When the Game Pieces Jump Off the Board

by Peculiar Pinoy

What if the Katniss and Peeta couldn't end the Capitol? The rebels had to go into hiding, District 13 has been turned into a prison, and the Districts are even more heavily guarded and punished for the failed Uprising. Now 5 years later, the 80th Games takes place..

1. The Fish Kids

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Lovely, lovely day. The Reaping. The day where our worthless excuse of a government kills off the children of their people for the entertainment of the sick, monstrous..I think of some of those Capitolists, and their dyed skin and sparkly eyebrows.. Monsters, aliens of the Capitol. Very exciting and lovely day, right? I take my place among the other 15-year-olds and eye the two glass balls intently, hoping to get things over with. I sigh and tap the ropes that hold us in our section, waiting for the same old clip with poor District 13 blowing up..

Weird thing about the tape was when they show the part with the reporter, there was that same wing flapping above her, from the earlier clip of the explosion. But what's important about that? Anyway, I impatiently wait for Sise Kazana, our announcer for the names in District 4, to finish trying to force everyone to smile and scream, as if this was a happy holiday. She finally gives up, then gives a short lecture on how thankful we should be to the Capitol and yadayada..

"Now, for the Tributes of District 4!" I breathe a sigh of relief and smile. The white faced woman stuck her hand into the glass sphere full of the girls' names. I scanned the girls' side of the square. Their faces were tense in anticipation. Her fingers wriggled around the mass of papers resting at the bottom for a minute or two.

"Ah." She smiled and plucked her hand out of the sphere and opened up the folded square of paper. She waved the paper in the air slightly, her glittering golden fingernails glinting in the sun. "Calmar Lamoureux!" She called.

My heart stopped. No. No. No. No, it can't be.. But it is. I start to sweat slightly, my heart trying to jump out of my chest. I gulp and walk up the stage, nodding at Sise lightly, tugging at my dress. I felt uncomfortable out there, the hundreds of pairs of eyes staring up at me. A Peacemaker's daughter. Of course nobody would feel sorry for me. They'd think my father would get what he deserves. Sise's fingers start running through the boys' names, and soon enough, Jun Curzano comes up. His dull eyes were blank. I knew he was afraid. He was just hiding it.

I felt envious as I look to the crowd to see some of the boys smiling and snickering to themselves on how lucky Jun is. Even the girls were wide eyed and grinning. The betters in the back of the crowd were murmering among themselves, some smiling in his direction. I can't describe how I feel.. The people bothering to comment on that lousy, obnoxious commoner, but stare at me in silence when I get called up. I tugged at my dress harder.

Sises smiles at the crowd and calls, "Let's give a round of applause to the Tributes of District 4!" The crowd went wild. I knew their eyes were on the Jun boy and not me. But I don't give a damn, he can have all the attention for all I care! I sneak a peek at his face, but instead of triumph like any other boy in the District would have had on their face, he stared stonily into the crowd. Hatred seemed to dance in those dark eyes of his. I purse my lips and continue tugging at my dress, hoping for the spotlight to dim, on this dark, happy 'holiday'..