The sound of flowing water was thoroughly heard. As of right now, I had no choice but to prepare for the deadly games, in hopes for myself not to be picked—and in hopes for my sister, Yuri not to be picked in the pool of District 7's residents' names as well. 

    I was lost. What would happen today exactly? Somehow, I got a bad feeling about this year's games. Will we be able to rest and come home? Will we be a part of the residents who will celebrate out of relief? Or will we be a part of the two families shut down in their homes, finding the best way to survive this disarray and havoc? I was too astray to even answer my own, personal question. 

    I looked down onto the dress I ought to wear. It was a light blue duster. It's sleeves were slightly see through. It was long, like a nightgown, the wrist's area neatly sewn in light blue thread. The chest's area seemed to be stylish in a simple manner. A layer of see-through fabric overlaps under the off- shoulder part of the dress with a navy ribbon to top it off. It was my sister's. 

    Not Yuri's. But my other sister. The one who died in the games when she was 15. Exactly 8 years ago. Back when Yuri was 10 and I was 7. The pain was still fresh, though. The way my sister died without mercy at all. The manner the Capitol used in order to eliminate her. The way we had no choice but to see her suffer on screen, not being able to help her. She was extremely great at hunting, “Even better than mom,” as Yuri would say. We—the district, rather, knew that my sister was supposed to win that year's game. If it wasn't for the Capitol being biased and let her die in a harsh way. 

    I went back into my senses and found my way onto the stadium. The venue wherein this year's tributes would soon be announced. District 7's representative, Yabuki Nako would be here any minute. She probably wears something bright right now. Something that would make herself stand out from the bland-looking crowd.

    An audible sigh escaped my lips as I observed the people around me scatter into neat lines. On my right was the girls. On the left were the boys. I may seem chill upon hunting outside the wild—even though I don't think I'm an expert myself, but deep inside, I'm scared. Fear that I might be this year's female tribute. That Yuri might also be. That one of us gets reaped and dies in the hands of bloodthirsty Capitol citizens. Making our deaths look like a movie. Making us pay for the Dark Days. Mocking our painful deaths and turning them into somewhat, an entertainment. 

    My thoughts were put to an end as Yuri-eonni took my hand, as if knowing that I am worried for the reaping yet to come. “You'll be fine. I promise” she spoke, “It's just another year for you… I mean, you've managed not to get reaped into that pool of names for 4 years; the odds are in your favor. They're not gonna choose you.”

    Her tone, even though it was reassuring and it honestly put myself into ease, it still didn't take away all the worry I am feeling right now. What if Yuri-eonni was wrong? What if one of us gets reaped? What if one of us gets the same fate as our older sister in the Hunger Games yet to come? Many what-ifs were filling up my mind. And without taking complete notice, I suddenly hear someone tap the mic on the stage. 

    It was her. Our district representative. Yabuki Nako. Beside her was our very own District Victor. The one and only. Kang Seulgi. 

    Seulgi won her games 11 years ago, she was 14. She wore a simple outfit, though. Her hair was normal, her dress was white in color. Silk's the material, I think. Everything was normal. But her face remains cold. As if she's all done being part of these death-defying games. It had always been like that. Maybe as a past tribute, she experienced a lot of conflicts. She was lucky enough to survive the games. But although she remained alive, her life was surely not the same anymore. It turned into a living hell. 

    Nako's outfit was rather weirder than the one she used last year. She literally looks like an orange highlighter. Her "formal" dress was designed in multi-layered neon orange ruffled skirts. The top part of her dress was long-sleeved, ruffles on the said sleeves were to be recognised. Her hair was tied up into a big, bulky bun. Considering the fact that it was colored rainbow, it didn't do that well either. At Least for my liking. The Capitol has a different taste in fashion, after all. 

    The anthem plays, and the same, short video about the History of Panem was played soon after. “Welcome, Welcome!” Nako opened, her usual Capitol accent was to be heard from her. I've missed mocking that annoying Capitol accent, not gonna lie. “Welcome to the 33rd Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.” 

    On the back part of my right side, I can hear our district mate—Kim Yerim, sister of last year's male tribute in our district, whispers, “The odds were never in anyone's favor.” In what I've seen last year, her brother suffered a lot in the arena. Compared to the other tributes a year ago, his death was extremely brutal—just like my other sister. Maybe it was the fact that he was from our district. District 7. Capitol's most hated district. 

    I knew Kim Yerim, though. She was my classmate in school. And although we weren't exactly bestfriends, everyone in school knew she was a happy kid. She was the class clown. Always there to keep everyone's spirits uplift. Not until last year. Because ever since her brother died, Kim Yerim had changed. She wasn't the happy kid anymore. She wasn't the class clown anymore. She didn't care about uplifting others' moods anymore. 

    Why? Because the Hunger Games doesn't only change the tribute's sole personality. Even the people the tribute cares for can change. And now, because of the Hunger games, Kim Yerim had lost herself completely.