Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games in any shape or form.
Geth342: A response to my 24 word challenge. Each chapter is a letter, though the majority of letters are not written to be read. Apart from that, i can only say: thanks for reading and i hope you enjoy!
Character/Story: Kayn Lazuli (the winner of the first Hunger Games; he killed his best friend to win)/ First, In Shadows and Moonlight.
4) A Story of Regret (Prompt 4: Belt)
11 AR
To the people from my childhood,
You know what today is, don't you? It's ten years since that first Reaping. Ten long, exhausting years of training tributes, carving wood and trying to forget. Every day is a reminder.
The only thing I still have from that time of being a kid is my belt. You won't know about that belt. It was my district token – a gift from my father. No one ever asked me what my token was. I know she had that ring because I gave it back after I 'won'. But she told me about it before and all I thought at the time was that she could have had any pick of tokens. Only one person cared enough to give me a token.
I still wear that belt. It's a reminder of what I did. I don't need it. Ten years on and I still see the faces of Jewel, Skira, Ness and so many others, every time I close my eyes.
That belt is the only reminder I have that I might have been human once. Those Games changed me. I remember, nearly ten years ago, when someone called me a monster. They were right. I am.
Everyone has changed in these ten years. You have children now: children whose lives might be placed in my hands. You won't trust me with them, I know. I don't have children of my own and you all say that is a good thing. But I do know this: if I did have children, I wouldn't give them this belt. I wouldn't burden them like that.
Ten years on and everything has changed. Except for me. I'm still the silent, monstrous man I was before. I think we all know I will never change.
Kayn
