The 50th Hunger Games, Second Quarter Quell

Chapter One

The Dark Days are past but we all remember the devastation that occurred when twelve districts rebelled against the Capitol. Many died, an entire district was destroyed.

After the days of dark, it was decided that each district should offer up one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to fight to the death in

The Hunger Games.

Once every twenty-five years, the Hunger Games will be a Quarter Quell. This involves the President of Panem to choose from a box of choices one theme which the Quarter Quell will present.

Chapter One

Haymitch Abernathy opened his eyes. They were grey but bright. Bright with... Not hope but maybe just a little prayer. Haymitch had been surprised to even be able to fall asleep never mind have a nightmare. The nightmares were consistent. Every time, the Hunger Games. Worse still because today was the reaping. Haymitch was not rich. No one in District Twelve was RICH. Some were well-off and they had a high status. Haymitch was not rich. He lived with his mother and younger brother in a small cottage, grey with the smoke and soot from the coal mines. Haymitch was due to help there in the mines in two years when he could no longer be reaped. He was sixteen this year. Two more years...

"Haymitch? Haymitch?" A small voice could be heard. Haymitch groaned and rolled over. A dark-haired boy with the same grey eyes was looking back at him. His face was thin and he looked small and slim.

"Anth... Are you okay?" Anthracite Abernathy was Haymitch's eight-year-old brother. Everyone called him Anth. He was trembling.

"You have to get up. Mom says you need to get washed and dressed." Haymitch ran a hand through his dark curly hair and got up.

"Okay, Anth. But are you alright?" Anth bit his lip.

"I'm scared. What if you get reaped?"

"I'll be okay Anth. Plus, it's the Quarter Quell. Anything can happen." Haymitch didn't want to mention to his eight-year-old brother how last Quarter Quell, every person in the district had to vote for two people. Not to mention that neither of those two lived to tell the tale. In fact, there was only one victor alive in District Twelve. He was hardly ever seen.

"But you've put your name in loads of times," Anth said. Haymitch sighed and hugged his brother.

"And I never want you to do the same. Okay?"

"Okay."

The pair went into the main room for breakfast. Their Mom had made a breakfast of porridge. It was lukewarm, the little gas stove did not cook food well. However, none of them complained. They ate in silence. Haymitch tried to ignore his mother's desperate looks at him.

"I'm going to go see Coleen for a little bit," Haymitch said, breaking the silence.

"Be back in an hour's time. And tell Coleen I said good luck." Mrs Abernathy said. Haymitch kissed his mother's cheek.

"I will."

Haymitch dressed and duck out of the house. All was quiet. It was late in the morning, all the workers had already gone. Haymitch passed very few people as he made his way to the Pitberry household. It was also a cottage similar to Haymitch's. Coleen lived with her mother and father, no siblings. Her father worked in the mines but it was poor pay.

Haymitch knocked on the door. Mrs Pitberry opened the door and smiled at Haymitch. Her smile didn't reach her ice blue eyes.

"Oh, Haymitch... Here for Coleen?"

"Yes, Mrs Pitberry." Mrs Pitberry sighed and turned to the house. Coleen was already stood behind her mother. Coleen had brown eyes and brown hair. She was quite curvy for a sixteen-year-old and quite developed with full lips and big eyes.

"You have an hour." Mrs Pitberry said sternly. Coleen nodded and kissed her mother. She then joined Haymitch outside.

"Fancy a walk?" Haymitch asked, offering Coleen his arm.

"Of course." She smiled and linked her arm in his.

They walked around District Twelve. There were a few friendly Peacekeepers in their white uniforms who nodded at them. They were left to stroll and talk about anything but the reaping. However, as their hour came to a close, the reaping was a shadow hanging over them.

"How many times this time?" Coleen asked as they approached her house once more. She looked anxiously at Haymitch. Haymitch avoided her gaze.

"A few..."

"Haymitch..."

"About seventy-two. Maybe more. You?"

"Thirty-three. We haven't struggled much and my father doesn't like me getting tessera."

"Sometimes it just can't be helped..." Haymitch sighed. They had arrived at the Pitberry house once more. Coleen turned to Haymitch. She had tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Haymitch. Always will."

"No matter what." He said. He placed his hands on her waist and kissed her plump pink lips. She kissed him, pulling him close by his shirt.

"Ahem." Mr Pitberry approached. He had a limp and was covered in grime. Haymitch and Coleen sprang apart. Coleen's cheeks flushed bright pink.

"Dad... How was work?"

"Dirty... And painful." Mr Pitberry groaned. When clean, he would look quite tanned and have Coleen's brown hair. The black eyes blended in with his grime. Coleen grimaced at Haymitch and went to her father to help him into the house.

"I'll see you at the Reaping," Coleen said, to him.

"May the odds be ever in your favour, Coleen," Haymitch said, softly. Mr Pitberry turned back.

"And to you too, Mr Abernathy." Haymitch smiled a little then kicked a stone off the pathway as he walked back.

 "The odds are never in my favour." He murmured to himself.