Chapter I - The Secret

I watched the dart slice through the air and sharply land on a bullseye.

"Bullseye" I smiled with a little satisfaction in my voice.

I walked up the dart board and ran my fingers over the worn dart board and stared at the piercings on the board. It was always such a mystery to me who used this dart board before me. I found this dart board in a old box and taught myself how to play by reading the manual. I catched on pretty quickly but there was a strange thing about this dart board. It was already used. There was piercings in the board and quite a few piercings in the bullseye zone that was not done by me. I frowned as I tried to think who may have used this board before me. Can't be mom, She is always to terrified of things like this. Dad is barely home because of work so he wouldn't have time to play with this board. Maybe he made this board for a friend?

I shook my head trying to avoid all of these thought's on this very dreadful day. The day was quiet, no sounds of barking or the sounds of the hushed voices trying to keep their conversation to themselves and sometimes even the sounds of the cries, yelling and other disturbing sounds. But today was quiet. No one dared made a sound. Everyone was walking down the tight streets with no smiles.

"Bailey! You have 3 hours until we need to go!" I heard my mom yell upstairs in almost a mad tone.

I sighed and laid on my bed. Reaping Day. The day everyone dreaded and prayed they did not get picked to go into these games  or hoped that their children won't be Repeated. Luckily the odds are in my favor, my name was only entered 4 times which was pretty good. It's impossible for me to get into the games. I do understand why my mom may be mad, she is mad at our ruler, The Capital. We are like puppets to be played with. We work hard in labour just to fill the Capital's greed. If we try to resist the system our heads will be blown to bits along with our district.

Everyone Lost hope, some also lost hope in living all together, that what it is to live in Panem. The only thing that comforts us is fear.

I got up and did one of the usual things on Reaping Day, bathing. I went to our bathroom and started to strip off my clothing from yesterday. A smell of sweat reeked through the bathroom. I've always disliked our bathroom, one toilet and one bath and a rack for towels were the only things in the bathroom. Behind the Bath there was a small window, anyone could peer in but what's outside that window was a alleyway. I grabbed a bucket (Most likely prepared by my mom) and poured the steaming bucket of water into the tub.

After the bath I stepped out of the tub and wrapped around my body. I ambled to my room not looking forward to the day. I opened up closet (which also had my dart board on the right door) and shuffled through a handful of clothing. Most of my clothing was ripped jeans, flowy tank tops and worn running shoes. But it was always hard to find myself a nice dress to wear to the reaping. I pulled out my old reaping dress that I've worn to every reaping since I was 12. 3 years ago and it already looks like it out grown me. I looked at it one more time, a pale yellow with small little ruffles all around the dress.

I remember my first reaping, A girl in front of me refused to be a tribute and that resulted her being shot in the head. Blood went everywhere and I watched her body fall back onto the ground. Some of the blood splatted onto the bottom of the dress and stained it. I was too scared to say a word. My body felt paralyzed as I watched her young body be taken away and and the screams of her parents echoed through my ears.

I squinted my eyes trying to get the thought out of my head. I folded the dress ever so carefully back into my closet and placed it in a box. I shuffled through my clothes once more trying to find something that would be considered formal to wear. Then something catches my eye, a soft pink dress with ruffles at the bottom. I picked up the dress from the top with my fingers, It felt like silk, real silk! A note dropped out of the bottom of the dress. I carefully laid the dress onto my bed and and picked up the note delicately.

Paper.. Now a day's paper is almost expensive as paying the bills in district 6. District 6 is my District, I was born here and rarely ever left it. My prison, my cage. Anyways I peeled open the note only to see my dad's thoughtful printing.

" Dear My Sweet Daughter,

I picked this up at District 8. The lady who made it gave it to me cutting down the price a little, in exchange I have her a Mockingjay pin. I had no use for it. I think the dress will look stunning on you anyways. May the odds be ever in your favor!

Love Dad. "

My dad is a Porter, unlike me he started working at a young age. With this job he is sometimes able to travel to other districts. He always sends me letters when he is away for long journeys but he always write in the right hand corner of the letter "Home sick". Although work was work in District 6.

I hugged the note close to my heart and mumbled a small "Thank you."

I slipped on the dress, it was a little too big but I did not mind. At Least I can grow into it. I walked in front of the door of my Closet, on the door was a dusty mirror. I twirled in the dress and watched the dress elegantly flow around my body.

Just then my mom opened up the door to my room. She stopped in her tracks and stared at me in the dress.

"Where did you get that dress?" She asked softly.

"Dad." I answered.

"Oh," She replied with no expression on her face.

She walked closer to me and ran her fingers down my dress only realizing it was slik. Then she noticed the dart board with the small dart on the bullseye zone. "

"I told you not to play with these." She said sternly.

I grumbled and sat on my bed. Maybe I should ask her. I built up the courage to say these words.


"So hey, who used the dart board before me?" I asked and held my breath waiting for an answer.

"Family member." My mom answered.

The only family I know is my Mom, Dad and my Aunt who rarely visits. "Who in our family?" I asked.

My Mom hesitated to answer. Her eyes swelled with tears. "You're old enough to know now,"

"Know what?"

"You had a brother." She finally spits out.

I stood there in disbelief. A brother? No way. I've never had one. And why now out of all of the time in the world? Why today?

"A "Brother"?" I said not believing what she said.

Tears gushed down her face and disbelief was spread across my face.

"He..." She stopped in her sentence taking a deep breath and choked on tears. "Was 16 when he died."

16 really? I'm only 15 and I guess my memory does not go that far back but I should remember.

But the thing that made me question what my OWN mom, what made him die. There's a few strong diseases in District 6 but normally older people get affected. Of course there is air pollution in district 6 that can make people really ill. The only thing that can kill people at the age of 12-18, The Hunger Games. I did not say anything. Just waited for my mom to answer.

"I was pregnant with you at the time, 8 months pregnant. We're at the reaping when a young boy's name was called. Your brother, he volunteered. When I saw him again I remember he said these final words, "It's unfair for a 12 year old boy to go in the Hunger Games. I just hope my sis won't ever be reaped. Hey, If I don't make it back, let her play darts and maybe name her Bailey." and he never came home." My mom started bawling into her hands cursing the Hunger Games.

Tears started to swell in my eyes. "Why? I muttered under my breath.

Mom did not answer. I got up from my bed and ran out of my room wiping the tears as I went. These were the tears of anger I think. Yeah it is, the way I grit my teeth when one rolls down my cheek gave it away.

Right behind my house was a small area of trees and one pond in the middle of the surrounding trees. That is the place I go for alone time, the time I just want to disappear from the world. Actually that would be nice thinking about. I pushed bushes away and stumbled into my area. I sat on the rock.

Did I feel bad for leaving my mom to take care of herself? No. I didn't. Well at that very moment I didn't. Today was a gloomy day, the wind brushed roughly into your face and the sun was blocked out from gray clouds. It was one of those days where it feels like the earth is about to cry.

I wiped away the last of the tears and got up. The reaping will be starting any moment now.  

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What the Dress looks like ^-^


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