Catching Fire: Prim [Completed]

Chapter 12: Back in the Game

School's started once more. It's nice going back into my regular routine, as it takes my mind off the Capitol. Going to school also means I get to see Rory quite often. Things have been going well between us, then one day Rory brought up the question.

"That boy, Noah, who was he to you?"

"Noah? He was um, just an ally," I lie, but it doesn't roll smoothly off my tongue as I wanted it to. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just..."

"What."

"Nothing."

After school, I come home to find a surprise photo shoot being carried out. Katniss is dressed up in one of her beautiful wedding gowns, and I'm a bit disappointed. Missing the first few gowns, and the fact that I hadn't gotten a chance to see them before hand.

Venia, Octavia, and Flavius are the first to notice my arrival. They rush over to me, all excited. And news they have.

"There haven't been new music chips!" District 3 must be rebelling.

"-and there've been seafood shortages!" District 4 too.

"The worst part is the fashionable, bright, sparkly clothes, gone!" District 8, the ones that stared whole uprising trend.

Soon the photo shoot is over, and the photographers, prep team, and designers leave from our house. Katniss goes upstairs to wash up. I, on the other hand, stay behind and chatter with Mother about Katniss' photo shoot Mom talks animatedly- with sparks in her eyes- and I realize it's because she thinks we're safe.

I didn't sleep well that night. "Marvel spearing Noah" keeps replaying itself in my head, and I'm constantly forced to re-live that moment. Marvel's taunting me, telling me I could have saved him if I weren't so preoccupied. And it really stings, because I know there's some truth in what he said.

I can't fall back asleep, I can't go back into that moment again. Instead I just stare out my window. I notice all the birds coming out, the grass starting to grow, and I know spring is coming. Spring, a good time for an uprising.

"Katniss! There's mandatory viewing tonight, it has to be the photo shoot!" I exclaim when I get back from school. Katniss just smiles and tells me it's probably something else, the photo shoot has happened 24 hours ago.

That night, Haymitch took Katniss and I into town for a 'walk'. I think back to when Peeta got mad at us for keeping him out of the loop, and feel guilty. Once we're far enough from other signs of life, we start the discussion. I talk about what I'd heard from the prep team, the shortages that could possibly mean revolts. Haymitch contributes with the rumor he's heard of uprisings in Districts 7 and 11. At one point, Katniss brings up the topic of Bonnie and Twill, and the possibility of a District 13- which Haymitch dismisses immediately.

"Could there be an uprising in 12?" I ask Haymitch. He shakes his head, and tells us our district is too small, we'd be outnumbered. In others, there could be dozens of people staying quiet in the safety of their house, but for us it has to be everyone. Everyone, or no one at all.

The three of us return home, just in time for the mandatory viewing. Turns out I was right, because Katniss' wedding pictures drift across the screen. I'm just about to turn off the television when Caesar Flicker tells us to stay tuned for a huge event.

"This year will be our 75th Hunger Games! And we all know what that means. The third Quarter Quell!"

"It isn't until another 4 months," I mutter under my breath. I can tell Mother's recalling memories, back from the second Quarter Quell.

"Reading of the card," she explains briefly.

The anthem starts playing, then President Snow walks up onto the stage. He delivers a small speech on the Quarter Quells, telling us that every 25 years, there is a special game to refresh our memories of the rebellion during the dark days.

The first Quarter Quell's twist was quite harsh. As the districts had chosen to act up a rebellion, they would choose on the tributes from their district- in other words they'd elect

the two tributes. How awful would it have been, not only to be in the hunger games, but to be voted into it.

The second Quarter Quell was very gruesome, as twice the number of children were reaped. It was to remind everyone that two rebels had died for every Capitol citizen during the Dark Days. This is the year Haymitch won his games.

"My friend Maysilee Donner was in that game," Mother says softly, which causes Katniss and I to exchange glances with each other.

And this year...this year's twist is still to be announced.

Snow picks out an envelop marked 75 from a small white box and starts to read it.

["On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."] (page 172 lines 23 through 27)

Mom gives a small yelp, Katniss takes in a sharp breath, and I'm left in the dark. Existing pool of victors? What is that suppose to mean? Then it suddenly hits me, and it hits hard. Existing pool of victors. Our district only has three official victors to choose from, two male and one female.

I'm going back into the arena.

~A/N~ A short AN for a short chapter. I hope you still enjoyed it nevertheless... 

-Monica

To clear up the confusion: Katniss wasn't exactly an official victor. Yes she was crowned and everything but like...just make something up with your creative minds? She was not reaped into the games and so she shouldn't be reaped in from an existing pool? Just understand I had to do this in order to make the story "Catching Fire: Prim" and not "Catching Fire: Katniss". Hopefully this doesn't bother you too much.