Disclaimer: I do not own BTR or the Hunger Games

"It's not whether you win or loose; it's how you play the game"

Spy Kid's 3: Game Over

~1 year later~

"Kendall, you have work today!" A voice calls.

I don't want to get up. I don't want to go back down in the mine. I'd much rather stay here, or venture out into woods. But, I know I have to. Capitol's orders.

"Coming, Tally!" I shout back groggily.

Tally Hannagan is twenty and lives only with her younger brother and sister, Asher and Cameron; ages fourteen and fifteen. Their father was a victim to one of the many mining accidents. After his death, their mother fell into a depression that burned so deep within her, that she went as far as to committing suicide. Tally was only fifteen back then and the fact she had to raise her nine year-old siblings on her own petrified her. But, however, she was stubborn enough to take no aid from her neighbors.

Appearance wise; Tally is an inch shorter than me has straight lavender blonde hair and eyes a tragically beautiful sea foam green. Her physique was slender-almost too much so; probably from sacrificing her own meals to her siblings. She wasn't a ravishing beauty, but that didn't mean she was ugly. The thing about Tally was that her rigid, cynical personality decreased her attractive appeal unless you knew the reasons behind her behavior. Personally for me there was a fine line in my relationship with Tally.

Now, Asher and Cameron are different stories. Asher has shaggy light brown hair; and Cameron had shoulder length, slightly wavy hair the same color. Both have pale cerulean eyes flecked in varying shades of emerald. A passerby would argue them twins. Asher always has his guard up it seems while contrary his sister is easily the most communal girl alive. It's always intricate to accept the fact they were both in life-threatening danger every year.

"You're going to be late," Tally scoffs when I enter the kitchen. It isn't much. There is a counter pushed against the back wall and a make-shift food storage containment (because according to Tally we didn't need to waste money on something more advanced) squeezed in next to it. The storage space is a large cabinet of sorts with bags of ice inside along with the provisions in Tally's possession. There is a line of three cabinets above the counter with cooking supplies and a limited amount of utensils. A few feet from the kitchen is a round table with a bowl of apples resting on the surface. Surrounding the table are six chairs. Two in which belong to people whom will never sit in them again. Understanding this, I had squeezed in another chair respectively.

Shrugging at Tally's frustration, I say, "I can eat fast."

"Well, then do so," she exclaims, as I grab one of the apples. "It'll be all of our heads if you're late another day." Tally was really only three years older than me; she had no right to boss me around like she does. Then again, I'd treat me the same way if I were in her shoes. I was placed with the Hannagan's by the Capitol, and Tally was told if she didn't keep me in order, they'd take away Asher and Cameron. That was something she could not afford to happen.

Tally must view me as some kind of nuisance...Or threat. She already has her siblings to watch out for; the last thing she probably wanted was a sixteen year old (seventeen now) teenage boy dropped in her home.

"Hey, I don't see you working," I scoff, quickly eating the rest of my apple. "And you're older than me."

Tally rolls her eyes. "You've no idea what responsibilities I must fulfill."

"Maybe I don't, maybe I do," I reply, shrugging again. "I've been around long enough to figure it out."

She opens her mouth to protest when Cameron chirps as she and Asher walk into the 'kitchen', "Hi, Kendall! Do you have to go to the mine?" She sits in one of the chairs, her brother taking the seat right of her. "Asher and I were hoping we could ditch school and then the both of us could help you sneak away from work. After that we'd go to the forest."

"He has to go to the mines," Tally snaps brusquely, answering for me. "And you shouldn't go out to the forest so many times; what if you were to be caught? Besides, I don't want you in the Seam; Kendall only goes there because he works at the mine."

"But people die in the mines. What if he were to end up like father?" Asher points out blatantly. "Not to mention we live in the merchant area of 12, it's useless for us to work in the mines."

I sigh, "They work there anyways to supply for the Capitol." I meet Tally's gaze as I continue, "It's not like I have choice either." Then, facing Asher again, I assure, "I give you my word I'll come back to you, Tally, and Cameron."

Cameron frowns. "Are you going to be here tomorrow for the reaping?" The reaping.

I haven't been here long enough to see one first-hand, but the thought of it chilled me to the bone. It was because of what it is for...

The Hunger Games.

Calling the Hunger Games cruel was an understatement. The Capitol held them each year in reminder of what happened during a time known as the Dark Days, when the districts rebelled against the Capitol. War broke out, and the thirteenth was destroyed. The Hunger Games were a prompt of what would happen if anyone revolted again. A boy and a girl from each district was to be reaped, sent to the Capitol to be placed into an arena; forced to fight to the death until one tribute- as the chosen district children were called- was left standing. Your name is put into the reaping once you turn twelve. Your name is put in twice when you're thirteen and so on...which meant my name was in seven times. Your name stops being in the reaping at age eighteen so this was thankfully my last chance.

Asher and Cameron however; were not lucky enough to say so.

"Of course I'll be here; no one works that day," I say quietly.

Asher shivers. "Cameron and I have our name in three times; a-and you, seven!" He turned to Tally. "You're lucky you're twenty and don't have your name in anymore."

"Yeah...lucky," Tally murmurs distantly. From the information I've collected from the brief time I've been in District 12, is that Tally's best friend Idina was reaped at the age of fifteen. She was one of the first killed. Mentions of being fortunate made her skin crawl. Tally looked over to me. "Go," she says.

"Right," I sigh. Then before I rush out the door; I warn Asher and Cameron, "Stay out of trouble!" They both give me indignant glares and I chuckle as I close the door.

I'll be provided with equipment when I get to the mines, since not many families work them in Merchant. The air grows clouded in darkness as I near the Seam. I'm glad the Capitol didn't place me here; I prefer Merchant much more than this place. Coal dust floats down and piles up on the streets nearest the mine.

"There you are Kendall," Saul- in charge of all the miners- mumbles gruffly when I arrive. He hands me the equipment and I change hastily so I won't hold the others up.

After we are lowered into the mines, I work side by side with Piers Jones; a friend of mine since coming to 12. He's seventeen and lives in the Seam with his mother and nineteen year old brother, Liam. Something the two of us would go on about while laboring is if we'd have a future beyond the Capitol's authority. When I was in my time, I always wondered what the future would be. Never had I pictured it to be like this.

"Are you day dreaming again?" Piers scolds. "We have to work harder 'cause we won't be here tomorrow."

I nod and mutter an apology under my breath. After a minute or two go by, I ask what is truly on our minds, "Do you think one of us is going to be reaped?"

Piers shrugs and shakes his head. "Probably not you because you don't live in the Seam, but maybe me."

"What does living in the Seam have to do with one's chances of being reaped?"

"Well, the Seam being the poorest part of 12; many families including my own are in poverty..." Piers takes in a deep breath before continuing, "A child or teenager can get food under the circumstances that their name be put in an extra time for the reaping."

I'm not sure what to tell him because his theory seems reasonable now. I hate the thought of possibly losing one of the only friends I've made in District 12. The more I think about it, the more I realize Asher and Cameron are right. Tally is lucky to be twenty.

"You two quit slacking!" Saul shouts at us as he passes by.

"Sorry," we both say in unison.

Skinner Cullet- another from the Seam- hobbles away from his place and over to us. "You two are terrible," he jeers. "The Capitol would be very disappointed."

I glare at him. "You think we'd care about what they think?" I counter. Actually, I heed a lot about what the Capitol thought. I'd never admit that to a person like Skinner, of course.

"You know, how about you go back to your work," Piers hisses, ignoring me and not bothering to look Skinner's way.

"Fine," Skinner snorts. "Just try not to be the reason the Capitol hate us, kay?"

"He's the only one I wouldn't mind being reaped," Piers whispers to me when Skinner has left again. I smirk and nod in agreement. Piers...somehow reminds me of a mix between my three old friends. He's wise, vigilant, and secured but isn't afraid to break loose and take chances while he could also be insanely arrogant in a stubborn manner.

After a long day of working in the coal mine, I join Piers and Liam in a trip to the Hob. The Hob is District 12's black market. Liam, (like me, Asher, and Cameron) snuck into the forest. But instead of going for just plain good-natured fun, Liam hunted. He was aiming to trade in the two geese he'd shot down earlier in the morning.

Liam is in the middle of making a deal with one of the workers at the Hob, when a Peacekeeper- basically the police in this time, except in our District 12, they make most of the rules-walks over to Greasy Sae. Greasy Sae is either in her late forties or early fifties (I would never ask) and worked at the Hob.

"What do you think he wants?" Liam grumbles once he's finished exchanging the geese for three bundles of wheat.

I glance at Piers. Neither of us wants to see anything bad to happen to Greasy Sae. We watch, holding our breaths as the Peacekeeper speaks with her. When he leaves, all three of us hurry over to her. "Something wrong?" Liam asks.

"Nope," Greasy Sae says with a shrug. "He jut says some wild dogs have been causing trouble and he wants me to deal with it; 'pose I could sell them here."

"You...you can't hunt? Can you?" Piers inquires in astonishment.

Greasy Sae replies, "Well, I can't exactly argue with a Peacekeeper so I don't really have a choice."

"True," I agree. The mention of the wild dogs remind me of my old nickname and I have to resist tears. "Liam could probably help you." Liam nods in agreement at the proposition.

"I'll be fine," Greasy Sae assures.

Liam glowers, but exhales, "Okay, if you're sure; we'll see you tomorrow." I walk with them until we reach their house.

"Kendall, are you okay getting back to Tally's house alone? It's getting kinda dark out," Piers says, glancing up at the sky.

There was something unsettling about being in the streets of 12 alone at night, however I'd get over myself enough to manage. "Yeah, thanks," I answer. "Bye."

When I reach the Merchant and slip into the house, Asher and Cameron are already being herded into their rooms. I hear them complaining about how they shouldn't be forced to sleep and that they weren't tired. I, on the other hand; was exhausted. I collapse backwards onto the beige couch of the living room, Tally joining me after she finishes with her brother and sister. We don't speak for the longest of times.

"I-I'm concerned for them," Tally admits after a while, her voice cracking. "What if they both get reaped?" She gasps, turning to me; her jade eyes glazed in horror; tears behind them threatening to flood out.

I try to think of something I could say to comfort her. I would sing to Katie. I'd talk about things we did when we were younger with Logan. I made jokes with Carlos. And I would talk about our success with James. But Tally wasn't like any of them, and I'd never been in a situation like this. For once; I had no clue what to say or do.

My thoughts are dazed when they cross my old friends. The Peacemakers informed me they were placed in other districts...But how can I be expected to trust anyone who bears connection to the Capitol? I believe they are dead, even if it isn't something I desire to be true. They've probably been killed. My mom, Katie, and my other friends are safe in the 21st century. There's no way I coming up with a way to calm Tally down now that I was thinking of all of this. She would never listen to anything I'd tell her anyways.

I sigh, "It'll be fine."

She closes her eyes and breaths in, then out. Without reopening her eyes, she questions, "How are you so sure?"

Then I tell her I'm going to sleep and she heads off to Cameron's room (she shares the room). I sleep on the couch for there are only two bedrooms. Every night I'd dream of being back in my time, safe from the Capitol and their wretched Hunger Games. Everything was alright and we were never apart of the experiment that sent us here. In fact, the experiment never existed and no one ever had to go through with the ordeal. We are all safe and joyfully making music together at Rocque Records. It's always difficult to remember sunny LA, living in a place so dark. Even harder it is to recall my original home, Minnesota. Somehow though, my mind can bring it together perfectly by the time I'm asleep. Every sight, every person, every sound and voice...they all return to me until nighttime is over. The dreams go well until I wake up. They always end with the feel of a needle and the quick flash image of a helicopter.

We all gather in the center of town at the Hall of Justice; everyone in the reaping arranged into their age-groups. There are two giant glass balls with names written on paper in them on a stage of some sort. One of the glass balls is for the guys, the other for the girls.

A young woman from the Capitol, Lana Trinket is the one who will be reaping for District 12. Just like everyone from the Capitol, Lana's clad in absolutely ridiculous get-up. Her hair is weaved up around her head like a golden hive and her face is powdered in pale makeup along with pale yellow lip gloss and eye shadow. Lana is wearing a bright orange dress that wraps around her body as if a twister had bound them together and her shoes are sandals with huge sunflower-looking blossoms attached to them.

Lana is also our escort to the Capitol. I can't help but stare on with hostility. Anyone from the Capitol must be dreadful. That is my premise.

Tally kept glimpsing over to where Asher and Cameron stood with their group. Piers, who is next to me, chews his bottom lip. Liam and his mother are glancing around anxiously, their gazes as edgy as Tally's. The people of District 12 are whispering together in low voices.

"Ehem," Lana chirps in an all-too optimistic voice as she taps the microphone attached to the podium. "We will now view a video from the Capitol!"

This video, Tally tells me, is presented before every reaping. We view it on a larger-than-life screen that was brought in by the Capitol's team. The video tells the story of how war raged the country and when the Capitol emerged, it created discipline. As a reminder of the devastating battle, the Capitol reports humbly in the documentary that their Hunger Games keeps the districts in line.

It all makes me sick.

Lana leans over the microphone once the video has ended. "The reaping for District 12 will begin now! Of course, ladies first!" The cameras are probably filming now. She walks over to the girl's glass ball and peers into it. Everyone held their breath as Lana hovers her hand over the top. She reaches in and pulls out a slip of paper.

"And the District 12 girl is...Corey Brookes!" Lana reads. The crowd parts to reveal a girl with auburn hair that appears to have been forced straight for it is snarled. She has depthless cobalt eyes that are alien to her hair color. Her physique is slender and I assume that she trades food for her name in the reaping like Piers.

I've seen her around the Seam before. She appears to be sixteen. Corey's face is pale as she walks to the stage, her body trembling. Lana shakes Corey's hand and moves on. This time, it's the boys' reaping. Lana reaches in. Unfolds the paper. She leaned over the microphone. "The District 12 boy who partake in the 45th Hunger Games is..."

Time seems to slow. My heart stops beating for a moment and it's almost like everything has frozen.

"...Kendall Knight!"

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