Hunger Games: the Boy with the Bread

Chapter 1

I'm running as fast as I can. Running through bushes. Sticks stabbing my eye. I put my hands in front of me to help get through the trees. I trip over a tree branch and fall face first into mud. I wipe the mud off my face to see a figure standing in front of me. All of a sudden an arrow slices the side of my cheek. Blood gushing down. I beg him to stop. But then the arrow flies straight into my face. And next thing you know I'm waking up screaming. My palms sweating. My throat is dry and my hands and feet are cold. My body is shivering. I walk to the bathroom. Slash hot water on my face. The hot water sinks into my body, taking time for my brain to realize it was all a dream. I take a deep breath. In and out, in and out. After 20 minutes I calmed myself down. Then an image of me dead on the floor appears in my brain. I fall to the floor covering a pillow over my head. Rocking back and forth. Trying to get that image out of my head.

The reaping is not until 4 days but I'm scared to death. I look in the mirror. My face is really pale. Looks like I'm sick. I just stare in the mirror for several minutes. Looking deep into my blue eyes. My ashy blond hair all messed up. Then I blink and it gets me out of my gaze.

I spot one of my paintings on the floor. I grab a blank canvas and start painting. Thoughts running through my brain. I just splatter all my thoughts onto this canvas. I wipe my face and it leaves a yellow mark on the side of my cheek from the paint. I take a few steps back looking at the canvas. Thinking about what I should add. Swirling the paintbrush in my hand. "That's it." I step back forward so I can reach the canvas. "Just a few more touches and it's done." Painting calms me down. It's like I can express my feelings without talking about them. The only time I feel alive is when I'm painting.

"Nice sunset" says my brother Charlie.

"Thank you."

I don't know why I painted a sunset. I guess I just needed to get the reaping out of my head and they're just so simple to paint. So simple yet so beautiful. The red, orange, yellow colors are just so wonderful. Sunset is just like a sign to me that after every long hard day. No matter how difficult your day is. A sunsets will always happen. They remind me that there's a new tomorrow. That life isn't at all that bad. That no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully. And we really need that here in 12.

I get washed up. Colors coming off my hand into the sink. Soon the sink water turns to an orangish reddish color. The water running soon makes it disappear slowly. I look on my bed and see something. My mother has laid out my outfit. When I head out of my room the smell of fresh food always gets to me. I haven't eaten a decided size meal in ages. I may be a baker's son but the Capitol doesn't let us keep much. I hear someone talking down the hall. When I walk down the hall the voices get louder. Soon it turned into yelling. I hear a chair slam to the floor when I open the door I see my parents screaming at each other. My mother slaps my father across the face. Cursing at him. My mom is mad about something. But I don't bother to ask. I look at them. I always wonder why they fight so much. I just wish we could live a normal happy family life. The screaming causes fear in my body. I don't like hearing them yell. It scares me. I slowly fall down against the wall. Covering my ears with my hands. Trying not to listen to them. Then it stopped. Just like that. I stand up slowly. Why is my family so difficult? My life doesn't really get better. It's never gonna get better. I just get used to it.

My older brother Charlie is different though. I've always had a special connection to him. On the other hand my mom will hit my brothers and I anytime we make a mistake. My brother Rye and I fight a lot. I mean were brothers almost the same age. He just doesn't get me. Actually nobody really gets me.

Just like every morning I go outside. I grab a heavy bag of flour and start bringing it inside. I can hear yelling again. This time Charlie and my mom. I get mad and slam the door behind me. Can't we just have peace and quiet for one minute. Then I hear my mom yell, "he's useless. We don't need him. He does nothing around here but paint." Soon I realized she was talking about me. I throw the flour onto the table. Suddenly all I see is white. My throat gets dry and I start coughing like crazy. I'm waving my hands around just so I can see. There's flour everywhere and it's covering my face in it too. I take my fingers and wipe it off my eyes. My moms gonna kill me. I broke the bag. I wasn't thinking. I run to the sink and grab a wet washcloth. Trying to clean it up fast. But when I look out the window and I see my dad talking to someone.