Aftermath: The 51st Hunger Games

by thesupersherlockedpanemaniac

My name is Scarlette Hewitt, I'm seventeen years old; & I'm going to be District Five's female tribute for the 51st Annual Hunger Games. I was reaped last year for the Quarter Quell but my best friend took my place. For the past 6 months I have trained for the Games like the Careers. And this year, I'm determined to show everyone what I can do. Rated T for violence & romance themes

2. Preparation

The Aftermath

Chapter 1: Preparation

I wake up, almost begrudgingly, as I know what this day holds for me.

It is the Reaping day of the 51st Annual Hunger Games. It is; what some people are calling the 'Aftermath', the aftermath of the second Quarter Quell. Where four, not two; families shut down and mourned their child's imminent death. The second Quarter Quell, when my name was picked ever so daintily from the reaping bowl by our Capitol escort, Sparkles Pelew. When Eva, my best friend; said in a quiet voice the bravest two words ever spoken by a child of Panem.

I volunteer.

And those were the two words that I regret the most to hear. I shouldn't have let her. That moment will be with me for the rest of my life. The moment I let my friend die. The guilt will stay with me forever.

Lisbeth's voice brings me out of my little nightmare, 'Scarlette! You up yet?' I groan in reply. She doesn't know I've been training for the last 6 months in preparation of this. I haven't told anyone, not even my sister. Lisbeth is 18; it's her last year of being a possible tribute, and to hell I'm making sure that doesn't happen.

Lisbeth stomps up to my room.

'Seriously, you're wearing a long-sleeve shirt? It's like the middle of freakin' summer! Crazy girl. Now get up. We want you looking mighty fine for the Reaping!' she cackles on the way out.

I roll over to sleep in a little longer. I can't be looking tired when I stand up on stage, I'll look weak.

'RIGHT! THAT'S IT! UP. NOW!' my mother's shout startles me. I wonder what the neighbours are thinking.

'Fine I will! For Panem's sake…' I mutter. I tromp downstairs to find a piece of bread with some kind of jam on top waiting for me on a plate on the wooden table. I sit down and devour it before my mother can even say 'Breakfast is on the table'.

So instead, she lays down a turquoise, knee length dress on what you could call a couch.

'Turquoise, for you know, electricity, power. Lisbeth picked it out herself. It's rather nice once you think about it.' Mother explains quietly.

'Thanks.' I whisper, taking the dress up to my room to put it on. It fits quite well to my body shape surprisingly. Not many things fit me now, though I mostly get Lisbeths' hand-me-downs, which don't fit me at all.

Mother comes up and fixes my dead straight black hair into a loose bun on the top of my head, carefully leaving strands of hair hanging around my face.

'Now you really look beautiful.' she whispers in my ear.

I stare into the mirror at my reflection. Sure I might look beautiful like my mother says, but what I see in my strange, topaz coloured eyes, is fierceness, and I know then, that I will do everything to win this game.