The School Games

Chapter 1

Authors Note - If this book seems similar to a book named The effects of the Hunger Games, by singinggymnast, that is because she is my friend, and we are in a little friendly competition for the most votes, comments, followers, and reads, so if you have a moment, vote, comment, follow me, and/or invite friends to read!

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Chapter 1:

The Fingerprint of Death

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I sat up, tense. Today the 100th reaping was taking place at my school. And I refuse to play.

300 years after the Hunger Games ended, Mayor DeGoyler, of our small town Destino, announced that each school in our area was to have a Hunger Games of sorts, to remind us who was in authority, and boom, the School Games were born. The prize being perfect grades, and NEVER setting foot in school again, the penalty being certain death.

50 years ago, for the first Semester Quell, to remind us how weak we are, in each school all the preschoolers and kindergardeners were "sentenced" to fight to the death. In our school, the winner of that year was a kindergardener named Mason "Scars" Vonte, who had been held back three years. Obviously, he never set foot in school again, and all those poor kids were slaughtered. To this day, because parents no longer think that preschoolers and kindergardeners can win the games, our school only holds the first through twelfth graders.

The rich kids are home schooled, as well as all the preschoolers and kindergardeners in our district.

This year, a girl and a boy from each grade will be chosen to compete. The grades that usually have victors are the tenth to twelfth graders, but because its a Semester Quell, anything could happen.

As for the Reaping, it is mandatory to put your name in as many times as the number of you grade. Also, the number of times you forget your homework, or fail a test is added. Thankfully, I've only ever forgotten homework NEVER, and I am in seventh grade, so my name is in the drawing seven times this year. Seven. Seven - possibly the amount between life and death. Seven out of hundreds, maybe thousands of papers. What are the chances my name will be pulled? I know I shouldn't worry about it, but I am.

All I hope is that me nor my secret crush, Matt Mayer, are picked. That would be the end of my world as I know it.

He's a ninth grader and has bright green eyes that sparkle when he laughs and curly brown hair that never stays where he wants it. He's funny, sensitive, and sweet. He isn't cocky or arrogant like the other boys. He's all a girl could ever hope for.

My chances with him are very slim. He's athletic - I'm not. He's popular - I'm not. He's good looking - I'm not.

With my hair flyways and stick-straight blonde hair, I'm probably the ugliest in my school.

Except for Alex Parker. But that's another story.

I remember when Matt and I first met. I was in second grade, and he was in fourth. My friends think it's weird that I like a guy that's two years older than me.

Well, my "sorta" friend that stopped talking to me for three years because we BOTH liked Matt, told me this.

Anyway, Matt moved here from New Panem, and seemed really lonely. Every chance I got to be with him, I was there, which wasn't that often. Now, I don't even know if he thinks I exist. Not that he ever did.

"Back to the real world McKayla, where no one likes you" I tell myself, caught up in my daydreams.

That isn't completely true. My parents like me. But that's it.