter 1

By: Half-Blood Prince62

"No one ever told me that grief

felt so much like fear."

-C.S. Lewis

Demeter woke with a jolt one morning when firm hands were placed on her back, shaking her awake. Her eyes flew open as she quickly rolled over on her worn green cot which had several holes in it. Her eyes met with her older sister's, Holly. "It's time to get up Demeter." She spoke softly, her gaze soft as she moved a hand gently to her sisters cheek to brush the hair out of her eyes. Demeter sat up slowly as she felt a draft come through the broken window in her room, pulling the thin blanket around her more.

Her eyes slowly scanned the room as if she was taking in every detail of her own room. The reaping. The thought rang through her head clearly. "I know what you're thinking." Holly said softly. "Don't worry, it's just another year that will come and go. Besides, if anything happens to you I promise I'll volunteer for you." She said and slowly removed herself from her sisters cot.

Demeter looked up at her, the last thing she wanted was her sister to suffer just to benefit her. However the thought of such reassurance surely offered her security. "There's no need for that." She responded quietly and pulled her hair back quickly and pulled it over one of her shoulders. "You've heard all the ways they're... recreating the games this didn't you?" The question came out very matter of fact.

Holly turned towards her and stared at her for a long moment, "Yes. Mom and Dad have been talking all about it for the past week." She said.

Demeter finally stood up and turned away from Holly, moving over towards her dresser. Her sister's optimism was often hard for her to swallow. During the 13th Hunger Games their older brother had been reaped and killed in the games. Demeter was far closer with him then she ever had been with Holly and ever since then she hadn't quite opened up to her fmaily the way she used to. "Could you leave, I need to get dressed." She said.

A small frown spread across Holly's lips as she just nodded simply, "Of course." She said quietly. "Mom and Dad are making breakfast whenever you're ready to eat." She said and headed out of her sisters room.

Demeter sighed quietly and picked up and old brush and began brushing her hair, thinking about all the events that would transpire in the next few hours. Ever since Demeter had been old enough to understand the Games the reaping was something hard to swallow, something so horrible just shoved in their face. At least with the games she could turn away, shut her eyes, put her hands over her ears. Whatever she had to do to get away from them, she would. She wanted nothing to do with the Hunger Games.

She quickly grabbed some of her nicer clothes, a dress her mother wore to her wedding reception. It was light yellow and black with a plaid design that she found rather sickening to look at. Although this disgust for the dress resonated deep within her, she knew it meant a lot to her mother for her to wear it. She was finally 16 and could fit into the dress and it was considered substantially nicer then most of the clothes the citizens of District 9 could afford.

Once Demeter was dressed she walked out of her room and headed into the small kitchen where Holly and her parents were. "Good morning dear, how did you sleep?" Her mother spoke up.

Demeter looked up and sat down at the table, looking at the biscuits, eggs and oatmeal that was often what they ate for almost every meal. "Fine." She responded as she picked up her spoon and stared into the oatmeal for a few moments.

Her father looked over and stared at him for a few moments, "Someone woke up on the ride side of the bed." He said, looking her up and down for a moment.

Demeter looked up and looked at Holly who rolled her eyes and just kept eating silently. She paused for a moment and let out along sigh, "I just didn't sleep well. Bad dreams about the games." She muttered in annoyance under her breath.

"Shake it off, it's just another year that'll past." Her father said and set a hand gently on her shoulder.

Demeter in response tensed setting her spoon down and looked up at him, "Is that what you said to Harvey before his reaping?" She asked almost challengingly, referring to her older brother.

Her mother let out a small gasp and looked took Demeter, "Demeter!" She yelled as she threw a towel over her should, her father's hand letting go of her shoulder. "What has gotten into you?"

Demeter stood up and let out a long sigh, "Woke up on the wrong side of the bed." She snapped back and walked out of the room and out of the house, swinging the front door open out of anger.

She quickly headed outside, feeling the harsh afternoon sun bearing down on her. She tilted her head up and let the sun's rays bring warmth to her face for a few moments as she tried to forget about the altercation. "Hey! Demeter!"

Demeter's eyes flew open as she looked up right away as she saw a large tractor filled with hay in the back pulling up along the road that lead into the city. On that were at least fifty people but specifically one of her best friends Pascal. "Demeter! Well? Are you coming?" He shouted, waving his arm back and forth in the air.

Every year many of the mill owners would fill their tractors with hay and load citizens in the back to drive them to the reaping in the city. She smiled, suddenly all the negativity from the morning washing off on her as she saw Pascal. She had been friends with him since she was a child, knowing he had feelings for her but constantly played them off like it was nothing. She jogged up to the tractor and took his hand to help hoist her up. "You arrived right in time." She said.

Pascal smiled a crooked smiled, tilting his head, "Yeah? Should you go tell your family your leaving? Do they want to catch a ride into the city?"

Demeter shook her head, "I'm sure they kind get the next one."

Pascal seemed to paused for a long moment, staring at her as if he was about to ask what was wrong but knew better then to ask. "We're all set!" He called. After a moment the tractor lurched forward and began moving forward again. "So... are you going to tell me whats wrong?" He asked, turning and looking at Demeter as he leaned back in the tractor against the wooden railing.

Demeter stared down at the hay and picked at it slowly, Why does everyone want to know what I'm thinking? She thought to herself, finding it incredibly aggravating. "I just... every year my family pretends like everything is okay and It's really starting to get old."

Pascal tilted his head and moved his arms onto the railing as he leaned back. "You mean cause of Harvey?" He asked bluntly since he knew his best friend didn't care for tiptoeing around things.

Demeter nodded and looked up at him, "That's precisely why." She said, her eyes darting around at the other passengers who all seemed incredibly stoic.

Her best friend stayed quiet and leaned his head back, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of the sun on his own skin. She couldn't help but crack a smile as she watched him, remembering all the times they would just bathe in the sun of the wheat fields together. "Have you considered not being so pessimistic?" He countered.

Demeter pursed her lips in annoyance and brought her fist back and punched him in the side. "Ow!" Pascal practically yelped and sat up quickly. His face turned a dark red as he saw a few of the other passengers looked over at him. "That really hurt." He grumbled as he rubbed his side with his hand.

"Suck it up." She laughed and shoved him, "I don't have the patience to nurse your fragile ego right now." She teased back.

"Whatever." Pascal grumbled.

Demeter looked up and away from the group as she saw the city come into view. Here they had several townhouses all in rows together with factories close by that the mills from the outer parts of the district brought their supplies too. The buildings were tall and concrete with gray paint flaking off every side of the buildings. If the feel of the tractor wasn't already depressing she could certainly feel the unease in the air.

"Happy Hunger Games." Pascal grumbled as the tractor started to come to a stop, the peacekeepers standing in the middle of the road. "Ready?" He asked but didn't wait for her as he stood up and jumped off the side of the tractor. He walked towards the other side of the tractor and offered his hand to Demeter.

"Thanks." She said with a small smirk, rolling her eyes as she stepped down off the tractor and then shoved him again. "My knight in shining armor." She said as she watched the other citizens climbing off the tractor. She turned and started to head down the road, the streets turning from dirt roads to paved as the tall buildings flanked them on both sides.

Demeters eyes scanned the perimeter as she watched a few citizens stepping out of their houses, ushering their kids out of the house. She always knew that those who lived in the city were considered to be more wealthy, even with the broken, paint-peeling concrete townhouses, but she never desired to live in one. She found the idea far too crowded and hated the idea of others being able to hear them while in the house. She heard that the walls between the houses were thin.

Even so she preferred her family's small wooden home. Not all the homes in District 9 that were outside of the city were terrible, some were extremely nice. She often imagined that they were what the homes in the Capitol looked like. Those families who lived in them typically owned one of the mills in the District. They were the ones who were always invited to the Mayor's and other parties when a Capitol representative arrived in the District.

Demeter almost fell flat on her face when a peacekeeper shoved her, her feet stumbling a few times as she tried to regain balance. "Hey!" She heard Pascal yell and shoved the peacekeeper back.

"She needs to watch where she's going." The peacekeeper growled and pulled out his baton.

"No, no, no." Demeter said quickly and moved between the two, "You're right, I'm sorry. We are just trying to get to the reaping, let us be on our way." She said quickly. The peacekeeper stared hard at her and then grunted with a nod. She quickly turned towards Pascal and grabbed his arm, "Are you trying to get yourself killed before the reaping?"

Pascal followed with him and took a sharp breath in, "He attacked you unprovoked. Besides it would probably be a better death." He yanked his arm away from Demeter as they got into the line for the reaping. The two stayed quiet for awhile as the line moved up, "Your family is gonna be pissed that you didn't wait for them."

Demeter went quiet for a long moment, "I guess. Have you heard from your father?" The words came out carefully but no matter how gentle with the subject she knew it would always strike a nerve.

Pascal took a sharp breath in and shook his head, "No." He responded shortly, knowing he hit a nerve. Pascal's mother left him when he was a baby to his father who was a drunk alcoholic who never provided for him. It was often that Pascal would stay with their family until his father showed up enraged and would force them to give Pascal back. Of course the peacekeepers never actually cared and would allow the abuse.

She moved into line and gently took his had for a moment, "I will see you after." She said and then headed up and got her finger pricked by the peacekeeper. She walked into the large clearing in front of the town hall justice building and moved within her age group. Her eyes flickered around as she watched the escort parade themselves out onto the stage.

"Happy Hunger Games!" The overly eccentric escort spoke up loudly into the microphone, wearing a yellow dress and far too much makeup. "Welcome to the 17th Annual Hunger Games reaping. We will begin this years games by a short message from our very own newly elected President, Coriolanus Snow."

Demeter turned her attention over to the large screen as the young 25 year old white haired president appeared on the screen. "Welcome, and Happy Hunger Games. Today launches a new era, an area of more security and peace then Panem has ever known. I want to thank every District individually for the sacrifice you continue to play year after year. From now on I want the Games to not be a reminder of the dark days or a punishment, but something that binds us all together. This year will be the year of many changes and evolutions for the Games. I want to wish you all a Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds ever be in your favor." He said as the screen turned off.

"There we have it!" She chirped happily, "What an honor it is to be addressed directly by our beloved President. Now to select which young man and woman will represent the district." She said cheerfully and walked over to the large glass dome. She picked one thin white slip and walked back over to the microphone, opening the paper slowly and dramatically. "Demeter Calascione!"

Demeter's entire body went rigid as she heard her name echo. Her eyes flickered around as if she was waiting to hear Holly volunteering but such thing never came to pass. She hesitated for a moment and took a sharp breath in and walked out into the aisle that lead to the stage. "Now look, we have an eager one! Demeter come on up here!" She chirped happily and beckoned for her to come up.

She didn't hesitate and tried to strode up onto the stage as confidently as she could, knowing the Games were starting to turn more and more into a spectacle and that she would need to play along. She walked up to the microphone, "Welcome Demeter, it's a pleasure to meet you. Tell me... would you like to pick the slip for your fellow tribute?" She asked.

Demeter looked shocked and took a sharp breath in, "I... No, I think you should do the honors." She said with a weak smile.

"So do I!" She laughed and then turned and walked over to the bowl, "I was just trying to be nice." She picked another slip and walked over to the microphone eagerly. "Barley Dixon!" She announced.

Demeter's eyes scanned the audience as she saw a group of what seemed to be 16-17 year olds start to move around in a circle to show a thinner, dirty looking brunette haired boy around the same age. She blinked a few times, he must of been as big as she was, surely even she could out power the boy. "Well Barley come on up, we don't have all day!" The escort announced happily.

The boy's feet seemed glued tot he ground until two peacekeepers practically began dragging him towards the stage. She paused as he stumbled up the stairs, tripping and falling as he got to the top. Demeter couldn't help but feel embarrassed for him, how in the world would this boy ever receive any type of sponsor stumbling around like this?

She watched as he got to his feet and quickly walked over, his face deep red under all the dirt on his face. "There we have it ladies and gentleman lets give a round of applause to this years tributes, Demeter Calascione and Barley Dixon!" She exclaimed happily but no one clapped, they all just stared up at them.

Demeter sighed and turned and headed into the justice building, almost feeling numb to the whole situation like it hadn't hit her yet. She was escorted to a private room wehre she sat and waited in a room for her family to show up. The door flung open and in rushed her parents and her older sister Holly. "Oh my baby, my baby!" Her mothers wail filled the room as she wrapped her arms tightly around her youngest daughter. "First my first born and now my baby!" She wept as she held onto her.

She felt arms wrap around her from behind her, knowing it was Holly and then her fathers larger arms wrapped around all of them. Finally in this moment everything felt surreal, this was the last time Demeter would ever see her family again. She took a sharp breath in as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "It's okay, it'll be okay." She whispered, trying to convince herself.

Time past, how much, she was unsure. But finally the large door opened and peacekeepers had to pry their family apart, "It's okay, I'll be okay!" Demeter called after them as the door shut tightly. She took a sharp breath in and sat down, waiting to be told she was leaving when the door opened again, and there revealed Pascal. "Pascal!" She exclaimed and stood up and launched herself at her best friend, hugging him tightly.

Pascal was to overcome with emotion and just hugged her back for a long time and then pulled away. "You hide, you hear me? Don't do anything stupid. Run and hide. That boy doesn't stand any chance against you. Find water, then shelter and hide." He said seriously.

Demeter felt more tears forming in her eyes as she shook her head, "This years different. No one knows what the President has planned I-I... what if everything's changed? What do I do? It's like an entirely new game for all I know." She babbled nervously.

"Then adapt." Pascal said firmly, almost shouting at her. "You have been through so much more then this Demeter. Listen to what the escort says and what your mentor says and get out alive. You can do it."

Demeter took a sharp breath in as she thought about her brother Harvey and how he was in top physical condition and even he couldn't win the games. "I will. Thank you-" the door flung up and Pascal hugged her one last time, kissing her on the forehead.

"Good luck." Pascal said and then left with the peacekeepers.

The doors shut again and Demeter sat there waiting until her incredibly bubbly escort opened the door. "Alrighty Demeter lets get going!" She chirped. Demeter took a shapr breath in and stood up and followed her down the hall. The two opened the door where Barley was. "Let's get going Barley!" Her voice was still upbeat and excited.

Demeter made eye contact with her District partner as they looked between the two and then stood up and followed them down the hall. "Now I'm sure you've both heard like our beloved President said, this years different - oh goodness me I never introduced myself!" She exclaimed as she walked quickly, her large heels clicking with every step. "My name is Letta Braunswell and this year is my first year as an escort but I have a great feeling about both of you."

The three walked to the car and got into it, Letta was just talk both of their ears off. As they headed off to the train station Letta began describing all the changes and new things there were to the Games. She discussed things like Chariot rides, prep teams, training center, interviews, scoring, all of these things were so unfamiliar to her. The only thing that Demeter could really process was that they were making this a bigger spectacle then it already was. "We get the point!" Demeter finally erupted. "They're parading us around to watch us be slaughtered like animals!"

Letta and Barley both looked over at her as the car pulled up to the train station. "Well... that was quite the uproar. I hope Rye can fix this attitude of yours before we arrive to the Capitol or forget about any type of sponsors." She said and then stepped out of the car. "Come along."

Demeter looked over at Barley and took a deep breath, locking eyes with him. She just stared back at him, the two of them not saying a word as they finally both looked over to the train station. She stayed quiet as her eyes rested on the shiny silver train. This year the stakes were higher then they ever had been. This year, everything was different. How could she hope to win a games that the rules were one hundred percent different. The only thing that really came to her mind was that her sister had broken her promise to volunteer for her. The earth under her felt like it was shifting under her and she didn't know what was coming next. Whatever horrors awaited her at the Capitol, Pascal was right about one thing - she needed to learn how to adapt and fast.