This Is All Just A Game [The Hunger Games]

o1 - It Wasn't Supposed To Be This Way

Lies.

That’s what I call everything around us.

I am one of the few who see it; see past the fragile bindings holding their ‘truth’ together.

But really, what is truth anymore?

I wanted a truth. Maybe just one... maybe nothing.

And that’s why I’m here today, living an impeccable lie that succumbs to nothing but pain.

My name is Elenie.

I won the Game.

The Game won me.

Chapter 1: It Wasn’t Supposed To Be This Way

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Today started out fine, just like every other Reaping...

I had been combing one of the horses I had to breed for the Capitol’s horse races just this morning. Her name was Whisper, a beautiful brown mare who loved carrots.

“You’ll be ready for the races in no time,” I smiled to her, stroking the line of her jaw. “Every other horse will be jealous.” She whickered.

“Elenie!” I heard a voice calling to me. I looked up as Mum came striding through the stables, wearing boots way too big for her.

A petite woman with glossy blonde hair, a kind face, and brown eyes; no one would guess her for the kind to breed champion horses, which she had been doing since the Capitol had declared that District 11 was better suited for breeding race-horses... since we did have the notorious soil.

Since I was 4, she had taught me to breed race-horses, too. She came to Whisper’s stable, leaning against the post, fingers pressed inside the pockets of her jeans. She examined Whisper from there, while talking to me, “Elenie, the Reaping is in a few hours. You need to bathe and get all that straw out of your hair. We need to get you all pretty.”

I laughed, wiping my hands across my already-dirty shirt. “Gee, thanks, Mum. I just needed to comb Whisper before I went to get ready. She’s almost ready for the races.”

“I hope so,” my Mum said. “We don’t waste our time on unworthy horses. But, no, Whisper is far from unworthy. I think we have another winner in our hands.” She pursed her lips and then opened the gate for me to come out. “Come on, darl’. Let’s get this over with so we can concentrate on the oncoming race.”

Smiling to myself, I followed after her towards our small little house, locking the stable behind me and saying ‘good-bye’ to my favourite horse, not knowing that it might have been the last good-bye I ever give her.

....................................................................................................................................................................

I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out my dress that mother had given me to dress myself in for the Reaping. It was a beautiful little plain baby pink thing that flowed to my knees, with straps that were tight against my shoulders.

I stared at the mirror unsurely, with a different type of girl that was myself staring back. Un-like my mother, I had wide forest-green eyes and brown locks that always curved around my face perfectly. I was taller then my Mum by plenty, standing at 5”9. Everything else was my mother’s, like the full lips, slight dust of freckles, small nose, strong bones, slim figure... all hers.