"KADENCE!" My impatient father yelled. I was awake in a snap, knowing what would happen if I didn't listen to my father's orders.
I groggily sat up and swung my feet over the side of my bed, resulting in and ear piercing squeak from my ancient frame. As always, my brown slippers were awaiting my cold feet on the side of my bed. As soon as my feet were sufficiently covered, I ran down stairs to see why my father needed me.
"KADENCE GET DOWN HERE NOW OR I'LL-" my father stopped bellowing when he saw me paused at the foot of the stairs. He tried his best to smile at me, and I encouraged him with a small smile of my own.
"Why is is that you need me, father?" I asked politely.
"President Snow is about to reveal the envelope for the 100th Hunger Games." My father said quietly. Dozens of emotions flooded through me. Fear. Anxiousness. Worry. And a small sliver of hope. Hope that by some miracle, 12 year olds would be excluded from the reaping.
Of course, I knew that it wouldn't happen. Just another fruitless wish. I sighed and plopped down in between my two older brothers, Jesse who's 20 and safe from the reaping, and Jaydon who's 18 and still has one last reaping to endure before he begins his job with Jesse and my parents at the family bakery, Bread and Butter.
"Bread boys." I greeted my brothers. This had become their nickname after my parents had sentenced them to only baking bread after they baked a cake for the mayor with salt instead of sugar. Jesse grimaced and Jaydon laughed as he always did when I called them that.
"Shush Jaydon! President Snow is about to open the envelope!" My father near screeched. Jaydon closed his mouth so quickly, he bit his tongue. I snickered.
5 pairs of eyes were glued to our minuscule tv screen as President Snow selected the correct envelope from the dusty leather case a small boy was holding up proudly. Snow's lips curved into a small smile as he retrieved not one, but two pieces of paper from the envelope marked 100th. Two extra rules? I glanced in horror at my father who I found looking at me in fright. President Snow's low, cool voice filled the room.
No, this was not the old dirtbag Katniss Everdeen had endured, this was the slimeball's son, also known as President Snow.
"When Panem reaches its 100th Hunger Games, their shall be two surprises rather than one to celebrate our past victories." Snow began coldly, "The first rule is... That no fellow District member may volunteer for the reaped tribute." I sighed with partial relief. It was a perfectly okay rule, nothing that would effect me very much. I just hoped that the second rule would be the same.
Snow grinned wickedly as he continued reading the ancient paper, "The second rule is that only 12 year olds will be reaped."
I fainted.
