Before the Games Chapter 1

Ruby's POV:

I press my face against the windowpane, watching the rain drip down it and fall in a puddle on the ground.  Boy do I love rain.  

"Ruby!  Ruby!" I hear my mother calling me from the kitchen down below.

"Coming!" I leave the window and scramble down the stairs.  On the way down I slip into some boots and grab a jacket from the closet.  

"Going out?" Mom asks.

"Yeah, I want to stop by the shops and pick up some food for tonight."

"Got money?" I rattle my leather coin pouch in answer.  "Don't spend it all.  Who knows if one of you will be chosen this year?  Your names are in there plenty of times."

"Don't worry.  Besides, you deserve a celebration either way." I give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Aww, thanks dear.  And Ruby; maybe some breakfast?" I shrug and grab a piece of toast from the counter.  

"Thanks, Mom!" I holler from out the door.  


I reach town just as a new cloud of thunder rolls around.  I wonder how District Seven's prissy escort Marina Lee is fairing in this weather.  We've seen her at the reaping every year, always wearing her signature marine wig, but always in the sunshine.  I bet she's fretting about her Capitol makeup right now.  Whereas I could care less about my appearance.  The first stop I make is at the bakery.  It takes half my coins just to buy a decent loaf, but it's worth it.  There's nothing better than a warm loaf of bread on a cold, rainy day.  I make various other stops, ending at the fancy candle shop on the corner.  I love to stop and smell the rich scents and look at the colors.  I look into my pouch.  I'm down to my last coin.  

"Can I help you with anything?" A lady behind the counter asks with a smile.  

"Yeah, what's the lowest price you've got?"

"The absolute lowest?  One coin." She answers.  

One coin.  I pull it from the pouch.  It would be so nice to get something for mother.  Besides, with Tim working in the woods full time and my help on most days and mother's crafting business, I have a coin to spare.  I slap the coin on the counter.  "What've you got?" I ask.  She points me to an array of small but beautiful candles.  After looking them over carefully, I find a pale pink one with a red and gold heart carved into the top.  I press it to my nose.  The scent can only be described as dew on a honeysuckle bush.  "Beautiful." I murmur.

"What was that?" The lady asks.

"I'll take it." She smiles and wraps it up in lavender paper tied with forest green ribbon.  The perfect gift.  I slip it into my shopping bag where it clinks against the bread.  


I decide to take the long way back home that runs through the portion of forest on our side of town reserved for those who work for the lumber business.  I'll get a chance to see Tim and gather some berries from the bushes that grow in the wild areas far from the worksites.  Although the woods don't offer much protection from the current rainstorm, it's nice to be away from the business of town.  It's so quiet and nice here.

"Hey, Ruby!"  Well, so much for quiet.

"Tim!" I drop my bags and run to him.  He catches me in an embrace.  "How's work going?" I ask when he lets me down.

"Fine.  But I'm so glad I can take a break and see my little sister!" He pokes me in the belly.  I stick out my tongue at him.

"Uhuh.  You just keep believing it, bro."  

"I will."  The rest of the guys drop their axes and head in our direction.  I'm friends with all of them.  We treat each other like family.

"Hey, Greg!" I shout.  Greg is like my best friend in the world.  He kneels beside me and kisses the top of my hand.  

"Nice to see you, my lady." He says in that Capitol fashion.  I giggle.

"Oh, stop it." I run a hand through his hazel nut hair.  I hold back hugs from the rest of the crew, saying I better be going.  "See you at home!" I call to Tim.  On my way out I grab a handful of berries and stuff them in my bag.  My favorite.  


On the front porch, I ring out my soaking wet hair and take off my boots.  Mother greets me at the door and takes my bags to the kitchen.  


"Ooh, what've we got here?" She asks, peeking into the bags.  

"Oh, you know.  Bread, cheese, berries, the basics." I say casually, shaking off my coat and putting on the porch to dry.  

"That's great, honey.  Thanks so much.  I'm sure tonight will be just… lovely."

"Oh, and I almost forgot.  I picked up something special just for you, too.  Tim should be home soon, so I'll give it to you then."

"Oh, Hun, you didn't have to get me anything.  I love you so much.  Now, why don't you get ready for the reaping?  I picked out a special dress for you to wear, straight from my closet."

     "Aww, thanks Mom.  Let me go try it on."  I try to sound thrilled at the idea.  I really do appreciate the fact that she's letting me wear one of her fancy dresses, but I just find it repulsive that they want us to look nice at an event that means your death.  Why do they even take the time to pretty us up for slaughter?  Oh, well.  I climb the stairs to my bedroom where I find a dress draped across my bed that makes my eyes widen in amazing.  It's gorgeous.  I pick it up and hold it in front of the mirror.  It's made of sapphire blue satin that matches the color of my eyes perfectly.  I slip it on.  It hangs at about knee-length and has straps that go over my shoulders and meet at my back in an x.  The low neckline is incrusted with small bits of diamonds and the straps have royal purple beads on them.  How could she have afforded something so beautiful?  It looks like something too small for her to wear now, but it fits me perfectly.  Maybe she had more money when she was younger.  I'm not sure.  Anyway, it's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen.  I pull my red hair out of the loose braid I put it in this morning, and comb it out with my fingers, setting it neatly on my shoulders.  I slip into a pair of black flats, clearly not nice enough to go properly with the dress.  


When I reach the bottom of the stairs I'm greeted by Tim and Greg at the door.  


"Greg?  What are you doing here?" I ask him with a smile.  He doesn't answer, his mouth agape, his eyes wide.  "What?" I straighten the dress.  "Too much?"  His lips curve into a smile, but he still doesn't answer.  I snap my fingers in front of his face.  He blinks and seems to return to normal.  "What is it?" I ask again.

"It's you.  You're… beautiful.  Gorgeous.  Amazing.  How---?"  Tim doesn't seem quite as fazed, but he can't resist a smile.  

"It's my mom's.  She picked it out for me.  Is that good enough for you?" Greg nods.  "Okay, then.  So, why are you here?  The reaping starts soon."


"Oh, I know.  I just thought I'd stop by and maybe we could walk to the reaping together.  My mom--"  I know.  His mom is at the Capitol fighting for our freedom.  A day doesn't pass when I don't think of Malle, what a brave thing she's done for us.  And of Greg, what a sweet guy he is, and what an unfortunate guy he is.  He has no family, besides his mother.  His father passed away shortly after he was born, so he doesn't have any other siblings.  He turns to us for everything.  But mostly just for love and to be treated like family.  Without thinking I throw myself into his arms.

"I'm sorry."


"What are you sorry for, Ruby?  No need to feel spry at all.  I don't need my mom here right now when I have you guys." He lets me go and joins Tim and Mother in the kitchen.  


"So, Ruby," my mother says, "you said you had something for me."  I change my attention away from Greg's tragedy and join them at the kitchen table.


"Yes.  I do." I reach into the bag and pull out the lavender parcel containing the magnificent candle.  "Here, open up," I say, handing it to her.  She slowly unties the green ribbon and stares at what lies before her eyes.  


"Ruby... you didn't have to--"she begins but I cut her off.


"Yes, I did.  I love you Mom." I whisper in her ear.  Soon, I find myself in a group hug with mother, Tim, and Greg, silent tears rolling down mother's face.  When she finally lets us go of us, she wipes the tears from her face and says, "Ok, let me just go get dressed and we can go to the reaping.  Oh, and Greg.  You're more than welcome to join us for dinner tonight."  


"I'd be honored to." He says with a smile.  With that Mother disappears into her room.  When she reappears, her hair is pulled back in a neat bun, a pretty gray dress brushing her ankles.  She grips the candle in her right hand and takes Tim's with her left.  I take Greg's hand and he takes Tim's, and that's the way we walk to the square where the reaping is held every year.  


We're separated from each other at the square when Tim and Greg head to their sections and I go to the girl's section for sixteen year olds.  Marina Lee steps onto the stage and takes her seat next to the mayor of District Seven.  She's wearing her marine wig, a black dress coated with blue feathers and sparkles and she carries a freakishly large umbrella over her head.  And, of course, her face is covered in makeup.  The mayor speaks all about Panem and why we have the Hunger Games in the first place, and then introduces District Seven's previous victors, the ones who will mentor the tributes in this year's Games.  I don't pay much attention to this, but when Marina steps up to the glass ball filled with paper slips of names, I give my full attention.  "Ladies first!" She calls gleefully.  Please don't be me.  Please don't be me.  Please don't be me.  She reaches her hand in the ball and pulls out a slip of paper.  Unraveling it carefully, she reads the name.


"Ruby Hansten."