Maristela Freesia's 100 Theme Challenge, Theme 6: Innocence. Review at the end! Enjoy!
I knew I never had a chance of winning. Not even close. I stayed away from the Careers, made an ally (who, by the way, I ended up getting her killed), pretended to love him, lied, killed, everything. And then I realized that we were the only ones left. We had won. We did it. But it came at a high price: having to remember every face and name of every tribute that died by my actions. I feel like I can reach out and touch some of them, at night, in my nightmares.
Innocent blood was shed by my hands. Had mine been spilt... it definitely would not have been innocent. Innocence is when you haven't done anything wrong; nothing too horrible. Not knowing it is wrong but doing it is innocence also. I'm not either of those. I knew that it was wrong; yet I did it anyway. We all did. None of us killers are innocent. The only innocent ones in that Arena were Rue, a few faceless tributes, and Peeta. He never did anything. I lied to him, treated him cruelly, deceitfully manipulated him so that I could live.
No, I am not innocent. But that is the curse of the Games. For most people. Like me. I am not innocent. Peeta was innocent. And I hurt him beyond repair.
My name is Katniss. Katniss Everdeen. I won the 74th Hunger Games with the boy that I lied to and hurt horribly so I could save my own sorry hide. And I did other things that I wouldn't admit to anyone; I did things that I wouldn't tell even if I had to die otherwise; since the day I stepped off of that platform, I have never been and never will be innocent.