The 53rd Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 1 - The reaping

This is my first story here, it's a fan fiction of the Hunger Games. No one of these characters are mentioned in the book, except for Blight. There isn't written so much about District 7 in the book, so I had to make up something. I hope you enjoy the story, please comment if you do!

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I wake up and start to get dressed. The sun is shining outside my window. I put on and old, red dress. I used it last year on the Reaping too, and it is a bit short, but I don't have anything else I can use. I live in an orphanage, where you get clothes from kids older than you who has grown out of them.

I look at Lynx and Tomlin, my roommates. They share the only bed in our room, I sleep on the couch. Lynx are 5 and Tomlin are 8 years old. In two years Tomlin will start to work in the woods after school, just like me. And in four years he will be old enough to participate in The Hunger Games. I don't want to think about it. He is still a little boy, and I want him to enjoy it as long as he can. I never mention anything like this for him, he don't need to I worry about it now. I awake them, and find their clothes. It is the Reaping today, and they have to wear something nice. I find some shirts and the cleanest pair of trousers they have.

"Why are we putting on those shirts? Mrs. Luneberg says we are only allowed to use them for special occasions." Lynx asks. " But it is a special occasion, it's the Reaping today." I answer him while I help him putting on his trousers. "What's the Reaping?" He asks, he probably doesn't remember it from last year. "It's the day when they choose the tributes for the Hunger Games. That's a competition the Capitol have every year, and they choose one girl and one boy from each district to participate. We are going to watch it on TV in a couple of days." I answer him.

They walk down for breakfast, I stay in my room. When you become 12, the orphanage don't give you food anymore, since you can sign up for tesserae. I eat some bread and butter, but not enough to make me full. I have to save the rest. I walk downstairs to go to the bathroom. I wash my face and comb my hair with my fingers. Dorette and Lory, the 13 year-old twins are there too. Unlike me, they have their own hairbrushes.

"Hey, Ham, you know we're supposed to look pretty at the Reaping? Cause whatever you're doing, it's not working. " Dorette says. I don't answer, I am used to the bullying.

When my dad met my mum, he already had a wife, and a son named Filo. Dad cheated on his wife with my mother, and they got me. He moved in with me and mum, and got divorced from his wife. She was so angry with my dad that she told the whole city that I was just a creation of my father's stupidity. That I was never meant to be something. My parents died in a fire when I was two, and I ended up here since no one would take care of me.

We walk to the Reaping, and I explain to Lynx and Tomlin that I have to be with the other 13 year-olds.

I am afraid, and I don't know how many times my name is in that ball. They show us a movie and then the escort comes up on the stage. Her name is Rietta Litters. "Let's take the boys first!" She says with the ugly Capitol accent. "Let me se... Tandor Cader!

I know who he is, his family is one of the richest people in 7. Not that they are very rich, but they have more food and clothes than the rest of the people here. He walk up with a confident look. His friends pat him on the shoulder and smile to him. They support him. It seems nice to have friends like that, I don't have friends at all. The only ones who care for me are Lynx and Tomlin, they're like brothers to me. Tandor walk up to the stage. "Congratulations, Tandor! How old are you?" Rietta asks with a squeaky voice. "I'm seventeen." He says. His voice is clear and strong, and he don't seem to be scared at all.

Rietta move on to the girls. "Now for the girls! Let's see what we can find..." She uses a lot of time just to pick a name. Then she walks back to the microphone and read it. "And the girl tribute is... Hamilee Dutcher!"

I can't believe what I just heard, that is my name!

I tell myself that I am going out on the arena, that I will probably be dead in two weeks, but I don't actually understand it. But my body does, and my feet start to move. The other children steps back so I can find a way through the crowd. I look them in the eyes, they try to feel sorry for me, but they don't. I can look through people's eyes, and see what they actually feel and think, no matter how much they try to hide it. I am not a mind-reader, and I'm not psychic, I just look beyond people's fake expressions. All the children around me are just happy and relieved because they are safe. They are glad it is just some stranger who is going out there, and not anyone of their friends.

I walk up to the stage, and my whole body is shaking. "And how old are you, sweetie?" Rietta asks me. "I'm thirteen." I murmur. "Thirteen? I didn't even think that you were old enough to participate!" Rietta says and laughs, she is the only one who finds it funny. "Here we have our tributes from District 7, Tandor Cader and Hamilee Dutcher!" She announces, expecting people to cheer and applaud. I look her in the eyes, and deep down, behind all the joy and excitement, I see how much she hates this. We walk in to the Justice Building, and the peacekeepers follow us to the room where we are going to say goodbye to our family and friends. But the problem is, I don't have anyone. Then Lynx and Tomlin come in, Mrs. Luneberg must have sent them here because they're my roommates. I run over to them and hug them.

"Where are you going, Hami?" Asks Lynx, and I hear that he's afraid. "I'm going to the Capitol to be in The Hunger Games. You'll se me on TV." I answer him.

"But I don't want you to leave!" He cries. That is breaking my heart, I don't want to leave them either. "I will try my best to win, I'll try to come back for you guys!" I say and hug him again.

"I heard about the district token, you can have our necklaces." Tomlin says with his quiet little voice. He gives me two identical necklaces with a golden key. They wore them when they came to the orphanage, and that's how they got their surname, Keys. I know how much these necklaces mean to them, because it is the only thing they have from their parents. "Are you sure, Tomlin? I'm not sure that I will be able to give them back to you..." I ask him. His crystal blue eyes are full of sorrow and fear, but he don't cry. I consol him. "Don't be sad, buddy, it's going to be alright. Take care of your brother. I love you both, and you're my brothers, always remember that." I wisper, trying to hold back my tears. A peacekeeper comes in and takes them out.

There's a small car trip to the train station, and when we get there paparazzies are everywhere trying to get a picture of us. I smile to them, maybe that can make the people in Capitol like me. We are about to get on the train. I take a deep breath of the fresh District 7-air. I know I am

going to miss the smell of trees in the spring. Climbing in the trees in the summer. Running in the colored leaves in the autumn. Playing in the snow in the winter.

My life is full of hunger, bullying, suffering and tears. But I'm still going to miss the few good moments I had.

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This is my first story, please don't jugde! This part was small, but I just needed to introduce her life in 7. The next part will be better, I promise. Please comment and vote, it means a lot!