Chapter 1

Mags Flanagan

District 4

Victor of the 11th Annual Hunger Games

May 4th (two months before the 15th Annual Hunger Games)

It had been about 2 and half years since my "Victory Tour" had concluded and I had been dumped off back in District 4 with a sum of money large enough to purchase a small beachside cottage, my own fishing boat, and enough leftover to sustain myself for a few years in terms of food, utilities, and other necessities. For a few months after the tour, Capitol reporters would stop by my cottage for interviews. They would ask questions ranging from personal updates, to my opinion on the course of the Games and the newest Victor. I would answer sweet and succinctly, avoiding controversy in hopes that they would eventually grow bored and move on. And eventually they did, and my life returned back to some normality.

After my prize money dried up two summers ago, I had begun to work on the fishing boat I had purchased, selling the fish I caught at the Downtown market. It didn't make me rich, but it was enough to pay taxes, keep the lights on, and put food on the table. I had spent the majority of my off time with my mom and pop who still lived in the cramped apartment that sat above our family shop where they made their trade as fishmongers. They were stubborn about remaining there despite my best attempts at convincing them to move in with me. I loved them with all my heart, they were the reason why I had been able to make peace with my life despite the horrors I had witnessed in the Games.

The Hunger Games… no matter how hard I tried to banish them from my thoughts, memories always flooded back. I was fortunate in that I never had to kill anyone to win my games. I used my hook making and fishing skills to catch fish from the pond at the center of the arena before retreating back into an elaborate cave system to hide. My sweet and demure demeanor endeared me to the capitol which ensured a steady supply of gifted water. I spent 5 nights and days in the arena, and besides the initial countdown and bloodbath, I had not seen another tribute. Which itself was surprising considering the Arena was deceptively small. I was shocked when a loud buzzer went off around noon on the 6th day and Lucky Flickerman announced over the intercom that I was the Victor of the 11th Hunger Games. I was later informed that the boys from 2 & 7 had a particularly brutal fight at the end that caused both of them to succumb to mortal wounds inflicted on the other. While I may not have killed anyone, I had witnessed part of the horrendous fight at the supply pile at the beginning of the Games, I had spent 5 nights constantly frightened and paranoid of the slightest sound in the darkness of the caves, I had been subjected to (without my consent) watching clips of violent deaths during Lucky Flickerman's "recap" when he conducted his post-victory interview. Needless to say, it had left its mark and I was an irrevocably changed woman. I never wanted anything to do with those horrid games ever again. Which is why I was more than jubilant when the Capitol reporters finally lost interest in me, and I returned to the life of a humble fisherfolk.

A sudden rap on the front door tore me from my daydreaming. I looked at the stove clock. 3 PM; Mom and Pop should still be working and I don't get many visitors. What could this possibly be about? I fretted. I opened the door and there stood a man who I assumed was Capitol, based upon the purple cashmere coat he wore. He was flanked by two Peacekeepers. "Mags Flanagan! Oh how wonderful it is to see your beautiful face! We have missed you in the Capitol!" the man practically sang in a strange accent. The Capitol Accent always had a slight lilt to it, but I had noticed that as time passed many of the Capitol reporters who visited had begun to exaggerate their voices. Some kind of trend, I guess. "Hello… uh… thank you. How can I help you?" I replied. "May I come in?" he asked. A sense of worry quickly overcame me "Am I in some kind of trouble or something?" – "Heavens no! In fact, I am here to tell you something very special!" he chirped. I opened the door with caution. It's probably just another interview I assured myself. I offered the man some tea which he accepted a little too excitedly. "I am Julius Hawkwright, the escort for District 4 for this year's Hunger Games" he introduced himself. "Escort? Sorry, I have to admit, I don't know what that means" I spoke to him in a curious manner. "Well of course you don't" he giggled "It's a new role introduced especially for this year's Hunger Games!" he stated exuberantly. My breath caught in my throat. This is about the Hunger Games. Have they come to drag me back somehow? I panicked. No Mags, he's just here to ask the same old questions the reporters had asked last year, then he'll leave I thought to myself as I pushed down some of the fear I was feeling. "Oh okay, well congratulations" I was practically stumbling over my words. He seemed to find my response amusing as he let out a small laugh. "Why thank you. Now, I am here to inform you of another role" he said. A new role? Dread once again began to creep back up on me. "You know how for the past few years, students from the Capitol Academy have been mentoring tributes?" he asked. And of course I remember, in fact I remember my "mentor" quite vividly. A crass and mean fifteen year old boy by the name of Pontius Fillmore, who spoke to me as if I was some kind of pet. "Yes" I replied curtly. I typically minded my manners whenever I spoke to anyone, but the memory of Pontius soured my mood. "Well, this year the Gamemakers have decided that people with experience make the best teachers. So the existing Victors shall now serve as mentors." The cold feeling of dread returned with a vengeance as I began to zone out the world around me.

"Of course those Districts who don't have Victors will continue to have a Capitol mentor assigned to them — you will be well provided for while in the Capitol – you'll mainly be aiding your tribute in establishing a strategy and preparing them for their interview – we are all quite excit-" I suddenly stood up, interrupting Julius mid-sentence. "Excuse me Mr. Hawkwright, I need to use the bathroom" my voice quivered as I spoke to him. He seemed a bit perplexed but replied "Yes, of course". I wiped my sweaty palms on my trousers and hurried off to the bathroom. As soon as the door swung closed, the tears began to pour. I am going back to the Captiol. I am going to have to send two kids off to a horrible fate and there is nothing I can do about it, and the worst part: I am going to have to watch.

I remembered the day when I was returning home from the games, an older peacekeeper had noticed how I was staring out the window of the train. She sat next to me and told me "I've seen that look a thousand times. On the men and women who had seen the horrors of the war. I wish I could say that one day you'll never remember what you saw, but that would be a cruel lie. For others the war is over, but for us it never ended and never will. I wish you the best life has to offer, hopefully one day you can find some kind of peace" she had squeezed my leg and offered a sad smile before returning to her duty. How correct she was, how terribly correct.