The First Annual Hunger Games (Book 1)

Prologue

The war is over, but the battle is still being fought.

This is my first thought as President Dane announces his solution to the end of the rebellion. The Hunger Games is what he's calling it. He doesn't know what hunger is. His face is full and his belly hangs over his belt.

I look at my little brother and sister. Chester's face is sunken, his dark hair is thinning, and if I lifted up his shirt I would be able to see his ribs. Trinks is the same, although it would take a lot to thin her hair. Like mine it's thick, dark, and extremely curly.

This is what the war did to us. The President tells us the dark Days are over, but, for the districts, they've only just begun. The fighting stopped over a year ago and the Capitol has been keeping us caged and at work like slaves.

"Each district will provide one boy and one girl. The twenty-four tributes will be placed in an arena that could hold anything. Over a period of several weeks the tributes will fight until only one remains." A fight to the death. "The first reaping will take place in one week. For this first year only, every child's name will only be entered once. Every child from twelve to eighteen must enter. There are no exceptions. Volunteers are excepted. Happy Hunger Games!" The President's evil smile disappears as the power is cut.

It isn't until I look at my parents that it hits me. Chester is eleven and Trinks is only seven. My older brother, Scotch, just turned nineteen last month. I'm sixteen. I'm going to be in the reaping.

Hey guys! Thanks for checking out my fan fiction. So what do you think? Does Aldera have a better chance because her name is in only once? Will the games be similar or different because they're the first? Let me know your predictions in the comments.