One Last Hunger Games

Chapter 2

I sit in the hard wooden chair in my classroom. My teacher, Mrs. Pruckman told us we would be learning about something "unique." I can only begin to imagine what that means. Everybody around me is talking leisurely. I don't have any friends though. I choose to spend my life alone. It's easier that way.

I hear footsteps and I look up. I gasp at what I see. It's my parents. The room goes silent and everyone stares. They all know who they are. Everybody does. But I don't know why. Mrs. Pruckman walks in. "Oh, you're here," she says. My parents awkwardly follow my teacher to the front of the classroom. Mrs. Pruckman speaks up. "Would you like to introduce yourselves?" My parents nod. I still have no idea what's going on. My mother goes first.

"My name is Katniss Mellark, but my maiden name was Everdeen. My home is, and has always been District 12," she says confidently, but her voice changes as she continues speaking. "I- I was in the 74th and 75th Hunger Games," she says her voice now shaking. She is tightly clutching my dads hand and looking at the floor.

"And you, Mr. Mellark," Mrs. Pruckman says, gesturing to my dad with her hand. He nods and begins speaking. "My name is Peeta Mellark, and just like Katniss, my home is, and has always been District 12. I was in the 74th and 75th Hunger Games with Katniss." He closes his eyes and takes a deep, uneven breath, and continues. "At the very end of the 75th Games, I was taken to the Capitol, where I was hijacked, or injected with Tracker Jacker venom. It made me forget everything I held close to me and it made a whole new person. A bad one at that. But I was cured, and I'm okay now."

The class gapes at my parents, I'm not sure if in amazement, or in pity. "Thank you, Mr and Mrs Mellark," Mrs. Pruckman says soft with sadness. It is silent for a moment until Mrs. Pruckman breaks it. "So if you can't tell, for the next month or so, we will be learning about The Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta Mellark will be teaching us about it. But after those lessons are over, someone else will be teaching lessons along with Katniss about the rebellion after the Games. Peeta will not be there because, as you just learned, he was not there so he would have nothing to say."

The class talks in excited chatter. "Now I can get answers," I say to myself so only I can hear through all of the excited chatter. Mrs. Pruckman breaks the chatter and says, "So would you like to get started?"

My mother starts. "So every year, for 75 years, the Capitol took two children, a boy and girl, from the ages 12 to 18 from each District. They are then taken to the Capitol where they will train and participate in The Hunger Games." A girl with long, straight blonde hair and blue eyes named Clare raises her hand. My mother points at her. The girl smiles and says, "Thank you. I was going to ask, what exactly are The Hunger Games?"

My mother puts on a slight smile and says,"I was just about to get into that." But then she looks sad and she frowns a little. She takes a deep breath and continues. "Every year there is a new arena, where the tributes will live until they either win, or die," she says casually like it is the most normal thing in the world.

People around me chatter with one another, obviously shocked. I don't think anyone really knows anything about the Games, including me. But all of a sudden, the room goes quiet and my dad speaks up.

"Some of the arenas are dry, like desserts. Or a frozen tundra. Or even a ruined city. In the 74th Hunger Games it was a forest and in the 75th it was a beach."

Another student, a boy this time, raises his hand and without waiting to be called on, says, "But just a forest or a beach doesn't sound so bad. What makes it so awful?" My dad frowns and replies in a sour voice, "What makes it so terrible is the things they put in the arenas. My mother joins in and says, "They put in different creatures. In the 74th they had Tracker Jackers, or genetically engineered wasps. Their stings are painful, and bring on powerful hallucinations. There were other creatures, but that's just one example."

My dad brings up another point and says, "Also people are trying to kill you, so that's not exactly the easiest thing in the world." That got some laughs, but I don't think it was supposed to be funny really. But then my mother speaks up, breaking the silence. In a soft voice, she says, "They also throw in non living obstacles. In the 74th Hunger Games, they were aiming fireballs at me. I got hit, but luckily you can get sponsors who send you things when you need them most, like I got burn ointment."

Another hand shoots up. This one is another girl named Amelia with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She asks, "Well what if you never get sponsors? Are there any other ways to get supplies?"

My mother automatically answers, "Yes. At the beginning of the Games, right after the countdown has finished to signal the games have begun, there is a Cornucopia, which has weapons, food, water, and supplies." I hear the bell ring, and I know it's time for our next class, so our first Hunger Games lesson is over. Me and the other students pour out of the classroom for lunch. This is just the start of my questions finally being answered.