Emilia's Fight: Prologue

I looked around me. I was in a mountainous area. There was a wood a couple hundred yards away from me. I didn’t know where I was, and I didn’t like it. The place was unfamiliar to me and seemed very unwelcome. I shivered, and realized I was wearing a wetsuit-like outfit. It didn’t feel right either. My shoes were untied, so I bent down to tie them. Doing so, I heard a yell coming from behind me.

I stood up and spun around. “Hello?” I called out.

No response.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” I tried again.

The person screamed again. I wanted to run to her, but my feet were planted to the snowy ground. I couldn’t move, no matter how hard I tried. I was worried—I didn’t want that person to be hurt all because I was too scared to move my legs.

But was it fright holding me in place? I couldn’t tell. I looked around again, just as a figure rushed by me. He paid no attention to me as he hurtled down the slope we were on. He must be heading towards the yeller. I felt a sudden sense of foreboding, and somehow knew he wasn’t going to save her.

Finally, I lifted my foot off the ground and broke out into a sprint. I caught up with the boy who ran by me. He turned his head. Right as I was about to see his face, my eyes jolted open.

My brother was tugging on my blanket.

“You have half an hour to get ready Emilia,” he said, throwing me a dress to put on.

I looked at the calendar I had made for myself and looked at the date.

It was reaping day in the nation of Panem.