Hopeless

Chapter 1 - Reaping Day

The first chapter of this story is dedicated to MorganWeasley. As the first of my fans, and one of my best friends, I love this girl like a fat kid loves chocolate. Like glitter loves glue. Like pencil loves a sketchbook. Ok, I can't come up with any good explanations. But I love this girl.

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Normally, when I wake, my first thoughts are something along the lines of, "I need to trade today," or, "Please, let there not be a mine accident." I would usually plan out the day, based off of whether or not it was a weekend. But not today. Not on the day of the reaping.

I stare bleakly at the ceiling. I cant force myself to get out of bed. It's hard enough on a normal day. On a day where I might find out I'm going to die? There's no way you're getting me out from under the scratchy covers.

Eleanor Tyra, a small girl from District 12. A poor, seam girl, who has never had enough to eat. Who's afraid of spiders, beetles, and other bugs. There's no way I would survive in the hunger games. The Capitol surely knows that there are many like me in the districts, yet year after year they force us to our deaths. Twelve doesn't even have a chance. If I am somehow chosen, there is no mentor waiting for me. District 12 has never won the games before.

I eventually climb out of bed to go deal with the goose and goats. My family worked hard for these animals. I tie my red hair into a low ponytail and pull a cap over it, red meaning brown with a reddish tint. But honestly, for the Seam it's pretty red. I then tug on my usual well-worn pants and plaid shirt. Despite being 14 years old, most who see me in these clothes still mistake me for a boy if they don't look too closely.

I pet our goat lightly, not looking forward to dealing with the geese. Those birds hate me. All birds do. Well, that's not entirely true. The mockingjays don't. But I rarely see them, since I only go into the woods once or twice a month. I always make sure to sing to them when I go out into the woods, though. And they almost always sing back.

The woods. Someplace forbidden, and scary, yet comforting in a way. No one telling me what to do, trees to hide in, rocks to practice shooting my handmade slingshot with. The woods is the closest place I have to a home in the world.

I go to the geese, and the immediately start making a fuss. They honk and waddle around, making nuisances of themselves. I scowl at them, not in the mood to deal with the pests. I simply scatter some feed on the ground and then head back indoors to change into my clothes for the reaping. I have a habit of sleeping in most days, so I got up only an hour before we needed to be on front of the Justice Building, waiting to see if my name would be picked this year. I'm glad my parents only had to worry about having my name being chosen, that I had no siblings also to be in the reaping. If I had a brother, and we were both chosen one year...

I dress quickly, changing into the dress my mother set out for me. It's a grey dress, and very simple, but somehow it makes me seem more feminine and almost pretty. My mother brushes my hair out and leaves it down, something I rarely do on a normal day.

"There, now you look beautiful." She smiles down at me. I stare at my reflection in the cracked mirror, and allow a small smile.

"I look better than usual, I'll give you that." I turn to her, my smile faltering. My dad walks in.

"We need to go." my mom and I nod, and the three of us head out to the Justice Building.

I sign in and go stand with other 14's. They don't acknowledge me. I don't expect them to. The only people here who are my friends haven't arrived quite yet.

I hear a commotion and sigh inwardly. Another girl bursts into the 14's, and grins at me like a crazy person. It's Annie, my best friend. She has the typical Seam look, and is just as short as I am. She's also incredibly optimistic, and could probably put a good spin on anything. Most people regard her as crazy, but that's what I love about her. That, and she puts up with me when I'm being a pessimist.

"Ellen!"

"Annie. What's up?"

"Nothing much. But I heard some of the adults say they figured you were the most likely female tribute for the 27th hunger games." I see the worry in her dark grey eyes. I grin at her to put her at ease.

"Don't worry. That won't happen in a million years."

"Well, what if it does?"

I try and refrain from laughing. "The great Annie Cates is worried? This is a sad day in history!"

She smiles, although obviously trying not to. "Yeah, you're right."

"Yeah. But if I do get picked-"

She shoots me a death glare, making me pause.

"I said if, A. If I'm picked, you cant volunteer for me. I will never forgive you if you do."

"Alright. If you get picked, I won't volunteer. But the same goes for me."

"You won't volunteer if your name is picked?"

She rolls her eyes. "No, if I get picked you won't volunteer."

"Fine."

A lady in pink clothes comes up onto the stage. I believe her name is Corina. The Capitol gives their children such weird names. She takes a seat, beaming at us like we should be happy we might be chosen to have little chance to live. Scratch that, we all know we have no chance to live.

The mayor stand up next, and reads off the stupid speech they do every year. Something about the treaty of treason and the wars that caused Panem. Then the war that started the hunger games. I curse out the rebels in my mind, just like I do every year when we get to this part. If the rebels hadn't gotten into this fight, many children would have grown up, maybe even had children of their own. Now they wouldn't get a chance.

The mayor sits down, and Corina quickly takes his place. "Ladies first!" she squeals. She sticks her hand into the glass bowl with hundreds of names. She pulls out a slip of paper, and clears her throat before reading out the name, while I mentally beg for it to not be Annie. I couldn't stand watching Annie die. But the name she reads off isn't Annie's.

"Eleanor Tyra."

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Hey guys! This book is supposed to have longer chapters, but I really needed for this chapter to be finished. The rest of my chapters will be longer. And they should be a bit more interesting. Please do keep reading!

I will update this every other day, until I post the final chapter. Which is chapter 9.

Also, thank you to all the people I'm having help me by making character banners for me! You will all be credited at the end with the exact one you did, or the ones you did. Whichever. But, thank you so much!