Only One Victor
'Shoot and he goes down with me' Cato laughed. Cato, Peeta and I were the remaining three. At the moment, he had Peeta in a headlock. Peeta had tried to protect me from him and the hungry mutts below us however Cato had the upper hand and was ready to kill him. He's right though, I can't kill him without taking out Peeta. Finally Peeta traces an X on the back of Cato's hand. I aim my arrow and shoot. Cato yells out in pain and releases Peeta who pushes him off the Cornucopia. The mutts all jump on top of Cato.
'Shouldn't we have heard a canon by now?' Peeta asks
In answer to his question, a canon booms in the air. The mutts pleased with their work all disperse into the woods. We did it, we won. Peeta and I can both go home now. Night falls and the anthem plays and Cato's face appears in the sky. We sit in silence waiting for the sun to come up when it hits me.
'Hey, shouldn't they be announcing the winners by now?' I ask
'Yeah, they should. The Gamemakers announce the winner when the final kill is delivered. A hovercraft should have taken us out hours ago like they did to retrieve Cato's body. Another hour passes before something finally happens. It's Claudius Templesmith congratulating us on being the final two; however what I hear next is horrifying.
'The earlier revision about two tributes allowed to win has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has been disclosed that only one winner may be allowed. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour'
Only one tribute may win and be crowned victor and it has to be me. I promised Prim I'd returned if I could and I can. I will. I feel horrible for what I'm about to do. I have to kill a boy I pretended to love. Peeta always said he was going to die but that doesn't make up for the murder I'll be committing. I load the bow with my last arrow and aim it at him. His face says it all. He realises what I going to do. That he is going to die.
'I'm sorry Peeta, but I have to go back home. There can only be one victor.' I'm choking up trying to hold back the tears. Hopefully he'll take it in a way that I have to kill the one I love.
'Just do it already' he says closing his eyes.
I pull back the string and let the arrow fly. I closed my eyes before I see it pierce his heart.
BOOM
'Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you the Victor of the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen from District 12.'
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'Katniss, what was it like when you heard about the first rule change' Claudius asked
I was back in the Capitol having my Victor interview before my crowning by President Snow.
'At first, I was ecstatic, we could both go home. But then at the end, they announced that there could only be one Victor, one winner.'
'And you decided that you would be the one going home, and not Peeta.'
'Yes, and now I have lost him…' This was all part of the act Haymitch and I put together. I would pretend to be in grief and mourning. Only Haymitch knew that I didn't really love him.
'We are all terribly sorry for your loss Katniss. We knew how much you loved him. Ladies and Gentlemen, Katniss Everdeen of District 12.'
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5 Years later
'Mummy tell me the story of the two star-crossed lovers. Please' Emily asked
Five years after I had won my Games I had a daughter. Right after the Games, I became a slave to the Capitol, selling my body to men. I met Daniel because of this. We got to know each other and soon we got married. I moved to the capitol with him and soon I had Emily
'Well there was this Girl who was reaped for the Hunger Games. She volunteered to be tribute because her little sister was originally reaped. She fell in love with the boy tribute but it couldn't work out. There had to be one Victor. During the Games, the Gamemakers announced that two tributes could win of they were from the same district. They made it into the Final Two. They thought that they would get to go home and be happy. But the Gamemakers had other plans. They revoked the rule and said only one tribute could win. She needed to go home so she killed him and was crowned Victor.' Katniss said
'That's so sad. I hate those Games. It's not fair. They ruin people's lives.' Emily said
'Yes dear, it's not fair but the Gamemakers don't care. I'm grateful that we live here so that you will never ever have to be a part of those Games. Now go to sleep and get some rest.'
'Good night mummy'
'Good night Emily. Sweet dreams'