Into The Wilderness: A Hunger Games Story

1: The Reaping

A/N: Hello! I wrote this story when I was 13, and now I'm 21 coming back to make slight edits. Sheesh, where has the time gone? Anyway, I won't be changing much (at least not right now) - just making some small tweaks for now.

He is 16 in this, and she is 13 - yes, I realize now that thats strange, but it's dystopian fiction. Please bear with me on this one.

If the beginning of the chapter text is bolded, it means it has been *slightly* updated!

Lots of love, 8 years later; xxx

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It was dark. I was running through the dense, thick forest with it hot on my heels. There was a stitch in my side and I couldn't breathe, but kept running anyway. Because from my perspective, not breathing is better than dying at the hands of a mutt.

I kept pushing. I kept pushing since I had to get back to Katniss, to mother, to Gale and Lady and Buttercup...what would happen to Buttercup if I died? I didn't know where I was going, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that I didn't die.

I took a wild sprint and flew onto the Cornucopia. I lay down on the cool metal of the structure as I wheezed in a vain attempt to catch my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut as my breathing and rapid heartbeat slowed. I reluctantly opened my eyes and propped myself up on one elbow – still breathing hard – before surveying the area.

The mutts still leaped from below, attempting to get a nab at me. I scooted away from the edge precariously before backing into something behind me. Oh my god. No no no no no. I swallowed hard and looked up. I barely got a glimpse of the shadows on his face before taking a blow to the head and being pushed over the edge.

I awoke with a jolt. Sweat poured down my face mixing in with my salty trail of tears. I looked over at my sleeping mother and sister. I snuck out of the bed I shared with my sister, Katniss, and silently crept into my mother's bed. I lay there uneasy for a while, my dreaming causing sleep to completely evade me now. My eyes fixed on one of the many broken points in our dilapidated ceiling. Thoughts scurried through my mind as the dim light of dawn streaked through the grimy, makeshift window.

What if I got reaped? What if I had to go into the Games – basically a death sentence here in District 12. In one and two, it was an honor. They'd been training all their lives. They had the biggest pool of victors in all of Panem, and they were always favorites among the Capitol.

As the light streaming through the window got brighter and bigger, I wondered what would happen if Katniss got reaped. What would provide for the family? I mean, I'm sure Gale would help hunt for us, but he can only hunt on his own for so long until either a) he gets caught, or b) he has to go work in the mines. And we won't benefit from either, because we can only live on goat milk and cheese for so long.

I heaved a heavy sigh as my sister opened her eyes and slid out of bed. She glanced around the room - probably wondering where I was – and found me nestled into our mother's side. She tried as quietly as possible to slip on her leather jacket and hunting boots before heading out. As she quietly padded into the kitchen, I hope she discovers the small amount of goat cheese that was my present for her today.

As I heard Katniss close the door with a gentle thud I exited the bedroom leaving my still sleeping, partially broken mother on the bed. I slipped into the kitchen and began heating some water on the stove for my bath. Once that was done, I slid into the lukewarm water and shivered. My hair swirled around me, creating intricate patterns in the water surrounding me.