The Six-Hundred-and-Fiftieth Annual Hunger Games, the twenty-fourth Quarter Quell

POV: Silvanus Heavensbee, 31, President of Panem

Chapter One: reading the card.

I was sitting down watching the Victory Day celebrations going on in the Avenue of Tributes down below. It was out annual day of celebration. Six Hundred and fifty years ago, the Capitol finally won the Dark Days, after seven years of fighting. We made a deal with District 13 to have them hide underground. Then my ancestors made the Hunger Games, an annual death match where two young adults between the ages of 12 and 18 are reaped from each District, one male and one female. These 'tributes' are then sent into an arena to fight each other to the death. This is used as a way to remind the Districts and the savages that inhabit them that the Capitol owns them, now and forever. After one hundred and ten years, District 13 resurfaced, ready to go for round two. They lost within three months, and we through them into the Hunger Games as well.

Then, for another two hundred and forty years, there was relative peace in Panem, as the Thirteen Districts played in the Hunger Games. Then we found more places that had survived the Great Disaster, and quickly claimed them under our control. We got a further eleven Districts into Panem, bringing the total to twenty-four. It has now been over three hundred years since then, and practically no rebellion. One other twist was the Quarter Quells. Every twenty-five years there was a special twist integrated into the games. These twists changed the games, adding a new fun rule to the games. There had been twenty-three previous Quarter Quells, and now it was time for the Six-Hundred-and-Fiftieth Hunger Games, or the Twenty-Fourth Quarter Quell.

I shook my head and stood up, enough reminiscing about the past, it was time to read the Quarter Quell card. I walked up to the podium and waved to the Capitol crowd. They screamed in excitement at the upcoming twist. I was signalled by the camera operator, and smiled as I went live to the entire country.

"Greetings Panem, I hope you are having a great Victory Day, from District One to Twenty-Four, you are all important, and I hope the celebrations in your Districts are enjoyable. Now, it is time for the reading of the twist of the Twenty-Fourth Quarter Quell!" I shouted. The Capitol crowds cheered, and I knew that there would be a few cheers in each of the Districts as there was now a Career Academy in each one. District 21 had only just built their academies. Several hundred years ago, there had been a vote in the Capitol on whether the Capitol should build Career Academies in all Districts, and the results came back with 92% in favour, but the condition was decided that each District had to have ten Victors to have their academy built. District 21 was the last District to gain a tenth Victor, only two years ago.

"First, as is tradition, I will read out the twists of the previous Quarter Quells," I said. I took a breath and looked at my list. This was the one part I didn't like, as it was long.

"On the Twenty-Fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that it was their choices that lead to the Hunger Games, and their children dying, each District had to vote on the two tributes that would represent them in the arena. There was no volunteering aloud. This was won by Syren Hartaline of District 4."

"On the Fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that twice the number of rebels were killed then Capitol people, Districts were required to reap twice the number of tributes, making in forty-eight tributes in the arena for the first time. This was won by Haymitch Abernathy of District 12."

"On the Seventy-Fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels of the bonds that were broken during the Dark Days, each District was required to reap a brother-sister pair. This was won by Asha Parkin of District 7."

"On the One-Hundredth anniversary, as reminder to the rebels that the entire nation could only work as one, there was one reaping bowl in the Capitol, from which twenty-four names were reaped. No volunteering was aloud. Ruby Clinton of District 1."

"On the One-Hundredth-and-Twenty-Fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels of all the women who fought and died in the Dark Days for no reason, all tributes reaped were female. This was won by Leela Boudicca of District 2."

"One the One-Hundredth-and-Fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels of all the men who fought and died in the Dark Days for no reason, all tributes reaped were males. This was won by Hiliz Leegs of District 13."

"On the One-Hundredth-and-Seventy-Fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even their older warrior dies, all tributes were eighteen years old. This was won by Blanche Piere of District 13."

"On the Two-Hundredth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels of all the children left without parents after the Dark Days, all tributes were orphans. This was won by Cecelia Mallows of District 8."

"On the Two-Hundredth-and-Twenty-Fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that Panem cannot run if one District is not doing their parts, only one District provided all twenty-six tributes. This District was District 5. This was won by Tesla Hickory of District 5."

"On the Two-Hundredth-and-Fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that the rates of starvation quadrupled in the Districts after the Dark Days, each District had to reap four times the number of tributes. This was won by Daffodil Sablone of District 12."

"On the two-hundred-and-seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder of the power the Capitol has over the district citizens lives, the tributes were handpicked by the sitting Head Gamemaker, Raptimus Flavnir. No volunteers were allowed. This was won by Buzzer Toplink of District 3."

"On the three-hundredth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that the same punishment will happen if they decide to rebel again, two Hunger Games were held, and the two separate Victors were then forced to fight each other until the lone Victor emerged. This was won by Denim Rheys of District 8."

"On the three-hundred-and-twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that they were heartless killers, all tributes were convicted murderers. This was won by Carat Ashton of District 1."

"On the three-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that both their strongest and weakest were destroyed by the Capitol, only the districts with the highest and lowest number of Victors competed. These were District 2 and District 13. This was won by Antigone Gress of District 2."

"On the three-hundred-and-seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder that the Capitol is kind, gracious and believes in second chances, forty-eight fallen tributes from the past twenty-five games were revived to have a second chance at victory. This was won by Victor Jakobsson of District 2, who had perished in the 370th Hunger Games."

"On the four-hundredth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels of all the parents that abandoned their children and fought in the rebellion, parents between ages twenty-five and sixty were reaped. This was won by Padraig Moloney of District 19."

"On the four-hundred-and-twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder that even the smartest district citizens pale in comparison to the intelligence of the Capitol, the tributes were reaped from the top two percent in their schools' academic records. This was won by Miller Aljoy of District 9."

"On the four-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that they sent children into the war, the tributes were all twelve years old. This was won by Ahia Watti of District 23."

"On the four-hundred-and-seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that they would be lost without the Capitols guidance, the tributes were of mental or physical handicap. This was won by Mia Aaberg of District 21."

"On the five-hundredth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that, for every person they sent into fight, six people were left grieving at home, each district provided six times the number of tributes. This was won by Smokey Brokeroot of District 12."

"One the five-hundred-and-twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that the President of Panem has control over the entire county, including all the citizens, the sitting President, Violet Hawke, This was won by Katine Abbott of District 9."

"On the five-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that they chose to enact the Hunger Games, due to their choice to rebel, all tributes were required to be volunteers. This was won by Dylan Odair of District 4."

"On the five-hundred-and-seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that they cannot always rely on others to help them, there were no volunteers. This was won by Autumn Preston of District 16."

"On the six-hundredth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even their leaders of the rebellion made choices that killed rebels, the living Victors of each District were required to decide on which tributes entered the Hunger Games that year. This was won by Sirius Triton of District 6."

"And finally, on the six-hundred-and-twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that people of all ages died in the Dark Days, due to the rebels, the age range of reaped tributes was increase to include ages five to eighty. This year was won by Elzone Holzier of District 11."

"Now, for the twist of the Six-Hundred-and Fiftieth Hunger Games, the Twenty-Fourth Quarter Quell." My daughter walked up behind me with the box containing the twist for this year. "On the Six-Hundred-and-Fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels of a direct relation between their actions, and the consequences of those actions, each District is required to reap a number of tributes, equal to the number of living Victors they have." I announced. I heard the cheers from the crowd, and through a little screen, saw the mix of cheers, fear and relief on the faces of District citizens. I knew that they thought they got of lightly this year, especially District 18, which only had one living Victor; Anara Valho, Victor of the Five-Hundred-and-Ninety-Ninth Hunger Games.

"As an extra note, each District will reap the same gender separation for their tributes as they have for their Victors. For example, District One has four living Victors; three female and one male, so they will supply three female and one male tribute, District Fifteen has three living Victors; two male and one female, so two male and one male tributes will be reaped," I said.

There was a cheer from the Capitol crowd as a waved and turned back around. I was quickly handed a list, detailing how many tributes would be in this year.

District 1; 4 tributes (3 female, 1 male)

District 2; 3 tributes (1 female, 2 male)

District 3; 2 tributes (1 female, 1 male)

District 4; 4 tributes (2 female, 2 male)

District 5; 2 tributes (0 female, 2 male)

District 6; 5 tributes (2 female, 3 male)

District 7; 6 tributes (4 female, 2 male)

District 8; 4 tributes (1 female, 3 male)

District 9; 2 tributes (2 female, 0 male)

District 10; 2 tributes (1 female, 1 male)

District 11; 3 tributes (1 female, 2 male)

District 12; 4 tributes (2 female, 2 male)

District 13; 4 tributes (1 female, 3 male)

District 14; 3 tributes (2 female, 1 male)

District 15; 3 tributes (1 female, 2 male)

District 16; 3 tributes (2 female, 1 male)

District 17; 4 tributes (1 female, 3 male)

District 18; 1 tribute (1 female, 0 male)

District 19; 2 tributes (0 female, 2 male)

District 20; 4 tributes (3 female, 1 male)

District 21; 2 tributes (1 female, 1 male)

District 22; 3 tributes (2 female, 1 male)

District 23; 2 tributes (1 female, 1 male)

District 24; 5 tributes (3 female, 2 male)

Total; 77 tributes (38 female, 39 male)

This was going to be an interesting games.