Her Victory, Their Life| F. Odair

Prologue

District 5. The district of power. They brought electricity to the Capitol from their large hydroelectric dam. That's where Emory Falkum's father, Norman, worked as the head engineer. Their family was known to be very smart. They were some of the higher ups in their district. No one in their family had been chosen for the hunger games ever— until the 66th Hunger Games.

Karla Falkum was at home, designing blueprints for a new generator with her husband that they were going to send to Beetee to get approved by District 3 and the Capitol for use.

Cierra and Emory were making dinner while Elliot was finishing his homework at the table. "Hey, Cierra?" Elliot called, looking up from his math homework. She looked over at him, "could you help me with this?" She nodded and handed the spoon for the stew over to her younger sister.

Emory was still 13 but knew more than most of the kids in her district. She grabbed the vegetables she just finished cutting and dumped them into the stew and continued to stir as her sister came back. She took the rice off the heat and started on cutting the fruit.

Elliot packed up his homework and got out the cutlery for dinner. He set the table and got drinks as Cierra brought over the food that was finished. They usually had a big dinner before the reaping and invited over their Uncle Cameron. Emory left the food for her sister and went to her parent's office.

She knocked on the door and her mother called for her to come in. "Dinner's ready," she told her parents in a sweet voice. They both looked over and left their work. Emory walked to the dining room as there was a knock at the front door and her father went to open it.

Everyone sat in their usual spots as Elliot put the last of the food on the table. Karla grabbed her daughter's hands, so Emory grabbed her brother's hand who grabbed their uncle. After everyone was holding hands Karla spoke, "For another great year and to the hope that our family once again escapes the clutches of the so-called Hunger Games."

"Dear—"

"All those children that die at the hands of the Capitol, it's barbaric!" Karla reminds her husband. "I won't watch one of my kids die at the hands of them!"

"Karla, Cierra's already aged out, Elliot has two more reapings, Emory is the only one to worry about, even then the chances are so astronomically small. The population is well over 100,000 and she only has her name in there 3 times," Cam tries to calm her nerves and she sighs as her kids look at her with worry. She puts on a fake smile.

"Let's eat!"