Chapter one: The First Lady

First Lady Julia Love paced back and forth across the red velvet carpeted floors of her office in dull black leather high heels. She could see that the sun was more than halfway set on the back wall of the office that was made up of only windows on a chilly November afternoon. She had on a simple business-like wool skirt that stopped right above the knee and a soft light pink business jacket to match. Nobody wore creative outfits anymore; it was all plain and boring once the rebels had taken over. They (the rebels) thought there were more important ways to use resources than making wonderful clothes. A waste of water they said.

In her office, there was a large golden frame with her grandfather's portrait hanging above a fireplace with a real fire in it. These days that was quite unusual when most Capital fireplaces had synthetic flames in them. On each side of the portrait on the mantel was a vase with white roses in them. Each vase had eleven roses in them never a dozen, never twelve. A memorial to her grandfather. It was the first thing that she had asked to be put into the office once the rebels were defeated and the loyalists sized back the power that was rightfully theirs. Now that they were back in power only one question remained… to bring back the Games or leave them in the past?

The Hunger Games had been the reason why they were able to control the districts for so long, but it was also the reason for their downfall. She thought, and she paced. She stopped in front of the fireplace and kneed down in front of the crackling flames. She gazed into the fire as if she could see her reflection in it. The smoke filled her lungs, and brunt the inside of her nose. She was young, skinny, short, and just barely seventeen. First Lady Love had thick brown hair pulled into a tight bun, clear blue eyes, and a small face, with a sharp chin. Though she was quite attractive with high cheekbones, and a straight nose. The fire was dying down and it was mostly just amber and ash that glowed a sinister dark red. Blood red

Staring into the fire sucking the last bit of warmth out of its dying flames First Lady Love made a decision or rather came to a conclusion. The Capital was too weak to host a Game right now. To bring back the Games now would be negligent. She would not allow herself to be blindsided with hate like her grandfather was by Katniss and her rebels. No, she would be smart and calculated. First Lady Love would have patience, she would wait. When the time was right, she would bring back the Games with a vengeance. She sat down behind a large oak desk that was at the center of the large rectangular room and began to work. There was much to be done if the loyalists wanted to stay in power. Winning the war had been the easy part staying in power as the rebels had learned would be hard. Julia remembered the rebels coming to power like it was yesterday.

The rebels had only managed to stay in power for five years. Though much had happened in those five years for Juila Love granddaughter of Cornelis Snow. When the Capital had fallen Julia had only been twelve. She remembered it all very vividly. She was at the palace hiding in a secret trap door under the floorboards with her mother, and her father. Huddle together they waited in the dark. Then they heard a series of large booms that seem to rip through the air and tear it to literal shreds. Then came the screams. Such horrible screams. The screams were gone almost as quickly as they had come. The sound from the second blast was deafening, and the palace shook violently. Then time seemed to stand still. No screams, no nothing, everything just stopped. That was when the rebels came rumbling into the palace. The servants who had tongues screamed and many loud pops came from old guns that the rebels had brought with them. The old guns' pops busted through the silence and brought Juila back into reality. Julia heard a lot of pleading and yelling.

"WHERE IS HE?" Screamed a man.

"Please don't, please…I don't" said another man.

"POP." Said the gun

This cycle of vengeance repeated itself over and over. For how long Julia could not tell you but it seemed to go on for eternity.