The Direction Games (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter One.

A smirk was placed on Snow's lips as he sat on the President of the United State's chair. He was the newly named president, overtaking Obama and he had a plan. His lips curved into a twisted smile and he glanced at the paper on his desk. He had shaken away his presidental duties while he was trying to bring the Hunger Games back again.

That Katniss may think she had gotten me, but she didn't. She can get me in the future, but not the past. Snow grinned again and nodded to his assistant. "Jenna, start the battle siren. The Hunger Games have begun." 

Jenna's eyes widened but she nodded, doing a quick bow and running out of the room, dialing numbers on her phone as the door closed behind her. 

Snow smirked. Try and stop me now, Katniss Everdeen.

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Smoke billowed in the sky as young and adventurous Bethany Wilde ran down the pavement street, gripping the letter tightly in her hand. She urged herself to run faster but knew if she pushed herself then she would indeed be too tired to tell her mother and father the news. 

Her school had sent all of the students home early, a few receiving letters from the office. Ever since President Obama had been replaced by the newcomer President Snow, everything seemed to be turning upside down and horrible. Bethany bit her lip, her thumb tracing along the back of the letter, wanting to open it, but the office had told her that she would have to open it at home.

Bethany remembered that her four classmates had also gotten the same letter. When the office had given them the letters they looked grief-stricken and straining to cry. Bethany didn't know why they wanted to cry, she just wanted to get out of there. She hoped that the letter wasn't something talking about her grades. Bethany wasn't the best at grades but she had been studying her hardest before the term ended so that way she could at least get passing grades to please her parents. Bethany's grip on the letter tightened as she approached her home. She fished around for her key in her bag and unlocked the door, walking in, smelling the familiar fresh scent of her home.

"Bethany, is that you?" her mother called from in the kitchen. 

"Yeah, Mom! The office gave me a letter that they wanted me to open with you and Dad around. I don't know why and I don't think it's about my grades." Bethany said, closing the door behind her and letting her backpack fall to the ground as she slipped off her shoes and ran into the kitchen, letter in hand. 

Her mother was cooking her all-time famous pasta. Bethany took a deep breath as the smell of the tomato sauce and basil overwhelmed her. The tomatoes and basil were fresh from her father's garden along with the other ingredients put in the pasta. "Where's Theo?" she asked as she took a seat in one of the vinl chairs at the table, setting the letter on the glass table. 

Her mother turned to face her, answering her question. "Upstairs, still. He's been trying to finish that science project for the end of the year. He said that there's a big reward for the winner." her mother let out an exapserated sigh, turning back to her work. "That boy wants to try so hard to earn that reward. I wonder what it could be...?" her voice trailed off as Bethany excused herself and ran up the stairs and towards her brother's room down the hall and to the left, just across from her own room. 

Bethany banged on the door but Theo didn't answer. "Theo! Open up!" Bethany exclaimed, banging harder and twisting and turning the doorknob that was stiff and hard in her hands. She frowned. He had locked the door. But why?