Sea green eyes

3 - A Living Nightmare

-I hover over Thren's body, my district partner's chest slowly stopping, his hand becoming cold. I wipe away the blood on his forehead and pick up my sword. Rage, hot and fierce, courses through my body, and I stand, turning to see the Career pack slowly advancing on me. There are only six of us left. Four careers, one thirteen year old and one small girl from District Five. Fuck this. I'm walking out of here. Not them. Me.

I take Thren's knife from his belt, holding it in my other hand. The girl from one reaches me first, and it's over in seconds, her throat slit as she falls to the ground.

As I turn to the careers, I smile as they bolt.

Blood dripping from the corner of my mouth, I smile as I begin my hunt.

---

Bolting up in my bed, I breathe heavily, my eyes flaring, and a hand clutched on my chest as I scan the room, trying to figure out where I am. My bed. Right. I'm in five. I've been back for two weeks, after finishing up my services for Snow. The Games were almost a year ago.

I sigh deeply, looking at the clock on my bedside table.

7:13 am. Shit. There's a compulsory Capitol broadcast today at 7:30.

Gods. And, that's another night of less than five hours of sleep. I haven't slept a full night since the day I got reaped. I snort softly. That's not the only thing that was destroyed that day. I stand from the bed, walking out and down to the kitchen.

"Kas?" I turn from my cereal pouring to see Tom, my twin, at the door, staring at me with a concerned expression.

"What?" I snap. His face shifts and I feel immediately guilty. It's not his fault I had another nightmare. "Sorry... just... on edge."

"It's ok... I get it." He says, smiling softly. How could you get it? I think, hands curling in and out of fists. How the fuck could you know what I go through every night? But I don't say any of it, like always, and instead sit at the dining table, scooping my cereal into my mouth.

7:27 am.

I groan, stretching before I make my way into the living room with the television.

"Oi! Tommy get in here, the live broadcast things in three minutes!"

"Oh yeah, geez I totally forgot about that," Tom says, sitting on the couch next to me. "What do you think it is?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," I say, "OH!" I smile. "It's probably voting for Katniss's wedding dress!" At least that's something I can sort of get behind. The news shocked me at first, but I guess it makes sense. Anyone with eyes can see how much they care for each other, even if the love bit isn't real, and at least it's better than what I do for the Capitol.

The TV flickers on and, as the Panem anthem blares, I think of my father. He's at work in the power factory, but they will have stopped all production for the announcement. The screen flickers and President Snow appears, causing my brother to hiss with distaste.

I stare at the man on the screen. This is the man who took everything from me. Who destroyed Kas, and left Kasia Frost behind. But then he starts to speak, and every thought leaves my head.

A bad feeling begins to settle in my heart.

Snow is holding a letter, and begins to speak to the crowd of Capitol citizens.

"Every 25 years, it was decreed that there would be a Quarter Quell, a special games designed to remind the districts of the atrocities of the war. So now is the time to reveal what the 75th unique twist will be. On the 25th year, the tributes were voted for by their districts, as a reminder that their children were dying because they chose to initiate violence."

I winced. That would be worse than getting picked. Knowing that your district had sent you to die. Geez.

"The 50th games, as a reminder that two rebels died for every Capitol citizen, every district sent two female and two male tributes."

That was Haymitch's year. That would have been... I couldn't even comprehend that... how terrifying knowing your odds would be in those games.

"So now, we come to the third Quarter Quell." Snow cleared his throat, the smile on his face making me want to throw up with nerves.

What will it be? No sponsors? Bombs? Children below twelve? All ages?

"So... As a reminder that not even the strongest amongst us can overcome the power of the Capitol-" My heart seemed to stop. And somehow, I know what Snow is going to say before he says it. "This years tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of Victors!"

The existing pool of Victors.

Fuck.

No. NO!

Before I can fully process the words, a scream echoes through my ears. Thomas. He grabs my arm but I rip it out of his grip.

"Kas... Kas, please!"

"No... I... I'm sorry." I stutter, spinning on my heels and sprinting through the door, out into the fresh air. I turn from the house, from the Victor's village in all, and ran towards the square, whole body shaking.

I can hear people leaving their houses as I run past, aiming for... I didn't know. I just have to get away. I don't care if they see me. They know what I have found out. They all heard Snow's words.

This years tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of Victors. This years tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of Victors. This years tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of Victors. This years tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of Victors. The existing pool of Victors. Victors. Victors.

Finally, in what I think is the middle of the square, I collapse, my head pounding.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

Shit. SHIT!

I wrap my arms around myself as my head tilts towards the sky.

There are four female Victors in five.

I have a quarter of a chance. That number seems too big and so small at the same time.

I don't know what is going on around me, all I know is pain. Fear. All I have ever known.

For a flash, I try to think back to my life before the Games. But there is nothing. That girl, that person is gone.

Turning my head to the sky, which now shows the start of a storm, I open my mouth and scream. A long guttural scream.

I scream for me, for Johanna and Katniss, who are both guaranteed to go back in. For Gloss and Cashmere, Brutus, Enobaria, Betee, Mags, Annie, Wiress, Chaff, Haymitch, Peeta, Odair, Sara, Veliary...

I don't know how long I stay for, but eventually my voice is hoarse from the screams. I pick myself up from the stone and turn, ignoring the concerned faces of the District 5 townspeople.

As I walk back towards the Victor's Village, it starts to rain.