Chapter Text
Kyren
Kyren laughed, slightly amused by Penelope’s comment about last year’s Games. He had invited a few friends over to watch the replays at home. Penny was smart, but she didn’t let people catch on to it. Sometimes she reminded Kyren of a fox or a cat she was sly, elegant, mocking people without them realizing. The blonde at his side, though, was different. Jolie was the kind of fake you could spot from a mile away. Penny was real. And funny. Kyren didn’t entirely disliked Jolie ,but she was sometimes just too Capitol like. A reminder that the Capitol was there and that they had the power to do what they wanted. Yes, Kyren wasn’t bad off he had a pretty home, a old wood house at the end of district two where the people lived who were slightly better off, it even had a lake in the the backyard and Kyrens mother adored the view from the front porch on the mountain district 2 was famous for.
Jolie said something again, and Kyren was forced to give her his attention. Her parents had moved here from the Capitol after being assigned to oversee the weapon factories in District 2. Jolie got almost everything she wanted. It was sickening. She wasn’t ugly, at least not on the outside, but Kyren could sense her constant jealousy of Penelope even though they were just friends. It was embarrassing, but he was in no position to tell her that. His family’s wealth depended on the factories, and if Jolie’s parents decided to shut down even a few that the Mirrostons owned, they’d be dangerously close to financial ruin. And Jolie would play that game, she hated feeling rejected and wasn’t a big thinker of consequences for others, at the moment she twirled her blonde hair around her finger. Last week it had been white, she told Kyren with a very serious voice that hair Color was currently trending in the Capitol. And that even if district 2 couldn’t understand fashion she could look good, Jolie had the habit to count herself and Kyren as better than anyone in district 2. she seemed to forget that this was Kyrens home.
“Ky-Ky, who did you root for last year?” He hated it when people called him that. From the corner of his eye, he caught his best friend Chace smirking as he overheard the nickname. Kyren didn’t bother to hide the eye roll. In school he was usually with Chase, Penny and Jolie since district two had only three schools for every child in the district. There was a dynamic in the district, the people who worked in the factories hated those who had the a bit of power and didn’t only blame the Capitol for their situation but also those who owned the factories. Kyrens family wasn’t exactly well liked among the lower classes of two. Same went for Chase because his family was closely involved with the peacekeeper academy, sometimes Chase and Kyren snuck in and watched them train. When they turned 13 they had started to also train, but since there wasn’t an official fighting school they had tried to copy everything the peacekeepers learned.
“Well, Jo-Jo, I guess I hoped the win would come to District 2.”Somehow Jolie missed the coldness in his voice and managed to say something even more mindless than before.“Well, I thought you were hoping the girl from District 1 would win. She’s exactly your type. I could’ve introduced you to her if she had.” As if Jolie had any idea what his type was. This time Kyren suppressed a snort. The only thing stopping him from snapping at her was knowing exactly why her family had moved away from the Capitol, President Snow had exiled them after Jolie’s mother tried to manipulate the Games. Kyren forced a relaxed smirk instead.
Chace pointed at the screen in the center of the room, saying how short last year’s Games had been and how it was a miracle the Capitol had enough footage to fill an entire day’s broadcast. Then, without warning, the footage was cut off.A man in a tight suit appeared on screen, he wore a white jacket over the yellow suit and his hair was long and white. He hold a old looking bird on his shoulder that tried to speak but the man quickly shushed the bird colourful away.
“Hello, Panem, and welcome to the announcement for the Twenty-Fifth Hunger Games. This year, President Snow has something special to share. Our youngest president and history and fabulous gamemaker had a genius idea to spice the games a little up, he worked very close with Dr.Gaul who will be co-Hosting this years games with me. Lucky Flickerman son of the famous Lucretius Flickerman,so stay tuned for more updates.”Kyren sat up straighter. That was unusual. Moments later, President Snow himself appeared. He wasn’t old, but there was something uncanny about his face, his lips too full, his eyes too still.
He began to speak.
“On the twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children are dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district will hold an election and vote on the tributes who will represent it.”
Kyren’s stomach dropped. A Quarter Quell. He had never heard of anything like this before.Anyone could be chosen. Anyone.
Jolie’s shrill voice cut through his thoughts. “Kyren would win for sure!” she said, and to his shock, Chace ,and even Penny who was against the games,agreed with her. He stood up, shaking his head. He needed air. Yes, he was the strong,he had a bit of trying and experience when it came to fighting.He had told people he would volunteer, but it had been a bluff. He’d hoped someone else would volunteer and he could simply Lena back.Now Kyren could curse himself that he had bragged about that simply because he wanted to impress a few people. Shit . Now, thanks to his own words, everyone thought he wanted to be nominated. He walked out of the room ignoring the questions of his friends.
When he reached his room, he stood at the window, gripping the edge of his desk for support. His breaths came sharp and uneven. He had always thought the Games were something he could keep at a distance, something he could choose to face or not. But this time, choice didn’t matter. In normal games the odds would have been in his favour, it was very unlikely that the son of a wealthy family would be reaped but now? Who wouldn’t want to take revenge on the fabric owners, the Mirrostons owned around 60 percent of the fabrics in district two, the rest belonged to the president even though a family that lived in the Capitol owned it for him. It was well known that the president was the real owner. So the workers couldn’t hurt the president but the Mirrostons were now very very available to be hurt. He realised a shaking breath and the knock on the door, dragged him back into the reality. He would be send in those games, either because someone thought he could really win or because to take revenge. Chase entered and he could see the worry in Chases eyes. He simply hugged his best friend without a question and Kyren could feel hot tears rolling down his cheeks.‘‘Chase, I don’t want to kill someone. I don’t want to die, I-I can’t. I don’t want to be in those games, they will kill me…‘‘ Chase nodded his face torn between pity and the wish to comfort Kyren.