The 95th Hunger Games

Chapter 1

I've never been afraid of the Hunger Games. I've always seen it as an opportunity. A chance to escape the dystopian reality. A chance to help my poor family and bring it together. My mom and dad argue and have "divorced". They don't wanna get the Capital involved in their buisness,s o they are still technically married. But, it would be hard to explain my dad moving in with Willow, a single lady.

Samantha, my 19-year-old sister, always has tried to protect me from the world, but now it is all changing because I am 14. Samantha is now a woman and must stand at the edge of the Reaping. I am now alone.

"Sawyer, are you ready?" asks Holly. Holly has been my only friend forever. She is the only one that cares for me. Everyone else pushes me to the side. The thing is, she is 17-years-old.

"Yeah," I respond. She has been training me with all sorts of weapons. I have been talking about volunteering for years now, and she knows I can't do it without her help. She's taught me now for two years. It's just in case I get picked or if I feel rebellious and volunteer.

Speaking of rebellious action, the next Hunger Games is going to be the 95th. I got confused when Katniss Everdeen messed up the 75th. A whole rebellion and war. After all, the rebellion failed and everything was like it was before. So much for a Mockingjay. I dream that maybe I could start a rebellion. Save the world from Alma Coin and President Snow.

Until then, I cut trees down with a hatchet and carry bark to the factories. And occasionally, sneak off with Holly to practice for the Hunger Games.

We run off behind a row of cabins. We grab our bags of supplies into the forest. This part of the forest isn't blocked off due to the cutting down of trees.

We set up, pulling out knives and axes. She starts. She lands it right onto our practice tree. It holds its grip and stays in the tree. She takes it out. I'm jealous. She would be a perfect candidate for the next rebel. She's talented and beautiful. How could I stand a chance? I'm fourteen.

I throw my ax at full speed. I miss the tree completely, but instead I hit a much thinner and smaller tree to the right. I cut it through. It falls down and I gasp in amazement.

"Sawyer, I think you're ready," Holly says in shock. I'm not ready. I'll die if I don't hit a target. How could I live? Live in a world where my sister and I have to steal food to be fed because our parents won't feed us. They won't feed us because they are too busy arguing how to escape this prison. There's only one way. Victor's valley. They would get everything. My parents would be happy. Samantha would be too. It's the only way.

I head home after working on murder for hours. It's dark, but I'm starving. I open the door and a stench makes me gag. I hold my nose. I walk farther in to see what that smell is.

"What is that?" I manage to say before gagging.

"It's Vampire Tree sap. It's a Capitol thing. It's very poisonous unless you let it sit in garlic. It's dinner," my mom says.

Seriously. Sap for dinner. I'm going to steal stuff from the shop. I storm out the door into the dark alley. Samantha grabs my hand.

"Wait, Sawyer, don't worry, I'll get it," she insists. I say see tension in her eyes.

"No, it's fine. I'll get it. Don't sweat it," I run off before she can catch me. But she doesn't run. Odd. She should be ready to lose me if I go to the Hunger Games. She's preparing for trauma.

I make it to the shop. I make it to the back and I see carrots laying on display. I grab a brown sack and begin to throw carrots in. I grab a few potatoes as well. I begin to take off until a Peacekeeper catches my eye.