The Untold Hunger Games

[MavsZane]

Awesome

[PEETA*POWER!!16]

Chapter 4: Caleb

“I love you,” Gwen whispers in my arms. Wow. That’s what we’ve both been waiting to say since we were little.
I finally get to say, “I love you too.” Those are big words for a fourteen year old.
“You do?” she looks up at me surprised.
I smile and shake my head, “Yeah. I’m really going to miss you.”
“Don’t say that. Please, you have to come home. Caleb, you have to win.”
“Gwen, you know I can’t do that,” I say as her eyes start to water, “I am going into that arena with one purpose, and that is to protect my sister.”
“But-”
“This is the last time I’ll see you. This is goodbye.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” she pleads, “You can split up and hope that it won’t come down to the two of you. You can work separately so you won’t be faced with killing one another. Won’t you do that? For me?”
That may be the best way…but I need to be there by Mari’s side, not separated from her! But I love Gwen. And I love Marina. Oh god what am I going to do?!Gwen reaches up to touch my cheek as a tear spills down my face. She can tell I am battling with myself so she says, “Don’t think about it now. But know that I’ll be here waiting for you when you come home.”
Blue eyes meet green ones. My hand strokes her long blonde hair. God she’s so beautiful, especially when she’s being stubborn. I smile despite how I feel inside. I lean down to kiss her goodbye. Her lips are so soft and sweet that it’s so impossible to imagine this is the last time we’ll ever kiss. I let my mind wander away to yesterday when I told myself I was going to marry Gwendolyn Harris. Was that only yesterday?
The guard gestures her time is up. As we break our kiss, she stares straight into my eyes, “Remember what I said,” her forehead rests against mine, “My heart will always be with you. Good luck to you and Marina. I- I won’t forget you…” her voice trails off as he turns to go.
“I love you Gwendolyn.”

That’s it. She’s gone. i tell myself.
Gwen and I grew up together. We went to school together. I remember when she kissed me on the cheek in third grade. I smile wistfully. She was my first kiss and my last. I have thought tremendously about what she said, though, and I think it may be a good strategy. I don’t want to commit suicide protecting Marina. What use would I be to her dead? If we both try our best on our own, and pray it doesn’t come down to the two of us, then she could still win. But I couldn’t let her die. I couldn’t just leave her alone in that arena! How could I live with myself if she died because I wasn’t there to protect her? I don’t know. I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know!

After two more visitors (Little Annie Cresta and my best friend, Aiden), I see two peace keepers signal one another that we are to be escorted to the train station now. I look at myself in the mirror hanging on one wall of the expensively furnished room with its velvet couches and mahogany wood imported from district seven. Good, I think because I do not look like I have just been crying. Cameras will be swarming out there, and looking like a weakling will not help me now. I hope Marina has thought of this too.
As I am reunited with my sister, her eyes are red, but only slightly. She has been crying, but has worked hard to cover it up. The fierce look in her yellow-green eyes is enough to distract attention from any signs of recent tears. I was right. As we step onto the platform, flashing cameras and raving people almost distract me from what lies ahead. I’m glad I’ve got Marina in this huge crowd. It takes almost fifteen minutes to walk through the main center of the town to get to the train station. We board the train, and are escorted by Kellie (I found out her name) to separate rooms.
I lie down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I sort through my insides, searching for fear, sadness, anger, love, emotion, anything! But I come up empty handed. I feel nothing. I am empty and hollow inside. It seems the events of the day have left me emotionless inside this train car, as I am shipped off to the capitol alone in my own apathetic world.

[MavsZane]

Lovin' it, I really like the whole two love interests: Marina and Troy and Caleb and Gwen. I can't wait to find out how the training days is for them. What will their district token be?

[PEETA*POWER!!16]

you will see their district token in the next chapter i'm glad your lovin' it!

so who do you think is going to win?
Marina or Caleb?
or neither?

[MavsZane]

Well I want both to win but I will have to read it the rest of it to find out.

[PEETA*POWER!!16]

i may get the next chapter up later tonight actually. if not, tomorrow then.

[Avox 17]

"Blue eyes meet green ones."

awww

[PEETA*POWER!!16]

Chapter 5: Marina

“Dinnertime! Come to the dining car Marina!” Kellie knocks on my door.

I throw off the blue dress I was wearing for the reaping and sort through the drawers in my room. I pick a soft grey shirt that flows to my thighs and long navy blue pants. I brush my wet hair that smells of sweet shampoo. I’ve never had a shower like that before! There were hundreds of buttons for each setting. The shower we have at home rarely ever has hot water! Before leaving my room, I stare at the girl in the mirror. She’s so young looking, so insecure with her wide light green eyes and wet auburn hair. I really don’t look that fierce. I sigh. If I want to be a competitor in these games I better change my attitude.
There’s more food on one table then I’ve ever had in a day of my life. We always lived in the poorer part of town, where the hard working fisherman and their families live. When my father went out to sea, our family is paid for his services to the capitol, on trading ships exporting goods by sea and up the river. In addition to that, Caleb and I go fishing every weekend for food, as permitted by the Mayor because our father cannot provide a week’s food for us. Frankly, I am so sick of eating fish.
Before anyone gets a word out, Caleb and I start eating the rolls of warm bread and buttery potatoes and perfectly seasoned salads. There’s more too! Beef stew filled with carrots, tiny red potatoes, and onions. Chicken soup with broth that tastes so incredible I can’t believe what I am eating! Caleb and I exchange glances. This is incredible. Mags clears her throat, which draws our attention away from the food for a moment.
“Caleb and Marina Alekson. What are you?” she asks.
“What are we? Excuse me?” Caleb shows his confusion. I nod because I am confused too.
“Well are you lazy? Are you wimps? Are you worthless?” she raises an eyebrow, “Or are you fighters, because fighters play to win.”
I don’t know how to respond. What does one say to that anyway? Caleb speaks up, “I know I’ll fight until the end. I’m not a quitter. I wrestle and swim. I know how to find food. I can use some weapons.” It’s true, everything he said.
“And what about you?” Mags nods towards me.
I don’t want to talk about this. I’m not ready for my whole life to change. In fact, I also don’t want to talk to her. She intimidates me, even if I won’t admit it. “I know how to fish and hunt little. I know what plants to eat,” I say quietly, even though I’m supposed to be confident, “I’m a very fast runner and swimmer. I throw knives…”
“She doesn’t just throw them, she never misses. Ever.” Caleb adds. I blush slightly, which makes me feel stupid.
“Show me,” Mags says gesturing to the sharp black-handled knife beside my food dish.
I pick up the knife hesitantly, and stare around the room for a target. I choose a picture frame in the back of the room, hit it dead on, and send it crashing to the floor. Then I pick up Caleb’s knife and send it flying into a statue’s head, right between the eyes. Mags is staring at me with approval.
“Hmm,” she nods, “Not bad. Maybe we can make victors out of you.” Clearly, Mags doesn’t really know how to mentor a brother and sister. There can only be one victor, and it’s most likely going to be neither of us. Like I said, I need to change my attitude.
Later, we are sent off to bed, but I sneak into Caleb’s room. “You awake?” I say quietly.
“Huh? Mari? What are you doing here?” my brother sits up and turns on the lights.
“I’m scared,” oh I sound no more mature than Grace! But the words are out before I can stop them.
“Me too,” Caleb admits quickly before we are hugging one another so tightly I can’t breathe. At least neither one of us is crying this time. I’m all cried out.
“I had to leave Gwen behind. I love her. I know it sounds silly, but I want to marry her. Well want-ed,” he tells me a little while later.
“It doesn’t sound silly. It sounds sweet.”
“Well it’s not going to happen now.”
“You don’t know that,” I say.
His dark green eyes stare directly into mine, “Yes I do, Marina.”

I return to my room a few minutes later, only to find I can’t fall asleep. I toss and turn, but I can’t seem to turn my mind off tonight. It’s a shame because I could actually use a good sleep. Well, I’ll be in the capitol tomorrow with much bigger things to worry about than lack of sleep, won’t I?

[MavsZane]

I'm liking the story seeing it play out all the stuff that links back to Katniss, Peeta, Gale, District 12, and the Capital during their time.

[Avox 17]

I'm starting to get hooked on this story

I love the twin brother-sister angle, and that it's a prequel

but I'm not sure how I feel about the direct references to Hunger Games
(i.e. Marina wearing a blue dress to the reaping like Katniss, Mags acting like Haymitch, etc.)
I think you have it in you to write a more original story

but feel free to ignore what I say lol
write what you want, cause we'll read it no matter what