Alarik Dayn, District 12, Male, Age 15

I turned towards my friend, Kaltin Matthews, who was currently crouched besides me. "Kaltin, nothing's-" I was evidently cut off by the loud shushing noise, which Kaltin had just produced. Rolling my eyes at him, I turned forward once more. We were currently hiding behind a bush. A blueberry bush to be exact.

And I just stared in front of me. Waiting, desperately for something to happen. The leaves obscured my vision slightly, but I could see in front of me more or less. But, no matter how intertwining watching nothing was, I grew bored fairly quickly. "You know your shushing was louder than my whispering, right?" I was cut off once more by the obnoxious and irritated shush of Kaltin. Who was now giving me a glare.

We'd been doing this for a while now. Going outside the fence, we needed to feed our families somehow. Right? After the rebellion ended, the fence, had been pretty much destroyed. All zone outside the fence, well, pretty much a catastrophe in itself. The security around had been pretty lax lately, District 12 had been mostly neutral in the war.

The Capitol assumed that no huge riots would break out any time soon, they left us with minimal security, they needed that for the other Districts. Like District 11, for example. The fence hadn't even been properly fixed, with gaping holes everywhere. Many escaped outside the fence these days, there were few who didn't. But most weren't half as good at finding what they were searching for as Kaltin and I.

What were they looking for? Food. Simple as that. We were starving here, most us of us hadn't participated in the war due simple to sheer feebleness. We were half starved, on the verge of death, we couldn't fight any battles. Let alone wars. Most gave up, fairly quickly. Realizing that this wasn't the way to get food, at least not for them. They would find other methods.

Kaltin had figured out how to make traps. In turn he taught me, and soon every second day we were out hunting. Always together thougH, even if I didn't necessarily need the food. I lived in the richer part of District 12, every District had one. And I was simply part of District 12's.

Well, I lived in the richer part of District, therefore I had a necessary amount of food to live, but I would still help Kaltin, hedidn't necessarily need it either. H had enough, but he still wanted extra, just in case there were to be a shortage of sorts. And he don't keep it all for himself, he shared gave some to those he knew needed it more. And although I knew it was selfish, sometimes I craved just a little more food than was simply necessary.

I felt a poke to my shoulder, turning around slowly, I looked at Kaltin face. I raised an eyebrow in question, clearly asking, What? Instead of responding, he jabbed his thumb in the diction of our trap. Turning my head to peak through the bushes, I squinted at the scene in front of me.

I saw a little grey rabbit hop its way towards the trap. Excitedly I watched, eager to see the trap work. And although I knew we were taking an animal's life, Kaltin's traps never ceased to amaze me.

I saw the rabbit hop straight into the trap, next thing I knew the metal like rope was strained around the grey creature's neck. I watched, morbid fascination taking over for me. The more the rabbit struggled the harder the coil got, until finally it stopped struggling. And went limp in the trap. I gave the bunny a silent prayer, before going to collect the meat. Although I knew much about traps, Kaltin would still always one up me.

But I did know how to free the bunny, sliding it out of its prison, as well as grave, I held it proudly in the air for Kaltin to see. "Job Rik, you managed to free the mighty beast." Rolling my eyes I waved it in front of him, "Want it? Because I'll happily bring him home for me tonight."

I could've sworn that I heard Kaltin mutter, "Idiot.", under his breath before going back slowly to our bush and returning with a brown bag, which we used to carry the game in. I practically threw the dead animal into the bag, before Kaltin tied it up using the leather cord.

"There, how much do you think we'll get for this one?" I cocked my head, I thought he was going to eat the grey animal. Although he usual,y sold them, I had come to realize he had a pattern to it, he was currently breaking said pattern. But, as a thought entered my mind, I couldn't help but forget the rest.

"Or we could totally freak out Maty May with this thing. You know wave it around in her face, maybe leave it in her soup?" Kaltin had been walking, going to the Hob I presume, the 'black market', to sell the meat. He turned gave me a sharp look, before continuing on his merry way.

I started jogging after him, not without muttering the Word, 'Buzzkill.', as I went. But, it didn't start the fond smile from growing on my face as Kaltin turned aroUnd and quite plainly flipped me off. I shut up after that, and I could practically see the smug smile on his face after that. Even if his back was towards me.

ooooOoooo

"That was awesome." Gregory, my friend from the Seam, voiced his thoughts out loud. We had been friends since we were kids. He was a month older than me, something he always seemed to need to bring up during conversations. It was quite irritating actually, add on the fact that he was also taller. Yet another thing he often brought up. Smiling, I nodded in agreement. Probably looking like an idiot, when no one was responding I decided to speak.

"Agreed, agreed." It was simple, yet obviously said a lot. Considering the way Gregory was starring at me, his eyes gleamed and quite honestly smiling maniacally. He was propped up on his arms, while I had opted instead to simply sitting crossed legged on the firm wood floors of our house.

"Well, Rik, apparently you were right. A man does not appreciate you putting a dead squirrel up his shirt." That was James, my younger brother by five years. He usually tagged along on our pranks, or whatever the Hell we were doing. We formed a 'gang' or 'trio' of sorts. He was pretty much the only member of our family without plans. Or in the middle of plans.

My dad was the District Doctor. For all the injuries involving the mine, he accepted trade as payment sometimes, which was why we could afford our pace among the rich. But at the moment he was in the Capitol, something to do with an upcoming project of sorts. I don't know. My mother was a nurse, of ten assisting my father in his work. And my olde brother Henry was studying to be a doctor in the Capitol.

With a family full of Doctors and medical professionals naturally I wanted to be one too, but I don't think I'll have the grades to do so. And it wasn't just because of my family, sure they influenced it a bit, but I generally wanted to become a doctor. And it sure would pay the bills, it would be great not having to worry about money.

"Yeah, but remember how you thought of putting dead rabbit in his soup? Not much better really." Kaltin's voice popped me out of my thoughts, and back into the conversation at hand. What were we talking about gain, oh yes, stuffing a squirrel up a man's shirt. I smiled sheepishly at Kaltin's comment. Right before turning my face into mock seriousness, complete with a mock glare.

"Shut it, Kaltin, or I'm never inviting you to one of our... Erm... Outings again." See, Kaltin wasn't exactly part of our trio. He just tagged along every now and then when he was bored or had nothing better to do. Today was one of those days.

"Sure, 'Outings' is the appropriate word for it." He deadpanned, adding quotations onto the term, 'Outings'. His face seemed devoid of all emotion, minus the signature eye roll. "More like trying to get us freaking killed!" And hiss calm fatigue was flushed down the toilet of dissapointement. Despite his sudden attack we all started laughing, soon he had no choice but no join in.

"Hey, in our defence, how were we suppose to know that he wasn't going to like dead squirrel in his shirt?" James inquired from his position on the floor, he was currently on his stomach, his head propped up on his hands. He had a meaningful expression on his face, but everyone could clearly see he was trying hard not to burst out laughing.

"Exactly, he could have liked it for all you know." Gregory added, his finger shaking at Kaltin who looked so done with us. Gregory's face looked so serious, it was extremely difficult not to at least chuckle. And when Kaltin's eye twitched I wanted to burst into a fit of laughs, but somehow I managed not to.

"Loved it for all we care." I piped up, a few stray giggles could be heard as I finished my sentence. I will admit that some may have escaped my mouth, but not all of them, might I assure you.

"Stop ganging up on me." Kaltin whined from his position on the floor, both legs in front of him. And at that all our contained emotions came tumbling out into a giant fit of laughs. When it finally calmed, James, Gregory and I looked at each other before nodding in confirmation. All the while Kaltin simply eyed us suspiciously.

We all turned to face Kaltin, well Grgeory didn't considering in our makeshift circle, he was sitting directly across from him. James and I though had to turn slightly in order to stare directly at him, let's just say Kaltin's suspicious eye never faltered.

Gregory started."We can't help it that we're-"

Followed by James."Our very own little gang-"

And then me, "Who participate together-"

Gregory once more, "In fun little Outings-"

Followed again by James, "That usually go horrible wrong-"

I piped up from my side, "Or as you just said-"

"May result in death." We all chimed in together. It was silent, too silent. Before Kaltin's eye twitched and he asked, mortified. "Have you rehearsed that?" He looked kinda frightened, which made me want to burst out laughing. I could tell the other members of the 'little gang' felt the same. We made eye contact once again before turning to face Kaltin, who till looked absolutely terrified, before simultaneously saying, "Yep, many times actually." We burst into laughs after that, before Kaltin stopped, his face dead serious. We stopped too, slightly worried.

"Don't ever do that ever again." I heard Gregory let out a sigh of relief, before bursting into a fit of giggles once more. "For a second -laugh- I thought you were actually completely -laugh- serious! Like you were -laugh- gonna say something -laugh- morbid." Announced James, between laughs, completely amused. I could've sworn he wiped away a tear at some point.

"Agreed, agreed." I mused my words from before, this time with much more laughter behind my voice.

I quite enjoyed writing this chapter. It was fun. It was a break from writing stuff that makes me want to cry writing it. XD

Also to CrazyCat: I will use him, although not in the way you might expect it, just keep reading and he'll show up. Promise, be on the lookout for him. He and another may have a significant role to play in this story.