The 25th Annual Hunger Games: 1st Quarter Quell

Chapter 1: Sister: The Thistledeens

“War, terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came the peace, hard fought, sorely won. A people rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. When the traitors were defeated, we swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed, that each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute, one young man and woman, to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future.”

It was a month before the 20th Annual Hunger Games reaping and 21 years have already passed since the rebellion. During this point fear envelopes the of the district. District 7, one the thirteen districts of Panem, is a beautiful district lush in trees made its living by supplying lumber and paper. It is said that the tributes from this district specialized in axes.

Living in the district was the family of Thistledeens. Described as being the most beautiful inhabitants of the district, they were composed of five members, the father, the mother, and the children. Serena Thistledeen, the youngest daughter in the family who was 12 at that time cannot wait for the sun to rise. It seems that she never showed the fear she felt for the Hunger Games.

Serena got up and started to prepare for her training and for work. It’s surprising that at that young age, she volunteers to work using weapons to chop down small trees or to train secretly so that if ever she would be chosen that year, her sister, Marina Thistledeen, already 18 at that time, wouldn’t to volunteer. She trains with weapons particularly throwing knives and some axes unlike her sister who usually stares at herself in the mirror never expecting that she would be reaped.

Described as being a beautiful 12-year-old girl, Serena at that age of hers usually ties her beautiful, shiny, wavy brown hair into a French braid. She was opposite of her sister who has a golden brown straight hair. Serena admires Marina so much and subsequently loves her. Marina feels the same way. Both being girls, the two were super close. Before, Serena would envy Marina’s beauty but Marina always tells her that one day she’ll just notice that she’s much more beautiful than her.

“Dad, Brother Bran, come on let’s train already!” shouted Serena.

“Five more minutes, Five more minutes dear”, their father said.

Her brother got up and smiled at Serena. He asked her, “It’s your first year, you won’t get picked. You will only have one entry there besides you haven’t taken up a tesserae. Are you so excited about the reaping? Do you want to be picked?”

Feeling a little annoyed, Serena told Bran, “Bran, I’m not excited okay. I mean, of course I’m afraid. I’m just not showing it. But in any case, even if my name’s been there just once, I could still be reaped. I’m still too young so if I’m picked, I assume Marina will volunteer for me since she’s older. But she doesn’t have a chance in the arena. She seldom trains although I think that she knows how to use some weapons but still. I don’t want her to enter the games. It’s her final year already so…. I want her to end up like you did, Bran. You were never picked. You get to live your life. But just in case,  I still want to live y’know.”

Bran tapped Serena’s head and the train together with Marina watching from the background. She came with them and tried to use knives but she never excelled in it. She just swung an axe so powerfully that Serena thought that Marina would be chosen, she might have the chance to win.

Then, a month has passed and it is already the reaping. The Thistledeens are definitely nervous, especially Serena. Both she and her sister dressed up beautifully. “See I told you. You look very beautiful much more than I do. Now I’m the one wishing that I look like you.”, Marina comforted the nervous Serena. Bran simply smiled, not showing his nervousness as well. “Sis what would happen if…”, worriedly asked Serena. “Shhh, everything gonna be okay.”, Marina assured her.

She went to sign up together with her sister Marina telling her that everything’s okay. “Don’t worry. You will not play in the games this year. I’ll make sure of it. Okay?”, said Marina. Serena tried to put up an emotionless face.  Marina added, “I’m just going to ask you one thing. I promised Mom and Dad that I would never let you play when I can still do something. Promise me something. If, by chance, I’d get chosen, don’t ever volunteer. Please.”. Serena nodded.

 Then the two signed up.

There was this weird-looking lady with abnormal make-up and weird clothes. She calls herself Spikelet Selkirk. This is the first time that the people of the District have seen her. They suppose that she’s the escort for the year’s hunger games. She began her speech and the video from the Capitol plays.

“Okay that was it. Amazing huh? Now it’s time to select one courageous young man and woman to represent District 7 in the 20th Annual Hunger Games. I’ll start first with the surname then the first name, is that acceptable?”, said Spikelet in a happy tune.

She irritates Serena with her speech and unusual happiness for the death games. “Does she enjoys killing too?” she asks herself.

There’s no answer from the crowd. “Okay then. I guess it’s time to listen to the names that I will pick for the representation of the district. Females first”, Spikelet claimed excitedly. With every word she says, Serena just fears the games more and more. “Okay now for the female who will represent District 7”, Spikelet picks from the glass bowl and speaks…

“Thistledeen….”, Spikelet announces the surname and before announcing the first she waits five seconds.

Both Serena and Marina’s hearts beat faster as one of them will get to be reaped. Tears started to slowly fall from Serena’s eyes. Although she’s preparing for this, she never expected to be the one reaped as her has only been in the glass bowl once.

“Marina.”, finished Spikelet.

Chapter Summary:

Serena Thistledeen lived in District 7. She has a brother named Bran and a sister whom she’s so close with and whom she admires the most, Marina. At the year of the 20th Annual Hunger Games, Serena was 12 years old and it is her first time to attend the reaping. Marina, on the other hand was 18. Bran was aged more than 18 without being reaped so he’s safe from being reaped. Serena was nervous but doesn’t want her sister to volunteer for her if ever she gets reaped. So she trains a lot specializing in knives. Her sister prefers axes. At the time of the reaping, Serena’s heart beats faster and faster as time passes. She doesn’t want to be reaped and doesn’t want her sister to be reaped as well. Although she knows that if her name were picked her sister would volunteer, she’s still afraid. Spikelet, the escort, mentions the tribute chosen. It is Serena’s sister, Marina Thistledeen.

Characters in the Chapter:

Serena Thistledeen – a 12-year-old girl living in District 7. It is her first time to be in the reaping. She, at a young age, already knows how to throw knives.

Marina Thistledeen – a beautiful 18-year-old girl living in District 7. It is her last year in the reaping but at the same time, her name gets picked. She prefers to use axes.

Bran Thistledeen – the only son of the Thisledeens.

Spikelet Selkirk – the District 7 escort. It is her first year to be the escort of the tribute from the District 7.