May the Odds Be Never in Your Favor

[1] The New Quell Twist

To remind the rebels, that for every person who died, closer ones did follow. Two more tributes will be reaped. The words bounce around in my head.

So there's going to be forty-eight tributes instead of twenty-four. But that's already happened; in the fiftieth Games, in the second Quarter Quell. Now the only difference is there's victors added on to the mix.

I look back at the bowl that now sits in the middle of the stage, right behind the microphone, it holds three slips of paper. This makes no sense. Are they reaping us again? If so, District Twelve is going to have three tributes.

My eyes wander to Haymitch who still stands in his little roped off area. He looks back at me. I might not think of Haymitch as anything more than a mentor, but I still care about him. Yes, I wanted him to volunteer to save Peeta's life, but only because he done that for me--just in a different way. I don't want him to be reaped back into the area, he's already been through too much--he even stopped drinking!

"Draw!" Thread commands at Effie. Effie flinches at his tone. She looks at me, then Peeta, then Haymitch. She walks over to the bowl slowly. I can tell she wasn't expecting this. She grabs one slip and draws it out slowly.

I'm silently moving to stand next to Peeta. I grab his hand, he grabs mine back eagerly. I know I'm griping it tighter than I should, but I can't help it; I need support, I need a clutch, I need Peeta--the boy who kept me steady when I needed him, the boy who's still doing that now.

When Effie gets to the microphone, she raises the slip of paper and opens it. I tightly shut my eyes. I ready myself to hear her call of Haymitch's name...but it never comes. I open my eyes. Effie stands at the microphone paralyzed, staring at the name. Her hand covering her mouth in shock.

"Read it!" Thread spits.

Effie jumps a little. I'm turning around to yell and snap at the Head Peacekeeper, but Effie's words stop me dead in place, making my blood run cold. "Cory Mellark..." she whimpers.

Peeta's body goes ridged and stiff next to me. "What?" I ask sharply.

Effie turns to me with tears going down her cheeks. "Katniss...I--I--"

"Read the next one!" Thread commands.

"What? No!" I yell at him. He just glares at me. I look back at Effie who's unfolding the next slip, her fingers shaking. Peacekeepers with loaded machine guns walk up and down the crowd of people, trying to find Cory. Peeta's at my side, frozen, clearly shocked and confused. My gaze lands on Thread again. He's smirking, seeming to be enjoying this. I ball up my fist.

Effie gasps a little, and after receiving a glare from the Commander, she reads, "...Primrose Everdeen..."

This one statement literally makes my stomach topple to the ground. No. No! Prim's standing in the first row so the Peacekeepers find her easily. They grab her arms firmly. She looks scared and shocked and confused.

I immediately go after Thread. "No!" I scream. "This isn't possible!" Peacekeepers grab my arms and starts pulling me back to the center of the stage. This seems to snap Peeta out of his daze because he's soon at my side, pulling the Peacekeepers off me. But they're soon replaced by three more, who grab Peeta.

"No!" I scream again. Peacekeepers drag Prim and Cory up on stage, they're both crying.

"No! This can't be happening!" Peeta yells. "No! Stop! Stop!"

We're both fighting them but they're just too strong! One pulls my arm so far up my back I hear a cracking noise and a pained screech escapes my mouth. Haymitch also has Peacekeepers on him. Effie stands there crying and shaking like a little kid.

"Finish it!" Thread yells.

Effie jumps for the third time today and turns back to the microphone. "Ladies and gentleman, your tributes from District Twelve, K--Katniss Everdeen...Peeta M--Mellark...Prim Eve--Primrose Everdeen...and C--Cory Mellark..." Her voice brakes and her shoulders start throbbing up and down as she bawls.

Peacekeepers grab Prim and Cory. I try to fight. "Time to go to the train." Thread says.

"No!" Peeta and I scream together.

"Mom." I hear Prim say. "Mom!" she calls as they pull us toward the open train doors. I jab my foot in one of the Peacekeeper's foot. He yelps and lets go. I try to go to Prim but another Peacekeeper takes the last one's place.

They shove us onto the train. Peeta gets pushed so hard he falls into one of the counters. "Peeta!" I go up to him. "Are you alright?" My voice is shaky, I'm on the verge of tears. But before Peeta can answer my question Prim and Cory get shoved on board. "Prim!"

"Katniss!" She flings her arms around my neck. I hear Peeta and Cory rejoicing behind me.

"It's okay, it's okay..." I murmur to her, stroking her soft blonde hair. She cries into my shirt, soaking it to my skin. I murmur comforting words to her as she shakes and hiccups. I let her fall in my arms and I refuse to let go.

One thing keeps running through my head: this isn't possible...this isn't possible...it's not real...it's all a joke...none of this is real...it's just a dream...a dream where I'm going into the Hunger Games with my sister...

^•_•^

This is the beginning so the first chapter is short, sorry. But we hope u enjoyed it!! This story is going to be great!! And just to tell u guys, this isn't one of our best chapters so do be expecting better ones to come!!

Plez, vote, comment and follow (I'll follow back)

~Strong