Chapter 1: Lighting Flames

The sound of the arrow flying past my head alerted me suddenly. I woke from my zoned out state and turned behind me to see that no-one was there, only an empty space greeted me. My hands were muddy from resting on the wet ground so I brushed them off on my trousers, only making a nice stain I would have to clean later.

I must have been dreaming- yet my heart jumped repeatedly in my chest. Taking my bow from the ground in front of me I stood up, and checked the sunlight- it was still early in the morning, looking upwards, I could see that the trees mostly blocked out the sunlight, but small peaks shot through, creating little light patches on the worn ground. I could probably make it back before he woke up.

I hadn't had a good run this morning, mainly because I couldn't concentrate. I wasn't afraid, no, yet something kept picking at the back of my heart causing an awful strain. Usually on this morning I wouldn't be so afraid, the chances where low, yet this year it was worse because I knew that not only my name could be drawn, but my brothers too. This was inevitable, I knew it was to come about some time or another, yet I just couldn't stand the thought of losing him. He is all I have.

The path back through the woods wouldn't take long, maybe about ten minutes to reach the fence that separated freedom and captivity. Finally after making my way out of the foliage into the clearing I searched for my rock, where I placed my equipment underneath, only taking my hunting bag from the selection of items. I tossed it over my shoulder and headed for the fence. In between this space was the meadow, maybe the only beautiful thing in the whole of district twelve. I picked up a small blue flower before reaching the metal. There was no humming which told me that it was not alive, as usual, but I still took caution making my way under the battered edge onto the other side.

It was quiet walking back through the town; most would be sleeping in today, if they only could set their minds at rest. Looking at the occupied buildings blinds were shut, it felt as if no-one was living in the area, but there was many. Past through the residential area was the hob, my first destination; it was the only place at this time that gave of a sense of life. The hob is a black-market of sort; if you've got something to sell someone will be willing to take it off your hands for a price, and a reasonable one at best.

"Roma!" I was greeted by the chef, Greasy Sae, who took a liking to me, said I had spunk. I of course replied' get lost', but that never put her off. She's a good customer, and will pay well for whatever I and Gilbert bring.

"I told you not to call me that," I replied, heading over to her stand. "My name is Lovino- not Roma," She smiled at me and patted my head, like a little child who had done well. Today her grey hair today was tied back by netting, and that mole that always seemed to stare at me was glaring once again in my direction, I think it had grown a hair.

"Then would you prefer Lovi~" she jested, prodding my arm in an un-amusing fashion.

"Here," I said, trying to take her off topic, I took my bag from my shoulder and laid it in front of her. "I was only able to get a hare this morning and thought you would like it best," She leaned forward and took the animal from the bag, turned it over then dug into her pocket for some money.

"Oh you treat me well you do," she smiled back, holding out the coins that I gladly accepted. She took the meat of the counter and returned back with a little pot of something, "here," she handed me the bowl," this should do you well," It was some kind of soup, and without thinking I took a sip of it.

"Better than usual," my response made her laugh, and snort a little. I could help but smile back; she was only treating me well. The soup was flavoured nicely, but it mostly tasted of red meat, iron.

"Looks like someone's came to pay you a visit," I turned my head to see him, his white skin, hair and red eyes made him completely noticeable, that's why he's better staying hidden at winter.

"Thank you for the soup," I said whilst grabbing my bag once again.

"It's no problem, best of luck for today," she responded after giving my hair another ruffle, ""give my luck to little Feli as well, "I nodded, gave a final smile and turned back to greet Gilbert.

"Hey," I said, as I approached him. He was grinning like mad as usual, which made him look even more devil like.

"Yo, I thought you were going to meet me at the fence this morning, change your mind?" Oh, I forgot about that.

"Ah, I went into the woods by myself, I got a little caught up and must have forgotten," I answered, he stared at me, not sure of my answer.

"No worries," he responded. "Come on," he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the hob, and we started to walk in no particular direction. I needed to get home soon, he would realise that.

"You should come over to my place this morning," I told him as we walked down the cobbled pavements. I kicked a rock now and then, trying to make it fly as far as possible.

"Mm, I have to get back as well you know," he answered. Of course I had forgotten, not only was it the year my brother's name would be entered in, but Gilbert's brother, Ludwig would also be entered into the bowl. It's his second year in the drop making him 13 years of age, pretty young but he acts like a mature adult. I had never liked him, firstly because he was stuck up and annoying- which is bad saying that considering he's only young, and secondly it's because he likes Feli. They get along far too well for my liking, and I sense that this 'getting along' means more, but that's just a theory I have.

"You worried?" I asked, he paused for a while before giving me an answer.

"No, because even if his name is pulled out, I'll volunteer, no questions asked," he was right, this was something I hadn't considered, I would volunteer in seconds if it came to that. In some districts I've seen how young children, only twelve being put up and there is silence as no-one offers to take their place, disgraceful.

You see once your name is pulled out your chances of living another year is nothing, for the children chosen are entered into the Hunger Games, as punishment for the crimes committed seventy four years ago. The hunger games is the event that nothing could defeat in the amount of agony caused. You see the capitol likes it, they enjoy seeing children put one to one to kill each other, leaving only one victor standing, whilst the rest of panem is forced into watching their possible loved children be killed brutal.

Gilbert is eighteen this year, the limit for entries' meaning he is in the safe zone after this. However he will never be safe until Ludwig is nineteen, no-one is safe until they reach that age, and yet they are still fighting will the awful nature of the district. The limit for the youngest is twelve, a horrible age to be killed at, and its likely most of these entries get killed within seconds, however there has been a winner who was only twelve in the past ten years, but I'm pretty sure he's broken inside.

However the chances of Gilbert being pulled out are high, as he has signed up teresse and so have I. By signing up for it your family is allowed extra food and grain to take home every month at the cost of having your name entered in an extra time. Each year this doubles and doubles meaning you could really be chosen, but in desperate times this food is needed. I and Gilbert both swore we would never have our siblings ever have to sign up for it.

"You're such a baby Lovino," Gilbert laughed finally breaking the long pause, "I'm almost nineteen and you're still stuck at sixteen, you really shouldn't be allowed to handle such dangerous hunting equipment"

"Lay of alright! I can't help I was born two years after you!" I responded, hitting him round the back of the head.

"Yet we still managed to meet in a twist of fate," he grinned, making elaborate hand movements.

"Stop that! You look like something from the capitol," I barked, pulling him down, he was probably waking up everyone who was trying to sleep through the morning.

I can still remember the day we met clearly in my head. It was about a week from the explosion that had killed my parents in the mine. Here in district twelve you go to school to learn about coal and the capitol. Then once you've done your days you spend the rest of your lives in the mine if you need the money. Unfortunately both my parents needed the money and worked together, which lead to them meeting and getting married, then having two lovely children.

We were happy together until the day when it all fell apart. I knew something was wrong by the way the teachers were acting in school, they knew something was wrong but they wouldn't tell us. The smell of sulphur in the air however was enough to convince me it was the mines, so after school I dragged Feli all the way over there so that I could find out what happened and by the crowds that were gathering it was clear that it was not good.

So back to when I met Gilbert, I was in the forest on my own with the bow my mother had crafted for me. It was strange how my father was the one who took up medical care and knew everything about curing and it was my mother who could kill a hare in seconds, yet that was how it was. We were now living in a communal home, me and Feli that is. I refused to go to the work house, the place where you would work harder than in the mines and earn little, so some of the people who knew my parents took us in, we were a family after all.

I had decided that I was going to need to hunt like my mother had showed me before, as that is how we survived decently whilst others around us starved. I had searched the forest for a while and it seemed like I was never going to spot anything until I found some sort of wild cat moving around. In seconds I had shot it dead, clean through the eye and then another through the body just to be sure.

"That's a good aim you've got there," the voice of another shocked me completely; no-one had ever entered behind the fence other than our family. I was ready to kill the person, or to at least disarm them, I thought it would be a peacekeeper, ready to turn me in; instead I found a young boy with devilish eyes and snow hair.

"Whoa, whoa," he said, putting his hands up as he saw the arrow pointed straight at him. "I'm no enemy; my name is Gilbert Beilschmidt," After calming down I recognised him from school, and remember seeing him at the justice building, his father had been killed too and he was receiving the medal. I hate that place, and I try to avoid seeing it, it only brings back terrible memories which make me want to cry in shame.

I glared at him still, yet he laughed back at me," How'd you get your hand on a bow like that" he asked, pointing at the device in my hand.

"Like I'm going to tell you," I taunted back, manners had never been a thing of mine.

"Fine I'll trade you," he went on,"I'll teach you some snares if you tell me where you got the bow from," I seen my mother set a few but I couldn't remember how to make one, they were very useful if you wanted to catch extras. "At least tell me your name,"

I considered the options before answering," Lovino Vargas,"

As promised he showed me some snares, that were pretty impressive, he knew his way around a piece of wire and by the end of the day we had caught a lot. He often teased me about the strange piece of hair sticking out from the side of my head; it was apparently passed on through all generations so my children are doomed to have it as well, if I even decide to have children.

Throughout the day he told me about things I would never confess to a stranger, such as how he hated the capitol, for what they do to the whole of panem every year. He told me how his family came from district thirteen, which was blown to pieces in the dispute, and how his mother had taken the children to twelve to escape.

"My mother made the bow," I finally told him at the end of the day," she was excellent at crafting items," He smiled and nodded.

"I only have a few knives at home which are alright but pretty bad at getting good meat," he responded and then imitated throwing a knife into the tree.

"Maybe if I feel like it I'll give you a spare one," I replied.

His face lit up,"really?" and since then on we've been friends. People say we act like siblings yet we couldn't be more different in appearance from each other. Whilst Gilbert is as pale as a sheet I am fairly tanned, which is a strange feature considering most people in twelve spend half their life underground in the mines.

"Let's try and meet up later," before I knew it we were at my little home, I had spent the whole walk back day dreaming away.

"Of course," I began and I gave a small smile," and may the odds..."

"...be ever in your favour," he finished, how we enjoyed making fun our towns monitor of sort for the games. Her name is Effie and she is the most annoying women I have ever seen and not had the pleasure to meet.

I waved goodbye to Gilbert and entered through the front door. Feliciano was sleeping happily on his mattress, the cat; Buttercup was happily mewing against his cheek and licking at the layer of dirt that had dried there. I had found him wondering around the streets of the seam and the thing looked like it was about to die, I was feeling particularly kind and picked it up to take home knowing that Feli could help cure it, he's a bit of a healer like my father- whilst the sight of skin and bones will most likely make me faint.

"Morning," I whispered as I sat down beside him. Buttercup glared angrily at me, he never had approved of me in any form even though I was the one who saved his life. No his life is dedicated to Feli and his motive is to annoy me solely.

It didn't take long for Feli to notice my presence and he opened his eyes to meet mine. "Morning," he said, before sitting upwards and leaning against the wall. "Is it time to get ready already?" I nodded in response. He got out from under the duvet and headed for the sink.

Throughout the house there was a light sound of shuffling as the others started to wake. I walked over to the dresses which contained the small amount of clothes that we owned. I picked out a small navy coat and put it on over my grey coloured shirt and turned to look at myself in the mirror. Fuck, I looked a mess, not that it mattered. I looked far too thin even though I eat a decent amount. My dark red hair was messy on my head and no matter what I did to straighten it out it still remained a mess. I also had a thin layer of dirt on my hands and face which I should probably wash off.

With that in mind a picked up a cloth from the sink, ran it under the water for a moment or so then rubbed my face down and my hands. I looked over to Feli who was slipping his shoes on, fumbling around with the laces.

"Come over here," I called and stepped towards him. I wiped his face clean of dirt and straightened his shirt collar for him. Without thinking I pulled him in for a close hug and ran my hands over the back of his head, I wasn't very good at being affectionate but I tried my best.

"You have nothing to worry about," I whispered, running my fingers through his auburn hair, "there's no way that your name will be chosen," he pulled away and looked me in the eyes.

"But then what if you get chosen..?" he asked. I didn't know the answer. I would have to fight for my life to return home.

"Gilbert and Ludwig would look after you," was my reply, I quickly added ,"if I never made it back," the thought is too terrible, and I can see the pain flash through his eyes, as well as through my mind. "Here," I started to tuck his shirt in, the way it stuck out around the back made him look like duck, "little duckling," I smiled and we both laughed.

Our conversation is cut short by the bells chiming out through the whole of the town; it was time to make a move.

Holding hands we made our way through the Seam and into the main town square. We would be separated by ages meaning I would have to let go at some point, but I didn't want to. Before I let him go and join the others I reached forward and tucked the back of his shirt in, it was far too large for him, but it was the nicest shirt we owned. "Be careful duckling," I said as I watched him leave.

I walked to find my position in the crowds that were pointed to an uplifted stage in front of the mayor's house. In the middle of the stage was one collected bowl with a hundred or so names fluttering around inside. There used to be two, one for each gender but since the fiftieth games they made it so that both genders could be elected, a strange occurrence but the reason for it was 'the pickings are to be fairer'. I don't really see how it could be made fairer, really it just makes it less fair, by the chances that one gender could not be chosen at all, but then again that was President's Snows choice.

I found a position next to Bella, a girl with blond hair tied back with a red ribbon. She was wearing a long brown coloured dress today, for the special occasion. We became close through school as she always decided to hang around me because I looked lonely. I didn't mind her company and her father was a good buyer. Many people also know her, because her older brother won the games about fifteen years ago making him a mentor.

"Hey," she said as she saw me coming. Even though she's related to the only victor alive in our district it doesn't mean she can't be selected.

"Hey," I responded and turned my attention to the stage, the mayor was taking his place at the podium ready to begin the long speech about how 74 years ago war broke out between Panem, causing mass devastation and thus district thirteen was destroyed and for the punishment of this two tributes between the ages of twelve and nineteen are to be chosen to fight to the death.

"And now we have Effie Trinket," he finally announced and the bubbly woman came forward, wearing a shocking pink dress to match her new wig. "Happy Happy Hunger Games!" she called out, her voice echoing across the town. Her face screamed annoyance; she had been stuck again with the loser district, where the chances of producing a victor are as low as they can get. The mayor had taken his place on one of the three chairs that sat behind her, Abel, Bella's brother took the other seat and Effie had lurched from the final empty seat.

Abel looked fairly sane; more contestants came out and turned to morphling or drink to drown away the sorrows that the hunger games had caused them. He looked fairly intimidating, an always good quality and he must be fairly intelligent to get where he is. But he always has a cigarette or pipe of sort in his hands, maybe this reduces the pain.

"...and may the odds be always in your favour!" she finished, smiling away," Let's have the draw shall we,"

She reached out her pale hand and plunged it into the glass container, swiping away at names until she picked a thin piece of paper, her bony fingers straightened it out before reading the name printed on the paper.

"Feliciano Vargas!"