By: Emilia Mellark
Series: The Next Generation
Title: The Next Generation
Chapter 1

"The Hunger Games will continue!" President Snow was standing on a balcony, overlooking a crowd. "As a punishment, only children from District 13 will be entered in the reaping." I was one of the thousands who would be entered. My mother has told me about how brutal the Gamemakers can be. She has experience, since she has been forced to endure this twice. My father is the same. I often hear their screams in the night. They tell me they will be okay, but I don't believe them. My name is Emilia Mellark and I am Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's daughter. I am standing outside the Capitol's Justice Building with my mother, father, and my brother, Hunter. While I share my mother's looks, Hunter looks like my father. And along with our looks, he got my father's kindness and patience and I am the one who has inherited my mother's irritablility and sharp eye. At a young age, I got my first bow. My mother takes me out to the woods every week, at least. I have learned, in that time, almost all edibal plants and medicinal herbs. I have also learned that it is not easy being a kid in this time. Right now, the reaping is taking place. Effie stepped onto the balcony. "Ladies first!" She said with the same cheery voice my mother had described to me. Effie had to lean forward to get to the bottom of the ball. I could see she didn't look pleased with the result of the draw. "And the girl tribute will be," Her tone did not match her expression. " Emilia Mellark." I stood there frozen to the side walk, while the Peacemakers cleared a path for me. "Go." My mother pushed my forward. She wore a terrified exspression. Her voice brought me back to reality. Some how I didn't think me being picked for the Huger Games was a coincidence. I raised my chin and strutted forward. I climbed the steps to the balcony. " Now for the boy tribute." Effie said in the same annoying voice. I was glad that Hunter was not old enough to be drawn. If he was, he would surely be chosen. "Aaron Bryce" I knew him. He was in my class. He was small for his age. He wouldn't stand a chance against anyone. My guess is that he wouldn't even pull a five in training. I was rushed into the Justice Building. I had no idea who would come to say good-bye to me. My family of couse, came. My grandmother and my aunt. My aunt, Prim, gave me a present. My mother's mockingjay pin!

"Won't this make the Capitol mad?" I asked astonished.

"Oh no probably not. They will be focusing on other things... as long as you don't do anything to promote another rebellion." Prim didn't look worried, but I knew that she was by the tone of her voice.

I took the pin. "Okay. I'll wear it."

"That great!" Prim was obviously pleased. She swept me up into a big hug before she was ushered out of the room.

Next Hunter came in. He was alone, since both of my parents where in the Capitol.

"Hi-" I began, before Hunter ran into my arms.

"Please, please, please try to stay alive!" I could tell he was having a hard time keeping the tears from spilling.

"I don't know Hunter, there will be stronger kids out there." I sighed

"But you have to!" There was a single tear running down his cheek now.

"Okay, okay... I will try to stay alive as long as I can." I was crying too now.

"No... You have to promise. Promise!"

"Okay! I promise to stay alive as long as I can."

"Okay." Hunter was settling down now. I kissed him on the top of the head. "I promise." I whispered again.

The peacemakers were coming in now. "It's time to go." One of them said in a gruff voice.

"Okay." I was reluctant about leaving Hunter, but I had a feeling he would be okay.

I was hurried out of the room, and into a bathroom.

"This is were they will be doing the making over." The peacekeeper had a weird accent and I'm sure he didn't understand the standard rules of english.

"Ok..." I knew my mother's stylist, Cinna, had been murdered before the rebellion so, I had no idea who I would get.

"Hello!" A woman who was no taller than I was jumped into the room from behind the door. I nearly fell out of my seat. "Well, I see we are a bit jumpy today." She said as she bent over to retrieve her equiptment from a drawer.

"Well, it IS the day of the reaping." I had now regained my position in the seat.

"Do you know of your mother's stylist, Cinna?" She was now rearanging her make-up to her satisfaction.

"Yes." I said, no idea where this was going.

"Well," She paused. "I was trained by him" I almost fell out of my seat again. My mouth swung open.

"Oh, Dear, close your mouth. It's not good for publisity." She didn't seem surprised by my reaction.

"Okay. So, I was thinking since you live in  District 12, we could do something with solar panles or some other kind of power." Since the bombing, people have been afraid to go into the mines, so we now specialize in renewable energy.

"What?" I had no idea what she meant.

"We are going to make you look like a second sun." She looked pleased with her idea.
I was gaping again.

"Oh Honey, what did I tell you about your mouth?" She said in the same pleased voice she had gotten when she came up with the sun idea. I immediatly shut my mouth. Over the following hours, she did my make-up, hair, and nails. Then I remembered something.

"Aren't there surposed to be other stylists that do my hair, nails, and make-up?"

"Yes, but since the rebellion they have gotten rid of them. The Capitol thinks that they have been giving tips to tributes for the Hunger Games."

"Oh..." I was disappointed. My mother told me that she sometimes enjoyed talking to her prep-team. While my nails dried, Sealia, which I learned was the woman's name, showed me my dress. It was yellow, sparkely, and quite wide at the ankles.

"They call it a hoop skirt." She said. I had seen outfits more magnificent.

"What's so great about this costume?" I raised my eye-brow. Sometimes I forgot my manners and acted like my mother.

"Oh! I forgot!" She ran around me and pressed my back. The dress instantly started to glow. In a few minutes the dress looked red hot, although it hadn't gotten any warmer.

"Oh my gosh! It's amazing!" I stared down at my dress.

"Oh yes... I know." Sealia stepped back to admire her work.