A/N: Well. I'm not sure how these authors note go so I guess I just explain. If you saw this story uploaded on here before, yes, it was from me. I forgot my password to my other account and decided to just create a whole new one so no one is stealing anyone's story.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the original plot and any OC's I might throw in there. All rights go to the original creators they belong to.
It's that time of year again. Not just because my mother was in an even more depressing mood but people now stayed in their houses with the shutters closed more than usual. It had been exactly a year since my big sister and my hero, Katniss died in the games. But at least I know she's up with Peeta where ever souls go and I know they're happy. Last year there had been no victor for the Games. Everyone had thought Katniss and Peeta were bluffing about eating the nightlock and the capitol were sure to stop them. The Capitol was not quick enough. Peeta accidentally swallowed one of the berries and soon after he started coughing and dying right in front of her, Katniss consumed her handful of berries as well.
The star-crossed lovers met their star-crossed fate but I know that Katniss is watching over me with a smile on her face.
No one took her death well.
My mother although she tried to be strong fell into another depression for a short while, leaving me alone. Knowing that I had to feed myself, I sought out Gale's help in teaching me to hunt. He would often yell at me for either scaring off the game or missing it with the arrows. He tried to teach me how to trap animals but I always broke down and cried, begging him to let them free. I couldn't help it. Ever since Katniss died, Gale's had dark circles under his eyes and he rarely smiles. Not much of a big difference since I had never really seen him smile anyways. I remember when Gale had grown really frustrated with me one hot afternoon and snatched the bow and arrow I was holding out of my hand. I thought for sure he was going to slice my throat open but he just looked at me.
"Look, Prim," He had said, "You're not your sister. You never will be, but do me a favor and show me you have some ounce of a working brain."
Hurt? Yes, I had been but I sucked it up and he handed me the bow and the arrow. He grabbed an apple out the bag and threw it up into the air. I pulled the arrow back like I had seen Katniss practice so many time and that's who I thought about as I aimed for the apple. I pulled the arrow back and hit the apple not quite in the center but close enough. I looked to Gale for a sign of approval, like I don't know, a smile maybe. But all I got was a grunt and Gale got picked another apple out the basket.
A year later, I am 13 years-old now and today is the reaping for the 75th Annual Hunger Games. Not only is it just the 75th Hunger Games but it is also the Third Quarter Quell which means the Capitol has something extra special planned for us. Should I be excited? You bet I'm not. My mother shuffles into the kitchen and turns on the little T.V. set. She doesn't like to turn on the T.V. much after seeing her eldest daughter, the supporter of our family, commit suicide, but she must since the special announcement twist is supposed to be made.
"Hi Mom," I say from the small kitchen table. Her head whips around quickly and she looks like she's searching for something. "Katniss?"
I shake my head as tears jerk at my eyes, "No Mom, it's me Prim."
My mother blinks and cups my face in her hand and smiles a sad smile, "Prim. My darling Prim, sweet sweet Prim."
As you can tell, me mother was greatly damaged by this. Sometimes she thinks Katniss is still alive and I have to be the one to drag her back down to reality.
"Mom, it's just me and you. Katniss is gone." I feel horrible when I notice the faint light in her eyes and her hands drop to her sides. She nods once more, gives me a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes and walks over to a small wooden chair in the corner of the room to take a seat.
I stir my spoon around and around in my bowl of squirrel stew, it was plenty cold, maybe more than necessary but I wasn't exactly hungry. Neither was my mother apparently who sat in a corner in her rocking chair staring blankly at the wall. Normally I would have dragged her out of the chair and asked her to eat something but tonight wasn't just a normal night. Tonight was the night before the reaping of the 75th Hunger Games, in other words the Third Quarter Quell. Every Quarter Quell the Capitol makes a twist to the games that usually makes the games much more difficult for everyone. No one knows what the Capitol could be planning so it's scary for everyone.
My mother hasn't been the same since Katniss' death, no one has. The citizen's were shocked, the Captiol was furious and that's what makes this year's Reaping even more dreadful. I look over to my mother who is still staring at the wall with that same sad and far away look in her eyes. Her lips move inaudibly but I can read them, "Katniss...Katniss...come home."
A tear falls into my stew and I quickly wipe the rest away before they fall. I miss Katniss much more than anyone could imagine. She was the one who took care of me. The one I could count on for everything and I couldn't believe she was no longer here. But I know she's somewhere far away from here, somewhere where they don't have these horrible games, somewhere where they don't know the ache of hunger. I close my eyes and see Katniss's smile, a smile that hardly came out around anyone else but me. I smile as I feel her hand touch my cheek.
Prim, you need to open your eyes.
I did and as if on cue, the Capitol's Anthem begins to play on our small little television and President Snow appeared after the emblem.
"In honor of the Quarter Quell, the president has a very important announcement to make," A voice from behind the camera says. President Snow clears his throat and stares straight on at the camera. I know he can't see me, but his dark eyes seem to be staring straight at me. If looks could kill I would most certainly be dead. I knew President Snow couldn't see me but I look away from the television anyway.
"On the twenty-fifth anniversary," President Snow's gravely voice begins, "As a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it. On the fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen, every district was required to send twice as many tributes."
Here it comes, what has the Capitol got planned for us this time. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be pleasant.
"And now we honor our third Quarter Quell," says the President.
I stare anxiously at the table waiting to hear what he would say next and Buttercup jumps in my arms. His tail gets in my face but I push it away, "Move, Buttercup!" I manage to bend his tail out the way and I look to the television again.
A little boy in all white steps up to President Snow holding a white box and opening it in the process. The President pulls out an envelope marked with a number 75 in black numbering and opens the flap. He then pulls out a small square piece or paper and without skipping a beat her reads aloud for the waiting citizens of Panem to hear, "On the seventy-fifth anniversary as a reminder to the rebels that those they chose who to kill had loved ones who cared for them deeply, loved ones that shall reap their vengence, our tributes will be selected from the pool of siblings of the past victors. Volunteers will be prohibited, gender waived, and age restrictions lifted. See you all tomorrow at the Reapings!"
I drop the spoon I'm holding on the the ground and whatever food was left on it splatters everywhere. Buttercup hisses, his fur stands on end and he promptly jumps off my lap and scatters away. I pay no mind because I'm still staring at the screen. Siblings of the Victors? I'm the only sibling of Katniss Everdeen.
I will be going into the arena and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.
Oh no.
My mother's head whips around to look at me, her eyes were wild with fear an filled to the brim with tears., "Prim, oh Prim not my Prim!"
She pushes the chair out of her way and pulls me into a bone crushing hug. I'm too shocked to cry, instead I clutch onto her arm and Mother cries for the both of, "Prim...oh Prim no! No they can't!"
But they can. They have. It will happen. I'll never survive and that's why Katniss volunteered for me in the first place. I'm too small and fragile. I'll will be the first to die, I'm sure of it.
A/N: Hey! I logged into my old FF account and (cringed) found some of my old stories. I love this premise dearly and wrote two different version on two different accounts because I had rewritten it (forgot the password to my account you know how those things go). Anyway, I'd love to continue Prim's story so I took some of my favorite parts from each version, did some editing and decided to really commit to telling Prim's tale. If you gotten this far and actually read this (I know I usually don't) please let me know what you think with a comment, or let me how your day is going or literally anything, I'd really appreciate it. (: