Hey everyone! Paradigm of Writing here with the 10th chapter of The Victors Assault: The 4th Quarter Quell. Last chapter was really, really short and to make up for it, this one is at 6k, which is the longest length of a chapter so far for this story. With #9, we had a nationwide revolt at the fact of someone leaking Panem secrets to the districts, mainly Jonathan Crimson being part of a secret order and some didn't like that at all. Lee made a hasty decision, and here in his wake is that outcome- the revealing of the Quell. Hope you enjoy Chapter 10!
"You realize what today is, don't you?" Henry asked me at breakfast.
I snorted. "Please. If anything, it's a memory I don't want to keep inside my head."
No matter which way I looked at it, I knew that eventually I'd face the worst day of my new life as a victor. The Quarter Quell was upon us, upon me. Not only was it a Quarter Quell, no, this was far worst. It dealt with the number a hundred. Meaning the 100th year of the Hunger Games. The 4th Quarter Quell. One hundred years of Hunger Games and it seemed as if there was no planning to stop anytime soon.
Thankfully, for Henry, he never had to, so far in his reign, mentor a tribute during this dreadful time. It'd be our first, for the two of us. We'd die together, and that memory sat nicely inside my heart. Oh, the simple things we humans wonder about at breakfast. Oh, no biggie, just wondering how my fellow comrades will die and break down from an evil arena. It's perfectly okay.
"We'll be mentoring together," Henry continued. "I have an idea, correct me if I'm wrong, but we're going to either kill each other or our tributes. We get to argue over whom we pick, right? I'll take the guy. I seem to be successful in that department." he chortled.
"Don't be so sure. Looks can often become very deceiving after awhile. How hopeless did I look like to you again?"
"Oh, worse for wear most definitely. Then you proved me wrong, made me eat crow. Whole nine yards."
"Uh huh. Sure." I retorted.
He feigned mock surprise. "Hey! Least I'm making an effort."
The two of us laughed, diving back into our breakfast. Realizing that hiding in the shadows from District 12, today on Quell day, that wouldn't be smart. He couldn't bear take the news alone, but going outside meant live reactions and no one truly wanted that. Besides, I liked company. My friends could only mull so much ground. Eden had to work today, like every day, but he promised he'd stop by for the Quell announcement, hold over the household if the victors of 12 needed to go lose their heads. What a great friend.
My brain only could imagine the possibilities. They seemed endless, vast and numerous in a crazed dance. Lucas invited Bailey over without my jurisdiction, and my mother didn't seem to care. Her child was alive and well, I personally believe that's all that mattered to her. Lest she had forgotten there was a thirteen year-old child in the house as well who needed just as much support.
Speaking of the blonde haired devil, he strode in, head of hair messy and thrown up in a tornado. He yawned, spotting the cup of coffee in my hands. He didn't even attempt an hello, making a daring dash to seize my cup before I could recoil in self defense. Wasn't my fault he could end up with a bloody nose.
I watched, somewhat angry at my brother for family would always be family. The mahogany downpour vanished down his throat, and with a satisfying gasp, he set the cup down with a clink. He smirked before taking a seat next to Henry.
"Good morning to you too." I muttered.
"Always a pleasure." Lucas replied back grinning.
Sometimes I often wondered what inside that boy's brain. I tell you, he displayed some of the weirdest District 12 behavior on Earth. Often, he took the mature high road and acted as the voice of reason in my absence. Then, in extraneous scenarios, he'd be a complete ass. Rude, funny, and charitable in one. Made for a great guy. Surprised he hadn't any fanciers after his behind.
Henry said something unintelligible into his jacket sleeve, half snorting, half laughing. After regaining his composure, he settled the fork and knife down that was clutched in his hands since he sat to eat with me. "You know, I used to act like that all the time with Marley."
"Marley?" I asked.
"My district partner," Henry said, looking at his plate. "She was my district partner. Almost my sister, given how often we were around each other."
Lucas and I shared a glance. This was my first time hearing of my mentor's past, in pieces sure, but this one was quite a void. Nearly everyone in my district knew of Katie, and I was asked about her often. Her smile, her laugh, her hair... how she even kissed. Never answered that last one. It'd be too cruel.
"That's nice," Lucas nodded, referring to Henry's awkward mention of his district partner. "Did that bond stay till-"
"I'm going to leave," Henry interrupted. He stood. "Thank your mother for me. The eggs were delicious, the croissants were delightful, and the coffee is making me got to piss faster than an ostrich can run." With that, the disheveled mentor disappeared from my kitchen, out the front door, and back into the light of 12. So much for wanting to stay hidden.
The table was shrouded in silence. Lucas nibbled on a croissant left in the basket near my right elbow, which was propped up against the table. I stared at him. My brother was an interesting human being to say the least. Loved him more than words could dutifully say, how my heart could express any emotion other than cascading affection and caring.
Had I not been picked for the reaping last year, and time just passed on like normal... what would our relationship be like? Questions similar to that degree often kept me up at night. What if my arrow into Rachel's eyes missed, making it non fatal. Had Lone not killed Huron and Amelia after Thatcher's passing... or if I agreed to loving Katie on Interview night than trashing her in front of all Panem. Those little moral tests held me at bay frequently. Knowing where my brother could possibly be, or how he may be acting is one of them.
"You excited?" Lucas asked after some moments of distilled quiet.
"If you can call having a knot in my stomach excited, then you nailed that on the head."
"The sarcasm is duly noted, brother."
"Is that so?"
He grinned into his plate, flashing one of his iconic eyebrow raises, sparkling diamond eyes cheering the table up in a jiffy. Lucas Crimson was a strange fellow indeed. His blonde hair looked even brighter in the sunlight, one detail I noticed just now sitting at the table.
"I think you'd be happy to know, Bailey and I went hunting yesterday."
"Without my permission?" I questioned. Although no words expressed it, a fiery rage secreted my veins. He, above all, knew how much I hated him going into the woods with anyone but me before letting me know. Yet, as the annoying twat younger brothers could be, consistently he did it. Not going to deal with that crap.
"Without Jonathan Crimson's permission, yes." Lucas said matter-of-factly, digging into the basket for another croissant.
"You know-"
"I shot a deer. Killed it too." he interrupted me, letting my banter on responsibility be cut off in seconds.
"Bailey had no aid in it whatsoever?"
"None."
That took me a step back, one low droll to process. My brother, shot a deer. A deer. Normally, I had a hard time bringing those damned beasts down with my own marksmanship, but he said the word so crisp and clear that it didn't matter. He didn't take a down a baby, for I let him know that was a moral qualm of mine. This had to have been some gigantic sucker, poor and ripe for the pick.
"Aren't you a little mini me?" I ruffled his hair.
"Indeed," Lucas's eyes were bright. "Shot it twice. One arrow hit the neck, the other in the foot to maim it. Bailey had Eden come out with us too, just to witness it because Eden wouldn't tell a lie. He's got proof, called using his vision to see it. You can stop by and ask him later."
"No, I personally believe you. Trust me, I'd be the first to call you out on the bullshit."
"Cute."
I stuck out my tongue at him. "Make sure you eat some eggs too. Bread is wonderful and all, but that will not substitute for a suitable meal Luke."
"What are you? My father?"
I couldn't put my finger on it, but something inside me quivered. With a quick deduction, it had to be my heart. Lucas hardly ever mentioned our father, one I knew little to nothing about, and he not at all. "Yes, I very well may be." I stood from the table.
"Where you heading?"
"Across the street. Going to check on Henry."
"His outburst shaking you already? Already got you worried? Man, he works quickly." Lucas shook his head.
"Indeed. After all, he's family. Shouldn't we watch out for each other?"
Lucas didn't respond to that, rather opting to dive into his plate. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes, like I said, given how smart my brother could be, he was a tad bit unusual. That's why I loved him. Anyone who felt otherwise was plain ignorant and stupid. Sometimes, I was even like that.
After all, we're human.
It was rumored that Henry Kraving never really kept the highest establishment of credibility to his name. Seeing the Victor Village house he occupied, this claim was the fastest thing to ever be disproved.
His house was spotless. Not a hair was out of sight, no dust particle uncounted for. Never took the route of calling my old mentor some neat freak, but this put that to the test quite well. Outside, by the cobblestone steps, lay a flower pot. A singular daisy stood in the pot, wilting and dropping. Besides the flower, everything was nice. From an outsiders point of view, that dying plant had the most character than the pristine house.
The front door was shut, obviously. Privacy came a lot in 12. Something I genuinely appreciated about being a victor. Not many people cared about my business, but more so how my earlier actions acted as transgressions and what I planned on doing to say away from them.
My knuckles rapped against the front door. No response. Silence met me. Huffing, I knocked again. "Dude, you aren't fooling anybody. Can I come in?"
"Go away." Henry's dismal voice screeched from inside.
"H, what happened to keeping me company? Seems like getting up from the table unannounced and so sudden was uncalled for. Apologizing for the abruptness could've sufficed."
"Go to hell."
"And... there's that little thing called, 'Not Staying Alone with the Quell Was Played.' Heard of that pact before? Funny you should mention it-"
"Jonathan, if I add a pretty please to that, would you leave?"
"No."
"Threatened your manhood?" Henry approached the suggestion.
"Not a chance," I dissented. "Henry, you're in pain. Let me come in."
"Door's unlocked." my mentor responded, slow and deliberate with each syllable as if it counted for all the world.
Testing his theory, I pushed it open to find it indeed unlocked like he said. Which was a first, given my mentor's rather... stubborn nature. The light from the outside disappeared as I shut the door, drowned into a sea of black. The living room of Henry Kraving wasn't much, seeing as he was lying on the couch, drinking tree random bottles of stuff I didn't even want to know. He gave me a toothy grin.
"Do my actions disturb you, o' great victor of the Hunger Games?"
"Personal level or logical level?" I retorted.
"Both." he muttered, sitting up.
"I believe you need to just talk. Works wonders. See how Colby and I turned out."
"He ended up getting a spear in his stomach, and you worse for wear, Jonathan. Not the greatest example. Don't use you and a past ally as some analogy for me. It'll only make it worse for me."
"Because of this Marley girl?"
Henry stopped, his mouth half open in response. My remark caused him to halt directly in his tracks. He swished the bottle of who knows what in his hand, pouring another cup. The glare I was given gave me an answer, pressing further would prove disastrous.
"For the record," he hissed, teeth ground together, eyes narrow, "Marley wasn't just some girl. She was my district partner, like I mentioned back at your place. My sister even, if we wanted to stretch things out some. Exaggeration always helps."
"Then fine, your district partner." I corrected myself, sitting down.
Henry took another sip from the cup. "This stuff is amazing."
"What even is that?"
"Morphine." he replied cynically.
"You're drinking morphine?"
"Yeah. It's able to go into our bloodstream via injection. Why not through the throat?"
"I uh-"
"Jonathan, I'm a grown man. Stop babying me."
"You're nineteen. Two years older than me hardly counts." I pointed out.
"Still a year above eighteen, where jurisdiction has a blurred line. Don't think so. Besides, if its not you who fondles excessively over me, it's Georgia and none of us need that. Ever."
"That's true. Besides, we're victors. Aren't we supposed to tell each other everything?"
He had to think about that. "Not everything."
"Indeed. Sorry I even mentioned that." I shuddered. There were probably a few things about Henry Kraving I didn't need to discuss.
"Besides, we have the Quell to think about." Henry rubbed his chin, setting the morphine glass down on the coffee table.
"Not what I'd like to discuss-"
"As a victor, you discuss anything and everything. This is important, it's another one of those rules. President Lee could pull you into any conversation and you'll have to deal with it."
"Any generalizations I can be warned about?"
"Sex." my fellow victor said without thinking, swigging another cup of morphine.
"Ugh! Gross!"
"I'm serious."
"You can't be. That's vile. That's sickening. That's-"
"That's how the president of this nation works." Henry finished for me, knowing had he not, I'd rant.
I nearly vomited right there on the spot. Sex? As in porn? Heavens. How low could the Capitol be? Actually... no need to even ask that question. Our government pitted children against each other for sport, hunted and hurt beyond measure. No person could just radically change the government. Not even if the entire population, which we've tried actually... went full guns blazing in. We'd need a whole different approach. One that I couldn't see.
"I'd rather talk the Quell."
"Same here. Easier to talk about children and their deaths, huh?"
I rubbed my arm. "Not if you put it like that. God no."
"That make you uncomfortable, putting it that way?" Henry mocked.
"Yes. It actually does."
"You're too soft for this job." Another cup of morphine, another exasperated sigh.
"Too soft," I scowled. "What does that mean? I had to kill people in that arena. I'm not soft."
"What are you going to do when you watch people on those monitor screens get teared to pieces by a pack of mutts or tributes? When those in the arena go to extremes and resort to cannibalism. The worst one is when someone in those precious games resemble someone we used to know. I have it happen all the time."
"Last year?"
"Especially last year."
"With who?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows together.
"Rachel."
If I had been drinking something, I would've spit it all over him. I couldn't believe my ears. "Rachel? You mean the girl from District 6 who nearly killed me at the feast? One of my worst enemies in the arena? The brother of Lone... that Rachel?"
"She looked like Marley." Henry shrugged.
There was that Marley girl. He mentioned her too much. Way too often for it to be considered healthy, given how often I called out Katie, Lyon, and Colby's names in my horrified sleep.
"You have nightmares of her?"
"Plenty."
"I have nightmares of my allies. And of my enemies."
"Don't we all?"
"I guess," I frowned. "What are yours about, dealing with Marley?"
"Her never saying goodbye." Henry whispered.
"I'm not following you."
"That's how we were separated. When she said goodbye," Henry looked out the window, misty-eyed. "We were the final two in the arena, but there was no Katniss and Peeta scenario happening. We weren't in an alliance, and during those games, she had come to hate me for some unknown reason. We met each other by chance in the mountains of our arena. She kissed me goodbye, saying I'd win somehow. I heard a cannon. Got on the same helicopter as her, and that was that."
Silence. I shuffled awkwardly in my seat, finding the cloth on the couch way more interesting. He had been with her to the end. Till she sacrificed herself. I don't know, had it been Katie and I in the final two, if that would've happened. The prospect of us both going home could have worked, but... no one could ever be certain.
"I'm sorry."
"No need to be." His voice was hoarse. He stood up.
"Want me to go?" I asked.
Henry's look was emotionless, something out in the distance that no one but him could ever see. "Yes. Get out. I'll be back by your house when the Quell announcement comes on. Things matter, most definitely. Be prepared for crying." He looked down at his feet, before shuffling further into the house.
That was my cue. I stood, smoothing my outfit, and watched him go. As I waited to leave, my eyes caught the still full cup of morphine. I shrugged, why the hell not? I only live once and it didn't seem to me that Henry had much in his house for such a strong supply. Picking the cup up, I took a sip.
And promptly spit it out, cussing the whole time. It was nasty.
Eden wiped down the counter of his shop, whistling the anthem of Panem to himself. "Just another simple day, cleaning and being the best human being I can."
The door to the weapons office opened, and the perky shopkeeper glanced upwards. The familiar blonde haired head of Lucas Crimson greeted him. He rose, grinning. "What gives me the honor?"
"Pish posh," the youth of the two scowled, throwing a game bag on the table. "What can you give me today?"
"Nothing."
"Good," Lucas sighed. "Because there's nothing in here. Went into the woods with Jonathan, didn't even decide to mark after anything. Chased a few rabbits, my arrow missed them repeatedly. He offered to shoot, but I refused."
"Always the stubborn one, aren't you?" Eden smiled.
"Indeed. Besides, I'm too distracted."
"Over?"
"The Quell."
"Why?"
Lucas rolled his eyes. "It's obvious. My brother is a victor, and he may be having to face one hard ass year. For all I know, the rule could be that we're sending twenty kids from each district to the arena. And I'm nervous for myself as well."
"Because-" Eden started.
"I'm still viable for the reaping," the blonde finished. "I have seven more years of this torture. He gets to sit there lively and ready, but I have to stand in fear of being chosen. It'd be the worst if we were to go together, me as a tribute and him my mentor."
"You wouldn't have it any other way though, you know this."
"Of course."
"Honorable trait."
"Not that I'd call it honorable," Lucas corrected. "But rather logical. My brother is a victor. A mentor, the leader and representative of District 12. He has power and presence. Anyone that doesn't use this to their advantage is stupid."
"Advantage? Are you suggesting that Jonathan uses his status in tyrannical ways?" Eden was perplexed.
"Not at all! Not at all!"
"Then, what are you saying?"
"Stating the fact that my brother needs to realize he's important. He goes around to those different districts, seeing his win as some fluke. Doesn't see the self worth, the credibility and value in him. People look up to his namesake now, something I don't think he'll ever get used to. I always look for the best in my brother, and him coming out of those Hunger Games alive and well, and as a winner, it means so much to him and he just has to see it." Lucas explained.
"You are quite the interesting young man. How often do people tell you that?" Eden mused.
"I get that a lot. Have anything to drink?"
The shop owner shook his head. "Wish I did. Bailey came by earlier."
"What'd she want?"
"To chat. Just like you. Also was looking for Jonathan."
"Because of-"
"Yes."
The two went quiet, Lucas more than Eden as he felt the total awkwardness of the conversation. For nearly two and a half months, the two hunting partners hadn't said more than three words to each other at school. Being nice would happen, manners were manners, but any true talking was left to someone else.
"Weird that they don't talk." Lucas scratched the back of his neck.
"Probably just to comfort him come the Quell announcement."
"That reminds me," the Crimson youth blinked, remembering why he came to see Eden. "What are you doing this evening?"
"Closing up shop. Why?"
"Jonathan is having Henry over for the Quell announcement. If you'd like, you could stop by with us and watch. He's going to need all the support he can get."
Eden frowned, not seeing why his inclusion would be so important. "I mean, I guess. If it's so important to you, sure."
"I'm not the one that requested it. My mother did."
"Oh." the shopkeeper raised an eyebrow.
"She had turned beet red when she said it, too."
"Oh." This had Eden's interest.
"Jonathan asked her why, and all my mother did was skirt away. I find it... amusing that a grown woman can act like a giddy schoolgirl. Love her to death though. So, coming or not?"
"I already said yes, didn't you hear me?"
"I have selective hearing." Lucas explained.
Eden laughed. "Sure you do."
"Positive. I guess I'll see you around?"
"Indeed." the weapons dealer nodded.
The blonde disappeared back to the streets of 12, just as quick as he came in. Eden went back to his lonesome self, resuming to wipe down the counter. All the while, as the smells of chlorine and bleach flowed together to give off a nasty scent, he thought. Of the invitation. Of the Crimson's mother. "Why now? Haven't I already done enough?" Eden mused to himself, resuming his cleaning.
It was possibly just a phase of the mother. Don't have a husband for the longest time, and then suddenly an amazing man pops in and acts as the forefront figure of her child's life... any woman single or not would leap at that opportunity. Eden smiled to himself. "All I do is out of the goodness of my heart." he said aloud, not caring that no one heard him except the ceiling fans.
Deep down though, he had to admit. The attention was rather nice.
"Hurry up Henry! The announcement will be on soon!" I called from my seat on the couch in my living room.
Outside, the moon was high in the sky, and the world of District 12 was alive and restless. If people weren't in their homes, they were holed up in town square, destined to sit there and witness the revealing of the 4th Quarter Quell. My first year as a victor was to be decided. One I couldn't avoid no matter how hard I tried."
"When a man has to use the restroom, he uses the restroom." Eden chortled.
My mother blanched. "I'd rather not discuss the pissing schedules of the men in the room."
Lucas snorted from the floor. "You're too maternal."
Henry reappeared, yawning. "How much longer?"
"You sound like a toddler." I commented.
Eden checked his watch. "Currently, the time is 8:00. So... now."
As soon as the weapons dealer spoke, the current program on the TV froze and sound blasted from our speakers. While I and the other residences of the living room covered our ears from the blaring trumpets, the fuzzy screen was replaced with the blazing halcyon insignia of Panem, underneath in fancy manuscript, The Capitol, 4th Quarter Quell.
The familiar face of Louis Grande took over the logo, his cheeky white grin and pearly suits being a sight for sore eyes. Although his voice could be annoying at times, like all Hunger Games announcers, his presence was one of warmth on camera and off camera.
"Good evening Panem." the interviewer greeted.
"Screw you too." Henry muttered under his breath. My mother elbowed him.
"Tonight," Louis continued, "Live from the Capitol, we bring you the broadcasted event of the 4th Quarter Quell card reading. No one, not even the president of this nation knows what's written on the cards. Whoever sat there to label them in stone is long dead, long, long dead."
"You're telling me." Eden cracked up.
"Wouldn't someone born during the 1st Hunger Games be 100 years old at this reading?"
"Somewhere, yeah." I nodded. That left a pang on my heart. How many people in Panem do really even live to 100? People in the Capitol never even got to live that long.
Louis was finishing up a long speech dedicating the Quell when his screen was replaced by a new frame- one of the presidential mansion. Everyone in the room promptly sat up, backs straight, breaths quiet.
I had to hand it to the Panem architects. They made beautiful sculptures, buildings, and other monuments. Wonderfully etched in names on the balcony of the mansion's second floor could be seen on our camera as it zoomed in.
President Lee stood in the middle of the balcony, dressed up in all black as if he were arriving to a funeral. His sharp eyes bore daggers into me, although he couldn't have been exactly looking at me, knowing true location. He licked his lips, waiting for the signal that it was okay to speak. A box was clutched in his hands, pallid, lacy paper with rosy frills decorating the wooden crate. Looked cheap. Unheard of for the Capitol to be unprepared.
"Greetings, those in Panem," Lee spoke, his voice booming. Through the crowd, you could hear a resonating hush as his voice settled the frazzled nerves of all. I winced, his voice was not comforting. "Today is a momentous day for those able to witness it."
"Momentous my ass." Henry hissed.
"You're telling me," Lucas agreed. "Awful... awful."
I chose to ignore them. "Least we're not the kids going for slaughter..."
"Hundred years ago from this very day, the forefathers of our grand nation designed and designated the Hunger Games. My great grandfather, president Ammadeus Snow, was the first man in this country to head this nation in a direction of security and civility."
"Liar!" Eden yelled at the screen.
"Wait," Lucas held out his hands. "Lee said his great grandfather, Ammadeus led this nation. Are they the only royal family to ever be in charge?"
"Yes," my mother whispered. "Though, that may change. Only because our current president has no children or grandchildren to his name. I personally don't believe he's willing to marry."
It was an interesting factoid, do not get me wrong. I, in this moment in time though, had no need in learning of the Snow lineage. All I got from it was that each head man was a vile snake, evil and quite the corrupt leader.
"In the 1st Quarter Quell, signaling that even the ones we love could only be so trustworthy, the adults of the districts voted for who went in the Hunger Games. The 2nd Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes went in to the arena, 48 in total."
"Haymitch Abernathy," Lucas said from his spot. "Wasn't he the victor of that year?"
"Yep. From 12." Eden agreed.
"We all look up to him." Henry said. I couldn't tell if my mentor was being sarcastic or not.
Lee continued up on the television screen. "For the 75th Hunger Games, we had the victors of each district be put back into the reaping ball, cream out the best of the best."
No one dared utter a word. Names flew by in my head. Katniss Everdeen. Peeta Mellark. Finnick Odair. Johanna Mason. Tributes that were once very important to us, to the entirety of Panem. The revolution that shocked the districts, where hope seemed tangible before it was ripped out from underneath us.
"And now, the reading of the 4th card." Lee nodded, to some invisible person on the other side. A hush fell over us, and the box in the president's hand was lifted up. Envelope after envelope was stacked against each other, envelope after envelope. When Ammadeus Snow must have sat down and devised the games, they must have planned for this to last generations and generations.
A malevolent chill went down my spine, Henry's too, as I saw him squirm. The wooden box was set down, and the wind picked up the lacy covering to the skies. No one on that balcony cared. Given it was a Quarter Quell, plus being marked as the 100th year, a normally significant year in any date, we were in for a whirlwind of trouble.
"Anyone want to bet?" Lucas whispered from the floor, trying to lighten the mood.
The flap of the envelope was lifted up, and I saw Lee reach into and pull out a single golden card, flipped around as indiscernible words in black ink faced us. The card was turned around, and our president could only stare at the card, almost if he couldn't believe what he was reading. That could not be a good sign.
Lee licked his lips again. "For the 4th Quarter Quell, to ensure that Panem knows the full fledged definition of insanity, the tributes will be drawn once more from a pre-determined pool of victors."
Someone in the room screamed. It may have been me.
"NO!" Eden howled.
"That's not fair!" Lucas was up, pointing maliciously.
My heartbeat rapidly, and Henry and I locked eyes. The only victors alive in 12 were he and I. I had a chance of not getting picked, but it meant he did. It also meant we had no female tribute either. Not necessarily the warmest thought when thinking about it.
"Let him finish. He said pre-determined..." my mother calmed us down.
Lee began to recite names. "From District 1, Sabrina Vazquez and Anthony Ricardo. From District 2, Jasmine Inez and Don Terio," I shuddered at the mentioning of Don's name, the ruthless Gamemaker and victor from District 2. Relentless in his cruelty, he almost killed me in my games. The president went down the list.
"Kerry White: District 4."
Kerry. The silver haired man I met at the party in Four. Turned out that Brian Caldwell from Five was getting thrown in the mix as well. Besides their names and Don, everyone else was a stranger. The last name from 11 came, and then it was us.
"Everyone, be quiet." I hissed.
Lee, on screen, wiped his brow which was perspiring heavily. "Lastly, there is District 12. In years past, there have been victors coming from the coal ladled district, we know this. The discrepancy here is that there are two male representatives for Twelve. That would not work, as a female must be viable for selection.
"A reaping, then." Lucas said. There was no other way.
"It'd be unfair if the lady pool was made to have a reaping," Lee shot down that suggestion quickly. "Since all the other districts have their tributes selected, as does the male for Twelve, making the females get a chance to be picked off is not fair. The young lady joining the District 12 male victor in the arena has been decided."
My mind frantically searched for someone, something to even think of. My mind drew a blank. "Oh shit..." I thought, till Lee interrupted my thinking by tenfold.
"And that lady has been picked. The female district representative of 12 shall be... Bailey Resel."
Another scream, and I know this one came from me, ripped through the room. I nearly leapt at the TV, wanting to rip it right off its hinges. Not her. NOT HER! They couldn't do that. Everything seemed so perfect. Out of every girl in Twelve, she was the one chosen. Impossible.
"Jonathan, they haven't decided the male." Henry hushed me, a sob escaping my lips.
The twinkle in President Lee's eyes was irreplaceable, you couldn't miss it for the world. Someone who was blind could have seen it. "Our District 12 male victor to go into the arena will be..."
We all leaned forward. Lucas, on the floor, hugged his sides tight, muttering over and over again, "Please not my brother... please."
"Jonathan Crimson." Lee said with a flourish.
Henry chucked a bottle at the screen, snapping the power in one shatter. The room was plunged into silence, all four heads whipping to stare at me. My mother was evidently crying, Lucas close to tears. Eden's mouth was half open, Henry blank and unmoving.
"I- I'm going back to the arena..." I croaked out.
I was right, my ears weren't deceiving me. I was going back into that arena with Bailey Resel, my best friend, at my side. This day couldn't get any better, could it?
DUN DUN DUN! I bet you all saw that from a mile away. I am not the best at foreshadowing, guaranteed, but my divulge shall happen sooner or later in this story. Jonathan is returning to the Hunger Games everybody, this time, with his best friend against all these newly found victors. The slate was really wiped clean and now all these unfortunate victors will have their numbers dwindled down once again. Shame. In other news, my SYOT, Death Under the Sky is still happening, and there are a lot of spots that still haven't even had a single submission for. A lot of my districts have only had 1 submission for male and female, so even if you pick one that's already had a submission, doesn't mean I might pick yours instead. So go vote! I'd love to hear your comments on how that story is turning out, and submit a tribute while you're at it- the more the merrier! I love you guys so much. I'll try and have the next chapter out to you all sometime before the end of next week, but I can't make any promises. Thanks for reading! See you guys soon. Bye!
~ Paradigm