Panem's Favourite Fairytale

Prologue- Theo

40 ADD (After Dark Days). Reaping Day.

"I'll save you," I shouted, running towards the plant with a stick in my hand.
Even though it was only a wooden branch, in my head it was a sword and the big green bush was a dragon that had kidnapped Ari.
Ari wailed loudly, but it turned to a laugh. I glanced up to where she was positioned in one of the trees on the roundabout in the town center. I laughed too, swatting at the dragon until there were leaves all over the floor.
"I did it!" I announced, "I killed the dragon!" I dropped my sword to the ground and scaled the tree to where Ari was waiting. "So what happens now?" I asked. Ari giggled then said,
"Daddy says that when the prince saves the princess, she rewards him with a kiss." I made a face,
"Eww."
Ari puckered her lips, leaning towards me. I pushed her away. She smiled,
"One day, I'm going to kiss you Theo. And then we'll be together forever and ever and ever." I was spared having to respond by my mum calling us from the base of the tree trunk.
"Theo, Ari, come down from there before you get hurt."
"But Theo is rescuing me from the tower," Ari called. Mum smiled, noting the stick sword and decimated bush,
"Okay. He can finish saving you later. Just come in and eat lunch first. We have to go watch the reaping in a couple hours. And Ari, I'm sure your Dad and Step-mum want you home before then too." Ari pouted,
"No they don't," she complained, "They're both too busy with the baby." She stuck out her tongue at the thought of her newborn sister- Delara. I laughed.
"Okay you can come eat with us then," Mum said. Ari lit up again and we climbed down the trunk of the tree.
Mum held out a hand for me to take as we crossed the road but I crossed my arms. She crouched down to my face height,
"Theo, I know you're six and a big boy now, but please can you just hold my hand for now." I shook my head and she whispered conspiratorially in my ear, "I don't actually need you to hold my hand, I just need you to set an example for Ari, okay?" Reluctantly, I took her hand and Ari took the other.
Mum led us through the market. There weren't many people around, and the people who were, seemed stressed. I knew it was Reaping Day, which Mum said always 'put people on edge,' whatever that meant, but I had never really understood. All we ever did was walk to the square, watch some lady in a silly outfit pick some names and then go home and have a nice meal. It didn't really seem like something that would make people upset.

My house wasn't far from the center of town. It wasn't big, not like Ari's house, but it was much bigger than some of the people from school's houses. Lots of them lived in the Thread, where the houses only had one or two rooms and the bathrooms were shared between 10 families. Mum had never let me go there, but once, Ari and I had snuck out there.
Her daddy had caught us. We had never gone back.
Inside, Mum had made sandwiches out of thin slices of bread and a little bit of cold meat. I hadn't realised how hungry I was until I saw the food. I wolfed it down in two bites.
"Slow down," Mum laughed, "Why can't you eat more like Ari?" Ari was taking small bites and chewing her food properly before swallowing.
"Ari takes forever to eat," I spewed, food still in my mouth, "I always have to wait for her so we can start playing again." I started to choke as food clogged my airway. Ari slid me a glass of water. This happened often.
I gulped down the cool liquid in two sips and the blockage cleared,
"At least I don't choke on my food," Ari said with more dignity than could be mustered than most six year olds. I put more food in my mouth and chewed it then showed it to her. She looked disgusted, which just made me laugh, splattering food on her.
"Eww!" she squealed, but then laughed.
That's when Dad walked in. It was rare to see him on a reaping day, but when we did, it was never good. I had asked Mum why, but she just said that she'd explain when I was older.
"Harrison!" Mum said with a strained brightness, "The kids were just eating lunch. Would you like some?" Dad grunted,
"The boy shouldn't be wasting food like that."
"I know," Mum said, excusingly, "But he's only small. He was just having fun."
"Is that what you see Reaping Day as?" Dad asked furiously, "Fun?! The children picked today are going to be sent to the Hunger Games!" Mum looked worried,
"Harrison_"
"What are the Hunger Games?" I asked quietly. Dad turned with an almost rabid look in his eyes,
"So you want to know about the Hunger Games?" he asked furiously,
"Harrison don't_"
"The Hunger Games," Dad began, "Are a televised execution designed by the Capitol to punish the districts for rebelling. Every year, on Reaping Day, 1 boy and 1 girl from each district are sent to kill each other in an arena!" And then he stormed out.
"Mum," I began slowly when he was gone, "Is what Dad said true?" Mum sighed, sitting down at the table opposite us,
"Yes."
"Will... will they pick us?" She smiled ruefully,
"No. They only pick people who are older than 12 and that's years away. Don't worry: the odds are in your favor." I nodded, but that didn't quell the fear.
Reaping day was never the same again.