Okay, so, Only the Hunger Games ever happened, over 100 years ago. Only one competitor from each district is allowed to win and Katniss and Peter are both dead- District 12 has only had one winner since. Max is Prim's grand daughter and Katniss taught her father (Prim's son) all about hunting who, in turn, taught it to Max. Katniss never had children.

Dragging myself out of bed, I let out a sigh. Looking around, I notice my reaping outfit has been laid out on my bed for me next to my hunting gear. My sister, Angel and her brother, Gazzy (Dont ask- his stink could clear the seam) are sleeping soundlessly in the bunk below mine, as always, top and tailing Sucks to be a twin, I thought, looking longingly at my bed, where i would like to remain. Of course, as today is reaping day, I had to get up and prepare the feast. I scanned our tiny room. We lived in one of the less classy parts of the seam- of course, non of the seam is pretty classy. The bunkbed occupied a large percentage of our single-roomed apartment, with the remainder of the room being occupied by a very worn out sofa covered in a fur hide from a bear that I snared in the woods one day- dragging that through the Hob was a pain and a half- and two kitchen work tops and a stove. I placed a kiss on each of the children's foreheads before clambering silently down the stairs past the other four apartments of the once six- roomed house (The other room has been turned into a community bathroom).

When I reached the wall, I pulled my rope out of my back pack before making a noose in one end and attaching it to a tree on the other side of the wall. It took me mere minutes to scale the twenty two foot wall. Again, I thanked whatever Gods were out there that I no longer had to listen out for the thrumming out the electric fence. Few people these days even remembered electricity after it was cut off to the districts years ago. With the fence being the last to loose it's power source, I was of a very select group who know the pain of an electric shock. Actually, that group consisted of me, my father and my hunting partner, Iggy. Now the only source of electricity any districts had were the huge TV screen used only for national announcements and the Hunger Games tournaments.

I sat in the crook of the tree to wait for Iggy and smiled, remembering the day we were introduced.
My father and I had been out hunting when I was seven, when he left my by the lake, fishing to go collect a 'gift'. I laid back on the damp earth and closed my eyes as a small breeze coasted over my features. My eyes were immediately wrenched open seconds later when I heard a rustle in the trees nearby. Reflexively, I threw my spear in the direction of the rustle and unsheathed an arrow before holding it to my bow and crouching in a battle position. Neither of the weapons I used were my weapon of choice. Usually, I preferred hand-to-hand combat, of which I was trained in endless numbers of martial arts, this was why by the age of seven, I had already brought down two bears and a stray wolf with my bare hands. I was also extremely talented in the art of calling, able to mimic any bird song perfectly, thus drawing my prey in.

I knew instictively that my spear had missed by the sheer power of my throw but hopefully it had managed to scare the animal away. What surprised me was that, emerging out of the bush was my father and a small boy who looked the same age as me. My father carried my spear in his hand while holding onto the boys arm with the other.
'Maximum, meet Iggy, he's an orphan.' My father called. I gave Iggy my best death-glare, to which he matched with one of his own. I snarled a 'hello' at him and he returned my snarl with a growl. This continued for ten minutes until i launched at him. We both tumbled off our feet into the lake, kicking and punching each other the whole way. As soon as we hit the lake, however, we both burst into fits of laughter, the sound contrasting starkly to the feral peacefulness of the forest.

I chuckled in remembrance, we were weird children. However, having a hunting partner in the woods these days is immensely gratifying. My father had it all planned so perfectly, days after I had been introduced to Iggy, Father died from HIV, a common disease in the seam. His sudden death caused for me to be sent to live with my mother- a wealthy apothecary who lived in the merchants side of District 12. Lord knows why my Father was ever given custody of me. I think the judge wanted him to have a companion for his last days before he died. All i knew is that it was the same judge who granted me custody of Angel and Gazzy when Mother died and gave us a room at the half-way-house, a teenage apartment complex where I now live. Iggy lives in the room just above mine, sharing it with another Orphan called Fang. I had never much liked Fang, actually, I couldn't stand him. Normally, Iggy and I would journey to the seam together but last night he stayed in the mayors house acting as a guard for Fang while he made out with the mayors daughter, Lissa/ Queen bitch/ The red haired wonder- whatever you like to call her. That was pretty much the reason why I hated Fang, he was rude, cocky, abnoxious and he hardly ever spoke two words. Lissa was horrid to everyone and a right slut. Everyone knew she was cheating on him and was only going out with him for his looks and social status. Even Fang knew this and, in turn, he only stayed with her to protect his own back from the Mayor. Fang didn't hunt but was a paid hit man for people in the hob- if someone held a grudge, they could pay Fang to 'rough' the other guy up a bit. He never killed them but more often than not, they would turn up on my doorstep close to dying asking to be healed from inections and knife wounds or what-not as I was the only healer in the village after my mother and father had died. Actually, i stemmed from a whole line of healers and hunters- it ran in my blood.

I was brought out of my reverie by the sounds of someone scaling the walls. Seconds later, Iggy appeared in the tree by my side and hoisted the rope I had left up down. We stacked left fists and then tapped our fists with the back our right hands- our daily ritual. Without a single word to each other, we started to hunt. After an hour, we had gather two dozen fish from our nets in the lake, five rabbits and two squirrels from our snares and brought down a large beaver down by the lake. We scoured the pond and found a large batch of water cress and some katniss. All in all, an excelent haul. We reset all of our traps and trekked back over to the wall. Iggy climbed up a tree opposite me and handed me a batch of mint as a breakfast.

'How do you feel about reaping day?' He asked. I was extremely envious of Iggy, last year was his last reaping day, I still had two more to go. This year would be Fangs last, making Iggy, at nineteen, one year older than Fang and two older than me. Angel and Gazzy, the twins had both just turned nine, so thankfully, they weren't elligible for another few years leaving just me and Fang at risk. I only have my name in the hat five times this year, Fang, six. Neither of us wanted the risk of signing up for tesserea. Iggy told me Fang makes a bit of money of his business and food is in constant supply from Iggy. He has also sold himself to women once or twice although I find it hard to pity him. Trust me, he does it more than willingly, really the money is just a bonus, he would most likely sleep with the women for free. I get by just fine on my share of the food for me, Angel and Gazzy, I only ever make enough money to clear the rent but my apothecary business leaves plent spare for clothes and other nescessities. I actually have saved enough money to survive for a few months over the past couple of years. It gave me shudders just thinking of th reason why.

At twelve, my Mother had just died and I was struggling to take care of the four-year old twins. The food I recieved from the hunt was enough to sustain us although as it was winter, food was scarce and i was hungry. In desperation, I signed up for tesserea three times much to Iggy's displeasure. It was my first reaping day and I had barely just made it to spring alive, giving any food i found in winter to the twins. The social worker assigned to collect rent at the flats had given me her dress to wear and had walked me to the square. She was eighteen and so this was her last reaping day. Her mother, a blind old hag stayed to watch the twins as she was immobile anyway and so didn't have to attend. You are not required to attend below the age of five although most do as their parents must and there isn't anyone to care for them so the woman offered to watch the twins. By the time I reached the square, i was shaking from fear and cold. Desperately, I clung to the social worker's legs and she lent down to give me a peck on the cheek. I was shown to my section all he while training my eyes on the social worker. When Chloe Mac, a tiny, pixie like woman who always seems to be jolly read off introductions I stared at the social worker, praying that she would not be taken as she was the only nice person other than Iggy I knew.

When Chloe pulled the name out of the hat, it took me wha felt like endless seconds to comprehend what had happened. The camera zoomed in the the piece of paper and the on my face: Maximum Ride; It read. Sluggishly, i willed my feet to move forward up the stairs to the stage. I was vaguely aware of Iggy's screaming and shocked gasps coming from the audience.

'That's the healer's girl!' 'Not Max, she was so lovely' 'Poor girl' But I paid not attention, only focusing on trying to grasp the fact that in mere days, I would probably be dead. Thats why I didn't notice when the social worker pulled me back, wrenching me off the stage and into her grasp. 'I volunteer!' She called 'I volunteer!' And then the crowd erupted into gossip.

'Another Katniss Everdeen' They whispered. It was ironic that I was related to the one girl who, over a hundred years ago had done the same thing for her sister and one. They even cheered slightly, obviously hoping that the same fate would come of this girl.

The next few weeks were torture. The old hag who was mother to the social worker killed herself, jumping off the tower of the justice building after saying her goodbyes to the social worker. The girl was a hero in her own home, banners and postrers of her were everywhere. The whole district pulled together to sponsor her. But, three days in, The Girl was drowned by a career from district one. He held her underwater while she bathed in the lake after joining an alliance with her, effectively, stabbing her in the back. Even though she only achieved a six in training, the whole of panem was routing for another 'Katniss Everdeen', even dubbing the career from district one her love interest when they formed an alliance. It was no surprise then, that when he betrayed her the whole country was in shock and outrage. District one didnt even stand by the boy and literally watched him starve to death as the game makers removed all signs of wildlife fron the meadow and forest where the games were held. Every day for a week he called out to his sponsors, shouting 'food' whenever he dared. No one mourned his death.

Ever since that close- call, I have always kept a small fund aside for when I die. Over the years, it has grown. If Iggy were to give Angel and Gazzy food, like he promised, there is enough rent saved for a year. I know that the two would be well looked after, they are adored by all in the seam and I have many friend among the hob and the townspeople who still remeber that hunger games. For the few months after the social-workers death, my family and I were showered with food and money. It seems what the social worker did brought a new wave of cameraderie over the people of district twelve and they were as determined to save me as she was. Focusing back on Iggy, I answered with a small shrug.

'Only two left now, Max, getting close. The end is near!' Iggy shouted dramatically, causing me to crack a smile.

'What about you?' I teased 'You made it!' I said the last bit in an imitation of the capitol accent, remeber Chloe Mac's words to all the eighteen year old every reaping day after the name calling. Me and Iggy both launched into the catchphrase.

'Congratualtions all eighteeners! You made it! It seems the odds were ever in your favour.' My small smile morphed into a ful out grin. Last year, when she had said that line, the camera focused in on Iggy, expecting a positive reaction on hearing the news. Iggy instead crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue before shouting 'Kiss my ass Hunger Games!' for the whole of the capitol to hear. I laughed in remembrance.