I loved my husband. When we lost our only son, I did everything in my power to make her happy. Carlos was only five years old when he died of malnutrition.

We were very poor and no matter how hard I worked, I was never able to give enough for my family. I was ridden with guilt and I always felt responsible. Katniss never blamed me though, for anything.

But I couldn't show her that I, too, was hurting. I watched over her through nights when her nightmares caused her to wake up screaming, sweating, and crying in pain. I thought that with time, she'd go back to her old self and resume her duties.

That day never came. As I walked through our village, I heard rumors and whispers of a great therapist that used extremely helpful methods. I scoffed at the thought of a therapist.

They still exist? The people in our village slowly started to change. I was alarmed when I was heading to the mines early in the morning and I did not hear the usual singing of the jolly baker as she kneaded her dough.

The people I passed by on the street were all staring at the ground as they walked. No more hello or good mornings. People became detached and numb.

Everyday presented a new kind of dullness, as if a shadow was cast over the village. Everyday, I felt more and more like an outcast. Was I really the only one capable of feeling?

I came home one day and couldn't find my wife. Panic overtook me and I didn't know what to do. I went around the village asking if anyone saw her.

No one did. Everyone knew Katniss, the girl who overcome the Hunger Games with me, they knew who she once was. They all loved her and often stopped by to wish her well. Sometimes they brought food.

But that day, no one even offered to help me look for her. Not only was I worried about my wife, but also about this indifference that had taken over everyone. I decided to set out to the woods and look for her there, so I headed back home to gather my things.

As I walked in, a fresh aroma of pumpkin soup infiltrated the air. I walked to the kitchen and found my wife standing over the stove, cooking. I could not believe my eyes.

I ran to her and hugged her tight.

"You're back"

"Finally"

She hugged me back but she didn't say a word. I couldn't complain too much, I was happy to have found her. Our days consisted of very little talk.

But I was a patient man. I couldn't pressure her and I would have been stupid to assume that she'd ever be the same person I married. But I was willing to wait, as long as it took, for her to be happy again.

A month after the pumpkin soup, I was rummaging through our desk drawers to find the money I had stashed years ago in case of an emergency. I wanted to buy my Katniss a gift. That's when I found the leather-bound journal.

I didn't know whom it belonged to and how it got there so I opened it and saw 'Katniss Everdeen' written on the very first page. I closed it and put it back, then I noticed that a small note had fallen out of it. I picked it up and read the name "Cato". I knew everyone in our village and I was certain that Cato wasn't from around here, I knew too much about him..

I turned the note around and saw a map drawn that lead to a small village about an hour away from ours. I had never been there, and only heard stories about the people that lived there. Most of the stories were exaggerated, that I knew, but I couldn't help feeling a sense of fear that arose from the thought of going back to see one of my rivals in the Hunger Games.

I had to find out why Katniss had directions to her house. I told Katniss I was going on a hunting trip that same day, and would be back later in the evening. I set off to Cato's house, and prepared for the worst.

I had a pistol in my bag, that I hoped I wouldn't have to use. The walk wasn't as long as I thought it would be, but I felt weary. This village looked just like ours.

I wanted to get out of there as soon as I could. I followed the map and easily found Cato's house. As I got closer to the door, I saw a sign that said "I can take it all away".

I didn't know what to make of that but I felt a sudden urgency and I needed to get this over with. I knocked the door, and a lady who seemed to be in her early thirties opened it. She had long white hair, but barely any wrinkles.

She wore a long velvet dress, and her neck was covered with beads. I asked her right away about Katniss.

"Oh yes, my dear boy, Katniss came to see me about a month ago and I helped her."

"what did you do? What do you do?"

"I'm a therapist. I take people's pain away. Quite literally. But as payment, I take their joy and happiness away too."

"Is this some sort of joke?"

Cato came up from behind the girl with white hair and looked me straight in the eye,

"people are tired of being in pain, they're tired of sadness, I take it away. But everything comes with a price, and mine is happiness. I take that away too."

"I want it back, give me back my wife's feelings."

"I don't do refunds, my dear."

"Give me back Katniss' emotions, and you can have mine."

Cato smiled, his cheeky grin that he used the many years ago, where I met him last.

"That can be done.. but beware of the consequences."

I ran back home like a madman. I had to see Katniss. Cato said she would only give me a day with Katniss before taking my feelings away, and I was going to cherish every second of it.

I walked into our house and saw her standing right in front of me, with a gun aimed at her head and tears running down her face.

"No, no no! Put that away!"

Her hands were trembling and her knees were shaking, but the gun remained aimed at her head.

"Why, act like you don't know, you thought I was cheating on you, I wouldn't do that to you. As you don't trust me, I don't know why I bother being in this world, don't EVER go through that diary without my permission!"

BANG!