❝ THE FALL ◐ the hunger games.

❝ PROLOGUE .

Quiet. Too quiet.

The silence that cursed its way through Panem was deafening. Painful, almost. In a twisted way, it reminded those who survived of the rebellion and what it was originally created for; a desire for peace. But at the same time, they knew this was far from the idea the rebellion had. It was a painful reminder, no matter how anyone chose to look at it.

The death of Coriolanus Snow shocked many, though the ones who worked closest with him weren't all too surprised. There was no denying that the President was ill, and the antidote could only work for so long. If drinking poison didn't kill him, old age certainly would have — It was all just a matter of time.

Typically, this would be a cause for celebration in the eyes of those who hated Snow but after recent events, no one could truly bring themself to cheer or crack open a bottle of aged bourbon. Instead, they crossed their fingers and hoped he would rot in the pits of hell. He belonged no place else.

For 24 hours, there was no president of Panem. No leader. Nothing. Had everyone not been overtaken by grief, they could've struck the capitol, but no one could bare the thought of further loss. It wasn't worth it; not anymore. Not right now. By midday, everyone in their respective districts was gathered for an announcement. Some thought it was to pay respects to those 'honorable' lost at the hands of the rebellion, others feared it was the announcement of the next games.

It was neither.

The screens in every surviving district turned on and showed a middle aged man with caramel brown hair and a perfectly trimmed beard, similar to Snow's. A broad build with a baby blue button up that seemed to hug his figure obnoxiously well. To some, he had a familiar face — he was a victor. Die hard games fans, and older members of Panem, knew him as Emmett Asteril, winner of the 59th annual games. He stood in-front of a podium that every district recognized all too well and slowly, individuals were able to start connecting the dots before the man even spoke.

"Panem, I'd like to start by acknowledging what an honor it is to be standing before you today. In recent months, we have faced loss after loss yet we came out victorious." His voice was almost monotone, as if he lacked emotion or he was trying not to show much of any.

"As we all know, Coriolanus Snow passed away early yesterday morning. He led this country for decades and working with him was a pleasure. I learned so much from Snow over the years that has helped me get to where I am today, and I am forever indebted to him, even as he lays in his grave." No surprise there. Honoring Snow rather than those who lost their lives in battle — politics are always more important, right?

"With that being said, I'd like to officially introduce myself, Emmett Asteril, as your new President. This position is an important one, as I'm sure you're all aware, and I aim to uphold to the standards you all have of this position, and of me. Thank you, and I hope to meet you all in the coming weeks."

The districts were full of mixed emotions. No one knew what this meant for Panem, they could only hope it meant what they wanted it to, even if every citizen of Panem had their own meaning of what exactly that was.