The Hunger Games: Book Four - How it Might Have Been ... Gale.

Page Thirty-Five

Peeta

I'm not sure how long has passed since they took Oenothera away. It feels like forever ago since I saw her. The pain of missing her had intensified when I saw her face again, but not as the controlled me. As the real me. 

I am the real me now again - but I can't move. My thoughts are solid, not watery anymore, and I can hear every single word the new President is saying, crystal clear.

These words numb my heart.

"This will be the biggest and the most brutal Hunger Games anyone has ever seen!" he says, his mouth almost frothing with excitement and malice. If I could turn away, I would. But I can't. "Maybe we should have more than 24 Tributes - a total bloodbath..."

"They've tried that before, sir," one of the scientists pipes in. He receives a vicious glare in return for his information, but he is fortunate; he is not killed.

"Well then," the President paces up and down the room, thinking deeply about his new project with the sick excitement of a guillotine worker on execution day. He lists idea after idea, each one more horrifying than the next. "No winners!" he exclaims, followed by a manic laugh. "No winners at all! That will teach Panem what happens when they try to rebel!"

His previous ideas of turning the remaining Districts into Arenas as they were had been shot down by his adivisors, thankfully. They had claimed that that idea had simply been a plan of genocide, and the results would not work in his favour. Now he carried on, planning these new Games, with Oenothera the main attraction: "We will guide her along, make her a favourite, make the nation believe that she herself is a young Katniss Everdeen.. then BAM! Vicious death out of no-where. No one gets out alive!"

Some of his advisors murmur and shift uncomfortably, but the light and passion in the President's eyes show that he will not back down - this is his plan now.

"Arrange a mandatory broadcast tonight for the entire nation of Panem. Hack ArchivePlayers, archaic televisions sets, computers - whatever you need to to make sure the whole country sees this message. The New Hunger Games are coming!
     "Next week will see the Reaping take place, but it will be televised - no need for any of this 'gathering in the town square' nonsense. It gives people an invitation to riot. No, no, no! We will do the Reaping here in the Capitol buildings. The Tributes will be collected by our hovercrafts and delievered here, by force if necessary, by this day next week. 
      "The Arena will have to be organised, but I'm sure we can find men to do it for us. And of course, we already have one Tribute!"

He breaks off his rant with a manical laughter that makes me shiver internally. The plan is in motion; there's no stopping him now. Scientists usher from here to there, making calls and mailing the necessary people to get this plan up and running. I wish I could move, could break this madman's neck with a single snap, stop all of this. But I'm paralyzed. Surely if I could get this information out before it took place, I could save lives? People could run away, or even come here to help! They could...

An adivsor scurries up to the President and asks, quietly: "Sir, where will this New Hunger Games... take place, exactly? Won't there be a storm on the city if people suspect we are going to.... bring back what started the Rebellion again?"

It is a valid point, but judging by the smile on his face, the President has already thought of this. "Not to worry, dear boy," he smiles, though it is slightly insane. "I've planned it all. District 13 - that's where it will be held. No one will suspect a thing!" And he's right. If there's a storm on the city where the Capitol is, where we are, by the time people get here, we will be gone to the whole other side of Panem, and the Games will be underway. The President shocks me again."And, of course, where better to have it then my home District?" he smiles.

"Of course.. You're right. Very sorry for doubting you, President Coin."

If my knees could buckle, they would.