The 74 Hunger Games

Chapter 1

As my eyes gently open to see yellow sunlight blinking back at me through the window, I hear the gentle chirping of birds and the wind rustling through thousands of trees. With a stretch, I get up out of my rickety bed and walk into the kitchen right outside my room. "Morning, mom" I cheerfully say to my mother who seems to be cooking some porridge.
"Good morning, Mae. Going out today" she asks with a smile.
"Yes, I actually should be heading out now"
"Maeve, you need to eat your porridge first"
"Alright, but just a little," My mother, Sylvia, hands me a bowl of steaming porridge with some nuts on the side.
I eat quickly and then hand my mother the dirty bowl. She sets it on the counter and follows me over to the small couch where I pull one of the cushions off to reveal my hunting gear in a hidden compartment. I grab my gear and walk out the door.
"Oh, wait, Maeve! Here take this sandwich for when you get hungry"
"No thanks, mom, you haven't eaten anything yet. You take it"
She puts the sandwich in my hands and says "Just make sure to get something for supper."
"I'll bring back a satchel full of berries to make up for the sandwich"
"Bye, darling!" She calls over her shoulder as she walks into our tiny home.

After about an hour of walking through some of the forest I come across some of the working ground. It's a risky place to hunt in, considering the thousands of peacekeepers that monitor us district 7 workers doing our jobs. However dangerous it may be to hunt in here, I need the food; so everyday I come and find something to eat.
Even though it isn't working hours yet, I'm careful to make no noise as a I sneak around finding the perfect tree to climb. Once I find a huge evergreen I want to hunt in, I make sure my bag is tightly strapped onto me as I expertly scale the tree.
About 30 minutes later a hawk lands on a tree limb just a couple yards away from me. I gently reach into my bag which I have already strapped onto the branch I'm standing on. I grap my bow and arrows and as slowly as I can I load the arrow onto the bow and pull back. I aim and shoot. Bullseye. It hits the bird all the way through the right eye fastening the corpse onto the trunk of the tree. I jump from tree limb to limb until I can collect my prize. It's a good start but I need about three more animals so I can make enough money for the day.
An hour later and I only have one more small bird, this isn't good; I need more. I climb down walking through the trees ignoring the fact it's almost working hours for district 7. In frustration I try to kick a rock but instead trip. I let out a small groan on the ground until I hear the gentle pitter patter of steps. I look up to see a huge wild rabbit just sitting about ten feet in front of me. I know I'm not able to pull out my bow
, so I reach for my hunting knife strapped into my belt. I slowly remove it and send a silent prayer as I send it flying into the rabbit's heart. I go to the dead rabbit and stare in shock as I can't believe my luck. I also notice a couple of edible wild berries. Now I can pay back my mom, I think as a grab handfuls and stuff them into a side pocket of my hunting bag.
"HEY, YOU CAN'T BE HUNTING HERE"
Crap, a peacekeeper found me and now he's sprinting full force at me. I jump over to my rabbit, grab it by the ears hauling it over my shoulder. I'm sprinting away from the peacekeeper, but he's faster and I know it, so I need to think of something quick. I see a group of men going towards their work stations, and ignite a plan in my head. I sprint over to them, and they look at me in shock but help me get through and then block the peacekeepers from being able to see me. Oh thank goodness that worked, I think not paying attention to where I'm going. I run straight into a tree. The first peacekeeper that had been chasing me now caught up with his whip out.
"You're gonna pay for that little stunt, thinking you can run away by going into the worker section. Stupid district people"
Right as he raises his whip, and I curl up to cover myself, he grunts as he falls to the ground unconscious.
"Hey, oh my goodness, are you okay?" A tan boy with dark hair and eyes asks me. He's huge, like he looks to be about 6'5 and a beast.
"Um, yea I'm fine, how did you get him to pass out like that?"
"Oh- uh, I don't know I just hit him with a small branch" he gestures to a large stick in his hand.
"Well thank you, but we should definitely get away from him before he wakes up.
"Yea, I'm Juniper by the way." He says this as he stretches out his hand for me to shake.
"Maeve" I reply taking his hand. I'm not the best at making friends so I'm unsure of what to do now. He doesn't seem to know either so I start walking away, but he says, "Hey wait, where are you going?"
"I'm gonna go sell my game, and I assume you should go back to work"
"Yea, you're probably right, see you around Maeve."
With a nod of my head I turn back and start lightly jogging towards the houses in the center of town.

A couple hours later after I've sold my birds and some of the berries I harvested, I head home.
"Mom! You're not gonna believe this, I got the best surprise for dinner tonight!"
"Oh yea what do you have, Mae" my mom answers as she hugs me and takes my gear to put back in its hiding place.
With a smile, "Wild rabbit."
A look of shock crosses her face "Thank you so much Maeve that will definitely give us enough energy and happiness to get through tomorrow."
As I hand her the rabbit and bag of berries, I ask " What's going on tomorrow?"
"Honey, did you forget? It's the Reaping" she says with solemnity.