Chapter 3

I'm 15 now, living in District 10, teaching other little kids to train. To prepare just in case they were ever reaped. This brought peace to most of parent's, knowing their kid has now a better chance of surviving. But they also feared they're kid would enjoy fighting too much. I made sure to teach the kids it was wrong to kill, making sure the only they like enjoyed was that they got to play around with their friends. With all the people who did enjoy it, wrestling, knife throwing, archery. It all was a sport. I never tought any of them to kill. All these kids were too sweet, to caring, I couldn't let the Hunger Games ruin them like it did most the people in District 2. Alison let me live with her, she bought me clothes, she made snacks for when I trained the kids, you could tell she was proud of me. I helped her husband hunt in the woods, I loved wrestling the bears, killing them, skinning them, cooking them. When we strung them up in his warehouse I would practice my knife throwing, being 40 feet away from them, aiming for a certain place on their bodies, always hitting the target. Just like Clove. At time's I would think of them, Her and Cato. I tried not to though, it hurt to much. But life became simple, I helped Alison, I trained kids, I went to the market and picked up some groceries. One day I wandered around the mountains that were close to the house and I found the most beautiful spot, it looked over the whole village. And that's where I went almost every weekend, that's where I was right now. I came up here to think about all that I've achieved, all that I've been through.

I heard footsteps behind me but I didn't turn around, the sun was setting and it was to beautiful to miss. "I can see why you like it up here," I heard a soft voice, almost like an angel. Rye. She sat beside me, along with her older brother Will. They sat on either side of me, watching the sun set, seeing the sky burn bright orange with streaks of pink and soon vanish. Turning black with waves of violet streaking the sky, the tiny stars popping up here and there above us. Will looked over at me, running his hand through his dirty blonde hair. It was a little lighter then Cato's. He sighed, "She's scared, that day's tomorrow," he whispered. He was talking about the Reaping. I looked over at Rye, her long blonde hair falling onto her back in careless waves. She looked up at me with sparkling blue eyes. I put an arm around her gently and leaned into her. "You're going to be just fine," I said softly, feeling her cling to me. "Your to adorable to get picked. And if you do, sponsers are going to eat you up! Munch munch!" I said tickeling her. I heard her laugh as she couldn't resist my tickles. She looked up at me, "You really think I'll get spoonsers?" Her voice was soft. I nodded "of course! They'll love you! And at training you focus on learning new things and then give it all at the private lessons. Then once you get into the games you run like a little jack rabbit and head for water," I told her. "You make weapons out of branches and you make sure to stay off the ground as possible. Cover your tracks, and if you see those nasty careers you throw rocks at their heads. Aim for the eyes," I say stroking her hair, I felt her sigh. "What if I forget?" She whimpers. "You're not Rye. You're not going to get picked because I would never let that happened," I say, I look over at Will. He gives me a weak smile, he's scared to. "Come on," I saw starting to slowly get up "I think Alison made some of those almond sugar cookies," I smile, holding out my hand for Rye. She gets up and takes it and all three of us walk down the mountain path, after 10 minutes passing through the slightly overgrown meadow and reaching my house. I open the door and lead Rye to the kitchen, seeing Alison pulling out the cookies. "Wow right on time," I laugh as I help Rye into a chair. I turn around to see Will, I tell Rye I'll be back and walk over to Will, gesturing him outside. I slightly close the door. " What's on your mind," I say, sitting down on the little step before the door. He sits beside me and looks down at the stone pavement, "What if she does get picked? What if I get picked? What if we're both picked!" He exclaims. I look at him, "Not going to happen. Beside's you're a really good with a sword and she's one of the best knife throwers, plus you both have amazing survival skills, knowing what plants to eat and not, knowing what's poisonous, you both have quick reflexes and the sponsors would love you both." He just looked at me, "But what if it did happen? I'm not going to kill her and-," "Will shut up," I cut off. "A stunt like that would make the capitol look to cruel and the audience would hate to see a close family fight each other. That's not a good show." I reassure and he smiles. "She's been begging to see you all day you know?" I smile at that and then I hear the tapping at the window, it's Rye. I laugh "Let's get back inside before she has a heart attack,"

We go inside and I hug her, seeing her face all bright and happy and full of cookies always makes my day. "Are they staying the night?" Alison asks, wipping her hands on her white apron. I look down, "I was wondering if we could?" Rye asks in her most sweetest voice, how could I say no? They had no family to go home to anyways. Their parents were killed by a bear on Will's birthday. As they went out in the woods to set up a surprise birthday party for him. The place they picked was perfect, on a hill that overlooked a small lake that was surrounded by woods. He had left it untouched, leaving all the decorations where they were, the table the chairs, the presents. Whenever it rains he always climbs the tree's and strings up a cover so the birthday set up doesn't get ruined, so nothing get's damaged. The day he showed me it was the day I knew he was my best friend- he knows everything of my past, about Clove and her knives and about Cato and how he reminds me of him. I told him how I loved the feel of killing, the sound. I was afraid to be like the others for District 2. But he told me I was stronger than them, that I could handle it. And for my 13th birthday he bought me a costume knife with my name going up the silver blade. He had worked extra hard to pay for it, sometimes not eating for a few days. I had fallen to the ground, almost to tears by this. It was too sweet. I promised one day to make it up to him, and one day I did. For his birthday she got him a hoodless sweatshirt that in the corner of the front, right by the shoulder was the official capitol wrestling symbol. It was hard to get it, about a week walking and finally sneaking into District 6 onto one of the trains, getting to the capitol in the same day at night, sleeping in the street for a night, the next day finding a store that sold anything that had to do with wrestling. At the end of the day when I was about to give up I found the jacket, bought it and rushed back to the train, making it on right before they rode back to District 6. Got there early in the morning and walked for about another week before finally getting home. It was a lot of work but the look on Will's face was worth it. Alison almost lost it with me that I was gone that long but after I told her what for she somewhat understood.

I let go of Rye and bent down, "Alright you two go get your stuff for tonight and I'll be waiting right here," I smiled before handing her over to Will. He mouthed "thank you" Before shutting the door and taking her home to get their stuff. I plopped down on the comfy white couch, hugging a bright yellow pillow, watching the fire dancing in front of me. Alison came beside me, holding a plate of cookies. I looked up at her, "You know I don't like almond cookies," I laughed and she smiled, "I know that's why the one in the middle is for you, double chocolate chip," I smiled and took the cookie in the middle, slowly devouring it, enjoying it. "So how did you enjoy your day off from training?" She asked me, placing the plate on counter. Gently picking up the cookies and placing them on the fancy three tier displaying stand. I put my arm over the back of the couch and turned to face her, "It was okay…," I bit my lip. "All these kids so scared for tomorrow," I whisper. Alison looks up at me, "But now they have a better chance to live thanks to you. Last 3 years with your help, we've made it further in the games. The first year you were here made it top 6, he was good but he was allies with someone for two long and that's what killed him. The girl wasn't her fault, the careers put poisonous berry juice on their weapons, even though she got away the poison was to quick. She had sponsors though but it was too late!" Alison said reassuring. "Every year we get better and better," I smiled at her words. "Thanks," I say before turning to the door which I hear opening, Rye running to jump on her lap while Will carries their bag. Rye pounces on her and wraps her arms around my neck. "Are you ready? Are you ready?" She asks hyperily. Shocking how she's 12, but she's more of a little little girl. But when her parent's died it made her act that age that it happened, always wanting her brother to help, scared to grow up to lose anybody else. She thought if she did grow up she'd end up alone. I picked her up and carried her up the flight of stairs, opening up the door to my room and placing her down. She smiled, "What should we do first?"

That night they all just laid in the meadow and watched the stars, Rye sleeping soundlessly inbetween me and Will. I glance over at him, seeing his arms comfortably behind his head. He meet's my gaze. "Thank you," he says, "Oh don't start this again," I chuckle. "You and your sister will be fine." I say before turning on my said, laying my hand on Rye's. "She's like family to me, I promise you I won't let anything happen to her," I whisper before drifting to sleep.