Chapter 1
Long nights alway start with wakening thoughts. The nights that you stay awake until the early hours of the morning thinking, that was tonight more specifically right now. The moon setting, behind the forest on the West Side tells me I have to wake. Looking at the house now you would think it was abandon. Old, rundown, all the houses in this part of town looked the same. I live in district four. Outside much like the houses was forgotten about. Dead grass and garbage cover most of the open space. Outside the cool breeze catches me off guard. The streets are mostly empty which I expected. Today is a holiday. Not that anyone treated it like one, but we do take advantage of the couple extra hours of sleep. I continue down the dust filled road leaving the Seam further behind me.
Once I am out of the walls of four I slow my pace down absorbing my surroundings. Ocean as far as I can see. Soft golden sand at my toes and to my right a rock wall. Almost impossible to climb unless you know where to go, a path hidden by bushes and trees invisible from the front. I climb with two minutes to spare. I take my usual spot and let my legs hang over the edge. The sunrise never falls short of my expectations. The way the rising sun shimmers off the waters below sends a shiver down my spine. I guess somethings never change I think to myself.
"Welcome to the 76 hunger games" a plump man says into the microphone. Like every year he starts of by telling the history of Panem the Dark Days, the rebellion and the bombing of 13. He mentions nothing of the war that happened only a few short months ago or the mockingjay. As is it never happened, but it did and I have the scares to prove it. The rebellion was lost and the Capitol won taking away all the freedom we had left. It took them only a day to announce the restating of the Hunger Game and today was the day of the reaping. I stand in the 16 section and wait.
I must have dozed off. When I start listening again the Capitol man is already picked the first name "Ladies and gentleman this years female tribute is ..." He looked at the tiny peace of paper then crumples it into a ball.
"Malie Serell"
I walk onto the stage. Walking to the stage I think about my childhood, fathers disappearance , those night I went to bed hungry, everything I would be leaving behind.
The male tribute is call. Thankfully no one I know.
"My the old over be in your favour" said the man before exiting the stage.
We are immediately taken to the Justice Building, one of the only buildings still standing. Inside, I'm sent to a small empty room with a couch and a single chair. I do not cry. Not when my neighbour came in to say goodbye or when she leaves. My mother came sit in silence. I'm in the chair her on the couch facing me. I can't tell if she's been crying. My mother, who never seemed to weary about anything hid her concern in a blank expression. Its easier this way without talking. After my farther left she became very distant and it was hard for a twelve year old to grow up without a mother. I never forgave her. When the time was up she gave me awkward hug and hurried out the door without another word.
People came and went. Nate, came last tall, olive skin, messy dark brown almost black hair. He might of belonged in the Seam if it weren't for his hazel eyes. I on the other hand with me creamy pale skin and blue eyes tend to let me stand out. When he sees me he pulls me into a hug. We stay like this for a wail. There's nothing romantic between us. He is like a brother to me. "You are going to try. You're going to win for me. You can do it you know." He whispers to me repeatedly and right now thats all I need, someone to miss me when I'm gone.
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Next chapter I am going to talk more about Malie's past.