A/N: Started a bunch of stories for NaNoWriMo and this is one of two that actually went somewhere. Again, work in progress, but I have a nice head start on this one. Enjoy.
"Shoot me now," grumbles Chaff as he leans back bottle in hand.
Some of the others laugh dissipating the tension in the air. Wedding dresses. The government's mandatory broadcast is just wedding dresses for Katniss Everdeen.
What a mess that child has gotten herself into. The general population of the Capitol believes that what Katniss and her partner, Peeta, did in the arena was an act of love. I believe she wasn't thinking past that moment. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that the districts are convinced that holding out those berries was an act of defiance and they are rebelling. My district is one of them and I feared tonight would be more hangings.
The show comes to an end and just as I'm about to turn off the TV, Caesar tells us there's another special announcement tonight and it will have something to do with the Quarter Quell.
Of course it wasn't just wedding dresses. I've been alive for two Quells and I know the reading of the card had to be soon. What new twist are they going to put on this one?
President Snow gets up and explains the purpose behind a Quell. He reminds us that the first quell the districts had to vote their tributes in. The victor from that year was a close friend that I miss terribly. Haymitch Abernathy, the mentor of our star-crossed troublemakers, won the second quell where they put double the amount of tributes. And now we get to find out what will happen for the third quell.
"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."
One by one all of us in the room realize what this means. Two of us are going back into the arena. Those that have won recent years are starting to panic, but I'm calm. In fact I'm about ready to laugh.
"Wait, wait, wait… Snow just acknowledged a seventeen year old girl as a threat?"
That's what my friend would say in this situation followed by a good hearty laugh. I want to laugh to. It's happening, the thing we've dreamed about and prepared for years. All of the districts, not just Eleven, are finally rising up again. The trouble is that I might not live long enough to see it happen. That's all right… I should've died in my first arena.
