I do not own any of the Hunger Games books or characters, they belong to Suzanne Collins. The only thing I can claim is a little of the plot to this story. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One- Annie

I jolt awake from another nightmare, my shaking hands reaching out to grasp anything, to tell me that I'm safe. I thrash through the covers, as if to search for my twin sister, but it only takes a mere second of this for me to realize that she isn't there.

Against my will, my chest tightens as my memory comes flooding back in like the rush of the tide in a storm. She will never come back. I am sleeping alone. I have been since the last Hunger Games.

Then, before I can let out the shriek of devastation that would wake my sleeping family, I swiftly maneuver around the mattresses before slipping on my boots and running out the door. As the salty air blows back my long hair and chills my cheeks, I begin to feel better. But the only problem is, I know this will happen again. Probably for the rest of my life.

I will see my sister on the screen in our cramped kitchen, one of the final two, being caught and brutally murdered by the victor. Again and again I will see the blood running down her face as she begs him to do it quickly. But he never listens, for he has a show to put on for the people in fancy clothes and make-up.

I run all the way across town, past the victor's village and through the sand until the waves lap against the bottom of my nightgown. I inhale the sea air and try to calm my rapid heartbeat, but I can't. It'll be at least a few hours before I can calm myself down enough to return to the little dark bedroom in our poor house. But even then, I won't be able to sleep.

Today is the reaping. Surprisingly though, this is the first year I've had to take out tesserae in order to help feed my two little brothers, my pregnant mother, and my poor fisherman father.

My twin sister Mae's words echo in my head, the same words she always said whenever the topic of the Hunger Games arose between us. "You have nothing to worry about, Annie. I'd take your place in a heartbeat. I was made for these games."

That she was. She had been training ever since she could walk. Being from District Four and all, she fit right in with all the others. Late night practices and early morning runs, making alliances with any possible contenders in our district before their names had even been reaped. She took so much tesserae that I was surprised it took her until fifteen to get drawn. There was nothing she wanted more than to own the title of victor. And she came very, very close. But the tributes from one are also a force to be reckoned with, I guess.

The games never held a place for me. On the inside, I was horrified at my sister's desire for the crown. The only reason I supported her in all her training was because I knew she'd protect me in a heartbeat. She never let me take any tesserae, or even use any sort of weapons she'd practiced with. She called me her baby sister, even though I only came about five minutes later.

I guess five minutes could make a difference though, because she was bigger and stronger than me in every way. She was tall, muscular, and so beautiful. Even though we were twins, I always thought the dark hair and green eyes suited her better than me. I was just a scrawny little thing that helped my mother sew clothes and cook the meals.

But now that she is gone and we no longer have her oil and grain, I had to do something about it. My parents never told me I had to, but I felt it was necessary. Mae could no longer take care of our family the way she did before.

Hot tears roll down my cheeks as I look out into the dark horizon. I miss her so much. But there is another, much more selfish reason that I am upset right now. I no longer have the comfort of a shield. The possibility of me going to the Capitol has increased from nothing to highly likely. If I get picked tomorrow, no one will save me, and I will die because I haven't had a day of training in my life.

I swallow the bile that rises in the back of my throat as I think of what a coward I am. After my sister died, I didn't even attempt at training. Wherever she is right now, she probably hates me. She is probably disgusted at the fact that I don't even care about leaving my family behind. If I die, my brother's will have to take tesserae, and it will be all my fault.

I close my eyes tightly, as if that will help me escape. I can't run anymore, this is as far away as I can get, but it isn't far enough.

I sink down to my knees in the water, letting the wind whip my hair until it sticks to my wet cheeks.

"You know, there's a storm coming. You might wanna get out of here." A male's voice says from behind me.

I immediately whip around and find myself face to face with Finnick Odair, victor of the sixty-fifth Hunger Games. He is now nineteen years old, the heartthrob of every girl in the entire Capitol, and standing way too close to me for comfort.

He stands there wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks, staring at me like I'm a freak.

I gather up my courage and try to pretend I wasn't just crying. Being a victor and all, he'd probably find me nothing short of pathetic.

"So?" I blurt out, hoping it makes me sound like I don't care.

"You're Mae's sister, aren't you?" He says suddenly. I don't know why, but his words take me by surprise. Of course he would know Mae. She was pretty, popular, and a great fighter. But still, Finnick Odair is something of a celebrity. I heard that he chose not to mentor her, but the boy tribute from last year instead. So he couldn't have known her too well, could he?

Suddenly I am on the defensive. Finnick seems to go for any girl he sees. So is it possible that Mae fell for his looks and seemingly false charm during her experience at the Capitol?

Seeing my change in facial expression, he adds, "Don't worry, I don't go for tributes." Then he grins like it's all a big joke.

"You just go for everyone else, huh? I don't know District Four has enough fingers and toes to count them all." I say coolly. One thing Mae didn't have was an attitude. She was nice to everyone, no matter what.

He just grins even wider. "Nah, I don't go for little brats like you. Clearly your sister was the one to befriend."

Since I've been compared to her my entire life, this doesn't offend me in the least. "Well, too bad you don't get to befriend either one of us, Finnick Odair."

"Hey, that's your loss." He runs a finger through his messy bronze hair like he doesn't have a care in world. Because he doesn't have a care in the world. I wonder how Capitol people could fall for someone so… shallow.

"Yeah, I doubt that." I begin to push past him, thinking home sounds pretty good all of the sudden.

"Good luck in the reaping tomorrow." He waves it off without even turning around. After this short exchange of words, I already hate him. Doesn't he care that twenty-three people will die? Does he care that he might have just talked to one of them?

And, as if to make me even more annoyed, he adds, "Nice nightgown, by the way."

"I'm surprised you even know what one looks like, seeing as they always seem to be off around you." I sneer before walking back home angrily.

"Annie, wake up!" My youngest brother Cabe jumps on my stomach, waking me up from a dreamless sleep. "It's almost time for the reaping!" He squeals, his four-year-old brain not even comprehending what that means.

Feeling a lot number than I was last night, I get up and take so long in the tub that my mother has to tell me that we will be late if I take any longer.

I let her brush my hair back and clip it with a barrette that belonged to my grandmother. I put on a flowered yellow dress that Mae and I used to share, and before I know it, I am walking to the square in silence with my best friend Tales as my family members take their places in the crowd.

"Did you sleep at all, last night?" He whispers to me, meeting my green eyes with his serious blue ones. He was always so serious. I have only ever seen him laugh when Mae was around, which led me to suspect he had a crush on her or something. He watched the entire sixty-ninth Games with us, and he was the only one I'd ever spoken to about her death.

"Barely. You?" I ask, forcing a smile and trying to treat this as a joke like Finnick would. He won't be fooled though. We were practically friends since we were in diapers, so he knows how I think.

"Not a wink. I think this will be my year." He rubs his hands together, as if he's already preparing for battle. I was never really clear on whether he wanted to be in the games or not. My guess is that is probably wouldn't mind. He's almost as good with tridents as Finnick.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I can feel it." He says simply.

"And me?" I ask, even though I know he won't be able to predict such a thing.

"You'll be safe at home, watching me get crowned victor." He gives my hand a tight squeeze before turning to face me. "Good luck, Annie." He says before turning and walking to his designated area.

I unintentionally tune out all the opening preparations because my heart is beating so loud I can barely hear. I do register the crowd cheering wildly as Finnick crosses to his chair on the stage, though. Obviously, it's not only the Capitol that loves him.

Now, in the light of day, he looks even better. His bronze hair purposely styled messily as he gives the crowd a crooked grin.

Then it's time for our escort, Maya Fringe, to announce the tributes. I listen as the crowd goes silent. I hold my breath as she rustles around for a name in the big glass ball on the left side of the stage as I silently beg for the name not to be-

"Annie Cresta!" She calls in her high-pitched voice.

I don't let out my breath as I slowly cross the square to the stage because I think my breakfast might come out too. As I pass the tributes, they all look away, except for an elderly woman that everyone calls Mags. Her blue eyes meet mine with some emotion I cannot place.

I stand there as the crowd hesitantly claps their hands, probably wishing for someone better to represent their district. Then Maya crosses the stage to right glass ball, and after fluffing her short, sky-blue hair, she picks a name.

Then, I see Tales Montgomery coming to join me onstage.

Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I never intended to put this on fanfiction, but i thought, hey, why not? Comments/advice are always appreciated. (: