Cade Valentine, Owner of Club Valentinos

It's been at least four months, I found a guy that could let me explore the districts, for a price. I went from district to district researching about the first decade of the Hunger Games. Turns out most of the Victors were egotistical maniacs, and that most hated the rebels. The first ten Hunger Games involved rebel leaders (captured rebel leaders) as the mentors. I also suspect that collusion was involved to have rebel children as some of the tributes.

The Hunger Games today has changed since then, more corrupt and less forgiving. Although the recent Hunger Games of today has been somewhat less forgiving also. Speaking of rebels and rebel haters, the first ever Victor of the Games has lost everything and everyone to the rebels.

I've learned from watching previous Games that people that have nothing to lose normally has the most to gain. I present you, Leroy Ramnes of District Two, the man who had lost everything.

The feeling of dread had always been there.

That familiar twisting pit within your stomach; more closely associated with that of butterflies now felt more like daggers. The crowds are cheering him on as he sits down on the white throne; a crown upon his head.

He shook the hands of the President earlier, congratulating him on his victory and with a very impressive drive. He didn't dare say a word, merely nodded his thanks and sat down. When the president was off the stage, the real celebration was to begin.

"Leroy Ramnes," the interviewer, Phineus Keenzest, said as he smiled his perfect teeth at the boy sitting down, "who is Leroy Ramnes?"

The man leaned towards him eager to receive any sort of information. The boy noticed the colour of his hair, a deep green in colour. His suit, tailor made, directly made from those of the oppressed District Eight, shine with a bright yellow. Leroy couldn't answer his question; all he did was shrug his shoulders and nonchalantly stayed quiet.

Now, he could tell that wasn't the right answer. He waves his hand and made up an excuse; about him being too modest for his own good. Not really, he just didn't want to share that much information. All he cared about was that he's alive and that he had managed to find some peace during his time in the arena.

He looked around once more at all the adoring faces. The promise of wealth and lifetime recognition more prominent than ever as he saw the brightly coloured crowds of the Capitol wave and cheer him on. Overwhelming for some, sure, but for him, it felt right. He had done something that he knew his parents and siblings would be proud off.

They sat in an egg-shaped stage, surrounded by the Capitolite crowds. He was surprised at how fast the Capitol recovered from the war, sure it's been nearly a year since then but the streets were pristine, the fashion had changed to more brightly coloured as if to cover whatever happened.

Phineus asked no more questions after the initial one and just waited for Leroy to soak in the victory. To finally see the night sky, polluted by all the lights no less but still there, and breathe in the air. He had been stuck in the medical centre after the first ever Hunger Games, with minimal injuries and he was not allowed to return back to Two until this whole interview and ceremony was finished so he had stayed a couple of days.

The doctors had found no such mental health instability from the boy and was quite shocked that he didn't feel any sort of post-traumatic stress disorder – the type of disorder that would somehow sneak its way in to most of the future Victors. What they found was the same person that went in the arena – in which future medical staff would find to be not always true.

"Now," the green haired man said finally breaking the boy's trance, "the very first Hunger Games has come and gone and with me is yourself, the very first Victor, it is truly exciting, don't you think folks?"

The roar of applause and cheers and shouts and screams filled the entire circle. Who would have thought that such an event where twenty-four children fought to the death with only one winner would be loved so much by these people?

Not him, although he understood the honour of winning the Games, the opportunity given upon him by the Capitol, but his district, Two, have not realised the importance of these events. That for him to be the Victor had put his very own district back into the good books of the Capitol, that maybe, just maybe, it would start to improve, and he would do anything to keep it that way.

"Leroy," the man continued, still with a smile on his face, for the cameras, "I think it's time to watch the recap of your time in the arena. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes." The brown-haired boy had said and both their eyes are casted towards the large projection as his entire time in the arena is back on display.

The shot opened with the tribute's rising from their podium. Leroy took note that everyone wore white jumpsuits, ones that would not stay white for most of them. He remembered his senses each coming to life at that point: the feeling of heat on his face; the familiar smell of anything burnt, like the bombs that had hit his very own district; the mist surrounding everyone as it began to clear to show remnants of bombed and ruined buildings. He noticed the big building standing in front of them; it reminded him of the pristine white Justice Building back in Two.

He was informed after his Games, by his mentor actually, that the arena was the former District Thirteen. The so called Twelve tributes seemed to confirm that during the actual Games. He remembered the girl from Twelve as she screamed hysterically voicing her denial as she tried to reach out to whatever she could but too afraid to do it.

He knew and they knew that the Capitol knew who they were. Francine Cole and her district partner: Baffin Iscariot were rebels or at least connected to rebels from the Dark Days. He knew their last names, as both were involved in his sister's death. They were from Thirteen, must have fled to the closest district to go into hiding after the failed rebellion but unfortunately for them, they couldn't avoid this, and his spear later.

The thirty second marked had come and suddenly most of the younger tributes that surrounded the pool of swords, spears and knives began to weep as the reality quietly seeps into their minds. The weapons were old, ancient; he was more used to holding a gun than seeing what they used to use from thousands of years ago.

"10…9…8…"

The countdown continues its beckoning call as Leroy looked from both his side. The girl from Twelve had stop crying from beside him. She had to be brave, after all, she seemed to glance at her district partner across from them closer to the Justice Building. The boy nodded his head as he focused on the weapons.

"…7…6…5…"

Alpina, his district partner, had a confident look on her face. Her father had given her enough advice, the very same person that casted Leroy aside; the very man that murdered his father during the rebellion for fighting on the 'wrong' side; the very same rebel that would be losing a daughter.

"4…3…2…"

The gong had stunned most of the children to silence and no one had dared moved from their podium, not even Leroy, except for Baffin. The mist had completely dissipated now showing the insignia of what was once district Thirteen. He watched as Baffin rushed past him with nothing but a sword and some knives following his district partner. Going back to where they once lived; back in Thirteen.

Everyone else stood in shock for a moment until Alpina dashes from her own podium picking up a silver sword. She looked at it with curiosity as she feels the weight. She then stared at the other tributes, as if taunting them to come to her.

Twenty-four children that had suffered through a war, rebel or not, they will never be prepared for what happened next. The rest of them begun to rush towards the middle as the grabbed some sort of weapon. Leroy picked up a spear and immediately stabs the girl from Three as she grovels for some weapons. The much older boy heard her scream until her lungs gave out and eventually her life.

No one dared stop as he spots the girl's district partner trying to run away. Leroy chased after him and not long before his body lay on the ground with the spear stuck to his back. He takes the sword that the boy had been carrying and heads straight for the Four kids that were huddled near one of the ruined businesses, too afraid to move out of the way.

In a way, he had done them a favour, he killed both. His sword, now bloody, dripped on to his jumpsuit. He looked around to see that Alpina had disposed of both the Five tributes.

The screaming had stopped. Most of the tributes have ran away from the start point. Blood and six bodies covered the ground. The bloodbath that occurred left only three people with a plethora of weapons.

The boy from Six ran towards him with some form of war cry but he was too weak; he could barely lift the sword he held in his hands. Leroy dispatched him quick as he plunged his blood covered sword into his stomach.

He left the boy as he screamed for his parents. The sound of him dying eventually faded until only him and Alpina is left. She was out of breath and so was he but she looked panicked as she backs away from him.

"Your father killed my father and my mother," he said to her.

She didn't say anything, instead she tried to run but was tripped by the girl from Six. Her state of mind unhinged now from the horrors she had seen. She held a knife to Alpina's body but her weak feeble arms were quickly brushed away by the older girl. She apologised before stabbing the girl in the neck with a knife.

"This is my retribution. This is my justice."

Leroy had caught up with her, she hadn't had time to escape the boy that had lost everything. His sword plunged down at her stomach; then her chest; then her head before stopping himself. He looked away from the body when he heard the Capitol anthem.

He watched various faces projected at the ruined Justice Building, the faces of the dead as he saw Alpina's and ended with the girl from Six, the one she had killed. He counts nine tributes all together. He drops the sword beside the fallen bodies in favour of the spear as he leaves the start point.

The shots continued to show the other tributes. Leroy saw alternative viewpoints, ones he had not seen when he was in the arena. How the Eight tributes had separated after they had grabbed the weapons; how the Seven tributes stuck together. He watched them both as they approach the girl from One.

At the same time, that's when Leroy would have shown up as he tried to traverse the fallen ruins of Thirteen he stumbled across the One girl being strangled to death by the Seven boy. The rage and animosity on the boy's face showed it all from different angles. She eventually succumbed to death and he didn't notice Leroy until the spearhead pierces through the front of his chest.

He struggled trying to get the spear out of his body that he didn't recognise the now dead boy's district partner jump from one of the buildings. She held with her a knife, tears streamed down her face; screaming at him, informing him that the Seven boy was her brother.

He didn't care at the time as her knife cuts his arms, shallow wound but it stung. He tried to stab with the spear but she was too agile. Leroy instead dropped his spear and chased after her. She was fast but the unfamiliar small landscape got her lost as she ends up trapped in a dead end.

She tried to scramble away but her little figure was not enough to even boost her up the walls. Her screaming didn't stop, not until his strong hands wrapped around her neck. The strained voice pleading, tears drenching his hands.

As her body goes limp and her breathing stopped, he lets go and the dead girl's body collapsed to the same burnt ground and rubble. The Capitol anthem sounded again but he didn't see any of the faces.

He spent the rest of the time wandering the small district Thirteen, or what was left of it. He had found out that the tributes from Nine and the boy from Eleven had died as he walked past the Justice Building again. The boy had killed the Nine girl and as retaliation, the boy from Nine killed the Eleven boy who was then ambushed by the Eight boy. He picked up another spear. The bodies of the dead still litter the town square.

This is the part that Leroy had paid attention to the most. He leaned forwards as he remembered the event, he saw the girl from Twelve or rather heard rocks tumble and immediately focused on the direction. He remembered the scared look she had as she begun to run away from him. He ran after her, following the sounds she made with her shoes as she passed by ruined shops and craters on the road. She dared not looked back at the monster covered in blood that is right behind her.

The moment was still fresh, he felt his hands tingle as they wrap around her neck, when he finally caught her. He didn't say anything but he felt the neck snap and that's when he let go of her. That was it; she had died.

At that point he saw from the recaps that the boy from Twelve had been watching him from a distance. He too had the same puffy red eye the girl had. He moved closer to Leroy, knife in hand as he plunged it on his shoulder.

The only real injury he had sustained in the Games was that moment but being the stronger more muscular person that Leroy was, he didn't care. He just turned and used that rage he felt from being stabbed and turned it into power as he punched the boy in the face. He didn't stop there as he tackled Baffin on the burn ground, the knife still lodged into the shoulder. He repeatedly punched the boy non-stop until his face was unrecognisable; until he was dead.

Leroy had sat back on his seat on the egg-shaped stage, satisfied with his revenge. He had avenged his sister and he knew that she would be proud of him. She was only twelve when she died and what those two did were despicable.

He continued to watch the recap; how the tributes from Ten had died, by the hands of the girl from Eleven, Lucrene Ames formerly from Nine and he assumed that she and her traitorous rebel family had fled to Eleven. The Eight girl was eventually killed by her very own district partner, Asher Husk from Seven originally but now in Eight, also a rebel.

Then it was down to the final three. He looked at the timer that was situated beside the projection. The last summary of the tributes showing the Ten and Twelve tributes as well as the girl from Eight signified the fifty-minute mark of the Games.

He sat forward from his seat again as he anticipated what was going to be happening. It was Ramnes versus Ames versus Husk as the three tributes meet up at the start point. Weapons still laid bare on the ruined ground amongst all the dead bodies of the tributes.

He remembered the look of disgust the other two gave him when they approached. Leroy took a mental note at how hypocritical they were. Lucrene Ames was responsible for finding and informing his parent's whereabouts; both his parents were great Peacekeepers and his father even attained a rank of Captain. They had gone into hiding as they awaited reinforcements, what they didn't know was that the girl that called in the reinforcement was the traitor.

Asher Husk, however, was different. He was part of the rebels, that much he knew, but he was so much more. So much more sadistic, he could still hear his laugh even as he sat beside Phineus. He was horrified during the Dark Days to see his brother be hanged, as he was stopped by his father after he told Leroy that there was nothing he could have done.

The screen fades to black and dramatic music blared. The dramatization of the last battle had begun. Leroy had charged towards Asher first, thinking that his life didn't need to continue past this point. His spear was by his side, raised and ready to stab but he was blocked by Lucrene's silver, blood stained sword. He growled at her, the music going along with Leroy's thoughts.

He wanted to end Asher's life first but the girl left him no choice. He stopped and kicked the girl in the stomach. He towered over her as she tried her best to clutch her hurting stomach. Leroy didn't care at that point and plunged the spear through her hand and into her stomach.

He left the spear right into her stomach as he faced the boy, weapon-less. He heard the crowd gasp at that, as if this was the first time they were seeing it. Asher gave the boy a smirk as he talked about remembering him. He talked in detail what he did to his brother's body afterwards, how he cut him up, turned him into some sort of display.

Leroy composed himself. He couldn't give into his taunt but he could remember how livid he was. He didn't notice his clenched fist but Phineus could as he kept glancing at the Victor. He returned his eyes on the screen to see that Leroy had narrowly dodged a knife being thrown at him.

Asher had begun to charge towards Leroy a hatchet in his hand. Without any weapons, the boy had rolled out of the way, further hurting the stab wound from his shoulders that he poorly patched up after the encounter with the Twelves. The Eight boy had turned almost instantly and delivered a swift kick to his back.

The Two boy had tried to stand up only to be kicked to the ground once more. That's when he saw a silver knife lying beside the body of Lucrene. He picked it up, not knowing if the boy behind him that was laughing had noticed or not. He turned away from the falling hatchet and managed to stand up with a bit of pain.

He could see the smug face from the rebel boy as he walks towards him calmly. For the hour they had been in Thirteen, the boy seemed relatively unharmed. His white jumpsuit is similarly stained with red, like his, and his lighter brown hair just seemed a bit dirtier.

What Leroy did next was either stupid or genius because he had thrown his knife towards the boy, who effortlessly dodged it. However, that was not Leroy's intentions at all as he tackled the boy to the ground during that second he got distracted.

They roll around on the solid ground as they exchanged punches to each other's faces. Leroy instinctively put his hands to his face, feeling where he had been punched the most but finding that it had disappeared thanks to the medical service he had received.

The two continued to punch and roll on the ground all this time Leroy was spouting things about his older brother. How he looked up to him; how he was going to be a great Peacekeeper but the boy didn't care, not in the slightest as he laughs and spurs him on.

It had ended when Leroy had finally grabbed the sides of his head. He repeatedly bashed the boy's head to the ground, he didn't care that blood had spilled out from the cavities and just making a splashing sound.

He continued to do even as trumpets blared in the background. He only stopped when he saw Peacekeepers approach him with their weapons raised. The screen then goes black as the Games end. It lasted a total of one hour and thirty-five minutes.

As soon as it had finished the crowd exploded with cheers once again as they begun to chant Leroy's name with adoration. Phineus stood up and the boy joined him, he bowed his head and then his right hand raised to the sky.

Leroy Ramnes of District Two had achieved the impossible by becoming the first ever Victor. The boy that had lost everything because of the rebellion; friends and families. The only remaining Ramnes in Panem, now with nothing to lose had gained more than wealth but adoration and respect of not only the Capitol but for his district as well.