Before the Rebellion

My eyes burned as I fought the tears, my legs were curled underneath me. After the tributes are chosen, we are sent to the Justice Center to get our final goodbyes. District Four was widely known to give Career tributes (a tribute who has illegally trained to eventually enter the Games.)

The door opened to reveal my beautiful little brother. "Sissy!" His little arms wrapped around my neck as I picked him up.

I ruffed his red hair," Hey."

He stuck a thumb in his mouth as he replied to me. " Are you going to win? You are, aren't you? For me?"

I nodded gently before making him take his thumb out of his mouth. "I will, but you need to be a very good boy for Greta. Okay?"

He smiled, his little dimples showing along with his freckles. "I will, I promise Sissy." A Peacemaker stuck his head in the door, making me acknowledge it was time to go.

I kissed his forehead and sat him down next to the door. "You have to go now, but I will see you soon. Remember what I told you. I love you."

Soft, elephant tears rolled down his face and he hugged me. "I love you too, Sissy. I'll be a good boy, just come back. Bye."

I got to my feet and waved him out the door. "Bye." I felt a fresh round of tears start to prickle down my cheeks. I rapidly wiped them away, knowing it wouldn't look good on camera. It worked for some, but it wouldn't for me. I was the rebel's daughter, everyone in those games will want me dead.

The door emitted a low groan as it announced the arrival of yet another vistor. "Ever?"

I instantly looked up to find a girl with dark raven hair. I didn't recognize her. "Look, I know you don't know me, but I knew your mom. She would be really proud of you and want you to have this." She handed me a necklace with a sharp, long tooth. It looked like it belong to one of the bigger flesh eating fish.

The woman went on to say," She got that tooth when she had to face a shark in her first games. That's what the flesh eating fish are actually called. Beware, they might be in the games this year but supposedly she made a pact with them. If they never harmed anyone in her family, distant or close, she would never kill another shark, nor would any of her members."

I gently rolled it against my fingers. "Why haven't I met you before?"

She grimaced," I'm not allowed to interfere with your life because it might cause another war. I was only emitted because I said I was your grandmother.

I raised my eyebrows at her, silently questioning her sanity. "You don't look old enough to be my grandmother."

She grinned and pulled out some watch thing. Her figure became fuzzy and suddenly she was an old, wrinkly lady. "This a little device that will make me appear a lot older than I actually am. They can't detect this."

I nodded my head appreciatively," That comes in handy."

The Peacemaker peeked in and mouthed," Time to go."

I acknowledged him and then hugged the strange woman goodbye. "I'll see you in a few weeks. Bye, love you."

" I love you too, darling. Now, you behave." I laughed convincingly as I felt her push something in my hand. It was small, and metal.

She left and the door closed. Nobody else came and soon it as time to aboard the train to the Capital.