Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. They belong to Suzanne Collins. If you recognize anything, it is not mine.
Rating: T for violence, swearing, and suggestive themes.
Summary: Peeta never made it out of the 74th Hunger Games alive. Now Katniss has to mentor the 75th Hunger Games:The Quarter Quell. But what happens when a drastic twist sends her back into the arena. This time with Prim, Rory, and Posy. Will she make it out alive a second time?
"No, you can't kill yourself," I say. I'm on my knees desperately plastering the bandage back onto his wound.
"Katniss," he says. "It's what I want."
"You're not leaving me here alone," I say. Because if he dies, I'll never go home, not really.
"Listen," he says weakly. "We both know there can only be one victor. It can only be one of us. Please take it. For me." And he goes on about how he loves me, what life would be without me but I've stopped listening because all I can see is the blood pouring out of his leg.
"Peeta?" I ask as he cuts off and sways dangerously. He looks deathly pale. My mind can't comprehend what's happening when he says, "Katniss. You need to live. For me." He collapses onto the ground in a heap.
"Peeta? Peeta! PEETA!" I frantically try to get him to answer. He doesn't. I hear his cannon fire. Sobbing, I place a chaste kiss on his lips. I stand up, bring my three fingers to my mouth and hold them out to him. A last gift to my savior.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victor of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen. I give you—the female tribute of District Twelve!"
I wake up screaming and covered in a sheen of sweat. I've been having this same dream ever since the Hunger Games ended almost a year ago. Prim comes into my room and sits on the bed. "The same dream?" she asked softly. I nod.
"I miss him." I say childishly. She smiled sadly. "I know."
Today is the day President Snow announces what this year's Quarter Quell will entail. This year, I will have to mentor the female tribute.
At noon, Prim, my mother and I sit huddled on the couch waiting for the announcement. At noon on the dot, the TV fuzzes to live. I see President Snow on the screen.
"Citizens of Panem! I am happy to announce the change to the 75th Hunger Games!" He takes a card out of the box. He furrows his brow slightly then says, "To remind the rebels of the suspense of war, the change will not be announced until after the tributes are reaped." He smiles into the camera, and the TV blacks out. I hear someone sigh next to me. I think it's my mother, but I'm not sure.
"That's...not good." Prim says frowning.
"I know Prim, but at least we won't have to wait long to hear the change." I say, because the reaping is tomorrow. Cinna will be coming early tomorrow morning to fix me up for my first year as a mentor. I have to sit next to Haymitch. Lovely.
As I lay in bed that night, I can only wonder what the change will be for this Quarter Quell. Would they make children under 12 compete instead? It would be barbaric, but the Capitol isn't known for their niceties.
Early the next morning, I go downstairs to find Cinna sitting with my mother drinking coffee at the table. Cinna looks up and smiles at me. "Good morning, Katniss. Ready to get started?"
I don't think I'll ever be ready enough to send kids to their death, but I nod anyway.
When he has finished, he let's me look in a mirror. My hair has been put into the style I wore for the reaping last year. But my clothes? All black. A tight black dress, black shoes, and a black shawl. I look at Cinna questioningly. "You are grieving, remember?"
I wince, memories of Peeta I've been trying to oppress come flooding back to me. I feel moisture in my eyes and will myself not to cry. Cinna patted me softly on the back, and pulls me into a hug. "Be strong, Girl-On-Fire."
An hour before the reaping, I go into Haymitch's house. It reeked of stale alcohol, and unwashed clothes. I find him passed out on the dining room table. I grab a cup of water and dump it on him. He wakes up violently, swinging his knife around. I'd forgotten he slept with it.
"Wuz goin on?" He asked sleepily.
"Reaping starts in an hour, Haymitch." I reply.
"Why am I all wet?" he asked
"I couldn't wake you up any other way." I reply.
"Right. Nice get-up sweetheart." he says looking at my outfit. I glare at him and storm out.
Too soon we are in the town center. I make my way up onto the stage and into my seat. Mother finds a spot in the crowd and Prim stands in with the other thirteen-year-old. I sit on the stage, hoping and praying that Prim, or Madge, or Rory aren't called. Thankfully Gale is safe this year. Haymitch is nowhere to be seen. A few minutes before the mayor stands up to read the Treaty, Haymitch stumbles in, thankfully—only half-drunk. After the mayor finishes his speech, Effie steps up with a card in her hand. I notice that she has dyed her hair again. This time, a vibrant shade of orange—like the sunset.
She clears her throat and begins to read. My heart is racing. "This year, to remind the rebels that multiple family members can be lost, each tribute will have a family member in the arena with them." I could hear people murmuring to each other. Effie continued. "There has been a rule change in honor of these Games. There will be no volunteering. Who ever is picked, is the tribute. Once the male and female tributes are selected, their family members names will be put into a bowl. Each person age 12-18 will have the number of slips they would have normally. Ever person under 12 will have one and every person over 18 will have one. They can be male or female. Again, there can be no volunteering. Victors are not exempt." She said looking at me sadly.
I felt sick. That meant double the amount of kids headed to their death. Maybe even parents, or younger siblings. 2 families would lose at least one family member. Effie strode over to the bowl of slips. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" She stuck her hand into one of the bowls. "Ladies first." Of course the odds are never in my favor. The name she calls is Primrose Everdeen. I sigh knowing I have many more slips than my mother does. I will be going back into the arena. My only thought was I have to save Prim. Effie already has her hand in the other bowl, she pulls out a slip and reads, "Rory Hawthorne." Now I am on the verge of tears. Gale now has a chance to be chosen. But it's not his name that's called. It is, "Posy Hawthorne." I know before Effie has even picked a slip that I am going to be chosen. And I am. All four of us stand up on the stage. I am standing next to Prim, who is standing next to a shaking Rory, who is holding the hand of his sobbing sister. Two 13 year olds and a 4 year old. How cruel could fate be? Before we are taken to the Justice Center, Effie makes a last-minute announcement. "I have just been informed that there can be two winners this year, if they are from the same district." I blink rapidly. I can save Prim and I, but in order to do that Rory, and sweet little Posy will have to die. I don't know how I can deal with that. They are all my family.
We are then carted off to the Justice Building. Seeing as Prim and I are family, we are allowed the same room. Our first visitor is our mother. She is opening crying as she hugged us both. "You need to come back!" she sobs. "We will. I promise." I say to her. She leaves. Our next guests are Gale, Vick and Hazelle. It is obvious that they have been crying. I am trying to comfort Hazelle, when she says to me "I know Rory and Posy aren't coming back. J-Just make sure you get revenge on who ever kills them."
Prim is sitting silently next to Vick as he tries to comfort her. My heart clenches when she says this. "I'm so sorry Hazelle. You know if I could, I would bring all four of us home." She just nods. I hold onto Gale until the peacekeepers make them leave. My next visitors surprise me. It's Peeta's father and one of Peeta's brothers, Joshua—I think his name was. It was an awkward meeting, to say the least. We sat there in awkward silence until Joshua said, "You have no idea how grateful we are to you, Katniss." he said. I was confused. I killed their son, how could they be thankful. Apparently my confusion showed because he explains. "You kept Peeta alive. He loved you so much." I shake my head. "I didn't keep him alive. I killed him!" I nearly yell. Only Prim keeps me from jumping up. "You didn't kill him." The baker says quietly. "He died to protect someone he loved."
"I'm so sorry." I whispered. Joshua stood up and gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder. "You can win this Katniss—you and Primrose." His father and him walked out after Joshua gave Prim a gentle hug. Our last visitor is Madge. She gives both Prim and I, a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She hands Prim a necklace that matches my mockingjay pin. "Good Luck. I know you can do it." She leaves quickly. We are escorted onto the train and so began our ride to the Capitol.
Thank you for reading!
Please review!