𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐞 ☦︎ 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐧

𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 ☦︎ 1

"NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

As soon as I hear my sister's scream, my body awakes. I run from where I was standing, collecting my hunting jacket at the door, right into the next room, seeing Primrose shaking, eyes wide and teary, still screaming.

"Shh, shhh, it's okay," I instantly comfort, running at her and enveloping her in a hug, pulling her up slight. "Shhh, Prim, it's okay..."

Katniss says the only time I'm ever compassionate is when I'm with our younger sister. I have agreed with her on this.

So I don't blame Prim for having nightmares. Especially not on a day like today.

"Shh," I whisper again, stroking Prim's blonde hair, trying desperately to stop her from shaking so hard because her body is practically vibrating. "It's okay, you were just dreaming. You were dreaming."

"It was me," my sister gets out, and her voice sounds so terrified I almost snap.

"I know, I know, but it's not," I murmur. "Your name's only in there once, Prim, they're not gonna pick you. Try to go to sleep," I whisper, massaging her head.

"I can't," Prim wails into my chest.

"Just try, just try," I whisper.

Prim pulls back from me slightly, stepping up on her tiptoes as she whispers in m
y hear. "Can you sing?"

I hardly ever sing. Because that was my father's trait and I can hardly do better than him. But just occasionally, whenever Prim asks, I make an exception.

"Mm-hmm," I nod, and her lips twitch. She lies back down, her blonde hair fanning all around her head and her blue eyes shining with hope now, not fear.

I sit down next to her, resuming stroking her hair as I sing softly. "Deep in the meadow... under the willow..."

"A bed of grass, a soft green pillow," Prim joins in, smiling warmly.

"You remember that song?" I smile.

"Yeah," Prim nods.

"Okay, keep singing," I tell her. "I have to go."

Prim, who never likes hearing this, asks. "Where?"

I shake my head. "I've just got to go. But I'll be back. I love you."

She smiles. "Love you too."

I wait until her eyes are shut before I leave her bedside, standing up and walking over to collect my father's hunting jacket from where it hangs by the door. There, I take one last sweeping look around the house before I leave it. I see my mother, and Katniss, fast asleep in the threadbare bed next to Prim's. My own is next to their's, and is made and empty. No food lies on the table but plenty of utensils do for when I come back with tonight's food. Or tonight's celebration, I should say.

There's always one for (almost) ever family after the reaping, the day when a male and a female between twelve and eighteen years old are picked to go into the Hunger Games.

You see, our society consists of twelve districts and a Capitol. The rules of it are simple. The districts produce everything the Capitol may need, from fabrics to fuels to food, and in return the Capitol governs them and provides law and order. It's a simple concept, but the story is anything but.

There used to be thirteen districts, but seventy four years ago now, the districts revolted and organised an uprising against the Capitol. Eventually, the Capitol managed to overthrow them, but in the process they destroyed District Thirteen, who used to mine graphite.

But as punishment for this uprising, the Capitol decided to create a yearly tournament for the District, in which a male and a female twelve to eighteen year old from each would be reaped, taken to the Capitol, and thrown into an arena to fight to the death.