Lucinda stretches on her bed from the effects of just waking up. She finds the other side of her bed empty. She props herself on one elbow, finding Hailey curled up on another bed, asleep. Buttercup, the cat, sits at the feet of Hailey. Lucinda gets up to get ready to hunt. Once ready, she takes goat cheese from the table. Lucinda goes to Hailey and kisses her on the forehead.

"Thanks, Hailey." She whispered.

Lucinda puts the cheese in her pocket as she steps outside.

She proceeds to walk towards the edge of Seam. She leans towards the fence and listens. It's silent. She slips underneath the fence and picks up her archery set and equips herself.

"District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety."

She climbs hills to join Ivan. She sits beside him.

"Hey, Cornbread girl. Look what I shot." He holds up a loaf of bread with an arrow stuck through it for Lucinda to see. She laughs and then takes the bread from Ivan's hands and pulls out the arrow.

She took a quick whiff, "Fresh and still warm. What did it cost you?"

"Just a squirrel. Think the old man was feeling sentimental this morning. Even wished me luck."

She chuckled, "Well, we all feel a little closer today, don't we? Hailey left us a cheese." Lucinda takes the cheese out from her pocket.

"Thank you, Hailey. We'll have a real feast." He folded his hands and jokingly looked up at the sky. He then rips a piece of the bread off, "I almost forgot.." He said in a captitol accent, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds-"

She finishes the phrase in the same accent. "-Be ever in your favor!"

They laugh, but soon settle down and eat.

"We could do it, you know.

"Do what?" She looked at him, confused.

"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it... if we didn't have so many kids around the district to take care of..."

"I never want to have kids. Hailey and my Mother (Hyria is in her mid-thirties in this btw) are enough. How about you?

"I might, if I didn't live here." He shrugged.

"But you do."

He looked at her for a minute before he sighed, and said, "Forget it."

"So, What do you want to do? I was thinking hunting, or fishing. Maybe gathering too."

"Let's fish at the lake. We can leave out poles and gather in the woods. Get something nice for tonight." Lucinda agreed with his idea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ivan fishes while Lucinda gathers. He glances at her.

"Having fun there, Cornbread girl?"

Lucinda smiles and rolls her eyes playfully before going back to work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They enter the Hob with seven fish, 4 salt water filled bottles, vegetables, a dozen strawberries, and a butchered paraffin.

They walk to Greasy Sae's stall.

"So, we got six fish, two salt water bottles, 4 strawberries, and a few chunks of paraffin to spare. Wanna trade?" Ivan said, holding the fish, bottles and strawberries.

"Whatever tickles your fancy. I'll give you twenty five for it." The old man responded.

"Done."

They hand Greasy Sae the food. He gives them a stack of money in return.

"There you are, folks. Twenty-five for your families." He leaned back in his seag, with a cigarette

"Thanks, I'll stop by for some soup in a few days." Lucinda looked at a bowl of soup he had been cooking, "Hey, what's the meat you put in there?"

"Variations. But once it's in the soup it's always beef." Greasy Sae winks. Lucinda raises her eyebrows. Ivan yanks her away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They go to the mayor's back door to sell half of the strawberries to her. They knock on the door and After a few moments, the mayor's daughter, Alina, opens the door.

"Pretty dress." Ivan snarled.

"Well, if I end up going to the Capitol, I want to look nice, don't I?" Alina crossed her arms.

"You won't be going to the Capitol." He paused, looking at the gold mockingjay pin she has on, "What can you have? Five entries? I had six when I was just twelve years old."

"Hey, Ivan, that's not her fault. Be a little nicer." Lucinda punched him in the arm.

"It's just the way it is." He shrugs.

Alina hands money to Lucinda.

"Good luck, Luci."

Lucinda gives the berries to Alina and puts the money in her pocket, "You too."

Alina steps inside and closes the door. They split the food and money and carry their own rations home. Lucinda and Ivan walk in silence.

"Lucinda?"

"What?"

"This is stupid."

"What's stupid?"

"This Hunger Games thing. Why would they kill people like this?" Ivan muttered.

"I know. We all hate it. But we have to face the truth that-" Ivan cut her off.

"What truth? Nothing is positive about this. Nothing. They're all idiots! Why would they do this to us? It's like they think they're the only ones that live! What ever happened to equality?" He mutters his curses at the capitol. Lucinda rolls her eyes at the sight of Ivan pouting.

"See you in the square." Lucinda waved and walked ahead.

"Wear something pretty." They part in different directions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucinda enters her house to find that Hailey and her Mother are ready to go to the reaping, tidied up and neat. Hailey runs to Lucinda, hugging her. She's breaking down.

"Luci! Luci, I don't want to go to the reaping. What if they pick me?" Hailey cried.

"Shhhh, Hailey. It's okay. You won't be picked. Trust me. The odds are one to hundreds for you. I'm sure you'll be safe."

"But... what if you get picked? You have so many entries..." It was true. Lucinda had almost 17.

"I'm sure both of us are safe. I mean, look at Ivan. He has 42. My entries don't come close to his."

"But he's a boy." Hailey frowned.

"It's just a comparison." She kneels down in front of Hailey until she's eye level.

"Now, when I come back, I want to see a smile. Okay?"

Hailey nods.

She kisses Hailey's cheek, then leaves to get ready.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucinda walks out of the bathroom and into the bedroom with a towel wrapped on her head and another around her body. She already has a tank top, bra, and underwear on underneath. She sees her Mother's favorite dress laid out on the bed with matching boots. Her mother walks into the room.

"Go ahead and use those." Hyria gestures to the dress and shoes.

"Mother... this is so unlike you. Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Her Mother sits on the bed and Lucinda puts the dress on.

"Let's put your hair up, too." She pats the spot beside her. Lucinda sits there and lets her Mother towel dry and braid her hair.

"So? She asks when her mother is done.

"See for yourself."

Lucinda gets up and looks into the aged body mirror. Hailey enters and stops in the doorway, "You look beautiful."

Lucinda turns away from the mirror and walks to Hailey.

"And nothing like myself." Lucinda sighed.

They hug and Hyria leaves. Lucinda hears a sob come from Hailey.

She pulls away and looks at her. She wipes a tear away from Hailey's cheek, "Remember what I said? Only smiles when I came back."

"But you didn't come back, I came back." Hailey grins and Lucinda laughs. She notices Hailey's blouse untucked in the back. Lucinda smooths and tucks Hailey's blouse for her.

"Tuck your tail in, little duck." Lucinda booped her nose.

"Quack." Hailey waddled around like a little duck.

"Quack yourself. Come on, let's eat." Lucinda laughed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucinda stirs a stew on the stove and chews on bread while Hailey drinks a tall glass of milk. Hailey looks at the clock.

"Luci, it's almost one o'clock."

Lucinda looks at the clock while stirring. "Oh, it is, isn't it?"

Lucinda sets the stirring spoon down and wipes her hand on a towel nearby. She grabs her mother's stuff.

"I'm scared." Hailey shifted in her seat.

"Don't be. You'll be fine. I swear." Lucinda looks at the clock once more, "Mother! It's time to go!"

The whole town is there. Two of three chairs onstage are filled by Menphia and Irena. (Aphmau and Katelyn are different people in this, also) The town clock strikes two and the Menphia steps up to the podium.

"Welcome, citizens of Panem. Welcome to District 12's reaping of the 74th annual Hunger Games. As you may know, disaster struck what used to be North America, and what rose from the ashes came the new land of Panem. Panem is the land we all stand on now. Panem was a shining capitol ringed by thirteen districts, each contributing to one type of work in the majority. That is, until the Dark Days. The districts began rebelling against the capitol which obviously resulted into the unfortunate event of a total civil war breaking out. And yet, the capitol predictably took the title of "winner" by taking total destruction seriously and erasing District 13's civilization forever. Now, the Hunger Games was the result of this happening and must go on. In the event of the uprising, each of the twelve districts must offer one boy and one girl tribute to participate in the Hunger Games, and must strictly be the ages of 12 through 18. The contestants will be put into an outdoor arena where they must survive all types of danger and fight to the death, or leave it up to nature. The last tribute standing wins. It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks. In the past 73 Hunger Games, we have had only a few victors representing district twelve. A living victor representing district twelve is here today. Welcome, Enki. (I was originally going to give this part to Kul'Zak cause I though it'd be funny as Hell, but then I wanted to give him the part of President Snow, so here we are with Enki XD)

Enki stumbles onto the stage in a completely drunk manner. He shouts in gibberish. He slurs his words.

"Puthabidtha Hoonga Gaims!" He stumbles into the third chair, startling Irene. He checks her out, "How you doin'?"

"Oh dear... Please welcome Irene of the Capitol!" Menphia sits back down and Irene hurries to the podium. Enki shrugs and walks off, falling off of the stage in the process. Irene, a representative of the capitol, speaks in the standard capitol accent.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" Irene smiles.

In the audience, Ivan and Lucinda lock eyes from afar. They turn away as Irene crosses to the Girl's glass ball filled with the names and shakes it.

"Ladies first!"

Irene pulls out a name, and walks back to the podium, opens the slip up, and reads it in her head before saying it aloud.

"Hailey Pikoro."

The crowd of district twelve citizens murmur unhappily.

Lucindas' eyes dart around to find Hailey. Hailey begins to walk toward the stage. Lucinda runs towards her.

"Hailey! Hailey!"

Hailey is about to step onto the stage when Lucinda reaches the stage steps and pulls Hailey back and stands in front of her.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

"That is lovely! But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does not come forth we... um..." Irene is cut off by Menphia.

"What does it matter? What does it matter, really? Let her come forward."

"No, Luci! No!" Hailey wraps her arms around Lucinda from behind. "You can't go!"

"Hailey, shh, shh, go find mom, it's fine, I'll be fine..."

Hailey doesn't listen.

Ivan takes Hailey from Lucinda before shooting her a sad, worried look. Hailey is thrashing in his arms and screaming for Lucinda. Ivan carries her to Hyria.

Lucinda walks onto the stage.

"Well, bravo! That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?" Irene asked.

"Lucinda Pikoro."

"I bet my buttons that was your adoptive sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Irene claps alone.

Enki staggers up to the stage yet again. "Look her! Look at this one!"

Enki walks to Lucinda and puts and arm around her, "I like her! Lots of... spunk!" He staggers to the edge of the stage and points at the audience, "More than you!"

Enki points at a camera filming the reaping, "More than all of you! More than-"

Enki falls off of the edge of the stage in mid-sentence, becoming unconscious.

"What an exciting day! But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" Irene takes the first slip out from the boy's raffle. She reads it aloud hastily. (Oh jeez, wonder who it's gonna be -_- If you don't get this, I swear...)

"Laurance Zvahl!"

Instead of being terrified like a normal person, he...smiled and walked up to the stage and stood next to Lucinda. Almost like he wasn't walking to his death.

"Welcome, Laurance! Now, if anyone wishes to take is place, do speak up! Any volunteers? No? Okay, how about a round of applause for our new District 12 boy tribute, Laurance Zvahl!"

Again, no one claps but Irene.

"Very well done, my friends. Now,..."

As Lucinda is looking at Laurance, she has a flash back.

It's pouring rain. Young Lucinda stumbles by the bakery. She checks the bakery's trash bin. There is nothing in it.

The Baker's wife looks out and sees Lucinda peering in the trash bin.

"Hey! Get a move on, scum! Lousy brats always pawing through our trash... Go on, walk away!"

Lucinda slides the lid back onto the trash bin. The Baker's wife walks back inside muttering profanities to herself. She
drags herself away from the bakery and crumples beside a tree.

Young Laurance brings two loaves of bread to his Mother.

"What is this?! I thought I said bakery bread, not burnt bread!"

She slaps him.

"Feed it to the pig, you stupid creature!"

"But-"

"Why not? No one decent will buy burnt bread! Stupid kid. What did I just say? Go throw the worthless bread out, you worthless boy!"

Laurance exits the bakery with the bread.

He throws one loaf into the trash bin. He then walks up to Lucinda before scoffing and turning away, about to go inside. He turns around and sighs, holding the bread out to her. She hesitates. He pushes it towards her, annoyed. She hesitates yet again, but this time checks if no one is watching. Then, with the conformation that no one is, she takes the loaf and stuffs it up hershirt and runs off. Laurance watches as she leaves, then returns to the bakery.

The older, present Lucinda returns from her flashback. Menphia had been reciting the Treaty of Treason while she had been tuned out, and is about to finish. She finally looks away from Laurance.

"... will represent District 12. Please shake hands with each other if you agree to these terms." Menphia finished.

Lucinda and Laurance shake hands.

"Now for the anthem of Panem."

The anthem of Panem plays as Lucinda and Laurance turn their backs the audience. They are taken away by the peacekeepers. The Peacekeepers surround them in a circle as they walk. They go out of the town square.

Peacekeepers push Lucinda into a room.

She examines the room slightly, and decides to sit down.

Hailey and Hyria walk into the room after a few moments of silence had passed. Lucinda reaches out to Hailey. She climbs onto her lap. Hyria sits beside Lucinda and Hailey and joins the embrace.

"Hailey, Mother, make sure to take carre of yourselves. Hailey, don't bother getting any tesserae. You can get it by with selling goat cheese and milk. Ivan will bring you food and teach you how to gather. Try to trade him something in thanks for helpin you out. Stay in school. Just survive, okay?"

Hailey nods. Lucinda turns to her Mother and grips her arm.

"Listen to me. You can't leave again. Not like when dad died."

"I know. I wont. I couldn't help what-"

"Well, you have to help it this time. You can't clock out and leave Hailey on her own. There's no me now to keep you both alive. It doesn't matter what happens, whatever you see on the screen. You have to promise me you'll fight through it!" Lucinda was talking through choking back her tears.

"I was ill. I could have treated myself if I'd had the medicine I have now."

"Then take it. And take care of her!"

"I'll be alright, Lucinda. But you have to take care, too. You're so fast and brave. Maybe you can win."

"Maybe. Then we'd be rich as Enki."

"I don't care if we're rich. I just want you to come home. You will try, wont you? Really, really try?" Hailey cried.

"Really, really try. I swear it."

A Peace keeper comes through the door. "Time is up. You two have to go now."

Hailey begins to cry. She bear hugs Lucinda. Hyria joins.

"Luci, I want you to come home!" Hailey yelled.

"I can't be too sure, Hailey. But I swore, remember?"

"Oh, Lucinda. I'm so sorry." Hyria let go.

"I love you both so, so much. Take care of yourselves, okay?"

They nod. Hailey lets go. Hyria embraces Lucinda one more time. She lets go.

"You too, Lucinda, Be careful. I love you.

Hyria kisses Lucinda on the cheek and Lucinda hugs her, her eyes tearing up. The Peacekeeper clears his throat. They all look up.

"Goodbye, Hailey. Goodbye, Mother."

Hyria holds Hailey's hand.

"Goodbye, Lucinda. Come home soon." Hyria turned to Hailey, "Hailey?"

"Bye, Luci."

They leave. Once gone, Lucinda holds a pillow to her chest and begins to silently cry. The bakery man, Laurance's Father, enters silently. She quickly wipes her tears away. The Baker seems to pay no attention as he sits down at the edge of a plush chair awkwardly. Pause. He takes a white paper package from his jacket and sets it next to Lucinda. She looks at it momentarily, then at the baker, and picks it up. She opens it and finds cookies.

"Thank you. I had some of your bread this morning. My friend Ivan gave you a squirrel for it. Not your best trade..."

The baker shrugs, then A Peacekeeper walks in.

"Your time is up."

As the baker rises, he clears his throat.

"I'll keep an eye on the little girl. Make sure she's eating." He leaves along with the Peacekeeper. Alina enters.

"They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena. One thing to remind you of home. Will you wear this?" Alina holds out the mockingjay pin she wore to the reaping.

"Your pin?"

"Here, I'll put it on your dress. Alright?" She puts the pin onto Lucindas' dress.

"Promise you'll wear it into the arena, Lucinda? Promise?"

"Yes."

Alina leaves with a thankful smile. Ivan enters. He walks in with no words. He stops and opens his arms in the middle

of the room. Lucinda jumps into them. They hug emotionally.

"Listen. Getting a knife should be pretty easy, but you gotta get your hands on a bow. That's your best chance."

"They don't always have bows..."

A quick flashback of the time the tributes only had spiked maces to bludgeon one another to death.

"Then make one. Even a weak bow is better than no bow at all.

"I don't know if there will be wood..."

Flashback to the time the tributes' arena was only made of boulders, sand, and scruffy bushes and bitten by venomous
snakes or gone insane from thirst.

"There's almost always some wood. Since that year half of them died from cold. Not much entertainment from that..."

Flashback to the time when the tributes were mostly frozen to death.

"Yes. There's usually some."

"Luci, it's just hunting. You're the best hunter I know."

"It's not just hunting. They're armed and can think for themselves. Easily."

"So do you. And You've had more practice. Real practice. You know how to kill." Ivan pulled away.

"Not people. It's completely different."

"How different can it really be?"

The Peacekeepers burst in suddenly and latch on Ivan's arms to pull him out of the room. Lucinda latches on his arm.

Lucinda furrows her eyebrows and desperately says her last words to him.

"Don't let them starve!"

"I won't! You know I won't! Lucinda, remember The-"

Peacekeepers yank Ivan and Lucinda apart. Ivan and the Peacekeepers exit the room. Lucinda watches the door with furrowed eyebrows, an open mouth, and wild hair, close to tears. She plants herself on the couch.

It's not even began yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope ya'll liked it... I'm just sort of panicked right now so there's bound to be a lot of mistakes...Byeee....