Quarter Quell

((Alrighty, here it is, with a fancy schmancy banner and everything~! I couldn’t wait to start this, but there’s still plenty of time to submit tributes here, and they would be much appreciated (even if you’ve already submitted one!). This is my first fanfic, and basically my first attempt at writing a story, so it’ll be a learning experience. You have my apologies if I end up going back and editing chapters over and over again (I’m toying with making it first person present tense, but I’m not sure yet…opinions?) and for any amateur-ness. Also, I’m posting as I go, so updates will probably be all over the place. My apologies again (assuming people are actually waiting to read more lol). Constructive criticism is very welcome and would be much appreciated! Thanks for reading, I hope you get some sort of enjoyment out of this :) ~Ellie <3))

((Oh, two more things! This is the story of the first Quarter Quell told from the perspectives of a girl from District 2 and a boy from District 12. And for the record, it’s NOT a love story lol xD. Anyways, without further adieu, I give you…))

Quarter Quell

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing regarding Panem, the Hunger Games, and everything else mentioned in Suzanne Collins’s fabulous book series, “The Hunger Games.”

One - Katrina

One. Two. One. Two.

Katrina kept count in her head as she hit the punching bag over and over, taking out all of her stress on the poor thing. So the reaping was in two days? Punch. She only had 2 more years to be chosen as a volunteer or all her training would have been for nothing? Thwack. Assuming she did get lucky enough to volunteer, Kat would be fighting for her life? Wham.

The punching bag flew backwards with more force than Katrina had expected, and the blonde just barely managed to jump out of the way without getting hit as it swung back at her. The seventeen year old took her near hit as a sign that it was time to leave, and, ignoring the snickers from the other careers who were trying to get some last minute training in, Katrina grabbed her bag and left the gym.

Everyone in District 2 knew the “gym” was actually a training center for careers, but it was better not to come right out and say it. The law stated that training for the Hunger Games was prohibited, but in the 24 years since the creation of the Games, the law had never been enforced. Though apparently Districts 1, 2, and 4 were the only ones courageous enough to risk breaking the rules, which, of course, was why the careers deserved to win.

And this year was Kat’s. She was sure of it. Now that she was seventeen, Katrina was sure she had enough training under her belt to survive anything the Games threw at her. She had been training for as long as she could remember. Kat was strong and fast, and she could use every weapon she’d ever seen in the Games (though aiming some of those weapons was another story). She had watched every Hunger Games since her birth and interrogated older people about the ones before her time, so she knew how they worked and what to expect. Which, unfortunately, was everything.

Still, Katrina was ready. At least, her parents thought so. The seventeen year old was a bit hesitant. Sure she’d been training her whole life, but the Games didn’t exactly look pleasant. Not to mention she would be up against at least five other careers with just as much training as she had. But if winning the Games was what it would take to win her parents’ respect, Kat would do it. After she won the games, Katrina was positive her parents would talk less about “their son the Peacekeeper” and much, much more about their daughter the Victor. The Victor. It had a nice ring to it.

Lost in thought, Kat had managed to make it halfway home before she remembered: she was late! Cursing to herself, the blonde took off at a run, hoping against hope that she would make it home in time for the President’s announcement. All she knew was that it was about the Hunger Games, but that was more than enough for Katrina to know that she definitely didn’t want to miss it.

When she finally arrived home, Katrina was exactly five minutes late. She burst through the door of her large brick house and ran to the living room to find her mom and dad already seated on the sofa. They turned to look at her, and Kat quickly greeted them, “Sorry I’m late! I got distracted.” The blonde perched herself on the arm of the couch next to her mom and asked, “Did I miss anything?”
“Well, be more careful next time.” Kat’s dad gave her a stern look, but before he could say more her mom interrupted. “No, you haven’t missed anything. Look, they’re just getting started.”

Sure enough, the President had just walked onto a stage, and was greeted by thunderous applause as he took his place on a podium with a large box sitting upon it. Katrina and her parents joined in the applause eagerly. The President calling an announcement about the Games was unprecedented. It was only now, as she was watching the television, that Kat was struck by a horrible realization: What if they were cancelling the Games? They couldn’t do that, could they? If they did, Katrina would be left with nothing; her whole life had been dedicated to training for the Games. She’d neglected her schoolwork, her friends, everything. Kat had to be in the Hunger Games.

Fortunately, the girl did not have much time to worry about this possibility, because the President had already begun speaking.“Citizens of Panem,” he began. “As you all know, the Hunger Games were created as punishment for the districts’ failed rebellion as the Capitol. And as I’m sure you also know, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Hunger Games. In honor of the occasion, we will be having our first Quarter Quell.”

The President opened the box in front of him to reveal dozens, maybe hundreds, of cards with writing on them. “Every 25 years, there will be another Quell. As you can see, we’ve planned for plenty of them.” The President chuckled at what he seemed to think was a hilarious joke, then reached into the box and pulled out a card labeled, ‘25’. For 25 years, Kat supposed.

The seventeen year old watched the television in rapt attention as she waited for the announcement that could make or break her chances in the Games. Funny, how after all that training her fate now rested on a tiny piece of paper.

So... When are you going to update this? I like it. >:3