Prolouge

Chapter 1

 

Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever own anything pertaining to the Hunger Games, except some of the merchandise and of course the book.

I woke up with a jolt, a cold sweat on my face.  I had that dream I usually have.  The one where I am in the arena, and since I have no skills or fighting ability, I am usually the third to die.  I feel so weak and powerless whenever I have that dream.  Watching myself just lying there with a knife in my back.  Not really the ideal way to go, blood surrounding you, and not being able to move at all, for fear of the knife going deeper into your skin.  Pushing that disturbing thought away, I decide to get ready to face the day.  I can’t hide in my room forever, especially since the reaping is later today.  The day everyone fears, no matter if they are from the lowly district 12 like I am, or even the Capitol.  No one is safe from the cruel game of fate.

            I quickly pull on a shirt and pair of pants that were on the floor in a ball beside my bed.  I decide to just put on my regular clothes rather than my reaping outfit so I can go outside for a walk, to clear out my head from that horrifying nightmare, unaware of the fact that the real life nightmare has only just begun, but this time I am fully awake.  I go over to my little mirror, hanging by a single nail behind my bedroom door.  I look the same that I have every other reaping.  Clear blue eyes, that sometimes morph to a sea glass green stare back at me.  The only difference in my appearance is that my hair, a dull brown color and stick straight, used to be up to my shoulders.  Now, it flows elegantly down my back, and even developed a little wave to it.  I smile, but it doesn’t quite reach my eyes.  It’s more of a sad smile, and unsure.  The kind you have when you know you are fine one minute, but you always have that thought in the back of your mind that anything can send your world tumbling down at any second.  Believe me, I would know.

I decide to skip breakfast, knowing we won’t have any food anyway.  This is not an out of the ordinary occurrence.  Starvation is a run of the mill challenge everyone faces in district 12.  I usually go without food often.  I have about 5 younger siblings, three sisters and two twin brothers.  My parents aren’t around a lot because they are always out at the factories, working from about 5 in the morning to about 11 at night.  Work is never easy to come by in the lower districts, and when you rarely do find work, the hours are never very good.  I go down there sometimes to visit them.  They always look so tired and run down.  I have seen many a people work themselves to death.  It is a sad sight, loving parents trying to provide food and a house for their family, and overworking themselves to just try and scrape by day to day. 

Since everyone is still asleep, I quietly slip out of the house, and make my way down the road.  It is barely light outside, the sky a pale gray with fog and early morning sunshine.   I take a deep sigh, and take in the fresh air.  The only good things about our small run down home is that it is far away from the coal mines, so we always have fresh air to breath, and don’t have to worry about breathing in those toxic fumes.  Another good thing is we live just down the street from the bakery, and we always smell the faint aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the ovens.

 Halfway down the road, I spot a figure emerging from another house a little ways down.  I shield my eyes from the sun, and try to make out the persons features.  Luckily, the person is close enough for me to study them and make out their face.  I can tell the person is male from their strong bone structure, and large hands.  The person in question also has striking blue eyes and ash blonde hair.  When they spot me, a small smile creeps onto their face slowly.  Unlike me, the person’s smile reaches all the way to their eyes and is genuine.  I also start to feel a smile cross my face when I recognize who the person is.  His name is Peeta Mellark.  He is my only friend and has saved my life on more than one occasion.  He gives a little wave and that signature smile that instantly makes me feel safe and like nothing bad can happen.  I smile back and also give a little wave.  When we are about a foot away from each other, he starts to make conversation.

“Hey Nicole.  Nice to see you this morning.” He says.  I can tell by his tone he is being sarcastic.  He doesn’t really want to be awake this early in the morning, or go to the dreaded reaping later this afternoon.  However, I also know that he really is happy to see me. 

“Hey Peeta”, I answer back, feeling better just by standing next to him.  Good old Peeta always knows how to brighten my day, no matter my previous mood.  He always makes me feel so secure and safe.  But don’t get those feeling mixed up with a romantic connection, oh no, me and him are just really good friends.  He is like an older brother to me, always having my back and protecting me. 

“What brings you out so early in the morning, Nick?” he inquires.  I slowly start to remember why I had to clear my head in the first place, and the emotions from the dream come flooding back in a big torrent of emotion.  Sadness, fear, and while I lay dying, an overwhelming peace.  I feel my hands start to shake, and I feel a tear slip down my face.  As I start to lower my eyes to the ground, I catch a glimpse of Peeta’s face very briefly.  His usually carefree and joking face that I know and love shifts to a mask of concern.

“Are you ok?” he asks.  I don’t answer, choking on the sobs in my throat that are slowly racking my body.  As I stand looking at my shoes, I feel a strong yet gentle hand engulf both my small ones in warmth.  Next, my chin is being lifted gently, yet firmly from the ground to stare into Peeta’s eyes.  I can tell he wants me to tell him what is wrong because he won’t let my face go, so I am forced to look into his eyes.

Taking a slow, shaky breath, I tell him.  “I had the dream again” I confess.  Just by saying those simple words, he pulls me into a tight hug.  Finally when we break apart, he starts to speak again.

“That will never happen to you.  I will not let you die in the arena like that.  If you get picked in the reaping today, or in the future, I will be right beside you.  I will volunteer to get picked if you get selected.  I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, just like I always have.”  I am shocked into a stunned silence.  Never has anyone ever said something like that to me.  Peeta has told me before he would protect me, but never that he would die for me.  I hold back the tears that are glistening in the back of my eyes.  I don’t want Peeta to see me cry twice.  Its not that I am ashamed to do so in front of him, but I know that I will cry later at the reaping, hopefully out of relief for not getting chosen, and for my siblings and Peeta not getting chosen as well.  I would be nowhere without him as a friend.  I am broken out of my thoughts by Peeta speaking again.

“Nick, you know you are not supposed to leave the house without your braces and crutches, let alone no shoes on” He said looking concerned again.  I look down at my feet and realize he is right.  I was in such a hurry to leave the house that I forgot to put on shoes, and I definitely forgot to put on my leg braces, and grab my crutches on my way out the door.  My parents never let me leave the house without them, and it’s usually not very safe either.  I guess it is time to introduce myself.  Hello reader, my name is Nicole Loomwood, I am 16 years old and I am physically handicap.

So this is the first chapter of my new story.  What do you think so far? Love it? Hate it? Should I continue, because my brain right now is bursting with ideas.  Also, when you do comment, please go easy on me.  This is my first story, and I am kind of nervous