Authors Note: It isn't as long as the others. I wanted to make it longer but I felt I got across what I wanted to do and his submitter liked it. I changed the arena for this one. It is a woods with a small meadow in the middle and a stream running through it. 6ft blades of grass cover the floor. For this section, they are in the small meadow. It is based off the ending to his submitter's story. I changed some of it though as in that story, they are different people and Theo dies at the end.
Theo Kasius, aged 18 from District 2
I watched as Kerry and Vextrix wandered into the tall grass looking for some sticks, disappearing behind the tree line. Hoban stood guard by the dying fire and sleeping bags, a machete held tightly in his hand.
I looked over to Careen and gave her a small wink as she stood behind Hoban as he looked across the small river at a small bird that walked across the dirt path quickly and back into the grass. She nodded and got an arrow ready, aiming it at Hoban's head.
Suddenly, something smashed through the tall grass we were hiding in and slammed into Careen. There was a small scream, making Hoban jump and then a cannon boomed.
I broke my cover, throwing my axe into Hoban's chest, and running towards where Careen was. It was too late though, her head had a machete lodged in it. A panicked Peach knelt down, trying to pull it free.
She screamed at the sight of me and started to tug on it harder but it was useless. I charged at her, knocking her down, pulling the machete free and striking her in the neck. I turned and walked away, determined to find Kerry and Vextrix and get home. A few seconds later, Peach's cannon boomed.
It didn't take me long. A few hours later, I found them drinking at a stream, looking shaken up, Vextrix was even crying. Something very out of character for the strange girl.
Neither had a weapon so I decided to charge at them. I swung my axe at Kerry but he dodged it and ran back into the long grass, leaving Vextrix to fend for herself.
The blonde girl tried to run across the stream but I tugged her back by the scruff of her collar and threw her to the ground. She kicked and thrashed and even tried to bite me. She only stopped when I smashed the axe into her face.
I turned to look for Kerry but there was no sign of him. I got ready to walk away when a small rustling from next to me stopped me in my tracks.
I moved towards it, slowly, my axe at the ready in case Kerry decided to run but as I got closer, the rustling stopped as if attempting to hide. I moved the grass to the side, swinging my axe down in a cutting motion.
I expected to look down at a dead Kerry but instead all I got was a chicken, looking displeased at the set of eggs I had just crushed with my weapon. The chicken looked behind me and ran back into the long grass just as the grass parted behind me.
I jumped out the way, letting Kerry fall to the ground. As he tried to get up, I switched my axe out for Peach's machete and swung at his neck. The poor boy didn't even have time to react before his head was cut clean off.
Most of what happened in The Capitol after my victory was a blurr. It was rather boring. They made my hair and little lighter, made me taller and made me look buff and the rest of it was just showing off. The interviews, photoshoots, magazine front covers, the crowds of fans even the victory tour bored me. I had something much more interesting at home.
When I arrived in the District, my parents were the first to meet me on the platform, holding my dog, Suki in their arms. She leaped towards me when I walked up, barking and whining as she ran in circles and licked my hand.
My parents told me that she waited everyday for me to come home since I left. Never leaving the front door in the hope I would walk through at any moment. It made me even happier that I won. She would have gone mad without me.
Like all victors, I was expected to give money to the training centre to help create future careers. They even had me as a guest trainer sometimes. The fighting style everyone once laughed at was now how they all wanted to fight.
Women were throwing themselves at me but none of them interested me, I didn't give most a second glance. I always wanted a wife and children but after the Games, something changed. No female or male interested me. I was happy with dogs as my children, Snow couldn't hurt them.
Nothing good lasts forever though. On mentoring trips, I was forced to sell myself to Snow's friends. I refused at first but after my mother was beaten up, I agreed. It was better than anyone getting hurt. It was the only time I ever drank, try and forget what I was being forced to do. It only helped a little bit.
Four years after my victory, I came home from my mentoring trip to find Suki weak, hardly able to move. The happy puppy gone from her. She died a few hours later but I was grateful I got to spend my final moments with her. She always looked after me and was the only true friend I ever had, I was happy I could comfort her when she needed it the most.
Her death hurt more than any tribute did. I had to get five new puppies, all from the same litter, just to slightly numb the pain.
You got crazy cat ladies, I guess I was the crazy dog man. They were my children and they were better than human ones. Or at least I thought so.
