Chapter 2

A lot has happened since the "Child Explosion". That's what they called it, the explosion that took out near enough a thousand children including the "Little Mockingjay", Prim. It was also the explosion that nearly killed me in my bedroom. If it wasn't for my friends, Ren and Dug, I would have died from the second blast. It left me with even more scars across me, luckily covering the rest of many; but not all. Only a few knew about them, many now dead. All agreed to cover the horrifying marks with clothes or a blanket. Ignorance is such bliss.

Now, fortunately, my Grandfather is dead. Fortunately, the rebels have over taken the Capitol. Fortunately, Ren and Dug was pardoned as was every other Avox. Fortunately, I was going to get punished and most likely die. Unfortunately, I had to go through a meaningless Reaping to decide who was going to be in the 76th Hunger Games. All of the runners up are the children or grandchildren or even great-grandchildren of those who took part in the Capitol's killings. Many of these are from Politicians, or Peacekeepers, or those who worked in the Hunger Games.

I couldn't blame them. We did exactly the same thing to them for 75 years. How many children were killed because of our revenge? 1748. Echoed through my head, god I hate being such a smart ass. But that is the answer, except for all those children who died because of the two Rebellions.

I actually found myself grateful they haven't done worse.

But this Reaping really is meaningless to me. I'm going to be picked. There's no denying it. There is no way they could let the bloodline of the Ex-President to continue. I am going into the Hunger Games, I am going to die. They would make sure of it.

So now I sit here, in front of the torn down mansion, waiting for my name to be read out. "Apple Rihiley" a nice fruity name. A girl with green hair, teeth, eyes, nails and clothes sat down on the stage. I think she likes green... especially green apples.

Oh wait a sec! They're doing the girls first, great, now I have to wait even longer for the inevitable.

"Dynasty Playdon" A girl with long purple hair and an extremely high up top and shorts came on. Even though her hair covered nearly all her back, her clothes showed nearly all of her skin that is already covered in tattoos, a dragon that goes over her shoulder and onto her chest looks amazing but the most amazing is the phoenix on the other side that goes from the bottom of her small top to her ankle. It looked beautiful and sexy, yet very intimidating.

"Treasure Ayse" Her eyes looked like she was half asleep.

"Star Copson"

"FUCK YOU!" I nearly jumped up. The sudden sound had come from behind me. I looked and saw a girl stood with such a look of anger on her face, although I've seen it many times. Star was in my old class at school. Her rules are known by everyone: be nice to her and she'll be like your best friend, piss her off, and she will break you. Luckily I've never been on the receiving end of either one of them. No one talks to me. Why? because they're scared shitless by me. I have some serious muscle, and people have seen me come in after my beatings and think I've had a fight. I do care what they think but they're opinion is useless in stopping it happen, so I ignore. I just hate it when people talk about me.

"Calm down Miss Copson and please come onto the stage." The guy reading the Reaping out spoke, his voice was indeed calming but I knew it wouldn't stop her.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?" Her voice was turning into a roar.

"I haven't done anything! You want to punish people yet you're punishing kids and not actually those who have hurt you! You fought against how you were treated and yet you're doing exactly what my Mother has done to you! I didn't do it! She did! Hurt her! Oh, wait a sec you already killed her!" Her face was going redder by the second.

"No, Missy, you're wrong. The rebellion has stopped those who killed us, but their blood still runs through your veins and you have already been influenced greatly by them. You and the children here are a risk; one that must be dealt with." The man's words came from behind the spokesman. He looked old and tired, but lethal; he was the new Head Peacekeeper, Daluk.

Star crossed her arms. "Bullshit! This is revenge and you god dam know it so don't even try to sugar coat it!" Her accent was coming out stronger now and her old English was pouring out.

"Miss, can you please come onto the stage and control yourself?" It was the spokesman this time.

"Not a chance!" Her posture changed to her leaning on one leg. Suddenly this faltered as she fell forward with something sticking at the back of her neck, as soon as I saw it closer I knew instantly what it was, it was a tranquilizer. Dug had one in him when he was carrying me towards the medical area.

The other Peacekeepers carried her carefully out and went to take her to the Medical Centre they set up. They knew one of us would probably rebel.

When they finally went with Star's limp body I realized the silence. Everyone was engrossed in Star's brash rage.

"Ok, moving on." Daluk went back to his seat and everyone's head moved towards the spokesman again.

He stuttered a bit, obviously affected by Star's words. "F-Flower Fox"

A little girl with short auburn hair rushed forward, obviously not wanting to get a tranquilizer in her. In her hand was a blue teddy bear, it looked worn but still in good care; she must love it a lot. She looked so cute and small it didn't even register until she was on stage that she must be 12 years old, a bit old for a teddy bear wasn't it?

"Sassy Fox" Fox? Are they related? I looked around for this unfortunate girl.

Bloody hell! Every guy must have gasped and I wouldn't even be surprised if some girls did to. Slowly a woman, not a girl, walked up to the stage with her arse swaying with her hips and her massive boobs bobbed up and down as got went up the short steps. Her hair was a bright red that matched the little clothes she had. A choker round her neck with a red rose on it, another matching rose on her black corset that made her boobs even bigger and tight black trousers on. She looked sexy.

I couldn't stop staring at this woman; I don't think any guy could. I didn't even register a lot of the other contestants.

"Crystal Kaliri"

"Moon Brookes"

"Queen Thorn"

"Poppy Winwood" Woah! A girl walked up, she looked my age with wavy white/grey hair, not as white as mine, but god did she look beautiful. Even Sassy couldn't be compared. Her matching grey eyes stayed looking at the ground. She looked... scared? No, not scared, just uncertain, but just, so, absolutely, beautiful. My heart thumped against my ribs for what felt like the first time since my Mother's passing. That was it! My Mother! She had my Mother's colour; her eyes, her hair. Those weren't this girl's, they were my Mother's. Anger went through me for a second then went that apart from the colour, nothing else was the same. This girl was now fixation, and it amazed me. Her movements, her breathing, her few glimpses up out of politeness but staying mostly at her feet. Then she saw me. This Angel saw me. My eyes flicked to my own feet as an apology, but not before I saw the most cutest thing in all my life, her blush.