With Each Year

by katsparkle13

Every Career had to start somewhere, right? They couldn't have always been coldblooded killers. This is the story of a boy from District 1. A boy who was once was filled with innocence. Each chapter finds him another year older, and another year colder. But this is also the story of the people who slowly caused what love he had to fade.

2. Pride

Today is Victor's Birthday…..

Crystal is throwing an enormous party for him. In other words, another display of the family's pride. And Victor is the perfect baby boy. All the guests comment on his golden hair and shining blue eyes. He has a sparkling smile that has everyone cooing. Crystal is pleased because she knows that Victor will grow to be very handsome one day. Of course, this will make things much easier for them. He will gain sponsors. But for now, he is simply an adorable baby. His cousin Ruby scoops him up and begins a hand game with him. Ruby is five years old now, and Victor's only cousin. She is Crystal's brother's daughter and since she is an only child, she will be going to the Training Center in three short years. Another large party will be thrown for her then. But for now, Ruby and Victor can laugh and giggle all they want. When the short game is finished, Victor begins to cry. "More!" He squeals. "More!" That and "no" are the only words he can say. But that's fine with his parents. Victor learned to walk when he was just seven months old, and even then he hardly walked, but ran. His father delighted in pretending to try to catch his boy. To Victor, it was a simple game. But to his father, it was much more. He was teaching Victor to run and avoid his pursuers, namely mutations, which had almost cost Cornelius's life in the arena. Even the simple game that Ruby has picked up from the Preparation Academy deals with the Games. It teaches the children how to use hand-eye coordination to hit their partner's hands with their own and make contact. Later, they will be making contact with deadly weapons. Ruby and Victor begin another round. Victor is confused; he is only a year old after all. But it makes him smile.

Suddenly, Ruby leaves the elegant couch she is sitting on and goes to the center of the enormous room. "Look what I can do!" She shouts happily. And she launches herself into a little dance routine. She instantly has everyone's attention. For a five year old, she is surprisingly graceful, even throwing herself into backbends that most children couldn't do. Dancing is another skill taught at the Preparation Academy, for girls anyway. The boys learn to wrestle. Dancing teaches the children to be light on their feet. And besides, victors need a talent to show off to the nation on live television shortly before their victory tour. As soon as Ruby curtsies, she is greeted by applause. Even Victor, laughing in his mother's arms, joins in. Because Ruby is his family and his friend. Even though he is just a baby, he knows what love is. Of course, little by little as the years in the Training Center pass, that love will slowly begin to fade. Because it could make him weak. His own father knows better than anyone that he can't carry that love in him if he wants to survive.