Betrayal : The 25th Hunger Games

Chapter 1 - Part 1 : Seraphina Stone

I was just returning from another day of assembling trucks and cars and hovercraft for the Capitol when the television flicked on. It crackled, half of the screen obscured by nonsensical lines. I sighed and wiped the grease off of my hands before pounding on the screen a few times. The lines didn't fade. Instead, I sighed and squinted to try to make out the picture. It looked like the president, standing on the podium with something in his hand. Now he was looking at something... reading maybe? The crackling speakers echoed out with his voice. 

"F-fo... Quart-r Que... a remi-r to the reb... that thei- children... ying becau- of their... ce to ini-ate vi... eve-y district mu... hold an elec... and vote on the tri-utes who wi... repre... them."

I shook my head. I wasn't going to strain to decipher what was being said on the old television just to hear more Capitol propaganda. I reached into the back of the cabinet and pulled out a stale loaf of bread. Better than what I got at the community home. I pushed out the front door, quickly slipping into the crowd on the road as I gnawed at the rock-solid bread. As I walked, something seemed wrong though. The atmosphere was tense. Did I miss something? As I pushed the stiff door to the community home open, Cara barreled into my legs. The small little girl was perhaps my only friend. She was perhaps the smartest person I knew and had a memory that lasted longer than most engines.

"Seraphina, did you hear?" Instantly, I began to panic.

"Hear what? What is it?" I responded, trying to soothe my voice and rationalize. Maybe someone new was moving into the community home? Something out of the ordinary, that would excite a little girl... But I knew that wasn't the case. Something was wrong, and she knew it.

"The Capitol Announcement! Did you hear?"

"No, you know the television is on the fritz." Could she just be anxious because there was an announcement? Her face paled as she heard this.

"President Snow added a Quarter Quell. Every 25 years, so about once per generation, there is a special Hunger Games. To quell the rebellion." Cara said, so much emotion packed into her voice.

"Special? What do you mean special?"

Cara just shook her head sadly and began reciting. "For the first Quarter Quell, as a reminder to the rebels that their children are dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district must hold an election and vote on the tributes who will represent them."

Her words took a moment to register. And at once I felt it. Betrayal. From the Capitol who was supposed to take care of us. From any person in the district who may write my name. And again from my mother who left when I was 3 and my father who threw away our money on drink before dying when I was 6. Everyone was just leaving me to fight for myself, and there was nothing that I could do. My throat began to burn, stinging with the urge to cry. 

But all I could manage to say was one word.

"What?"