Primrose giggled as her friend, Evangeline chased after her. Although the two were already 15, and she was turning 16 next week, they still loved playing tag as if they were still children. They were running through the Meadow that Primrose's parents used to take her and her little brother, Everett, to play.
Suddenly, Prim stopped. She stared up at the chain link fence. She never dared to pass it. She knew her mother did when she was her age, she knew how much of a Hunter she was. Prim, however, wasn't much of a Hunter, she was more like her father, who liked to Bake and Cook. Suddenly, Evangeline came up behind her.
"What's up," She asked looking at the chain link fence. She was never scared of the woods, or anything that Prim knew, "Day-dreaming?"
Prim shook her head, and then forced herself to look away, to stop thinking of how strong her mother was, and how weak she was. She spoke softly, "Just thinking."
"Of how your mother was in those things," Evangeline said, dismissively, "The Starving Games, or whatever?"
"The Hunger Games," Primrose responded, glaring at her, "And we don't know if she was actually in them. We haven't learned that yet. We just know she was involved."
"Whatever you say." Evangeline said, rolling her eyes. Prim knew she didn't fool her best friend but, she wasn't trying to fool her best friend. She was trying to fool herself. She needed to know that her parents weren't there. Just thinking of them killing others, it disgusted her.
Suddenly, Evangeline turned to start walking back, probably to get a snack, when she tripped. She turned the trip into a bit of a somersault-type thing. When she get back up, her clothes were dirty but, she peered curiously at what tripped her. Prim, too, looked.
There, on it's back, was a book. It was black, with some white markings, and the golden mockingjay pin she saw her mother sometimes wearing. The book wasn't very thick but, the title caught both of their attentions. The title was, "The Hunger Games."
Slowly, Evangeline went to pick the book up but, Prim stopped her, saying, "It's not ours! Someone maybe lost it! They could be really worried about it. Like when I lost my favorite book. I was devastated!"
Evangeline rolled her eyes, picking the book up, "Well, you know what? Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers!"
Prim sighed. She knew she should go asking around if the book belonged to anybody but, the title got her curious, and curiousity always won over good will. So, Primrose asked, "What does the back say?"
"It says," Evangeline started scanning the back, "In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send in one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentance when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is a second Nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But, if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love."
Prim blinked curiously and responded with, "Katniss Everdeen. That name seems firmilliar. I know I heard it somewhere before."
Evangeline rolled her eyes, "Good job, smart one. Did you really think that your mother had the same last name as your father before they got married?"
Her eyes widened immidietly, and, for a few minutes couldn't speak. When she could, she blurted out, "We've got to take this to my Mom and Dad."
"Agreed." Evangeline replied, going over to put the book in her Knapsack at the edge of the field, "I can't wait to read this."
"Who's to say we are?" Prim asked, grabbing her Knapsack as well. Prim didn't know if she wanted to read it, if she had to hear about her Mother in the Hunger Games.
"I do," Evangeline said, a smirk on her face, "because who doesn't want to know what their parents were like and how they went crazy, killing everyone in the Games?"
"Me," She replied, and started walking to her home, Evangeline in tow, "I say that we tell Mum and Dad, and they destroy the book."
As the two got to Victor's Village, where quite a few people now live, they noticed that a new car was in the driveway. As Primrose unlocked the dorr with her key, and entered the living room, new people were there. A man had olive skin, and grey eyes, much like Katniss. He, although he was sitting, could be over six feet tall. His dark hair was cut short.
The boy next to him, was smaller, possibly 5'5". He had olive skin, as well, but, his eyes were a soft blue. He was scrawny, and lanky compared to the man sitting next to him. His hair was a lighter brown, much lighter than Prim's mother or the man.
"Uhm, Mum. Who are they?" Prim asked, carefully. She didn't like the look of the man, and the way he was looking at her father.
"Prim, sweetie." Her father, Peeta, replied, a warm smile on his face, "This is our old friend from years ago, Gale Hawthorne. This is his son, Peter."
"Nice to meet you both," Evangeline replied, nodding in their direction, "This is Primrose, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark's daughter, and I am her best friend, Evangeline James."
"Nice to meet you, as well." Peter said, smiling at us.
"Mum, we found something in the meadow," Primrose said as Evangeline held up ''The Hunger Games" .
"Oh dear," Katniss said looking at it, as the two girls nodded.
"It's all about you in the Hunger Games! I vote we read it!" Evangeline said, a light in her eyes that told Prim that either she was really excited, or that she was going to pee herself. Again.
"i vote yes, too. Seems fun." Peter said, looking at his dad.
Gale shrugged, and looked at Mr. and Mrs. Mellark with a slight smirk, "Yeah, reading. This will be good. You two don't have anything to hide from your daughter, do you?"
"No, we don't," Katniss said, slightly glaring at Mr. Hawthorne, "but it might be too gory for her to hear. No."
"Agreed. My little girl doesn't need to see any of that stuff." Peeta said, looking at his little girl.
Something stirred inside Prim. She was turning 16! She wasn't little, and she wasn't just a girl anymore. She could handle whatever was in that book! Primrose stated, "I can handle it! I vote yes!"
"Four to Two! We read! I'm reading first though!" Evangeline cried, the same gleam in her eye as before as she sat down on the couch, beside Gale, "Part One: The Tributes, Chapter One."
