Their Mockingjay (Hunger Games FanFiction)

Chapter One

Chapter One

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I flinch in pain as Mom tugs a little too hard on my hair. I barely notice as she finishes because I'm too busy being frozen in fear.

"Mom, I'm scared," I admit, tears in my eyes.

"Sage, why are you scared? You're twelve, someone's going to volunteer for you," Laurel, my older sister, scoffs. That's wrong, though, because no one has volunteered in District 12 since Katniss Everdeen, my aunt. 

"No one volunteered for Posy," I snap. Posy was my best friend since she was six and I was five. Last year, when she was twelve, she had gotten reaped and she made it to the top ten before she ran out of food and stole someone else's, and they had their poison food out to trick anybody that wanted to steal.

"That's because Posy didn't know anybody except you and I, and the only person I would volunteer for is you. Maybe Heather." I roll my eyes as Mom finishes pulling my red hair into a french braid.

"Laurel, please don't volunteer for your sister if she's picked. I wouldn't be able to stand it if you lost. The volunteering would have been for nothing." Mom sighs.

"So you'd rather her live than me?" I sit up.

"Well I was going to say the same thing for you. Don't volunteer for each other. It will haunt you for the rest of your life if someone dies after volunteering for you." Her eyes start to tear up.

My Aunt Katniss had made it to the top two but killed herself so the other district twelve tribute, Peeta Mellark, would win. She volunteered for my mother. Peeta sends my family some money whenever he can to repay Katniss for saving his life. He knew Katniss wanted to win for my mother so decided he would make up for what Katniss couldn't do. He also invites us over during holidays and such to eat expensive food that he knows we can't get with our own money.

"Where's daddy?" Kale, my five year old brother, came bouncing in.

"Daddy is in the bathroom, honey." Mom smiles at him.

"Can daddy leave the bathroom?" Kale asks. I chuckle at the same time Laurel snorts.

"I'm here, I'm here. What's wrong, little buddy?" My dad leans down to reach Kale's level, but still towers over him.

"I want some food, I'm hungry." Kale pouts.

"After reaping me and Sage will go hunting. We could catch you a squirrel... Or maybe a bird," Laurel says.

"And if we're reaped?" I ask.

"It doesn't matter, Peeta wants me to look after his house while he's gone and he said that we can have some food in there." Mom smiles. We all love his food.

Peeta bakes all the time, and sometimes he invites people over for dinner. Our family is lucky enough to be invited over all the time.

"Mom, what does it mean to be reaped?" Kale asks.

"You know that show we watch during the summer, the one you always ask us to turn off?" Mom frowns at him.

"Yeah, I hate that show." Kale scrunches up his nose.

"Well, the reaping is where people are chosen to take part in that show." Mom's frown deepens and she goes into thought.

"Okay guys, I think it's time to go. Don't wanna be executed for not being there." Dad looks at me and Laurel with sad eyes. Mom nods and grabs my hand before pulling us over to the door.

The walk is silent. Not the awkward silence, but not comfortable silence either. We all know what will happen.

When we get there, Mom kisses my forehead and Dad hugs me from the side. "We'll meet you guys afterward," Dad whispers in my ear before taking Mom's hand, making sure Kale is secure on his hip, and walking off.