Disclaimer: Ha! To actually think I own the Hunger Games. Of course I don't.

Dedicated and suggested by: LunaPadma! I hope you enjoy:D


Adria Sinopa (Age 15) female – District 5

I sit on the worn-down couch and bring the black piece of cloth over my mouth. I know that this, along with my dark cloak will prevent anyone from pin-pointing my identity. I will never be caught a thief, I will never dishonor my parents names. I stand back up and move to the door of the worn down shack I share with my two brothers. My hand is just on the door handle when I hear a light footstep behind me. "You wanna play hide-and-seek with me, Adria?" The high pitched voice of my six-year-old brother pierces the quiet of the night; causing me to nearly jump to the moon.

It takes all my will not to yell at the young child. "No, Arthur, I do not want to play hide-and-seek. Do you see hide-and-seek getting you food on your plate? I don't think so. It won't help us to stay alive. It's a stupid game." I turn to his direction and see his eyes welling with tears.

"It's not a stupid game. It's fun." I shake my head and kneel so his eyes are level with mine.

"Arthur, it won't get us food. I don't want us to go hungry. Arlen won't be able to bring all the food home. I have to steal for us to eat. I don't have time for games. I- I promise, once we're rich and none of us have to work ever again; I'll play hide-and-seek with you all day, and all night. But for now, I have to go, is that a deal?" The small boy shakes his head in agreement and raises his tiny hand to wipe away any tears.

I offer a smile and turn into the darkness, toward the market. Careful to shut the door behind me I become engulfed in my coat and in the crimes I am about to commit.

The snippet of time from all those years ago has been melted into my memory during the entire Game. My now nine-year-old brother and the promise I made to him. I pop the last chunk of the cheese I stole into my mouth and keep walking. I am as close to becoming as rich as I have ever been. I am as close to keeping my promise as I ever have been. And in a way, I was playing hide-and-seek day and night. My brother just wasn't with me.

Ha! And I said it was a useless game. Look how far it has gotten me! But, then, I had to keep my family alive. I had to steal. I couldn't stop and take a few minutes to play with my little brother. No matter how much I wanted to; and I will never regret anything that I have ever done. Because I have done what matters most: Keep my brothers alive. And I am doing that right now, and that is all that matters. As long as they're alive, everything is fine. Or, at least, that is what I keep trying to tell myself.

I wonder if District 12 has found out yet. Noticed my theft. I'm very careful about what I steal, never too much of anything, never more than what I need to stay alive. Nobody has ever caught me. No one will ever catch me. I take one of the small, round, purple-blue berries and pop it into my mouth, not bothering to chew, just swallowing it.

"Hey, Arlen, bet you can't catch a blueberry in your mouth!" I jeer at my older brother as we sit on the banks of the river which passes through the District. Concealed within the bushes was one small blueberry bush, and only we knew about it. Else, it would have been picked over by now.

"Oh, yeah?" The eighteen-year-old taunted back as the seven-year-old Arthur and I giggle on the bank side.

"Care to do the honor?" I laugh will tossing Arthur a blueberry. The boy tosses the fruit up in a beautiful arch and we watch in amazement as Arlen manages to catch it in his mouth. He stands up and takes a bow as we grant him his well-earned applause.

Suddenly, I find myself laughing in hysteria at the memory. But, this isn't—I collapse to my knees in a coughing fit which initially had disguised itself under the pseudonym of laughter. I raise my emaciated hands to my throat, trying to claw out the burning sensation. And then I'm gasping for air, as there is nothing left to support my coughing fit. I make one last attempt to claw out my throat and my whole body goes numb, unable to move.

My eyes slip close, and I see fireworks. Wild cheering is the background noise while trumpets blare. "Congratulations, Adria Sinopa, Victor of the 74th annual Hunger Games!" I imagine a smile creeping onto my face, the knowledge that I was I able to keep my promise to my brother. But one last groan escapes my lips, as I know I won't be able to. I had to steal, Arthur. It was the only way to keep us alive…


Not the best, not the worst. :D Anyways, I'm going to update every day from now on, ending on the middle day of the year. That's in four days. :) Thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed my story! It's been nine months now... I can't believe it, but it has been nine months. Time flys when writing. I'll be updating again tomorrow:D Thanks again.