From the Rebels Point of View ~A Hunger Games Fan Fiction~

"And now we honor the third Quarter Quell," President Snow says with an evil grin. A boy in white gives him the box and he pulls out a yellow envelope with 75 written on it. "On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overpower the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."

My mother, Seeder, drops her china bowl in panic. "What?! Huh?" She's on the verge of tears, her silver-streaked hair flying as she runs to her bedroom.

"Mom!" I call desparately. I'm just as devasted as she is, possibly even more. I pound on her bedroom door.

"Diless, I can't do it! I just can't do it," she cries through the locked door, and I hear her sob some more. It makes tears well up in my eyes.

"Let me in, and I might-" the door opens and I fall through, stumbling onto my mom's bed. She grips me in a bear hug and I sit on her lap, just like I did when I was little.

"Diless, I don't know how I'm going to do it again," she says in her normal soft and fragile voice.

"I don't want you to go, mom," I choke, gripping the neck of her shirt. "You know the Careers are strong." Wow, me, 16-year-old Diless Tyrene, crying like a baby onto my mother's chest. Nice.

"I don't want to go either, but Chaff is going to." she replies, running her hand through my hair. We look exactly alike, with black hair, golden-brown eyes, and tan skin.

"Chaff is always drunk, Mom, just like Haymitch," I say, getting off of her lap. She sighs and buries her face in her hands.

"You remember when Katniss came on her Victory Tour, correct?" she asks, still not looking at me.

Yes, when Grandpappi got shot to the ground. "Yes, why?"

"Well, Diless, she is the Mockingjay, and with the Uprising and all, it just isn't safe. I'm supposed to protect her, get her safely away from the arena. To District 13."

My brain analyzes all this and I say slowly, "So you are going to... get her out of the arena?"

"Yes."

I widen my eyes. "But mom, that means you'll sacrifice your own life too!!" I cry, crumpling to the ground.

"No, no, Diless! It isn't like that," she replies, standing me up. "Plutarch Havensbee [A/N: Forgot how to spell his last name :P] is...." she goes on to explain that there are force fields Katniss can blow up and if she does, a District 13 hovercraft will come transport her to District 13.

"So.... you'll be okay?" I ask, hopeful. I wipe my nose with my hand.

"I promise," my mom replies. "But I have a favor to ask."

"Okay."

"When the forcefield blows, I'm not going to be able to come back home. So I need you to go to District 13 to wait for me." She looks at me anxiously.

I feel scared. "But... the woods... and bears...." My mom rubs my hair again.

"Don't worry, Diless. I have a map for an underground route," she stands, digs around in her drawer, and pulls out a large piece of paper. "Here. When I am Reaped, take this and go."

"But what about-"

My mom interrupts me by saying, "No bringing anyone else. Got that?"

I sigh sadly, scared not only for myself, but for my mother too. "Y-yes, Mom." I take the map from her and she smiles through watery eyes.

"You make me so proud, Diless. I know you can do it." She wipes her face and briskly walks downstairs, me following close behind.
****************8

I walk into the town square, coins dangling in my pockets. They clink softly together as I see Rue's family looking longingly at a loaf of bread, and I walk over to them.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Purdock," I say, "how are you?"

One of her younger sisters replies, "Hungry!" We laugh and I give them 15 gold coins.

"Diless, I don't think-" Rue's mom tries to say, but I interrupt her.

"Take it. We have way more than needed anyway." I drop the coins in the littlest girl's hands and walk away, not sure of what to do.

I walk up to the soup counter and say, "Hey, Salma!" Salma Redtree, the lady who runs the soup counter, look at me and smiled.

"Diless, I'm so sorry about your mother," is the first thing she says.

I avoid her gaze. "I don't wanna talk about it." My mood dampened, I walk away.

ta-da, there's my first chapter. Your turn! :D