The First Annual Hunger Games
Chapter 1: The Spark (Sotiris)
by TheAngryTaco

A/N: By know, I'm sure everyone in the world knows about The Hunger Games and what they are. What I've always been curious about is how the Games started out. Who suggested the Games? How did the Tributes fare without mentors? How did the traditions of sponsors and stylists and all of those other Games necessities start? What mistakes were made on both the Tribute and Capitol sides? And who won the original Games?

This story is my personal vision of the answers to those questions. It will be told through the eyes of Sotiris (a Capitol official) and later Embla (a Tribute).

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or anything in that franchise. I do, however, own the characters in this story. Please enjoy this look into the first annual Hunger Games.

Sotiris sat outside his wife's room, waiting patiently for the doctors to finish checking up on her. He looked at his watch, mild frustration crossing his expression. The had sustained some damage during one of the various rebel attacks on the Capitol, but it still functioned properly as it showed that the doctors had been in there for nearly three hours. He sighed and ran his fingers over the tiny pearls that were embedded in the silver, trying to take his mind off of everything that had happened.

A few days prior, in a final, desperate attack on the city, the rebels had bombed several buildings. One of the targets had been the complex where himself and several other prominent Capitol officials lived with their families. Sotiris had fortunately been working late when the bombs went off, but many others hadn't been so lucky. His young son, Varius, had been killed by falling rubble. Tasia, his wife, had been found unconscious but still alive after a few hours. He closed his eyes, reliving the emotions from the discovery of their bodies.

"Chancellor Stone?"

He opened his eyes and stood as the doctors exited the room. One walked over to him. "You're clear to see her now."

"Any news?" Sotiris asked.

"You'll have to ask her," the doctor replied, shrugging apologetically before going on his way.

Sotiris looked surprised, but nodded and went in. His wife lay on a solitary bed, watching the television set in the corner. She had once been a real beauty, with luscious brown hair and pale skin without a single flaw. Now, with numerous tubes sticking out of her bruised skin and stitches all across her shaved head, she was nearly unrecognizable. Only her brown eyes, as hard and cold as a rock in the winter, remained the same. "Evening, Tasia," Sotiris said softly.

Her eyes flickered in his direction, softening when she realized who it was. "Sotiris," she replied, trying to extend her hand toward him.

He took her hand and replaced it on her bed. "I'm right here," he soothed. "Don't try to move if you don't have to."

Tasia looked upset, but complied. "Please take my hand," she requested quietly. "I need to know that you're really there."

Sotiris felt his heart swell with emotion. He carefully lay his hand on hers, their fingers intertwining. "How are you doing?" he asked, careful not to let his voice catch.

An amused smile crossed her face. "A building fell on me, Sotiris," she replied. "Take a guess."

Sotiris chuckled in spite of himself. "I guess that's true," he admitted. "But so what? You'll be as good as new soon."

Tasia looked away, sadness filling her eyes. Sotiris stared at her, confused. "What's wrong?"

"The doctors have told me that I don't have more than a couple of days left."

He felt like he'd been hit in the chest with a train. "What?"

"You heard me," Tasia answered, unable to meet his eyes. "Several of my organs have been damaged beyond what our technology can repair. If I wasn't hooked up to all of these machines, I would already be dead."

He shook his head rapidly, refusing to believe her. "That's not true. It can't be," he told her. "If it is, why didn't the doctors say anything to me?"

"I asked them not to," she said simply. "I wanted to be the one to tell you."

His eyes closed as his face contorted in pain. "Tasia, no," he whispered. "Varius is already gone...I can't lose you too."

Tasia's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Sotiris..."

A loud, patriotic fanfare blaring from the TV prevented him from learning more. Sotiris struggled to get his emotions under control as he turned to see what was happening. Severina Fox, the president of Panem, walked onto a stage and stood at a podium before a large crowd in the largest square that the Capitol had. She waited a moment to ensure that everyone was watching, then began her address. "Ladies and gentlemen, to those here in the Capitol and to those in the Districts, good evening. Thank you for joining us tonight."

She held out a hand. From the side, a young woman handed Fox a small glass of water. The president took a casual sip, then continued. "As you know, we have already beaten twelve Districts into submission and completely destroyed the thirteenth. We have also captured the final leaders of the rebellion that has caused us all so much pain. They have all been found guilty of the crime of treason. Tonight, to ensure that everyone understands that justice is served by the Capitol, we have invited you to join us in watching the traitors as their sentence is carried out."

She pointed off to the side as she spoke. The cameras turned to focus on a large gallows looming nearby. Loops of rope, already coiled and ready for a victim, hung ominously from the heavy beams. Next to the gallows, there was a line of eight people in chains, each person escorted by a Capitol guard. The lead guard barked something, and the prisoners were all forced to march up the stairs and stand behind a rope. Tasia gripped Sotiris's hand hard. He glanced back to see her mouth had turned into a thin line as she watched the events. He reached for the remote.

"Don't you dare change the channel," Tasia said sharply.

Sotiris dropped the device as if it had suddenly turned red hot. "Yes, ma'am," he said quickly.

Tasia gave a quick nod, grunting in discomfort as she did so. A loud clamor returned his attention to the TV. One of the rebels, a woman he vaguely remembered as being named Penelope, had punched her guard and was fighting desperately to get free. The other rebels seemed to pick up her energy and joined in the fight. The citizens nearest to the gallows screamed and tried to scramble away from the violence. Others who were farther away started screaming for blood. Sotiris sat still, utterly transfixed by what he was seeing.

A loud gunshot rang out across the square followed by a loud groan. Everyone fell silent as they looked around, trying to figure out who had shot whom. Then the camera refocused on Fox, who was pointing a gun at the gallows. "I despise violence," she said coldly. "That was pointless and, quite frankly, stupid."

Another camera found the body of a rebel man face down on the stairs of the gallows, blood dripping from a hole in his head. Penelope looked like she was about to faint as she stared down at him. "Bring the woman over to me," the president ordered. "Ready the rest of them as planned."

Two guards grabbed Penelope and began to drag her across. The crowd hissed at her as she passed, occasionally yelling insults and curses. The young woman from before brought out a chair and placed it next to Fox. The guards forced the rebel into the chair and tied her securely to it. The woman struggled to break free, but the look on her face showed that she knew it was hopeless. The president glanced at a sheet of paper on the podium. "You would be Penelope Sparrow, originally from District 13, correct?"

The woman glared defiantly at Fox and refused to answer. The president sighed, then gripped the rebel's right hand. With a sickening crack, Fox snapped one of Penelope's fingers back. The woman screamed in agony. "Oh, you do have a voice," the president said coolly. "Excellent. Now, identify yourself."

The woman clamped her mouth shut, though pain was still evident in her eyes. The president frowned, clearly annoyed. "I don't have all evening," she growled.

When she still got nothing, Fox repeated her actions on another finger. And then another. And another. Except for her cries of pain, the entire square fell silent as the scene unfolded. Finally, the woman had no more fingers to break. She collapsed in her chair, crying, as Fox wiped her hands on a towel. "I think we have reached an understanding now. Wouldn't you agree?"

The woman, still crying, didn't answer. Fox smiled at her and moved to stand next to her. "Now then...what is your name and your District?"

"Penelope Sparrow," the woman finally replied, her voice shaking. "District 13."

"There. Was that really so hard?" Fox asked calmly, taking another sip of water.

Penelope hung her head. Fox laid her hand on her shoulder, smiling. "You don't want to die, do you, Penelope?"

The rebel's answer was inaudible to the cameras, but Fox heard it loud and clear. "No, you don't," she said. "And that's perfectly fine with me. I have an idea that I think will suit us both."

Penelope looked up at Fox, her expression one of dread. Fox ignored her and nodded toward the gallows, where the remaining rebels were waiting in their nooses. "But first, we do have to take care of your companions."

She nodded to the guards. Snapping sounds filled the air as ropes tightened and necks broke. Penelope's expression was one of pure grief as she watched. The camera then returned to Fox as she stepped back to the podium. "Thank you all again for joining us," she said as if nothing had happened. "I hope you all have a pleasant evening, and that you'll join us again in the near future."

The Capitol seal came on the screen with a triumphant flourish.

Sotiris let out a deep breath. "That was interesting," he commented.

"It's not enough."

The bitter tone that creeped into Tasia's voice stunned him. He turned back to her. "Tasia, what are you talking about? They're dead, except for that one woman, and I don't envy her in the slightest."

Tasia fixed her hard stare on him. "She'll probably be made an Avox or something," she said coolly. "That's the standard punishment, correct?"

Sotiris nodded. Tasia shut her eyes. "Not enough," she repeated firmly. "If you think tonight stopped any further rebellion, you're fooling yourself."

Sotiris frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You saw the way they fought back," Tasia snapped. "They might play nice for now, but how long will that last? A year? Two maybe? They will strike again, and next time, they might even be stronger."

He knew she was right. "What do you suggest we do?" he asked her.

"You need to crush their spirits," she answered. "Make them understand that if they even think of trying to do this again, they will pay a heavy price."

"Again," he said quietly. "What do you suggest we do?"

Tasia's eyes narrowed. "Kill their children," she said sharply.

"Their...children?" he repeated.

"Yes," she said. "We have lost a child, so you and I both know there's no pain in this world that is anything like it. If you took a handful of children from each District and executed them, and also reminded the Districts of why you're doing it, I think the message would sink in."

He stared at her for a long moment, trying to decide if she was serious or not. "That might be a solution," he said carefully. "But think about how you're reacting right now. What's to stop the people of the Districts from becoming enraged and rebelling again?"

"If you do it now, that would be an issue," she replied. "Hit them while they're down, and then hit then again and again. They won't get back up."

Sotiris's eyes widened as he began to truly consider the possibility. "Make it a yearly thing," he said. "So the Districts have to constantly be reminded of it. And have it televised. That just might work."

Tasia smiled, then started coughing. For a fearful moment Sotiris was afraid he would have to summon a doctor. Then she regained her breath. "Sotiris, please," she said quietly. "Do this for our son...and for me. Do it for every other Capitol citizen who lost a child in this terrible war. Do it for all of Panem so we never have to endure this pain again."

He looked her in the eye. "I'll have to run it by the other officials," he told her. "But I'll do what I can to make it happen. I promise you that."

Tasia relaxed. "I have faith in you," she whispered. She stifled a yawn, then added, "I love you, Sotiris. Never forget that."

He bent down and kissed her lightly. "I love you too," he murmured. "And I never will."

Feel free to leave a review and let me know how I can improve.