I rise as the seal of Panem appears on the glowing black screen. I hum to the tune softly, and hope, prey that Thorne didn't hear me. I wipe the tears from Missies face as we sit down. I hug her, and slowly rock back and forth, like we always do when she's upset. I can already hear and feel her breath slowing down... calming down... and that was enough to calm down me down too.
'Well, that was brilliant! A lot better than the family I supervised last year!'
'Thorne, please. we just want to get through this as quickly as possible. so, if you would kindly SHUT UP, that would be appreciated.' My Mom said. Way to go Mom! She was the only person in District five that could talk to Thorne that way, AND get away with it. Any ordinary person would be beaten for it.
'hmm... Fine. But how about YOU shut up, and just watch!' Thorne growled, grinning.

I feel tense as I watch the old, frail President Snow stumbled up to the Capitol stage, with the aid of his granddaughter, Aggatha Snow. she had become more public since Snow became so weak, but he made it perfectly clear that she had no say in his actions. she was there purely as an aid.
'Hey, Buddy, are you ok?' Billie asks me, and I then realise I had been crying.
'Umm... yeah, I'm fine,' I lie. I am Absolutely terrified. Like everyone else in Panem, I have NOO idea what the Quell will be like this year. It could be like the earlier Quells (the first one, the People of the Districts had to elect the Tributes, second, there was twice the number of Tributes Reaped for the Games, and the last one, the seventy-fifth, the Tributes were Reaped from a pool of previous Victors from the previous games were reaped. That one caused a HUGE commosion in the Capitol). But President Snow always made sure that the games were different and more interesting each year. Maybe people 22 - 28 can be reaped this year? Or maybe its you have to bring a loved one in? Maybe they will only reap 12 Tributes this year? Or... No, I won't think that.
'Isaac, It's gonna be ok, buddy. you're not going to be reaped, so understand, whatever the quell twist is... your safe from it,' Billie said, uncertainly. I understood that he was unsure... he was probably just as terrified as me.
'Okay, I've accepted a little bit of chatter, but now enough is enough! Be quiet!' boomed Thorne.
'Keep your shirt on, We know, Thorne. But you'll understand that we have never not watched it. Our family is the LEAST of your problems!' Dad boomed.
Thorne looked startled, but he finished with a soft, 'Good point,' and we sat in silence for what seemed like ages. 'But please, be quiet. President Snow is about to start his speech.

President Snow finaly reached the top of the stairs. He turned to Aggatha then issued an order to her, which was clearly 'sit down', as she nodded and took a seat at the back of the stage. Snow scanned the cheering Capitol crowd, then smiled. 'Citizens of Panem! Upon us is a great time of rememberance, regret, punishment, and to me, forgiveness,' Snow paused to to take in the screams of the crazed capitol, and I think to myself, regret and punishment, I get, but the Hunger Games certainly aren't for rememberance and forgiveness. 'Today marks the preporation for a huge milestone in the Hunger Games history!' Snow continued. 'Today marks the begining of the one-hundreth annual hunger games, the FOURTH QUARTER QUELL! And, as per usual, there will be a change in the running in the Games, to be announced later today!' he pauses again, this time, he coughs into a blood red hankerchief, which I'm having a hard time deciding whether it's blood thats making the hankerchief that colour, or if its just the colour of the fabric. I turn and stare at Billie, and mouth, How can he be so happy to see so many people die? Billie casts a depressed look on me and mouths, I don't know. be quiet and watch.

When Snow finaly stops coughing, he stand up straight and says, 'But before that, I would like to give a quick thankyou to all the workers in the districts, for being so loyal to the capitol, and respecting that ever important agreement in the Treaty of Treason. From the bottom of all of the capitol peoples hearts, we thankyou for helping and supplying all our needs throughout Panem!' Thankyou for working your buts off to supply food and clothing through out capitol, and you dont even get half of what you made! And we'll repay you by killing off twenty-three children from the districts in a brutal fight to the death! So forgiving!Such Fun! I think to myself, bitterly. Ohh, I wish that these games never existed. I wish it didn't kill my brothers. I wish that they were right here next to me.

Snow FINALY finishes his pointless thankyou, ...and starts rambolling on about why we have the hunger games (because of the rebellion 100 years ago), and the chaos it reminds us of (Millions of people dead, the loss of a whole district, capitol almost lost, etc.). After his half an hour speech, he finaly reaches the daunting part of the Quarter Quell festival televise. The Quell rule change. 'Now, without further adue, It is time, citizens of Panem, for the Quell Announcement! Aggatha, would you please... Aggatha? AGGATHA!' Aggatha snow had fallen asleep at the back of the stage, which made Missie laugh. Snow shouted a final, 'AGGATHA!' and Aggatha finaly woke up, falling of the chair. Snow and Aggatha had a quick chat, then Aggatha nodded and ran off the stage. 'Sorry, my hopeless granddaughter!' Snow laughed, and the rest of the capitol did, too. Aggatha ran back on stage, but this time with an old box, with small words engraved on the box:

QUARTER QUELL
HAPPY HUNGER GAMES, AND MAY ALL THE ODDS BE
EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR!

I was startelled when Snow oppened the box. The first Presedent alive to see the first hunger games CLEARLY planed for centuries of games, because the bocks was filled with about 500 Quell rule changes. President Snow reached in too the box, and my heart started racing. I feel tears running down from my eyes again and I turn to see that Billie, and both Mom and Dad were crying too. Snow pulled out one slip, and read out what was on the paper. The capitol screamed in joy, and cheered in exitment.

'NO! That CAN'T be! Never... NEVER EVER!' Billie shouts, crying hysterically. Mum and dad were crying, too, both hugging eachother.

Me? I was Laughing in relief. Billie was DEFINANTLY no going in. Suddenly, my Laugh turned into a strangeled cough as relizeation dawned on me. President Snow had read out my last fear... he endangered my life...

Because he read out, 'This year, the one-hundreth annual hunger games, to represent the number of children that died in that pointless rebellion, Children the age of nine to fifteen can be reaped into the games!'

It's a pool of children the age of 9-15. I'm 10 years old. I have a chance of being reaped into the 4th quarter quell

I get up, and storm up to my room, pushing past Thorne on my way. I hate the peacekeepers. I hate the Hunger Games. I hate the stupid capitol, living in their top-class, well furbished homes eating probably their third meal in one day, while we suffer from starvation, and live on the verge of death! I sit on my bed and just let myself cry. I cry in frustration. I cry in fear. I cry because no matter what I seem to feel like trash. I cry because I feel for Missie. Missie who didn't understand. who didn't understand that people die in the Capitols games. who didn't understand why everyone older than her (exept for Thorne) was crying. And who certainly didn't understand how much danger I was in... how I might dissapear like my brothers. That thought I couldn't handle. How bad Missie might get if I die in the games. I hope nothing hapens... to me, or anyone else I love...

After about fifteen minutes, there is a knock on the door. 'What!' I grunt.
'Brother Billie requesting permission to enter?' Billie says.
'Permission granted,' I grunt. Billie enters cautiously, then sits on the bed next to me. He wraps his arm around me, and I lean against his chest. 'It's gonna be okay, you're name's only gonna be in there once, and who knows what the chances are,' He said quickly and sadly.
'I know, its just... Why? Why did it HAVE to be that?' I choke out through my tears. 'Five hundred possibilities, and it HAD to be one like that!' Billie and I sit in silence for ages, about two hours, with me leaning into his chest. We could be here forever, away from harm, away from danger, and hide the rest of our lives. but I knew I could never do that.

Suddenly, Billie straightens up, and pulls me off his chest. 'I've got an... Well, a... yes, an idea. I'll be back in a minute,' he says, standing, and then leaves the room.
'What could it be, I wonder?' I say, softly. There's thumping of Billies feet bounding down the stairs, a soft mumble, then I hear a much louder rapid conversation downstairs:

'You've got kids, too, thorne. you can understand!' Billie says.
'Yes. But I have other methods of training them for the games,' Thorne replies.
'YOUR A PEACEKEEPER! AND HEAD PEACEKEEPER AT THAT!'
'That doesn't change my authorities-'
'PFFT! OF COURSE IT DOES! you could just tell all the others to back off and let us pass!'
'Actually, I-' 'THORNE! listen,' Mom shouts.
'Please, just let me take him,' Billie cries.
'I said before, I can't. I'm sorry,' Thorne sighs.
'You like my Mom, right?' 'I do, bu-' 'Well, she would LOVE to see Isaac return after the game if he goes in. The best way to show her affection would be to let me go with Isaac,'
Theres a long pause, then Thorne says, 'Fine. four days, and four days only,'
'Thankyou!' Billie says in relief, then I hear him bounding back up the stairs. He bursts back into the room, with a triumphant grin on his face. 'Pack your things,' he shouts.
'Why? Where are we going?' I ask, confused.
Billie grins even more hysterically, then laughs, 'we're going camping.'