One Last Hunger Games

Chapter 4

Before I know it, the lessons are over and we go back to our normal classes. My life seemed normal again. Seemed.

One day after all of the lessons has been over for about 5 days, I show up in my class and my parents are there. By then, the whole school knew about the Hunger Games, and that I was the daughter of
Katniss and Peeta Mellark. They invited me to sit at their lunch table and talk with them, but I know it is only because of my parents. I liked being alone better anyway.

My parents weren't only there, but they looked worried. Really worried. My mother was biting her fingernails and looking at the floor. My dad stood there with a blank look on his face. But you could see the worry in his eyes. But I didn't acknowledge it, and I sat down in my seat.

A moment later Gale comes running in the classroom. "I'm so sorry I'm late," he says with a stressed look on his face. "It's ok, you're actually just on time," my teacher says.

I look over at my parents again. My mother's eyes are wide open. "Gale..." she says softly. My dad looks at her. Gale turns his head and runs to my mother. "Katniss," he says. By now they are closed in a long, tight embrace, not saying anything. I now have an idea that they used to know each other... in one way or another.

Once they are done, they step back to the wall and go back to their worried, stressed expressions. Then my mind goes back to the looks on their faces and wondering what it means. I'm starting to get really worried, but none of my classmates seem to notice anything.

The bell rings and my teacher walks to the front if the classroom, a look of sorrow on her face. She is biting her lip. Mrs. Pruckman clears her throat, and begins speaking. "Tomorrow we will be having an assembly." Relief floods over me when I know it's just an assembly. But why does everyone seem so worried?

My worry comes back. Finally after a moment of silence for everyone to process this, she breaks the silence and says quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear, "There will be a reaping." A heavy weight drops in my stomach. Everyone around me is silent, probably thinking the same thing. My teacher speaks up again and says, "This is the first time we've done it in a long time. And it's the last time we'll ever do it again."

I do the math in my head. Everybody in my year is about 14 so our names will be entered 3 times. My dad is looking at his feet, like my mother. Mrs. Pruckman speaks up and says, "We taught you everything you need to know. The Capitol is scratching the idea of a Capitol Hunger Games. President Paylor doesn't want to do it, but the Capitol thinks her opinion doesn't matter, even though she's the president. They wanted to educate the children of Panem about it, and then we have one last Hunger Games."