The Hunger Games: The Pawns

BOOK 1: THE PAWNS

The man on the projection spoke louder than Aura could even imagine. It was as if he was trying to hammer the words into the skulls of the crowd with the harshness of his tone alone. They didn't need to hear these words again. Twenty-four of them get shipped off to die every year, and the Capitol treated it like a joke. Aura already knew the announcement by heart.

"And without further ado, I announce the 25th annual Hunger Games!"

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The young man did not waiver in his gaze upon the sea. He simply pulled a small white rose from his breast pocket and laid it among the other flowers in his garden. "What does it mean to you, Gamemaker?"

"What does what mean, sir?"

"The concept of hope?" He took the rose and dropped it from the balcony into the fountain below. "Because to me, and to any quality citizen of the Capital, it is nothing more than a word. But like any word... If it is used incorrectly, in harmony with its brothers and sisters, it can mean your death. So choose them carefully."

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"It is a truly special occasion. For this year's games marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of your salvation."

"No, you are not a fighter." Her father spoke to her. "You are many things, honey. Many wonderful things, but you are not a fighter. If you try to be a hero, you're going to fail."

"I'm coming back, dad." Penn shook her head and threw the last bite of her ham sandwich into the trash can. She pointed at it with a look of determination. "And when I do, this family won't ever have to worry about that again. No one in this district will."

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"And yesterday, President Coriolanus Snow decreed that, in celebration of this magnificent event that unites our nation, a special rule will be placed upon the games, to quell the ambitions of those who might disagree with out methods."

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For a moment, it felt like Saul was going to slip from the trees and plummet to the ground below: He'd never fallen before... He enjoyed spending most of his time in the trees, since there was nothing on the ground he could say was truly his. At least, within the branches he could be away from the world below. It was the only place he felt free.

And then Saul grabbed the last branch. He didn't have to climb farther to see what had become of his orchard. The space that was once fruit-bearing and inhabited was barren and empty. Dead stumps littered the ground like craters. Those trees were the only thing Saul could call his own, and now they were gone.

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"This year, we will demonstrate that you are still free to choose for yourselves, and that all citizens, regardless of district, are still citizens of the Panem."

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"Aura, you can't leave!" Corvin exclaimed, slamming the door behind him, trying to keep his sister in. Aura flinched as he did this. The door was hanging on its hinge by a thread already. After she left for the games, there would be nothing to protect her brothers except for that door. "If you leave, we'll have to go back with Uncle Crispin. The last time-"

"While I'm still breathing, you won't be anywhere near Crispin." She told her brother. "I'm coming back, you know. And if I don't...take Barker and run... And don't look back. Don't ever look back. Because the moment you do, they'll know where you are. Relax... In a few months, this family will have another victor."

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"For this year, there will be no reaping. You shall choose amongst yourselves which tributes shall represent you. YOU decide for your district."

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"You are nothing. It's time you got that through your skull, fish boy." Ronn scowled at him. It only caused Marten to clench his fists tighter. "You're going in that arena, and the moment the timer hits zero, if you're lucky, you'll make a minute." He waited a moment and then scoffed. "You and your bloody inmate fath-"

It was at this moment that Marten knew he was a monster. He grabbed the boy by the neck and shoved him underneath the water in a swift motion. He held him there until he began to gasp for breath. "YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU'RE NOTHING!"

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"And so, this year, we speak to not only tributes, but to every child of Panem. Heed our words."

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"I respectfully disagree, sir." Theo shook his head. "If hope is anything, it's glue. It doesn't reduce civilization to dust... It raises it higher."

President Snow spun around with a hint of malevolence in his piercing blue eyes. No one seemed to notice it except for Theo. "Well..." He chuckled lightly after a few seconds of shared silence. "I suppose we shall agree to disagree..."

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"May the odds be ever in your favor."

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THE HUNGER GAMES

BOOK 1: THE PAWNS