The first annual Hunger games.
Chapter 1
since 3 months, the war has ended. The Capitol had won. The rize of the 13 Districts against the capitol... had resulted in nothing but a bloodbath and more aggony amongst Citizens of the Districts. To show off their brutal strength, the Capitol had blown up District 13, nothing remained but a smouldering pile of ashes, some rubble and dead trees. Here in District 4, things havent been much different.
Our District is known for Fishery, since a short time our District has been given a quota from the Capitol, 500 trout, 200 salmon, at least 1000 Oysters and shellfish, Delivered to the Capitol at the end of each month. ''what if we don't make that Quota?'' My uncle protests, only to be stared down by one of the newly appointed guard in white, the Capitol calls them... Peacekeepers. he opened his mouth only to speak the words ''make the Quota, and you will never have to find out.''
These words send senses of fear trough everyone in my District, I was only 15 at the time. The Head peacekeeper, Vanirous Squab, was his name, spoke up ''Today at 1800 o'clock sharp, all of you are to watch the TV, For those who dont have a TV Assemble in the middle of the square'' he says. 'what could be so important that everyone has been ordered to watch TV or assemble in the square? more torture from the capitol?' I think to myself.
Later that day when we were all watching TV, my suspissions were confirmed, as the Capitol Anouncer on the TV Announces ''in 9 months from now, we will start remembering the war and all the victims the 12 remaining districts made, we will do this by playing a game, the Hunger games!'' she says in an excited voice ''In these games a boy and a girl tribute between the age of 12 and 18, to compete in the Arena and fight to the death'' with that...the Anouncement is over, I look at my mother, Pale as a sheet, I look at my Father, who is in shock, then I look back over my shoulder to my uncle who looks back at me, Clearly he can see the terror on my face as he sits nearby me and says ''Everin, there is alot of children between the age of 12 and 18... the chance that they will draw your name...is so small'' he says.
My Uncles words comfort me and I hug him, I need to calm more, but that happens when both my parents join in the warm embrace. I am grateful, to be here, to be with my parents and Uncle.
By the end of the month the first Quota was reached, all the fish and shellfish were shipped off to the capitol, but now all the fishers had to start all over and there was nothing left for themself. Diving up Oysters is one of the best things I can do, I can hold my breath for nearly 3 minutes, I won several diving competitions before the war. As I dive down in the by now Freezy pond... I find nothing, all our Oysters are gone, the water has gone too cold for any fish except for the cod to stay, the best thing I can find are some empty clam shells and some dead shrimp, I take them up to the surface and look at my uncle in the boat above me poking around the water with a trident only skewering cod. ''we won't make the Quota this month...'' I say in fear, My uncle doesnt object, he knows its the truth, what he fears is the bitter punishment from the Capitol.
Right we were, at the end of that month we hadn't close to reached our quota, the small shipping of cod and shrimp that we found was taken to the capitol, leaving all of us from District 4 to starve, we had nothing but our fishery as a food source and now the Capitol had taken all of that. people were starving in their houses, a month later, the sign ups for the hunger games started, every boy and every girl in Distric 4 had to come, if you hid your children, you would be punished by death. with a lump in my throat that feels the size of a football I walk up to where several kids are getting blood taken from them and pressed in a finger print on a sheet after which it was scanned to indentify who the blood belongs to. A peacekeeper stood up on the stage set up in the square ''Every single person who desperately needs food, can sign up for Tessera, in exchange for that person to add another ticket with their name on it!''
I freeze as the peacekeeper explains what a tessera is, a years supply of grain and oil, everyone in our district desperately needs food, there is no doubt that everyone will be submitting an extra ticket for that. I am afraid...this doubles my chances of being taken away...to have to kill or be killed, I think it over a million times but I decide I can't let my family down, I sign up for Tessera in exchange for a ticker with my name on it added to the pot. In exchange I get a shiny small token that I can show all year to the peacekeepers to get grains and oils.
When I show my family the food, they are happy, when they found out how I got it, their heart sinks, they look at me as if I just broke every law the Capitol made up, my uncle looks away mumbling something about 'those stinking capitol rats'
''Don't let the peacekeepers hear that'' my father says. My mother is still too much in shock to say anything, then thanks me for the food but tells me to never sign up for tessera ever again, and so I promise.
There is a knock on the door, My mother stands up to open it only to be surprised by 2 peacekeepers, she stands back. ''Miss Fendergart?'' one of the peacekeepers asks. ''y-yes'' my mother gave a stammering reply, ''we are looking for Dennery Fendergart, head of the fishery'' the other says in a stern voice. My uncle stood up ''that would be me'' he says.
The peacekeepers look at him and each grab an arm ''what is the meaning of this?'' My uncle says looking at the 2 men. ''You didnt make the fishing quota last month and this month, the Capitol has said to arrest you and Punish you'' one of the peacekeepers says and takes my uncle away. I love my uncle so I want to go after him to help him but I am stopped by my parents. is there no end to the capitols cruelty?
It is later that week that I hear what happened... My uncle was killed by the capitol... a public execution... my father had to take over the job as a head of the fishery, now also his life is on the line, but he was overcome with brilliance, to go farther out to sea to catch the fish that the capitol demanded, and he found them and caught them.
All went well the next couple of months, the fish returned to the docks in summer, by now it was time for the very first...hunger games reapings.