The Short Life of Maysilee Donner

2

That summer I can't ever remember a more on edge place than District Twelve. It wasn't the heat or lack of resources this time, it was the Quarter Quell.

The hunger games are always a frightening affair but the quell does nothing but add insult to injury. Every twenty-five years there's a twist placed upon the games. Everyone's been talking about the twenty- fifth games, how tributes were voted in by their peers.

I'm genuinely liked so I thought I had nothing to worry about. Turns out every years twist is different. And today at noon presidant Snow will annouce the twist for the second quater quell. Hence, why everyone in District Twelve seems to be shaking in their boots.

Its quiet too, which I think is worse. Normally on a beautiful summer's day like this, the district is filled with chatter and laughter. But it's deathly quiet. People aren't running around, shops have closed early and even the hob resembles an empty warehouse. And that place is never empty. 

It seems as a District, everyones decided to wollow in the horror of todays announcement before its even been announced. I sighed and rubbed my pin absentmindedly. Maybe the worst is the guessing.

What's worse then voting people in?...

Well, someone in the square said what if the age restictions are void. So in fact, maybe everyone in the district could possibly be reaped. It hit home. As a district everyone knows the Capitol could pull a stunt like that. I bit my lip, nobody's safe today until that announcement. 

"May, just don't sit there!. Help me". 

Okay, so everyone but Mary Donner is on edge. I lazily rose my head and stared into identical impatient eyes. She indicated to the flowers she was trying to arrange. I frowned. "I think it's just fine as it is".

My sister blinked at me before looking down at the vase infront of us on the kitchen table. "It only has three flowers in it, Maylsilee".

I tipped my head to the side in confusion. "And...that's bad?".

She shook her head at me and smirked. "Yep. Help me out. It'll take your mind of things".

Maybe I've got it wrong. She's not obnoxious, she's fidgety...and that's out of character. So actually, she's defiantly on edge. 

I bit my lip and started putting in flowers, trying to ignore my sister re-arranging what I put in the vase behinde my back. Mary is always so head strong and confident. She'd never be the person to wollow in self pity, not like me.

Not that I pity myself. Its just on days like this I wish I had her resilience. I huffed. "What do you think the twist will be?".

She paused before stabbing a rose harshly into the vase. "Something awful I expect...and I heard someone say its going to be siblings".

Oh...I smirked and lightly bumped her arm. "Good thing we're sisters then and only one of us can be reaped".

A horrified look crossed her face. "Don't even joke about that Maysilee. Neither of us will be repead. Its not like we take tessare anyways".

She's a bit a priss my sister. I fake nodded. "Yes, I'm sure that'll save us".

That night it was tense as we all huddled around the kitchen table with a small screen against the wall. 

It showed highlights of the past twenty-five years. A reminder of how tributes were voted into the last Quell. And finsihed with a rather biased speech from President Snow that was more dressed up propaganda over anything else.

That is, until he held up a hand up to the crowd to silence the cheering Capitolists. "I have here in my hand the twist for this year's fiftieth Hunger Games...On this anniversary, a reminder to favor the one who feeds and protects you. The tributes for these games, shall be reaped from a pool of double the amount of children in every district. Thus, this year we will have forty-eight tributes in the pageant".

I blinked, one, twice, three times before I actually comprehended what he just said. He went into more details like two girls and two boys from every district.

All I can think about is how unfair it is. We have a population here of 8,000 people. That's including everyone. 8,000 is the entire district. Probably 700 are between the ages of twelve to eighteen. Then divide that by two for your gender. 2/350...not the best odds considering the population numbers of Districts eleven-one for children of repaing age is five thousand roughly.

Its hardly ever children between twelve and thirteen that's reaped because their names are only in there one-three times if they haven't taken tessare.

So actually, my odds are looking more like...2/275. 

Speaking as a citizen from the district with the smallest population in Panem, you can imagine that the odds are now even further out of our favor.

I gulped. Ignoring the way my mother's arms gripped my sister and I just that extra bit tighter.

I shared a look with my sister who gave me a tight lipped smile. I'm sure I'm not smiling back. My words from eariler today entered my head.

Good thing we're sisters then and only one of us can be reaped.

It's the worst case senario. There's chance that the two of us could enter the games together. Two sisters...Its like they knew the worst possible outcome. I shook my head, no the odds of that are impossible. However, the voice in the back of my head reminded me that its not impossible just highly unlikely.