Maze Games

Chapter One

Katniss's POV

I wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread. I get up and walk into the kitchen where Peeta, Greasy Say, and Haymitch all sit at the table eating the bread Peeta made this morning. They call him the boy with the bread for a reason.

"Well good morning sleepy head. I was starting to think you weren't gonna wake up at all!!" Haymitch says with a sinister smile.

"I thought maybe for once I could wake up without intruders in my house that the Capitol so graciously gave me." I say sarcastically.

He lets out a slight scoff.

"Peeta made me come." He says.

It's only been two years since the Hunger Games has been called off. So far everything was going good. Everybody was as happy as they could be after watching people fight to he death.

The only reason I haven't killed myself is because of Greasy Say, (if you don't know who that is then go read the books!!!), and Peeta. Haymitch couldn't care less.

I turn the TV on to the news and walk away, just listening to what they had to say. As I fix a piece of toast for myself I hear the most dreaded thing in the world, the Capitol's anthem.

It seems as if the weight of the world has just been placed on my shoulders and a sensation of dread fills my stomach. I look at Peeta and he looks back at me, terror filling his expression. Then we both turn our attention to the television.

The next thing I saw on the screen was like to have given me a heart attack. Gale walks up to the podium where President Snow used to announce all of his important information.

But he's in district two. I think to myself. But there was no way that could be anyone else but him. I've known him since I was a little girl. You never forget the face of your last hope.

I stare wide eyed at the screen wondering what this all could possibly be about.

"As you know," Gale started, "The Hunger Games has been called off for the past two years."

There was a evil look in his eyes that gave me an uneasy feeling.

" Snow is dead, but now we are under new management."

The evil look that Gale had in his eyes never could have compared to the mad grin on his face after he said that statement.

"We will no longer have the Hunger Games, no, but we have come up with a new... system."

Panic rises through my body. I sit on Peeta's lap for comfort.

"Due to a disease we call the flare many people have died, loyal, innocent, hard working citizens. We must find a cure. Well, a few people came together to form an organization called WICKED. They run series of tests on brilliant and exceeding people under the age of twenty. But, these tests are very hard to solve and put together. The participants are also under very crucial conditions. Some people may say they are a punishment to the test subjects. Well as your new leader..."

He pauses for effect.

"I have decided to do just that and use these tests as punishments. I will send the two people that have made our entire system collapse."

I take in a rattled breath.

Please, not again. I think to myself.

I stare in horror waiting for the words to leave his mouth.

"Yes, the star crossed lovers themselves, Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen."