The moment I even mentioned the word 'sequel' you were onto me like a pack of hyenas and no way could I back down then! I hope this is good and hope even more that you enjoy it alongside me. This won't kick-start immediately, it will take time. But that doesn't matter, what matters is that this here is a sequel to Gnawing Hunger and that this here is hopefully going to be a success like Gnawing Hunger was. So I hope you enjoy yourselves! I, SneverusSnapers, hereby present the sequel to Gnawing Hunger... Shattered Hearts!

Shattered Hearts

I look at myself in the mirror this morning and notice a difference from yesterday. My hair is still golden and luscious, my face still unreachable and powerful, I still look the same. There is no visible change to me, not since I won the hunger games, unlike my father who wore down at every stunt I pulled, every person I killed. They still haunt me at night, in nightmares. But during the day I am safe, during the day I am protected. My father has changed considerably since I was reaped. But me? No. I do not look different but I act different, I am always alert, ready. I am no longer so stuck up, I have begun to treasure human life and the lesson that Vivian taught me was that I should be kind to others. It doesn't mean I'm always nice, I mean, I'm human. But I try. But really that is beside the point. I have changed since yesterday, though I am not doing anything differently. I am just the same old me, the same old Kara Jaymond. But I am sixteen.

My reflection still stares back and I pick up my ring from my bedside table. It is three rings welded together. It may look like nothing but it means more to me than anything else in the world. The centre ring was my mothers; it is a deep blue sapphire which twinkles like my eyes, resting on a single gold loop. Below it is a pearl, attached to a gold loop, just as my sapphire was. I promised June I'd give it to her mother and I did. But her mother didn't want it and I saw her chuck it into the street as soon as I handed it to her. So I went back and scrabbled around in the dirt until I found it and convinced the local blacksmith to weld them together to make a double ring.

Then I examine the third and final part of this ring. This was given to me by Precious Good and is Anvike Tall's ring, it was his district token. He gave it to her but she couldn't bear the burden so she gave it to me. I was going to put it on her grave but then I remembered her telling me that she didn't want it, that it haunted her, so I attached the silver ring onto mine, the heart shaped diamond winking at me from the top. It could have looked a lot prettier and with my new found wealth and my home in victor's village but no, I kept it as it is, I've had enough of the Capitol enhancing the way I look, yet alone changing my life.

But as I know it's my birthday I also know one other thing, the reaping is in a week. The thought almost paralyses me. The reaping, just under one year ago my life was turned upside down when I was reaped into the hunger games alongside, alongside... Vivian.

I don't want to think about it, I just don't. But the faces grin at me from inside my mind, Dral, Vivian, June, Precious. Dead, dead, DEAD! I clasp my head and fall back onto my bed, my thoughts confused. They're dead, all dead, I mustn't blame myself though, I've had enough of blaming myself. It was the Capitol that did that to them, not me, the Capitol.

I gulp back tears and stagger downstairs, gripping the banister. I am still wearing my pajamas when I get down to the bottom of the stairs and become face to face with dad. I smile a warm, coaxing smile. Dad. His health hasn't been looking too great but that shouldn't be a problem, he'll be fine. He's always fine. But dad doesn't return the smile and I look at him, puzzled.

"Dad, what's wrong?" I ask but then freeze when I see the door to his study behind him left open slightly ajar and the man sitting on the desk, smiling at us as if we were just small ants he is examining, petty and feeble and easy to crush. I look up and dad and he gives me a scared look and I slowly walk past him and knock onto the door of the study. If Snow's here it can't be too good, if Snow's here the tiny sanction I have built up around myself and my father will be flattened, badly.

"Enter." A voice rasps, his voice, president Snow's voice. I shiver at the maliciousness and enter, only realizing when I get in that I am only in my pajamas. I stare awkwardly at Snow who is tapping a pen on my father's table, creating a steady beat. He beckons for me to sit down and reluctantly I draw back the chair opposite and place myself on it, remaining alert and careful. Snow looks up from the table and his eyes lock with mine. I don't blink or even flinch and I can smell the sweet scent of roses mingled with blood from his mouth. I don't even want to know what the blood is from; I just want to know why Snow is here, in both me and my father's house. His eyes break from mine and he spends a minute looking at me, his eyes scanning me as a jaguar would do to its prey, then he silently gets up and heads towards the door. But I can't let him go. What is he doing here?

"Why did you come here?" I ask and Snow looks at me and smiles, a bitter, cold, reluctant smile which sends shivers of fear down my spine and makes me freeze, as if paralysed, in the seat in my own house, scared out of my wits. So I just stay still, his malicious smile breaking my thoughts. Then his mouth twists out of a smile and grimaces at me, then lets out a few words which stick to my consciousness, creating fear and terror to say the least.

"To see you Kara Jaymond. To see you."

I wake up gasping for air, my lungs screaming. The nightmare has been haunting me for days, but the really scary thing about it is that it is true and happened just over a week ago. I still don't know what he meant and I still don't understand, I don't think I ever will. But that's what the Capitol does, twists your mind and distorts your consciousness until you finally don't understand what is going on, until you finally give up. Or so you think. But the Capitol never let you give up; they never let you accept defeat. They like the struggle; they try to keep you fighting just for the point of squishing you. They like a challenge. And I tell you what; if they try anything, anything at all, I'll give them a challenge they will never forget. Because I'm Kara Jaymond from district eight, I'm sixteen years old, I won the hunger games last year and it is the reapings today. And I never, ever, give up.