Annaliese Thornrose considered herself lucky. Very lucky. At the age of thirteen, she would have been past the year of eligibilty for 50th Annual Hunger Games. She would be amongst the many frightened boys and girls, if she were not a member of The Capitol. She had no desire to even watch the morbid event, but her parents seemed to take pleasure in watching children kill each other in every manner possible. All Annaliese could do was sit on the marble floor in her elegant clothes, and clutch her rosary desperately in her hand.

"Isn't this exciting, dear?" Mrs. Thornrose said, stroking the fur of the Persian cat that sat in her lap.

"Not really, mother."

Mrs. Thornrose scoffed. "Not really?" She repeated. "Darling, there is no better sport than this. You know well that the Districts must pay the price for their wrongdoings."

"Yes, mother. I understand."

In honesty, Annaliese really didn't understand. The Rebellion against The Capitol had happened so long ago, and Annaliese could not see why The Capitol could not forgive The Districts for going against them. In the back of her mind though, she assumed that she was still young, even at 13, to understand the way things worked in Panem.

"I've placed several bets on the girl." Mr. Thornrose said, pointing at the large TV screen.

Mrs. Thornrose looked to the TV and smirked. "That little one from District 12? She's no more than 12, and you didn't hear it from me, but her sponsors are barely able to provide for themselves. How far could she possibly get? "

Annaliese studied the girl on the screen. Her name was Maysilee Donner, and she was only a year younger than Annaliese, which meant that this was the first year of participation for her and her name unfortunately had been drawn from the glass bowl. She had blonde hair that fell down to her back, and eyes that seemed like a frightened deer who had no place to hide in the middle of the vicious hunt.

"Thank Heavens that our little girl is safe." Mr. Thornrose whispered.

Annaliese smiled and clutched her rosary. She did not approve of The Hunger Games and that her parents liked it, but she did love them and they loved her in return. If she were a citizen of one of the Districts, and if she had been chosen just as young Maysilee had, she probably would have to be torn from her mother's side.

"What of the boy? What is his name? Hawitch Abcathsee?" Mrs. Thornrose scratched her scalp that was hidden underneath her dark-green curls.

Annaliese couldn't help but giggle. She knew that her mother had an...admiration...for Caesar Flickerman, a reporter for The Capitol who interviewed the tributes, and who was said to have a different color for every Hunger Games that came.

"Haymitch Abernathy, mother." Annaliese pointed out the boys name that had popped up on the screen.

Haymitch was also a citizen of District 12, but was older and definitely not as timid as Maysilee was. He had dark hair and eyes that seemed to have determination hidden behind them.

"He might win." Annaliese said.

Annaliese wasn't sure at first if her parents had heard her, but they were giving her the strangest looks. She knew that her prediction was coming far too early and that Haymitch would most likely end up being killed by someone larger and older than him.

"What does a child like me know?" Annaliese thought. "There are 48 tributes this year, because of it being a Quarter Quell. Anyone of them could win."