simple; thg (discontinued)

chapter one.

Reine Miro lived on the streets in District Eleven of Panem. Reine didn't have any family that she could remember nor did she have friends that could spare her space in a shack. It was obvious by her light skin and red hair that she wasn't supposed to be in Eleven. She was either an abandoned child of Peacekeepers or placed there by someone high in power from the Capitol. The more plausible reason with the former, because what on earth could a little girl do that would lead her to be sent away to the worst district in all of Panem. Especially for someone of power to find it important enough to do so. Reine still kept her head up high and would not back down knowing of this most likely rejection. She never lashed out at others and had only spoken bad words of the capitol. She got publicly whipped fairly often for sticking up when the Peacekeepers were overly cruel which left scars all over her back, legs, torso, arms, and a few on her face. She attended the school classes that would not interfere with her time to harvest and worked hard. There was the occasional sneaking of food to younger children.

One of these children was a girl named Rue Meadows. The moment had taken place when Rue was eight and Reine twelve. Both being small and agile were up high in the peach trees on the current day. Rue hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before nor had she had enough food. This left Rue weak and exhausted. She was sitting on a branch as Reine perched slightly to the left, grabbing peaches. This was when Rue dosed off and nearly fell out of the tree. The older had grabbed her before she could slip any farther, the sudden jolt waking Rue. Looking around to see that they were concealed by leaves, Reine slipped Rue a tiny chunk of bread, about the size of Rue's pinkie toe.

After this the two became close friends. Rue was four years younger but neither of them minded, Reine was always told that she seems the same age as Rue.

reine's point of view

It was the day of the reaping. The sky seemed to know of the somber mood and played along with dark clouds overhead. I was walking to the square with Rue. It was her first year that she could be qualified to be reaped.

"Just stick out your thumb, they'll prick your finger to take a drop of blood. It won't hurt much. Then go and wait with the rest of your age group, right in the front." I sighed, looking at the girl, "I promise you won't have to worry, I won't let you get picked." Rue let out a shaking breath and nodded.

Once we were all standing in our groups, the Mayor stepped up, reading the History of Panem. Years ago the districts rebelled against the capitol, leading to District 13 being exterminated and the remaining being taken over with a tight grasp. As punishment for this, the Capitol decided to host an annual Hunger Games where two tributes from each district, one male and one female, fought to the death, leaving one sole victor. The victor was then treated to luxuries and lived out the rest of their life in comfort.

Soon enough it was time for the names to picked. The escort for Eleven, a woman with white skin and hair and golden eyes, Leto Blush. She always held a look of disgust whenever she was at the Reaping as if everyone was beneath her notice. "As always, Ladies first." She said with her ridiculous capitol accent, walking over to the big bowl filled with slips of paper. I didn't even have time to pray for anybody's safety before she fished one out and walked back over the the microphone. Leto unfolded the slip, cleared her throat and read the name, "Rue Meadows."

It was as if the world went silent around me. One slip out of thousands. This couldn't be possible. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe I was hallucinating. There was no way she could survive. A loud sob from the back snapped me out of my trance, Rue's mother. Of course! Rue has a family I can't let her get sent away to die, she needs to support them. Rue was almost at the steps of the stage. I rushed out of the crowd to be met with Peacekeepers pulling me back. I knew they weren't going to shoot on live television. Before I realized what was happening the words left my mouth, "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Those words had sealed my fate.

The Peacekeepers let go of me, allowing me to run to Rue, hugging her tight, "I promised." Tears streamed down Rue's face as I turned and walked towards the stage, knowing if I looked at her any longer I would break down and that would mark me as weak. I couldn't afford that.

"It looks like we have a volunteer." Leto said, seeming extremely surprised. Outlying districts rarely got volunteers if at all. I gazed back out at the crowd, taking note of all these faces, some of whom I never learned the name of and probably never would. Rue was reunited with her family, her face buried in her mother's skirt. Her siblings were also crying although I wasn't sure if it was my sacrifice or the scare of Rue being forced into the games. Finding a camera zoomed in on my face my eyes darkened. How could the capitol do this! Take away young children and force them to fight each other just for their amusement?! This was bulls.hit!

When he stood on stage he dwarfed me, him being at least 6'5" and I standing at the massive height of  5'1". He was also buff from working in the fields. When we shook hands his were warm and comforting. It was strange to think that he could be the one to kill me. It was an unspoken rule not to kill the other from your district but not everyone went along with it.

We were led into the Justice Building and into separate rooms to say goodbye to friends and family. The Meadows came in and Rue rushed into my arms. She was barely shorter than me, at 4' 10" but she was just a child and I couldn't let her be sent to die. "Hey, it's okay. I promise I will make it back. Even if I have to come back from the dead to do so, I will see you again."

Rue sniffles and nodded, "Try not to kill anyone."

I chuckled, "You know I won't. Do you think I would even consider it for a second?" I let go of Rue and gave her siblings hugs as well, having grown up with them for the past four years I was going to miss them too. I rose and looked at Fig, the mother. We knew we had to keep it together or it would only be worse.

"Take this," She said holding out a necklace with a small carved wooden butterfly as a pendant. "You can use it as a way to remember home."

I nodded and grabbed her hand, "thank you, for everything."

The peacekeepers returned pulled them out, slamming the door just as I shouted out to Rue, "I love you!"