Plenty of Fish in the Sea. (Hunger Games)

Chapter 1.

My trident sunk into the girl's chest with a sickening thud. A canon went off in the distance, the loud noise booming through the quiet arena. I had won. I had survived for six days in this place. I stood up, wincing at the sharp pain in my calf where another tribute had taken a chunk out of it with his axe.

"Congratulations to the winner of The 67th Annual Hunger Games, Serena Rivera!"

Mathias Apleton's voice echoed in my ears, but all I felt was sadness and guilt. How many people had I killed? I couldn't even use self defence as an excuse. All those dead tributes flashed behind my eyes, filling them with tears that made salty trails down my cheeks. I was only 15. And yet the arena had made me into a cold hearted murderer. I was brought back out of the depths of my thoughts, as a ladder descended from the sky, lifting me out of the place that would give me nightmares for the rest of my life.

~~~ 8 Years Later ~~~

I was sitting at the kitchen bench, quietly working on a piece of jewellery that my mother would sell at her market stall and listening to the projected image being played in the next room. The voice of President Snow demanded the attention of all of Panem. "Welcome citizens of Panem!" Snow's greeting was supposed to sound happy and jolly, but to my own ears, sounded menacing.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the 75th year of the annual Hunger Games. It was written in the charter of the games, that every twenty-five years, there would be a Quarter Quell. To keep fresh for each generation, the memory of those who died and of the uprising against the Capitol. Each Quarter Quell is distinguished by games of a special significance, and now on this, the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion, we celebrate the Third Quarter Quell. As a reminder, that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, on this, the Third Quarter Quell games, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors, from each district."

It took me a moment to register President Snow's final words.

"No."

I whispered as the realisation dawned on me that it would be previous victors of the Huger Games that would be competing this year.

I could be competing this year.

"This can't be happening."

I muttered. My eyes flickered from one place to another, looking for a way out. A way to escape this terrible nightmare. I stood up on shaky legs, and ran for the door. Sobs building in my chest. They couldn't take me back there again. Not for the second time. I could hear my sister Tahlia and my dad calling for me as I opened the door and ran, doing my best to escape my fears.

Annie's screams and cries of distress were the only sound echoing through the streets as I ran towards the beach. Every memory I had of my time in the Games was on repeat in my mind. I knew that I would relive them all. I choked on my own tears while looking around at the beach with hysterical eyes. One, maybe two District 4 victors would never be able to come back here. I could be one of them, or Mags, or Annie, or Finnick- Oh god. Finnick.

A scream escaped me at the thought of Finnick having no choice but to go back to the Games again, startling a flock of seagulls up into the sky. I collapsed onto the hot sand, and continued to mutter through sobs of grief and terror.