Hunger Games 1. Chapter 1 The beginning

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Hunger Games**

Chapter one, part 1

I slowly open my eyes to let the soft light clear my vision, the nightmares of random tributes dying in the games left my mind, today is the reaping. I quietly drop my feet to the ground as to not

wake my mother. I take a step closer to the end of the bed to reach out and pet Buttercup. He purrs gently and nudges my palm with his nose. I smile. "Goodmorning." I whisper to him. Then I peel

away from him and slip on my tattered brown shoes. I slip out of my wrinkled nightgown and pull on the outfit my mother had set up for me the night before. It was a bit too big, but I pinned it in

the back and rolled the top of the skirt once so it wouldn't fall down. I brushed out my hair and then walk towards the kitchen. I find that Katniss has taken the cheese I had left out for her and has

already left to the woods. She always leaves too early in the morning. I sigh softly and purse my lips. For a moment I just stand there, thinking about the reaping that would take place later on

today.

Katniss's name is in the reaping bowl twenty times, she has an unfortunate chance of getting picked. Compared to my name, which is only in the bowl once. I close my eyes and slowly rock myself

back and forth on the balls of my feet. I don't want Katniss to go in the games, she is so important to me. I feel my eyes water but I change my thoughts so I don't cry. I decide to wake my mother.

I walk in small steps over to the bed and poke her arm softly. No response. I start moving the hair from her face when her eyes begin to part. I smile down at her and she finds my eyes. "Hello

Prim." She says with a smile. "Hi mommy." I say, and then the tears start to come. My mom slowly props herself on one elbow and pats the bed, signaling for me to sit down. The tears come fast

and within seconds I'm sobbing. "I don't want Katniss to go in the games mommy, her name is in there too many times." I cry out. My mom wraps her arms around me and softly hums until I calm

down. "It's not fair." I say and bury my head in her shoulder. She just pats my back and tells me everything will be OK. I know she's worried too, but she's being strong for my sake. "It's not fair." I

say again.

Later, when the tears passed, mother helps me pin the shirt back in a prettier way than I had done and then she dresses herself. The back of my shirt keeps sticking out from the skirt, but I've

given up on trying to put it back in place. A few minutes pass and I hear Katniss come through the door. My mother and I help prepare her in a blue dress and fancy hair. She looks incredible and I

can't look away. I wish I looked like Katniss. I look up at her and smile. "You look beautiful." I say to her. She stares at her reflection in the mirror. "And nothing like myself." She says distantly. We

then hug, and I press the tears away again. "Tuck your tail in, little duck." Katniss says as she helps fix the back of my shirt into place. I smile at her. "Quack." I giggle. She laughs. "Quack yourself."

When the time for the reaping comes, I give my mother a light kiss on the cheek then follow my fellow peers into the roped area and stay in the back, since I'm one of the youngest; 12. We all

chatter loudly until we are hushed multiple times from the older kids. I focus my attention on the stage before us, but I'm having trouble seeing because of the kids in front of me. I barely listen to

what is going on because of previous years when I would sit with my mother and listen carefully, hanging onto each word. I know everything that's going to be said, the words are etched in my

mind.

My attention gets drawn back to the stage when Effie Trinket, a lady with bright pink hair chimes, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever _in your favor!" Then she walks over to the glass

ball to pull out the girl's tribute name. She fishes her hand in the bowl and slowly moves her hand around for dramatic effect. Finally, she plucks a slip from the bowl and takes quick steps to the

podium. She clears her throat as she opens the slip and eyes the paper. "Primrose Everdeen." She says, then looks up and searches the crowd. My heart stops, I hear slight murmurs of the people

around me and feel a light push from behind me. "No…" I whisper. I feel my life being taken away from me as I close my fists and stiffly walk up to the stage. The back of my blouse untucks itself

and I suppress my tears. _Please don't be real_, I keep thinking. _Please not me._ But I'm almost to the stage. My voice is being called but I can't match the strangled voice to it. I am about to take a

step onto the stage when I'm grabbed from behind and pushed away. "I volunteer!" Katniss screams. "I volunteer as tribute!" "NO!" I yell at her. "No Katniss no! You can't go!" I say and grab onto

her. "Prim, let go." She says harshly. Effie is saying something about the correct way to volunteer but I ignore her. I lock eyes with Katniss and I can see the pain in her eyes as she pushed me off of

her and starts to go up the stage. Arms pull me back and I recognize Gale behind me, pulling me away as I try to follow Katniss. "Up you go, Catnip." I hear Gale's voice strain. Katniss is now on the

stage, and my eyesight goes blurry with tears. I kick my leg back and it knocks Gale over for a second. But he's back up and holding me. I bite his arm but he doesn't release me. The boy tribute is

now being picked. I'm going to be too late. I cry for someone to help me, someone to let me save Katniss. No one helps. I squirm, trying to get free. Gale keeps a tight grip on me. "Let go!" I say,

out of breath. Gale's grip loosens on me and in that second I duck down, out of grasp and run on the stage. Peeta Mellark, the bread boy, is also on stage and is watching me. Katniss whips her head

around to face me, eyes angry. "I deny the volunteer! I want to be tribute!" I say, my voice back to life and louder than I intended. "Can she do that?" Katniss grinds her teeth as she asks Effie the

question I've been wondering as well. Effie stares at me in bewilderment. Somewhere in the silent crowd I hear my mother's whimpered cries. "Am I allowed to deny her offer as volunteer?" I

rephrase Katniss's question. Effie stutters then pulls herself together. "I-I don't see why not.." She says. My shoulders slump and I nod. Katniss yells in frustration. "Prim, no. Stay here." She orders.

Tears fall from my face and I make no attempt to stop them. "I'm sorry Katniss. I can't let you go." And with that, Katniss is dragged off the stage by two peacekeepers. Effie gives us all a second to

collect herself then says, "How exciting! Let's all give our tribute a round of applause!" Only stifled sobs and my mother's wails fill the air and I nod. Katniss turns her head back to the stage and

touches the three middle fingers of her left hand to her lips and then holds them out to me. Then everyone does it in unison. It's a symbol to mean goodbye to someone you love, and it brings me to

pure devastation. "I love you too." I whisper to Katniss as she and my mom start to slowly walk to the house. I do not follow them, not today.

Chapter 1-Part 2

I don't understand why they left, they should still be here, but maybe mom was too depressed too stay any longer. Katniss will take care of her, she's good at that. Everyone has their eyes locked on

Peeta and me, some crying, some composed and respectful. I try to look as mature as I can, but I can't shake the uneasy feeling crawling inside me. I want Buttercup, he can always make me feel

better. But right now, I am stuck listening to the dreary voice of the mayor announce the treaty of treason. When he finishes, Peeta and I shake hands, his eyes are filled with sympathy when he

looks at me, and he nods his head slightly. I'm confused, but we have to pull apart and listen respectfully for the anthem of Panem to play then we are both stuffed in separate rooms. As soon as I'm

left alone the tears do not control themselves, and I don't try to contain them. My moans of agony are loud and I don't stop until my first visitors come. Katniss marches in with her head held high

and my mother, looking weak, follows her. "You shouldn't have done that!" Katniss says angrily, her voice shaking. I slump down on the couch and stare at the ground. "Katniss please." My mother

says as she pushes past her and sits next to me. Katniss eyes me up and down and then wipes a tear from her eye. "Prim, I have to protect you." Katniss says, choking on her words. I purse my lips

and squint my eyes. My hair fell in front of my face like a curtain. Katniss sits down on the other side of me and her and my mother hug me until it's time for them to go. "Take care of buttercup and

Lady for me." I told Katniss. "I will." She said emptily. "Stay strong." I said to my mother. She smiled at me weakly and then burst into tears. As they were walking out of the room, Katniss turned

around and said, "Be safe little duck." Then they were gone.

One more visitor entered the room, the mayor's daughter, Madge. She came to me slowly and held out a pin. "You're Katniss's sister." She smiled. I nodded. She places herself next to me on the

couch. "Your allowed one token in the arena, will you wear this for me? For district 12?" The pin is a gold mockingjay, the wings attached to the outer ring, holding it all together. I take it from her

and stare at it. "Promise me you'll wear it?" She whispered. "Okay." I muttered. Then I pinned it to my shirt.

A few minutes later, I'm pulled from the room and get taken to the train station. Peeta is there too, eyes red from tears. We wait in front of the train for the cameras to have enough of us then we

board the train reluctantly. I sit down in a seat that contains a window behind it and watch as district twelve flashes by me. "Goodbye." I whisper and softly put my head on the glass until there is

nothing to see because of the train's speed. Effie Trinket is on the train, babbling to me and Peeta about where are rooms are, and how we could do anything but we had to be out of our rooms for

dinner in an hour. I get to my room and gently take off my clothes and take a shower, the warm water fell on me like rain and I couldn't help but smile.

I changed into a light purple shirt and black jeans, but remain barefoot. I tie a black ribbon in my hair and fasten the golden pin onto the shirt. At dinner, Haymitch, our mentor, is late, but none of

us seem to mind. We all eat with barely any talk. When Haymitch does eventually show-up, Effie leaves the room. Peeta and I watch curiously as Haymitch staggers to the table, drunk, then

throws-up on the carpeted floor. My nose wrinkles slightly and I stand up, pushing my chair back with my legs. I walk around the table and stand above Haymitch, who is now sprawled in his vomit.

I tilt my head to the side and smile. "You're quite a sight, aren't you?" I say sweetly. Haymitch mutters something ineligible. Peeta is now next to me, picking Haymitch up. I start to bend down to

help him but he waves me away. "No, it's fine, I got him." He looks stressed. "I can help you." I say, my eyes trained on his. He glances at me for a second then replies, "No, thankyou." I nod and

watch as he half-carries/half-drags Haymitch out of the room. I stand there for as long as I can, thinking, until the reek from the vomit overwhelms me and I call some of the capitol people to clean

it up. I skip to my room and then change into a nightgown I found in my closet. I thought about changing into all the clothes, trying them on, but sleep overcame me and I crawled into bed. For the

last time today, I cry. And I cried myself to sleep.

The next morning I awake to hear Effie's piercing voice echoing in my ears. "Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, big day!" I respect her enthusiasm and try to dress as quickly as possible. This

time, I wear brown shorts and a white shirt, still barefoot. The pin is the only connection between me and district 12 now, so I pin it to my shirt securely before walking out of my room and head to

breakfast.

When I walk in, Effie brushes past me and so now I'm left with Peeta and Haymitch. Peeta is quiet and staring at his untouched breakfast. Haymitch looks, if possible, worse then yesterday. I

swallow, then proceed to the table. Haymitch eyes me up and down and shakes his head. Peeta watches me sit down then directs his attention back to his breakfast, carefully choosing what to eat

first. Haymitch takes a swig of some kind of spirit, his eyes watching my movements. I pick at my food, an uneasy feeling is hanging in the air. Haymitch then laughs and finishes his bottle, then

grabs another off the table. "Haymitch?" I begin. "Do you think you could give us some advice?" I prompt him. Peeta looks up at him eagerly. "Stay alive." Haymitch says then throws his head back

in a laugh. I'm positive he says that to his tributes every year. Peeta grows tense. "That's very funny." He lashes out at Haymitch and knocks his drink to the ground. "Only not to us." Peeta says.

Haymitch swings over and punches Peeta in the jaw, sending him to the floor. Then Haymitch straightens up and reaches for the other bottle on the table. I swiftly grab it before him and put it in

my lap. Peeta gets back into his chair and puts ice to his wound. Haymitch eyes us both then tells us to stand up in the middle of the room. As he circles us, he speaks. "Well, Peeta, you're a fighter.

Primrose, you're quick, good self defense." He mutters a few words under his breath then says. "I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help

you."

My hand extends, handing him is bottle back. He chuckles. "Okay." Peeta says, sighing. Haymitch lets out a breath of air then says, "We are almost to the station. You'll be put in the hands of your

stylists." I squeel with enjoyment. He continues, "You may not like what they do to you. But no matter what, do not resist." I smile and then watch as Haymitch leaves the car. Within Seconds, the

light from the windows goes dark and only the light now is from the small ones on the roof. I look at Peeta and he beckons me to follow him to the window. We wait in silence then suddenly, the

darkness ends a bunch of colors fill it's place. The capitol. The bright hue's surprise me, the sparkling buildings engulfing my eyes. When the train stops, my custody goes to my prep team. They look

silly, and their names make me giggle. Flavius, Octavia, and Venia.

**A/N: Reviews please? Sorry its so long... After Ch.3, they will get much shorter, I promise...**


	2. Chapter 2 Opening Ceremony

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games**

Chapter Two –Part 1

I watch Venia's aqua hair bounce up and down as she rips another patch of hair from my legs. The gold tattoos above her eyebrow shine and I can't help but want them too. Octavia, a plump

peagreen woman, walks up to me holding a container of some liquid. Both her and Venia scrub the liquid onto me, making me shine. I smile. Flavius, a male with corkscrew orange hair and purple

lipstick watches as I slide off the table they had placed me on. I walk to the middle of the room and feel awkward as I stand in only my undergarments. They circle me like voltures, then they all stop

in front of me and smile. "Let's call Cinna!" Flavius squeels, then they all leave the room. I bend down and slip my robe back on carefully. I also grab my shirt from earlier off the counter and snatch

the golden pin off it. I won't loose it. I wrap it in my hand and clench it tightly. Minutes pass before my stylist, Cinna, walks through the door. I squint my eyes at him. "Are you Cinna?" I ask. He

smiles softly. He has natural brown hair, something the capitol must rarely see. His green eyes have golden flecks supported by the faint gold eyeliner he wears above them. His clothes are normal

too, surprisingly enough. I'm taken aback by him and when he circles me slowly I purse my lips. "Hello Primrose." He finally says, standing in front of me. I find myself slowly smiling. "You can call

me Prim." I say softly. His face loosens and he reaches for my hand. He pulls me into another room and seats me on the small red couch. Then he places himself on the chair beside it and presses a

button. The table flips over and another tabletop appears, holding our breakfast. I immediately start eating, savoring each bite. Cinna eats slowly, watching me. "Prim." He finally says. "Are you

afraid of fire?" My curious, but shocked expression makes him smile.

Chapter two –Part 2

The opening ceremonies are about to start, and I'm nervous as the black full-bodied unitard sticks to my skin. The red, orange, and yellow cape behind me flies in the wind, the matching headpiece

embroiders my golden hair. Peeta, beside me, looks nervous as well. As the chariot for district 11 leaves, Cinna lights our capes on fire, apparently a specially-made safe fire. Then Cinna tells us to

hold hands and smile, then he hops off the chariot and we get pulled into the ceremony. Peeta grabs for my hand and we both hold tightly. "District 12!" The capitol people start chanting

immediately. I smile and wave, my usually shy approach backing down as I admire my fans. Some of the chariots in front of us are turning around to see what is taking the attention away from

them. I smile at them and blush. The little dark-skinned girl in the chariot in front of me smiles and we share eyes for a moment before all our eyes watch the television screen above us. I see my

chariot, the fire illuminating my face, Peeta smiling next to me. I block out President Snow, who is giving the traditional speech. I continue to wave at the awing crowd. District 12 gets the most

cheers this year, the most time on the television screen. And I can't help but wonder about home. Katniss and my mother. Buttercup and Lady. I let out a sigh but quickly turn my face back into a

smile and wave to the crowds. After the ceremony, we are pulled into the training center. Portia, Peeta's stylist, extinguishes our flames, and smiles at us. I turn to Peeta. "That was amazing!" I say,

my eyes wide. Peeta smiles and his eyes are filled with excitement.

"Oh, my little pearls!" Effie crys as she approaches us, smiling. I listen to her babble, but it's hard when the capitol is distracting me, wanting my full attention. I step into the elevator in the training

center and Peeta, Effie, and I watch outside the crystal clear walls as we shoot up. Peeta and I are allowed to explore our rooms before dinner. I take a shower, pressing as many buttons on the

panel, the soaps squirting me uncontrollably. I laugh as I let the water hose me down then the heat dry me. I pull on random clothes, but keep my pin in it's reserved spot on my shirt. Effie calls my

name and I rush to dinner. Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Portia, Peeta, and I seat ourselves around the table and make small talk. I eat slowly, only tuning into their conversation every few minutes. We

eat a cake that burns up in front of us. Then we move into a sitting room and watch the replay of the opening ceremony. Our chariot is by far the best, and I can't stop smiling. "Tomorrow is the

first training session." Says Haymitch when the replays are over. "Meet me at breakfast tomorrow and I'll tell you what to do. For now, go get some rest." Peeta and I jump to the offer, and go to

our chambers for sleep. When I walk into my room, an avox girl is picking my clothes up off the floor from the earlier ceremony. I stare at her for a moment then say, "Oh, I'm sorry. Can you give

those to Cinna for me?" I ask, gesturing to the clothes now in her hands. She nods. She then walks out of the room quietly. I crawl into bed and let sleep overcome me.

**A/N: Reviews? :3**


	3. Chapter 3 Training Center

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games..**

Chapter 3- Part 1

In the morning, Haymitch is waiting in the breakfast room already. I sit next to him and we wait for Peeta. He arrives shortly after I do. We all eat our food then Peeta and I listen to Haymitch. "Do

you want to be coached together or apart?" Haymitch asked us bluntly. I think for a moment. "I don't have any special skill hiding, I don't mind being coached together." Peeta agrees. Haymitch

nods. "Okay, what are your special skills?" Peeta and I exchange a short glance. He starts first, "I can lift heavy things… and wrestle." No response. Haymitch turns to me. "And what about you

sweetheart?" My mouth twitches. "I can heal wounds, and I'm fast. I know what plants are poisonous and which are edible. I can't hunt if my life depended on it. Katniss tried to teach me once, It's

impossible for me to let anything die like that. I can climb fairly well." I say with a short exhale of breath. Haymitch grunts sadly. "Alright, in the training center, Peeta, I want you to work on

camouflage, traps and snares. Primrose, I want you to work on climbing and traps and snares, I'm going to try to prepare you for the arena as best as I can." I nod. Climbing trees would be a great

advantage in the arena. It's safer than being on the ground. "You may go now. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training." Peeta and I dismiss ourselves. As we are walking to our rooms Peeta

stops me my door. "Prim, do you remember what Katniss said when she tried teaching you to hunt?" I nod slowly. He continues, "You're most likely going to have to hunt in the arena to survive." An

image of the dying bunny Katniss shot pops in my head. I had tried to convince her that if we got it home in time I could heal it. She refused, saying it was our dinner. "I can't." I whisper. "Try."

Peeta says, then turns and walks to his room. I rock myself on my feet and my arms extend slightly at my sides. I know he's right, but I don't know if I could bring myself to doing so.

Chapter 3- Part 2

Later, at ten, Peeta and I walk down the hall in silence, meeting Effie at the elevator. The elevator moves down, below ground level. Peeta and I are the last to arrive. I look around at the tense circle

of the other tributes. Someone pins the number 12 onto the back of my shirt and I look up at Peeta eagerly. He purses his lips and eyes the room. We walk in open spaces in the circle and wait

patiently. A woman named Atala begins to explain the training schedule. We're allowed to move from station to station, but we are not allowed to get in combat with another tribute. I tune Atala's

voice out a let my eyes wander on the other tributes. They are mostly all tall an built. The only person with the same stature as me is the little girl from district 11. I catch her eyes staring at me and

I smile at her. She smiles back uncomfortably then looks away. Then we are free to do whatever we want in the training center. I look up at Peeta and say, "Do you want to learn how to set traps

and snares with me?" He looks down at me. "That's what Haymitch told us to do. It might bring us food in the arena." He says, starting to walk towards the station. I follow. For the whole day, we

manage to master the skills of setting traps and snares. I just hope this material will be in the arena. I'll at least need some rope.

The next day, back in the training center, Peeta suggests we split-up today. "Haymitch said I have to work on camouflage, since my weight won't help me climb a tree. You on the other hand are light

as a feather." I giggle and he smiles, ruffling my hair. Then we turn separate ways. There are some deco trees in one far corner of the room, and I decide to give it a try. Katniss had taught me how to

place my foot on the stronger branches, and closer to the tree then the ends. It couldn't be too hard. Also, she said I wanted to be as quiet as possible, as not to scare the game away. In my case, I

wouldn't want to bring the predators. I slowly step onto the lowest branch and reach for the one above me. I pull myself up and then continue. I'm making only a small amount of noise, but enough

to be heard. I try to be quieter, but I almost slip a few times as the branches get thinner. I look below me and see the ground is not too far away. But if another tribute was standing there, they

wouldn't be able to reach me, much less see me. I smile to myself and let those thoughts encourage me to climb higher. I look up to see the roof of the training center is farther away than I'd

expected. Then I squint my eyes and in the shadows at the tips of the trees I see a pair of eyes. They blink at me then vanish. Seconds later, they appear again, this time in the tree across from

mine. We are on the same branch level now and I can see the outline of her face. "Hello." I say softly. Then I see the girl from district 11 climb across her branch like a monkey, headed towards me.

She perches herself on the end of her branch and smiles at me. "Hi." She whispers. "My name is Prim." I say to her. She bends her head down slightly. "I'm Rue." She says shyly. I'm hugging the

thick part of the tree, afraid to fall. Yet she isn't even touching the thickness of her tree. She is out on a limb. "How do you do that?" I ask, gesturing to her balanced form. "Lots of practice." She

says, blushing. "I wish I could do that." I tell her. She bites her lip and then speaks. "I could teach you." She offers. I smile, my grip on the tree loosens. She extends a hand out to me and I faithfully

let go of my tree and put my hand in hers. "Okay now keep your balance." She says concentrated. I wobble and have to put my legs down, one dangling from each side. I rest one hand on the

thinner end of the branch in front of me, but I keep my other hand in hers. She smiles and frees a short giggle. Frustrated, I pull one leg back up on the branch and begin to scoot farther and farther

from my tree. The branch gets too thin, and I'm afraid it'll break. "It's okay, keep going." Rue pulls on my hand softly. I pull my other leg back onto the branch as well and try my hardest to keep my

balance. I wobble softly for a minute then am completely still. I edge myself closer to the end of the branch until Rue tells me to stop. "Now jump to my branch." She says, letting go of my hand and

crawling to the other end of her branch again. My eyes widen and I lean over slightly, looking at the ground below. "Are you sure?" I ask, my full trust going to this girl. She doesn't reply, waiting for

me to make the leap. I swallow. My legs scoot a centimeter back, ready to launch. "Remember to catch hold of my branch, your legs won't support you much." She says. I nod to myself. My legs push

off the branch and I reach out, expecting to catch wood. My hands land on the branch with a thud and then my legs follow. The sudden pressure sends a crack to the part of the branch Rue is on and

her eyes widen. "Uh-oh." She whispers. I see her spring up and launch herself onto the branch above us. The branch begins to part from the tree and I know I'm going to fall. "Jump!" Rue persists. I

scramble up the branch and wrap my arms around the tree. The branch snaps and my feet are left dangling in the air. My face is pressed against the tree as I grip the thick wood with my hands. I

hear Rue's gentle laugh and wait for her to help me. I feel her pushing my legs to another supporting branch. When I have my balance, I sit down on the branch, one arm is securely around the tree.

Rue is on a branch fairly close to mine and watching me with big eyes. "Next time jump closer to this part of the branch, then it won't break." She says, patting the thick part next to the actual tree. I

let out a big puff of air. Rue half-smiles at me. "I like your pin." She says, nodding to the golden mockingjay on my shirt. "It's my token." I smile. Rue nods. I finger the pin until Rue says we should

go back down. I watch her swiftly move from branch to branch, making her way down. She makes no noise at all. I'm struck by how fast she moves and I know I'll have to be that fast if I am too run

away from another tribute and into a tree. I gently step from branch to branch, trying hard to quicken my pace while being quiet.

It takes some amount of time but within the hours before lunch, Rue has taught me to hop from branch to branch accurately and move fairly swiftly through the trees. I'm not even near to being as

good as her, but I am doing well and will possibly be able to get away from a fellow tribute. Rue and I have decided to form an alliance that will bring us together in the arena. At lunch, Rue and I sit

with Peeta. Peeta raises an eyebrow at me and I smile. "Peeta, this is Rue. She taught me how to climb trees." I say excitedly. Peeta nods at Rue, a simple greeting. "What does Rue mean?" He asks

her. She sits up straight and looks at her meal. "It's a small yellow flower." She replies. "My name is a flower too!" I squeal happily. She smiles, blushing. We all eat slowly, savoring the time to talk to

one another.

Later that day, at dinner, Haymitch and Effie ask all sorts of questions about the training. Finally they ask a question I've been waiting for. "Has anyone requested to make an alliance with you?"

Haymitch demands. Peeta lets me jump to the answer, as I found Rue first. "Yes, the girl from district 11. Her name is Rue, she's twelve like me!" I am ready to state more facts about her but

Haymitch cuts me off. "Did you accept the alliance offer?" He asks sternly. I pause, the question surprised me. "Well, yes. It was a mutual agreement." Haymitch looks me dead in the eye.

"Remember Primrose, don't get to attached, she may be deadly." He holds my gaze until I'm forced to look away. "She's not deadly, her only weapon is a slingshot." I mutter. "As far as you know."

Haymitch says, leaning back in his chair, eyeing me.

**A/N: Sorry, these chapters are all REALLY long, I'll make the following ones shorter :)**


	4. Chapter 4 Gamemakers, meet Prim

**Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games.. :(**

Chapter 4 –Part 1

On the third day of training, I'm teaching Rue how to identify edible plants when the lunch bell calls us to the dining room. We all eat slowly. "What are you going to show the gamemakers, Peeta?" I

ask him. He paused momentarily then replied, "Honestly, I don't think throwing weights around will get me a very high rating number, so I don't know." "You could camouflage yourself into the deco

trees." Rue suggested quietly. Peeta remained silent, obviously disliking the idea. "I don't know what I'll do either." I admitted. "Me either." Rue agreed solemnly. Slowly, the other tributes began to

disappear back into the training center, to the gamemakers. When Rue got up to go, I wished her luck before she vanished into the room. Peeta turned to me, an intense look in his eyes. "Prim, the

scores really matter because we'll be depending on sponsors in the arena since neither of us can hunt. We're in an alliance right?" I had thought we already were, but I guess being from the same

district only assured an instant alliance if you were a career. "Ofcourse." I said, giving him my trust. "But that means you're in an alliance with Rue too." I urged. Peeta smiled warmly in agreement.

We heard his name echo through the room and he got up and left to the training center. I waited impatiently by myself, pacing back and forth slowly. I replayed Peeta's words in my head. _The scores _

_really matter because we'll be depending on sponsors in the arena._ How will I get sponsors if I climb trees? I thought about the different weapons they had in the room but when they called my

name, I was still clueless. I walked in slowly, noticing the gamemakers at the table. Few of them paid me any attention. I walked over to the different weapons they provided and picked up the bow

an arrow, faintly remembering Katniss teaching me how to use it. I turned back to the gamemakers, a few of them glanced at me curiously, but none of them had their attention grabbed. I sighed

and turned to the trees. I put the quiver of arrows on my back and clutched the bow in my hand. I climbed as fast as I could up to the middle of a tree then perched myself on a strong branch. None

of the gamemakers were watching. I aimed my arrow at the stuffed dummy hanging in the middle of the room and let the arrow fly. It missed at a great distance, piercing the floor. One gamemaker

chuckled. Tears stung my eyes, my time was almost up. I pulled back another arrow and aimed it at the dummy again. I sucked in a breath and held it. I released my finger, letting the arrow go. I

watched hopelessly as the arrow skimmed past the dummy and landed in one of the gamemakers chests. I caught my breath. I hadn't realized how close the gamemakers table was to the dummy I

had been aiming for. The gamemakers gaped at the dying man who was clutching the arrow that was slowly ending his life. The gamemakers quickly rushed to his aid once their shock had passed.

Others ran to call the paramedics. I sunk into the darkness the trees provided, weeping silently at my mistake. Someone called my name from the ground, an unrecognizable voice. They told me I had

to come down now, my time was up. I huddled against the tree, letting the bow slip from my hands and fall to the ground feet below me. I hadn't meant to hurt anyone. But apparently, my aim was

better than my intentions.

**A/N: This one was really short haha, chapter 5 is even shorter...**


	5. Chapter 5 Scores

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games.**

Chapter 5

After an hour of me refusing to come out of the trees they finally sent two people up to get me. My face was stained red from tears and my hair was forming small knots. Haymitch was waiting for me in

the sitting room. When I walked through the door he stood up and opened his arms. Without thinking, I ran into his embrace and again broke into sobs. "I don't want to go." I heard my hoarse voice

whine into Haymitch's shoulder. Haymitch said something, but my cries blocked out his voie. "What?" I asked, letting go of him. "You got a twelve!" He smiled softly at me. "How?" I muttered, not sure

if I should believe him or not. "Because your aim was incredible!" He said, eash of his hands on my shoulders. "You heard what happened?" I asked. He gave me a slight shake. "Everyone knows; you

killed a gamemaker!" Killed. I killed him. The capitol is turning so many little kids into murderers. I looked up at Haymitch, he beamed down on me. "Why are you smiling?" My voice was pained and I

felt a tear fall down my cheek. "Because _everyone_ knows, It's the perfect start for a rebellion!"

**A/N: WOW, this one was REALLY short**


	6. Chapter 6 Nightmares

**Disclaimer: I don't own THG**

Chapter 6

Rebellion. That's what Haymitch was looking for. Rebellion against the capitol, against the hunger games.

After Haymitch and I turned separate ways, I had a lot of time to think. I stayed up late, thinking about what had happened earlier that day. Then my mind sidetracked and the hunger games occupiedmy thoughts. What will the arena be like? What if there are no trees for me and Rue to hide in? I dwelled on the numerous problems until I finally fell asleep.

I find myself waking up in the middle of the night, my nightmares returning. In my sleep, I was dreaming that, since I killed a gamemaker, I was being tortured. Whips thrashed at me wickedly and no matter how many times I screamed, no one came to my rescue. My body was colored red from my blood, my hair tinted orange. Knives came next, digging into my skin. I pleaded for it to stop, for the torture to end, but it went on. I cried for help, I screamed for Katniss, who was always there. But not this time, this time I was alone. I grit my teeth and closed my eyes, moaning from the pain in my back as an arrow ended _my_ life.

When I finally did wake up, the room was dark and I was drenched in sweat. I searched the room for my mother, who had always kept me safe from my bad dreams, but she was in district 12. I crawled out of bed and turned on the light. Now that I could see, I felt slightly safer. I checked the clock, it was nearly two in the morning. I took a shower to wash away the sweat. Then I emptied the closet, trying to find a distraction from my nightmares. Why hadn't the capitol done anything to me? Why_ wasn't_ I being tortured at this moment? They still need a female district 12 tribute though, and it's too late to reap a new one. Maybe they're expecting me to to be killed right away in the arena. Whatever the cause, I was still alive in my room, still going in the games. With that as the most hopeful thought I could conjure, I crawled back in bed and drifted off to sleep.

**A/N: I didn't like this chapter very much... Part 7 will hopefully be better. A special thank-you to anyone who is still reading ;3 reviews appreciated..**


	7. Chapter 7 Preparing for the interview

**Disclaimer: I do not own THG. **

Part 7

In he morning, breakfast went by fast. Peeta suggested we get trained for the interviews separately to get individual help, I agreed, it sounded reasonable. I went with Effie first, which I didn't mind. She helped me walk around the room in impossibly high shoes. She said I was very good and that I was ready to go to Haymitch. Haymitch immediately told me I would go with an innocent, needy approach, but sometimes show a spark of angry adrenaline to help support my scoring number. "I still don't understand why they gave me a twelve." I muttered to Haymitch. He sighed and said, "Because everyone already knows what you did… Also, they're hoping you become a threat in the arena and get killed immediately. But we're not going to let that happen." He smiled assuringly at me. I grimaced, unsure. But I had no other choice than to listen to Haymitch reluctantly.

After the endless day pasts, I was finally allowed to crawl into bed to sleep. No nightmares haunted me during the night.

In the morning, I was awakened by my cheerful prep team. I honestly couldn't tell if they were fake, their appearances made them look like programmed dolls. They scrub me down until my skin glows, then they stencil patterns onto my arms and paint flames on my nails. They rub shimmering gold dust on my body and every time I blink, a flock of sparkles fly off. A small gold headband intertwined with red sparkles is placed on my head, weaving together with my hair. Then finally, Cinna makes me close my eyes for the dress. I press back the urge to peak and keep my eyes shut, pursing my lips. They slide the dress over me, and it takes me a little off balance from the excessive weight. Eventually they let me open my eyes. My eyes are plastered to my reflection in the mirror. I'm on fire, a small yet dangerous flame. My dress is sequined with small red and gold gems, accenting a flickering fire every time I move. I twirl around and everyone in the room is in awe. I lose my balance and fall into Cinna's arms. "Thankyou." I said, smiling up at him. Cinna made me look perfect for the interview, only talking for the interview would still be troublesome. Cinna gave me supportive advice then sent me on my way. I met Peeta at the elevator, his black suit was accented with flames. When the elevator opens, the other tributes are being lined up to take the stage. All twenty-four of us sit in a big arc throughout the interviews. I wait impatiently in my seat as the show begins. Each interview will be three minutes long then a buzzer will go off to end our session. Females first then males. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in, awaiting my turn.

**A/N: WAW, this one was boring. But guess what? Interviews come next! Oh! And, sorry for not posting for a while. My life is a little busy at the moment ;D**


	8. Chapter 8 Interviews

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.**

Part 8

The interviews went by slowly in my opinion. I was dreading having to go on stage and talk, but each time a new tribute went onto the stage, my turn was coming closer. Finally, the district eleven male tribute is walking off the stage and I'm introduced. I slowly gather myself together and stand up to climb the stage. Caesar Flickerman smiles at me and shakes my hand. He's saying something but my nervousness blocked out his voice. His signals to the small chair beside his so I sit down. The crowd is murmuring softly so Caesar decides to warm me up. "You're dress is beautiful. You are on fire!" He says with added enthusiasm. I smile and blush. "Thankyou. Cinna is amazing." I say quietly. Caesar smiles and agrees with me. "So Primrose, what has been your favorite thing in the capitol?" He asked me, seeming curious. I pursed my lips in thought. "The colors." I said, breathless. Caesar laughed, then the audience joined him. "They are something." He said, his face bright. I felt a little more comfortable. Haymitch's voice boomed in my head, _Show sparks of angry adrenaline. _I swallowed and anticipated the next question. "So, Primrose, we are all extremely curious. How did you kill the gamemaker?" My stomach turned. Beads of sweat started to form on my hands and I felt like crying. "I… I don't think I'm allowed to give out that kind of information." I said, forcing my breakfast back down. Caesar smiled at me. "Aw, I'm sure you can give us a little hint." I looked up at Caesar and stared into his eyes. "No." I said firmly. Caesar pursed his lips then moved on to another question. "Alright." He began. "During the reaping. You refused to let your sister volunteer for you. Why did you do that?" He leaned into me. I paused then said, "Why did I do that? You mean, why did I deny my sisters plead to be sent into a death arena? Because she was always there for me, it was time I do something in return. I'm glad I did it." I said, making fists with my hands. My eyebrows pressed together in frustration. Caesar gave me a passionate look. "It was very brave of you." He said. The audience agreed with him. Caesar then abruptly said, "Primrose, do you think you are going to win in the arena?" The question hit me and I took some time to think. I hadn't thought about that question much, I thought I would die instantly. But now, in front of everyone, I had to be strong. I breathed in and let the words roll off my tongue. "The capitol has no right to tell _children_ to kill eachother. So just now I have decided…" I paused. The audience is frozen, hanging on my every word. I continued, "I have decided that… I… refuse to kill anyone in the Hunger Games." I opened my mouth to say more but no words came out, so I closed it again. Caesar let the remaining seconds pass in silence then the buzzer went off telling me to leave the stage. "Well, best of luck, Primrose Everdeen, tribute from District Twelve." I nod and descend the small stairs then take my seat again. I hear Peeta's name being called and He gets up as I'm sitting down. I'm still in a daze for the first part of Peeta's interview. Until Caesar brings up relationships. "Handsome Lad like you, there must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?" says Caesar. Peeta sighs. "Well, there is one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping." Sounds of sympathy from the crowd, unrequited love they can relate to. "She have another fellow?" asks Caesar. "I don't know, but a lot of boys like her," says Peeta. "So, here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?" says Caesar encouragingly. "I don't think it's going to work out. Winning… won't help in my case," says Peeta. "Why ever not?" says Caesar, mystified. Peeta blushes beet-red and stammers out. "Because… because.. I'll be dying trying to keep her sister alive." For a moment, the camera's hold on Peeta's downcast eyes as what he says sinks in. I catch a glimpse of the televised screens and my shocked face is plastered on every one. I quickly close my mouth and compose myself. _Katniss. He likes Katniss_. I purse my lips and watch as Peeta leaves the stage and the anthem plays.

**A/N: This one was not as exciting as I'd hoped it would be. :\ Reviews appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9 Silent Night

Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, and Portia are all standing right outside the elevator, waiting for me. Their small talk came to an end when I delicately step out. I smile meekly at them then look down, curtaining my blushed face with my hair.

We gather in the dining room and eat with few words between dishes. Then we move ourselves to the sitting room to watch the replays of the interviews. My face is beet red when mine is played, and I smile when Portia acknowledges me.

When Peeta's interview plays, I bite my lip. Watching him confess his love to my sister awakens a smile on my face. I feel Peeta's eyes watching me so I turn to face him. "Did Katniss... ever talk about me?" He asked hopefully. I pursed my lips, thinking. "Yea, all the time." I lied. His worried expression transformed into one of a smile and brightened eyes. I nodded, looking down.

Haymitch looked at us both and sighed. "Any additional advice?" Peeta asks him.

Haymitch smiled. "Stay alive."

After the screen on the TV went black, we all departed to our rooms.

Tomorrow morning I would be sent into the Hunger Games.


	10. Chapter 10 Preparation for the Arena

A knock on my door startles me and I throw the covers off my bed. "Yes? Who is it?" I call, rubbing my eyes. The door opens and Cinna makes his way into the room. "Goodmorning." He says, avoiding eye contact. He rummages through my closet before throwing a bland outfit at me. I wrinkled my nose in detest. "Don't they give me clothes that I have to wear in the arena?" Cinna nods as he says, "Yes, but you change into those in the catacombs, under the arena."

I nod, feeling a pressure of tears in my eyes. "Okay. I'm gonna go to the bathroom to change.." I muttered, grabbing my clothes.

Later, in the helicopter, I imagine Katniss, my mother, Lady, and Buttercup. Home. The feeling of loss agonizes me and I shift my weight, suddenly uncomfortable. Closing my eyes, I try to relax.

"This is your tracker, Primrose. The stiller you are, the more efficiently I can place it." A woman in a white coat says soothingly. I keep my eyes closed, trying to drain myself of any thoughts. A needle stings my arm and I breathe out, staying calm.

When the helicopter lands and I'm allowed off, I stumblr off the stairs and enter a dimly lit room with many food plates. I throw up at the sight of it, the liquid coming up my throat stinging me. "I can't do this, Cinna. I can't do this." I cry. He kneels down beside me and wraps his arm around me. He had nothing to say, no advice or support. I sigh and force myself to stand up.

"Eat something." Cinna persists. I shake my head, putting my hand on my stomach. "Prim, if you stuff yourself up now, you won't have to kill bunnies right away." He says with a sly smile. I bite my lip, knowing he's right. Eating as much as my stomach allowed was a good choice, I felt prepared now.

After taking care of my personal hygiene, Cinna helps me dress in the arena wear.

First I pull on simple tawny pants, a light green blouse, sturdy brown belt, and a thin hooded jacket that falls to my thighs. "The material in the jacket is designed to reflect body heat. Expect some cool nights," he says.

I nod as I pin my gold mockingjay on the blouse. Cinna smiles sadly and I look away. "I don't want to die, Cinna." I say softly. Unsuspectingly, he grabs me in a hug and kisses the top of my head. "You won't, Prim."

Before Cinna can say more, a female voice announces it's time to prepare for launch. Cinna let's me go and looks me in eyes. "Good luck.." He says before helping me step onto the circular metal plate. Tears threatened to stream down my face, but I forced them back. I closed my eyes again, trying to relax. I felt Cinna kiss the top of my head one more time before backing away from the plate. "Goodbye." He says, the word cut off by a glass cylinder lowering around me.

For maybe fifteen seconds, I'm in darkness and then I can feel th metal plate pushing me out of the cylinder, into the open air. I open my eyes, the sun beating down on me and wind blowing softly through my hair.

Then I hear the legendary announcer, Claudius Templesmith, as his voice booms all around me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"


	11. Chapter 11 The Hunger Games

I swayed back and forth slowly. The minute of waiting on the platform was endless. One canon went off.. A nervous tribute is now dead. I purse my lips, looking around at the other tributes. I found Rue staring at me and I smile nervousely. She smiled softly then looked down. I bit down hard on my lip. Suddenly, a ringing sound blared through the arena, sounding the beginning. My heart fluttered and I panicked. Turning around on my heel, I fled to the woods behind me. I stormed through the trees, my adrenaline pushing me further and further. Canons blasted around me, signaling the deaths of the other tributes. I leaped off the ground and reached for a branch in front of me. Grabbing it with both hands, I pulled myself up. I kept climbing farther up the tree, fearful of the others. When I could no longer see the ground below me, I figured I was high enough. I leaned my head against the thick of the tree and breathed slowly. ~ My short moment of rest was disrupted when hands grabbed me from behind. A sharp laugh rang in my ear and I screamed. The hands slips over my mouth, muffling my scream. Rue climbed around and sat on my branch, in front of me. "You're fast." She smiles. My surprise hasn't worn off yet and I look down to see if anyone had been curious enough to find out who screamed with no canon sounding afterward. Rue giggles. "Don't worry. No one is as good of climbers as us." She assures me. "Now come on, I saw Peeta chasing after you on my way over here. He's fairly slow," she says. Rue waits for me on each tree, as I slowly jump from branch to branch. If I were to go any faster, it would be a lot noisier and I'd be risking a possible attack from another tribute. When we find Peeta, he smiles and hugs me. I awkwardly hug him back, then push him away softly. "This is so scary." I whisper. Peeta nods and sticks his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Rue pulls a small backpack off of her back. "I knew we were in an alliance, so I decided to go farther than I originally planned and grabbed a backpack and a sleeping bag." My mouth parts slightly in shock. "Rue! That's so considerate. I just turned and ran.. I didn't even remember.." I say, my voice getting quieter. Rue pulls a thermos out of the pack. "We have water.. But we'll need to take trips to different lakes to refill it. That could be dangerous," She explains before pulling out a bag of dried berries and other small snacks. It also carries a dagger, sharp and good for hunting small animals. When night comes, we decide to save the water and little food that we have for when we desperately need it. And as for sleeping, we unzipped the sleeping bag and laid it out on the ground as a blanket for us all to share. We all slid under the black tarp materialized sleeping bag, using our arms as our pillows. Peeta volunteered to be first on watch, promising to wake me in an hour or two. I drifted off to sleep before letting my thoughts become explicite with visions of home. ~ Hands pushed at my shoulder softly, a mellow voice called my name. "Goodmorning Mom." I mutter, swatting the hand away. The voice gets louder and I realize it's not my mother calling out to me. I raise my head off my arm slowly, and rub at my eyes. Looking to my left, I see Peeta Mellark blinking at me. Recognition flows through me and I remember I'm in the Hunger Games. I slowly push myself into a sitting position. "It's so dark." I whisper. Peeta nods his head. "Yea. I let you sleep longer than I promised though," He smiled. I smile softly. "Thank-you." I said, resting my back against the tree that half-covered us and our sleeping bag. Peeta moved himself under the blanket, instantly falling asleep. I look at Rue, her tangled hair covers most of her face, and she snores lightly. I sigh and lean my head back against the tree, looking up at the stars above me. I had forgot about watching the faces light up in the sky, showing the tributes who had died today. But that didn't matter to me. My alliances were both with me, sleeping at my feet. ~ I'm about to wake Rue for her night shift when I hear feet shuffling through leaves. I believe it's only one person, alone and stumbling through the trees on their own, scared.. I freeze, petrified and unsure of what to do. My senses scream at me to run, but I know better than to break an alliance and end up alone with nothing in the arena. I grab the dagger that was left next to the bag, and hold it tightly. I'm poised and ready to defend myself when I remember what I had said in my interview. I have decided not to kill anyone.. The thought repeated itself in my head, taunting me. My thoughts decided to play tricks on me. I could simply just injure the person then heal them. And before they heal completely, I could leave with Peeta and Rue. But I had nothing to heal a person with. I would have to search for herbs tomorrow and pack them in the bag. If tomorrow were to come at all for me.. The person was nearing us now, but held no evidence that they knew we were hiding here. They walked slowly past us, and continued on. I watched them until they disappeared in the dark. Then I allowed myself to wake Rue, letting myself back into the world of sleep. 


	12. Chapter 12 Water

In the morning, the cold breeze woke me and I lifted my head to see Rue sleeping against the tree. Fear swept through me and I quickly looked around, searching for other tributes. When I found only Peeta, also sleeping, I let myself relax and crawl out from under the blanket. I braced myself from the cold and put my hood over my head securely. Packing our stuff in the backpack took only a moment of time and waking the others was easy. They both were on edge when I woke them, remembering where they were.

"It's okay." I whispered to Rue when she apoligized for sleeping on her shift. "Just don't let it happen again." I snuck the words out of my mouth. She nodded her head once then took the backpack away from me and began walking.

"Where are we going?" I called to her, soflty. She paused walking and turned to me.

"I dunno," She said with wide, curious eyes. I grimaced.

"We should find a lake or something," I offered. Rue agreed with me. Peeta was still half in a daze of sleep, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"There was a bed of water where we entered." Peeta said sleepily.

"Peeta. Why don't you stay here? Rue and I will go get the water. You should sit and watch our stuff." I said, smiling. He nodded his head then pushed himself under a tree, hidden sloppily. I giggled and threw the sleeping bag over him, then turning and following Rue up, into a tree.


End file.

Hunger Games, Adventure, Friendship