Sponsorship

His sedatives were low that day. They had been lowering them every day for the past month. The games where coming and they wanted him to be paying attention rather than too drugged to know which way was up.

But with lower sedatives came more guards and a greater "safe distance." It made his nerves twitchy when they talked about him like he wasn't there. But they had good reason; he had almost beat that last Avox to death.

If he was being honest with himself he didn't mind the distance, he hated when they were near him. He wanted no one near him since the arena. The Monster from 2. The Beast that beat them to death. Brutal Cato. The victor that kept killing. He rather they left him alone than have to beat another one to prove his point.

"Ladies first." The woman on screen said in the shrill accent of the capitol. This was the last reaping for the day. He was ready for it to be over, to be done watching the faces of the already dead be pulled across the screen.

"Primrose Everdeen." A small blond girl from the back was pulled forward and Cato sighed.

"Dead." It was the only word he had said aloud all day. It was unnerving the silent Avox that he said it after every tribute was selected. Brutus has left to do other things hour ago when it became clear Cato wasn't going to beat anyone to death today.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" Came a commanding cry. This girl looking nothing like the other and yet did. Cato cocked his head to the side and studied the first volunteer from district twelve. He watched her march to the stage and when they finally gave a close up her face he said the first different thing in over twenty-four hours.

"Not dead."

Sitting there in the silent apartment surrounded by people who couldn't speak the brutal victor from district two felt something for the first time in over a year.

I saw this idea done and wanted to do the things my brain gave me. -E