Chapter One
Katniss Everdeen felt the cold wind whip around her. The snow stuck in her long brown hair, which for once wasn't tied back in her usual braid. She wished it was. She was tired of having to have to keep flinging it out of her face. She pulled her father's large jacket tightly around her and kept her head down as she trudged through the piling snow. Hopefully Haymitch was conscious so he could open the door. Last time she had came over, she had crawled through a window and found him asleep in a puddle of his own vomit and blood.
Since he was only a few doors down, the walk was not bad, but it did chill her to the bone. It had been Peeta Mellark, her on-camera lover and fellow Victor of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, who had came up with the idea to watch the announcement of the plans for the third Quarter Quell at Haymitch's house. This year, it would mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the first Hunger Games. These were always the most deadliest games, and they took the most toll on the Districts of Panem. On the twenty-fifth anniversary, the Districts had to choose two people instead of the odds being at random. On the fiftieth, there was twice the number of Tributes. That was the year that Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta's mentor, won using his wit. Now, twenty-five years later, they were announcing plans for an even greater bloodbath.
Katniss walked up the four steps leading to his front door and reached for the knob, but the door suddenly opened for her. Hazelle Hawthorne stood at the door, a worried smile on her face.
"There you are! We've all been waiting! Peeta was about to go out and look for you!" Hazelle ushered her inside and helped her with her coat. Katniss simply smiled.
"I live a few doors down. I think I can manage." She embraced Hazelle, who was her best friend's mother, and shut the door. Peeta and Haymitch sat in the living room, quietly talking. As Katniss made her way in, Peeta stood and slid over to give her room on the couch. A tray sat on the coffee table, filled with tea and cheese buns. Katniss couldn't stop herself from taking one of the warm cheese buns into her hands and taking a bite.
"It's about time you got here, Sunshine," Haymitch spoke from his recliner chair. "Did you take a stroll through town before coming here?"
"Mom fixed sandwiches and made me eat before I left." Katniss couldn't stop the slight smile that fell on her face at his annoyed grunt. Haymitch, the town drunk, was a crotchety man with no family. The closest thing he had was Katniss and Peeta, who had been two tributes under his care last year as they fought for their lives. Since the two had moved into Victor's Village, all three of them had become closer. Peeta and Katniss had even taken turns trying to slow Haymitch on his drinking to no avail.
"President Snow should take the stage in five minutes," Peeta said, watching Katniss switch her cheese bun from one hand to the other. They were her favorite, and he knew that, which was precisely why he made them. She took another bite of her bun and everyone turned their attention to the television as the Capitol anthem began to play. The host, Caesar Flickerman, smiled from behind a large desk.
"Hello, everyone! Welcome to the announcement of the plans for the seventy-fifth annual Hunger Games!" The audience at the Capitol cheered loudly, whistling and clapping. "President Snow will be announcing in three minutes! Stay close to your televisions! Rumor has it that this year is going to be bigger than ever." He flashed his perfect smile as the camera spanned across the room.
A large stage held a glass podium, Panem flags, and chairs lining the back walls for Capitol officials. The audience sat anxiously in the rows and rows of seats, chattering to their neighbor about what they think will happen this year. Some were veterans of the Games, watching since then first Quarter Quells, and had already placed bets on the game idea. As the Panem symbol appeared on the large projection above the podium, the anthem roared to life louder than ever. President Snow had stepped out to the podium.
His white hair was brushed back, and he gave a haughty smile with his surgically altered lips. A white rose was pinned to the front of his clashing black jacket. His hands were covered in white silk gloves as he waved to the adoring crowd. Behind him walked a young boy - no more than ten years old - carrying a wooden box. He was dressed in an all white tux with a deep red rose pinned to him.
"Thank you, thank you," he said into the microphone. "Today is a day that will go down in Panem history. It will be remembered throughout the years as one of the greatest Quarter Quell plans ever made. Here in this box that this young man is carrying - there is an envelope. In this envelope, written down for seventy-five years, is the plans for the Third Annual Quarter Quell!"
The crowd erupted, clapping and cheering even louder than when he entered the stage. Haymitch snorted from his chair and took another swig from his flask. President Snow raised a gloved hand to silence them.
"But first, let us remember why we have the Hunger Games, and why our young must suffer because of their ancestors carelessness and rebellion against the great nation of Panem." He turned around to watch the projection overhead. Peeta Mellark scoffed.
"What does he have planned that's going to go down in history? In a hundred years or so, people are going to forget all about the first or second Quarter Quell. Who is going to remember the third?"
"The families of the tributes," Haymitch said with a belch. "They will always remember."
Katniss bit the inside of her cheek. President Snow was receiving all of this fame and glory because he sent children out to slaughter, and this year, he was going to torture them just a little bit more than usual. All these children in District 12, the one's who were old enough to be forced to fight, were the ones holding their breath right now. They were the one's clinging to their parents, keeping their fingers crossed in hopes that they may be spared another year. Her mind wandered to Prim. She should have been there for her, should have let her know that everything was going to be alright. She relaxed ever so slightly. Prim was spared. She wasn't in the Reaping this year. Her name was not to be called ever again. She glanced at Peeta's leg, the one that was not amputated, and noticed the bouncing and shaking. He was just as nervous as everyone else.
The video of District 13 came to a close, and there was a polite applaud. President Snow pressed on with his speech.
"With all this being said, what was to happen? Were we, the government, supposed to let these rebels be spared? We did destroy one of the Districts, yes, but were we supposed to just give the others a slap on the wrist? The answer is no. We were not. The safety and well-being of our fine nation was threatened that day. Ladies and gentleman, that is why we host the Hunger Games every year, as a reminder" - President Snow looked straight into the camera - "and a price for the sins your grandparents and great-grandparents committed."
"What is he doing?" Peeta asked. Katniss shifted uncomfortably. The Capitol never talked like this. They never spoke like the Hunger Games was revenge. They made it come off as glorious and courageous to go into the Games, not as a sacrifice. Even the crowd seemed to be under an awkward silence. The only thing that could be heard during this pause was the roar of the wind.
"Because it is your duty as a citizen of Panem to pay the price, we are having the Seventy-Fifth Hunger Games, also known as the Third Quarter Quell."
The little boy opened the box and held it up to the president. Katniss noticed all the envelopes in the box. There were over fifty, at least, one for every twenty-five years. She put her hand over her mouth. "Look how many there are..." Peeta reached over and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.
The president pulled out the first envelope and held it up to the camera. On the front was written 75, for the anniversary. Katniss bit down harder on her cheek and set her cheese bun on the plate. She had lost her appetite, and this had reassured her thinking of never having kids. As he broke the wax seal and pulled out the yellowing parchment, a terrifying grin broke out across his face.
"For the Seventy-Fifth annual Hunger Games," he read aloud, "the previous Victors from each District must agree on two tributes, one boy and one girl, to go into the games. They must pick from a list of people handpicked by the Capitol." He reached in his jacket and pulled out twelve sheets of paper that had been folded and tucked neatly away. "These are the lists, Victors. There is only one catch!" A gasp of breath came from the crowd, some leaning eagerly forward to hear. They had forgotten all about the terrifying speech he had just made.
"The list contains the names of your family members who are in between the ages of twelve and eighteen." A cruel smile played across his face as he held up the sheets. "These names will be sent to you" - he looked at his watch - "now. Congratulations to the family members of the Victors, and Happy Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor."
The television went dark.
Katniss felt the scream welling up inside of her. Primrose, her little sister that couldn't harm a fly, was on that list. Peeta's brothers were on there. A slight whimper she regretted came out of her mouth when the thought of Prim being the only girl on that list.
But instead, she found her fists gripping the collar of Haymitch's shirt, jerking him out of his seat and slamming him into the wall. "You don't have any family that will be put through that, do you?!" she demanded. Drunk, but still alert, Haymitch slammed both of his palms into her chest, sending her sliding across the floor. Peeta limped over between them and held up his arms to keep them at a distance.
"Katniss, Haymitch, stop it. Fighting won't solve anything."
"Well, damn if she didn't start it!"
"I'm not asking who started it! I'm asking -"
The familiar dinging of a parachute being dropped into the Games came from outside the door. Hazelle, who had not left for home yet after cleaning Haymitch's house as an extra job, glanced over at the three tense Victors and walked to the door. She brought in the dinging parachute and carefully handed it to Haymitch. He unscrewed the top, took out the rolled out sheet of paper, and then threw the parachute and plastic container on the ground. The plastic shattered and sprayed everywhere. Hazel sighed. "I'll get the broom."
He unrolled the piece of paper, while Katniss and Peeta slowly approached to look over his shoulder. He blocked the view from Katniss. "Are you gonna pin me to a wall again, Sweetheart?" Katniss glared as he turned the paper where they could all see.
It was divided into two section, one for boys and one for girls. Only one name was in the boys section, and it was Edwin Mellark, Peeta's eighteen year old brother. In the girls, there was surprisingly two names: Primrose Everdeen and April Dogwood. The three frowned. With an exchange of glances, it was obvious that none of them knew who she was.
"Um, Hazelle?" Peeta spoke. "Do you know an April Dogwood?"
She frowned. "I don't know her personally, but I know who she is and I know her of her mother." Hazelle shook her head with a bit of distaste. "Her mother is a whore, Melody Dogwood. She went to school with me, and became a prostitute in the town square at night. She did that until she got pregnant fifteen years ago. I used to wash her clothes when April was young and she would be working the streets."
There was a pause. Katniss glanced over at Peeta. Why was she here on this list? Could she be a cousin neither of them knew about? Haymitch didn't have any living relatives. She could ask her mother about the name Dogwood. Being a healer in District 12, she knew almost everyone. Katniss opened her mouth to mention this idea when Haymitch spoke.
"Everyone out! Now! Go!" With one hand on Peeta's and Katniss's back, he pushed them towards their coats. Hazelle, not needing to be told twice, hurried ahead of them and grabbed her coat off the rack. However, Katniss and Peeta were not so willing to be thrown out. Peeta reached out and held on with all of his strength to the door frame, while Katniss dug her heels in and slid to the floor, pushing against Haymitch.
"I don't think I asked! Not get out of my house!" Haymitch's drunken roar could probably be heard at her own house. Hazelle, who had slipped out, had accidentally left the front door open. Haymitch grabbed Katniss by the back of the shirt, hefted her up, and tossed her outside in the powdery snow. She hit with a light thud.
"Katniss!" Peeta called. His guard fell as he limped towards the door. "Are you al-" He never finished that sentence, as Haymitch had executed a drunken yet swift kick in his back, knocking Peeta onto his porch. The boy spun, ready to tackle the old Victor, but he was hit in the face with two coats belonging to the snow bound teenagers.
"Don't come back!"
Slam. The deadbolt clicked into place, and slowly, every light in the house was turned out. Peeta and Katniss lay in the snow, listening to the howling of the wind and the faint sobs of their tough mentor.