Chapter One
"Now settle down children, this is quite the story."
Elena Mason was probably one of the most courageous, fearless, sarcastic, unemotional beings in the world. At the same time though, she was also the most caring and compassionate without realizing it. She could make the saddest person feel better just by smiling. The day she was entered The Hunger Games was the day everything started to change.
It was a dreary day in District Seven. It typically is when Reaping Day rolls around. Elena was heading home from chopping down trees at work. Usually, she isn't home until around 8 o'clock. Today was different. It was noon and there she was, walking home looking exhausted and sweaty. Elena had the record for trees chopped per hour. That would be why she was the only female in the District that worked in the woods. So naturally she was strong and skilled in the art of axe wielding. Just like her cousin, Johanna Mason. Johanna Mason was a past victor for District Seven. Her tactics were some of the best anyone had ever seen. She acted like a weakling. Didn't touch any weapons and looked terrified. Once the Games got down to some of the last tributes she unleashed her wrath. Elena always looked up to Johanna for that reason. Elena spoke of how she wished she was as smart and cunning. Little did she know she outsmarted her in many ways.
When Elena got back to her sad excuse of a home she put her work tools away and took off her boots. Elena lived with her younger sister who was twelve at the time. Their parents died at a young age, along with their older brother, Tom. The mother died while giving birth to the youngest daughter and the father five years after of the district plague. And then Elena and Tom had to grow up fast. Getting jobs and raising the young girl. And that was their family. They grew happy and accustomed to the new lifestyle. But then it all changed. Tom was reaped into the 71st Hunger Games and was the 20th to die. He was so close to coming home. His death broke Elena. All the responsibility she then held would break any other person. But no, not her. She kept going. She started training herself with multiple weapons incase the time ever came that she would need those skills. And that day did come.
She got her and her sister dressed in the nicest clothing they had and out the door the two went. It was Elena's sisters' first reaping and boy was she scared. Elena kept reassuring her with sayings like 'It's your first year, you won't get picked' or 'I won't let you get picked, either way you aren't going into the arena'. Elena sent her sister to go stand with the other twelve year old while Elena went up with the seventeen year olds. Priscilla, District Seven's Mentor, took her place on the stage. No one ever listened to what she said. They were either irritated with her voice or were too scared to realize what was going on. And then Priscilla and her insanely high heels marched her way over the Reaping Bowls. Tradition was for the ladies to be reaped from first. An honor right? Anyway, during her walk over there Elena's sister was nearly ready to pee herself. Terrified her name would come out of Priscilla's mouth. And it did. During the few moments it took her to process that Elena was already out there volunteering to take her sisters' place in The 74th Annual Hunger Games. Elena's sister was screaming and wailing to no extent while Elena was trying to hold the stony, hard to read expression. Priscilla looked thrilled that there was a volunteer. She nearly forgot to reap form the boys. The boy was Jacob James. Aged 15, 5'7, semi-strong but not nearly as strong as Elena. And then Jacob and Elena were whisked off stage to the Justice Building where families could say goodbye. Elena and her sister hugged for the majority of the time where Elena promised she would come back and even took her sisters' good luck charm. Moments later Elena was taken from her and sent aboard the train that would take her to The Capitol. Elena and Jacob waved before the train doors shut and they were off. And more likely than not, that was the last time Elena's sister would ever see her…
"Alright now go to bed kids, I will tell you more tomorrow night."
And the mother left the room and went into a restful sleep.