Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been updating as recently. School started :( I'll get these chapters in as soon as I can. Hang in there.

Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter!

The day that Finnick Odair gave me back my locket was the day before that I started working. I had this need to cut something, fuel my brief anger somehow.

Here's how it went:

I took a deep breath before proceeding. "Dad, I want to go with you to work tomorrow."

He looked up briefly from his sudoku puzzle to nod. "That sounds great honey. It'll be a long day though, remember to bring something to do."

I bit my lip and sat down at the other side of the raggedy table. "No dad, I want to work. I want to do what you do. Cut down trees."

He furrowed his eyebrows, looked up at me suspiciously. But he didn't push it. Didn't ask any questions. "Well then, then tomorrow I'll take to the forest and teach you how to handle an ax."

I smiled and ran over to him, kissing his forehead. "Thank you thank you thank you!" I practically sung. "I won't let you down!" I don't know where this sudden burst of excitement. Maybe I was just excited to be angry. Huh, never heard of such a thing.

He just chuckled. "Of course, Jo."

The next day I joined my father in the forest. I clutched the ax, never having something so precious and delicate in my hands. It could hurt so many, but it could help many. Like fire. It can do damage or it can help. It all depended who it was in the hands of.

The ax was in my hands. I wanted to believe I would help. I would only use it for help. No harm.

Boy, was I wrong.

Up until my sixth year in the reaping bowl, I believed that the worst thing that could happen to me was losing my sister.

Again: Boy, was I wrong.

I was seventeen, reassuring myself that after this year, the next year I would free from the bowl. As for Birch, who was now sixteen, he had this year and two years after that.

I sighed as the escort, Katri Rankine walked over to the ladies' bowl. She had a stupid grin on her face, and I wanted to punch her.

"Johanna Mason!" She chirps. My heart stopped. Literally. Stopped. I took a deep breath and walked up to the stage, half-glaring at Katri, the woman I'd have to spend most of the possible rest of my existence with. She was still grinning, like she happy district seven's population had just decreased by one.

`She walked over to the boy's bowl and pulled out a name. She slowly walks over to the microphone. To torture us. I glanced at my family, then at Birch, who seemed to be staring blankly at the stage. Not at me, but the stage. My mother was crying silently into my father's shoulder. I gulped. Their worst nightmare. Losing not only one child to the games, but two. My face twisted into fear. I didn't mean to look weak, but I did look pretty strong in comparison to who was about to be called.

"Griffin Ivory!" She calls out. She probably didn't need the microphone to amplify her voice. I winced and scratched my ear. Everybody but a certain Griffin Ivory let out a silent sigh of relief, for they just escaped another year of the dreaded reapings. I eyed at Griffin to get my first sight at any competition I had. While I was small enough for my age, he was tiny. A small wispy boy, at most thirteen. His face covered in freckles and hair that was bright red. Not a good thing for the arena. Like a build-in flag. I sure hoped for his sake that we have hooded sweatshirts in the arena. He'll be needing one.

"Congratulations to our two tributes from district seven, Johanna Mason and Griffin Ivory!" She gestures to us, but I simply look down.

I sighed as I was escorted into the justice building. The realization of the thought hit me: Now district 7's population will decrease by two.

Goodbyes:

I sat on the fancy couch that sat in the justice building room, my tears staining the velvet. I was ashamed at my reaction at the reaping. I was terrified. I was supposed to look strong… like a treat.. I bit my lip, gazing out the window. People were starting to leave the reaping and the peacekeepers were taking down the ropes that the children had stood in. I took a deep breath and the door opened. In came my father, mother, and Birch. I managed a smile.

"You're a natural with the ax. I know you can do this," my father tells me.

"That's what you told Bambi," I mumbled. Birch gave me a look. I just shrugged. I would be a weakling. An easy kill. It didn't matter.

"Look, you get yourself an ax and you obliterate. You have to get back to us. We can't loose another child…" And that's when my father started crying. I haven't seen him crying since… Since we had just lost Bambi.

I nodded. I had to win. For my sister. Finish what she started. We gathered in a group hug.

"Do you have your locket?" My mother asks through tears.

"Right here," I whispered, revealing it, for it was tucked under my dress. I've worn it every living moment since I got it back from Finnick.

"Time's up!" A voice calls from outside as the door opens.

"Good luck, sis! I'll see you when you get back!" Birch calls as he is scuffled out of the room by peacekeepers. I make eye contact with him one last time before the door is slammed shut. I buried my head in the couch, sobbing silently.

That's when the door opened again. It was my best friend, Samantha. I've worked with her and gone to school with her for as long as I could remember. Most people just call her Sam. She just looks more like a Sam. She's too… tough for a name like Samantha.

I stood up and ran to hug her. "Sorry," I said as I backed up. "I'm staining your dress."

She just laughs through her sobs. I've never seen her cry before. That's when I knew all hope was lost. That was so bad that the toughest person I knew was crying. "You think I care about this dress? The next time I'll be wearing it is next year's reaping where you'll be sitting there where the mentors sit. You hear me?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess." What do you say to someone who's so convinced that they're not your last words to them? "After my reaction at the reaping, I'll be a weakling," I tell her.

She smirks. "You know, maybe you can use that to your advantage."

That's when the peacekeepers had to pull her out.

"Wait, what do you mean?" I yelled as they ushered her out, and she was putting up a good fight, but more peacekeepers came.

She gave me a last wink before the doors closed. Her tears are only temporary. Mine would last until my last days.

I waited for the peacekeepers to come get me and guide me into the train.

Are you guys excited for Johanna's games? I AM! Please, review, favorite, and follow this story! And tell all your friends!
What do you think about Griffin? How about Sam?

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know how I'm doing! I'll Update soon!