The 76 Hunger Games (Watty Awards)

Plans set rolling

After a day of recovery, I was called into a room I had never been in before. Mom was there, and so were Dad and Gale. Marissa was absent from the group, but there was a person whose voice I recognized as the one I had heard through Mom's communicuff and had not wanted to meet. The voice belonged to a rough- looking man who was taller than both Dad and Gale and had broad shoulders. The man's name was Topat. Ty was there, too sitting next to his dad and keeping to himself more than usual.

The grown ups started talking, leaving me and Ty to talk for the first time since we arrived. "Ty? Are you okay?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"Fire, huh?" I heard Topat say. "You chose Fire over Firebird?"

"I didn't want to be called Firebird." I said simply.

"Tyler do you want to help 'Fire' like your Dad will Katniss?"

"Ummm...... Yes I'll help you, Emmy." I noted he used the nickname he came up with for me

"Em, you look terrible! When was the last time you slept?" Dad asked in a worried tone.

"I haven't slept since I was drugged." I say, realizing that it was true and I really was tired.

"Emily, you will need to sleep if you and your mother are going to start a rebellion two days from today." Topat said sternly. "You need to sleep too, Katniss," he added as an after-thought.

"I can't. The nightmares are getting worse," Mom mumbled.

"I'll have the doctors give you both something." That was all Topat said on the subject.

"Now, we need to talk about what is happening."

"Yes!" everyone agreed.

"Okay, so here are the facts. President Paylor's son Nash is the new president and he has decided to bring back the Hunger Games. Everyone is outraged; even Districts 1,2, and 4 are not happy with this decision. President Nash also said the first tributes are going to be the kids of any person that helped specifically in the last rebellion. Therefore, you two..." Topat said, looking at Ty and me, "Would be going into the Hunger Games."

"But, because nobody wants the Hunger Games back, we are starting another rebellion to stop them." Mom said. I could tell she was thinking of the Hunger Games and the last rebellion, where she lost Prim.

"What do we have to do?" I ask.

"Your job is to be the starter, just like your mother was. We will film you doing lots of different things and post them in every District and 'Start a Fire'," he paused. "But, first you all three need sleep."

********************

True to his word, Topat went straight to the doctors to get us something to help us sleep. Topat also told us the plan for lighting the"Fire". We were to go to District 2, which had tried to rebel when told of the plan to renew the Hunger Games, to go see the wounded. Apparently, it had worked well when Mom had visited. How she had been able to walk in and smile, I had no clue. She and I Both HATE hospitals. We were to be escorted by Dad, Gale, Topat and some guards didn’t bother to learn the names of. There were eight of us total.

Mom, Ty, and I were taken to the hospital. Mom, anyone could tell, was nervous. Ty walked as though he were going to our room or the mess hall. Me, I struggled again, not as hard as the first time, but I still had to be "dragged" in by Dad and Gale.

We were settled in three beds in a new room, this time with a coach and TV. I was in a bed with temporary restraints because my reputation of not coming willingly was known among the doctors and nurses. A mask was placed on Mom and she passed out within seconds. Ty was supposed to be next but he wanted to be sure the restraints were removed after I was unconscious. My mask went on and everything blurred and went black