My dreams are haunted by visions of Samuel, blood drenching the back of his fleece as the Enforcers whip him again and again, him begging them to stop.

Then it's my Axox "servants" (definitely for lack of a better word) with their tongues being removed.

And the last straw is all of my siblings being chosen after me for the hunger games.

I bolt upright, reaching up and feeling cold sweat dripping onto my hand.

I swing my legs off the bed, wrap a robe around my shaking body, and start down the hall.

My eyesight is still blurred with visions of my dream, and I shake my head to clear it. Faintly, I can see the clock on the wall glow 3:24 AM.

Today will be the tribute circle, and at that time I will read the clock again, anticipating our turn to go down. What will Thresh's attitude be?

I knock on a door I think is Kevana's, but it swings open and I see stairs that lead up to somewhere. I feel a cool breeze wrap around me that reminds me so much of home, and I don't think the cold wind has anything to do with my tears that now fall. I shut the door quietly behind me and climb up the narrow black stairs.

Once at the top, I realize that I'm on a roof. I lean over the railing and see the Capitol, shining bright and hosting parties and odd people.

I wrap my robe tighter around me and shiver as Samuel comes back to mind.

"What are you doing up here?"

I turn and see Miranda, one of my prep team members. Her curly blue hair flies behind her as the wind comes around again.

Now that I see her closer up, I see she is actually very pretty. Her eyes are brown and round and they remind you of a doe's, her nose is balled at the end and her nails are pink at the tips. It gives you the impression of a little girl trying to look older.

"Oooh," she shudders, hugging her arms to her chest. "It's cold."

"You'll get used to it after a while," I say, looking back towards the city.

"Why are you up here?" she repeats, coming over to sit with me.

"I couldn't sleep," I reply sheepishly. How young I must seem to everyone.

"Did Kevana say you could be up here?"

Ugh. I hate those kinds of people, those kinds where they are always on your nerves and getting on your case about the rules.

"No, she didn't," I reply. "I just find it relaxing to be up here."

"The door is supposed to be locked," she informs me, searching me with her eyes. "Did you unlock it?"

"No. It was unlocked when I got up here."

She nods. "Well, then that means someone very strong turned the knob. The door unlocks then you turn it, but it's stuck in place so we always use a key."

Someone very strong…hm….

"Come on, Rue," she says, holding out her hand. "It's too cold up here, you'll catch a cold."

I take her small hand and she leads me back to my room, bidding me goodnight before she leaves.

I decide I like Miranda as I fall into an easy sleep.

The morning greets me by flooding my eyes with the sun's butter gold rays, and the smell of breakfast meeting my nose. I'm out of bed in the next second.

My jaw drops then I see the dining room.

At home, breakfast is a rarity, usually only coming on holidays. We only get one meal a day. It makes me mad that our low food supply is the reason for so many skin-and-boned people, hence so many Helpers.

But this breakfast is enormous, enough to feed all in District 11.

There is a tray of buttered pancakes as taller than you could imagine, fruit of all shapes, kinds, and flavors; hot chocolate, I think, I've never seen any but I've heard of it, and juice. There are waffles and creamy soups and jugs of milk; sausages and ham and bacon; a roasted pig in the center (for breakfast?); all kinds of cereal, breakfast sandwiches, and toast, apple butter and jam for toppings; French toast…and buttery rolls…

My mouth waters.

"Good morning, Rue," Kevana and my prep team arrive.

Miranda passes by and winks at me.

"I've never seen so much food!" I gasp.

"Well, of course not!" Kevana laughs. "It's the Capitol, darling!"

That's right. Right now, my family isn't staying in a beautiful enormous hotel. They aren't eating like queens. And they certainly don't have the comfy nightgown I'm wearing.

But then again, I am going to the hunger games…

"Ah, thresh, welcome," Kevana smiles as he enters the room. His jaw drops when he sees the food, and I giggle.

"It had me shocked, too," I say.

"Now, today is the tribute circle, where you'll see President Snow. Then you'll meet your mentor, go to the first training session, and come back here for a feast," Kevana smiles. "How does that sound?'

I'll admit that I grow to be very excited.

Thresh and I gorge ourselves for the next hour, until our stomachs hurt.

Then we watch Capitol TV shows, which we make fun of the whole time.

It feels good, too laugh.

And for once, I forget of home.