I love this character, just thought I would throw that out there.

Also, still needing submissions...please send me some dead tribs.

Everything is great,

Everything is grand.

I got the whole wide world in the palm of my hand.

Mackenzie Barrows, 23

District 3

Victor of the 295th Games

Living in the Capitol isn't so bad. Everything is pretty tame actually compared to life down in District 3. I know this might throw some people off, but there is a pretty wild party crowd down in the good ol' D3.

Not that I was apart of that though. Growing up in the family I did makes it hard to join that scene. My dad was the mayor of District 3, and growing up in that environment was a huge lesson on navigating your social life. It's actually how I won the games. That's right, I have ZERO kills.

Almost unheard of right? Well, it's simple, I knew who to align with, and when to pull the plug. What I lacked in ability to kill and weaponry, I made up for it in my ability to strategically place myself in a needed position in any alliance. I was the cook, the guard, the organizer, the distraction. Whatever they needed I became. Through that I made it all the way to the end. I have a likeability rate of 94% which is unheard of for someone with no kills.

My phone buzzes, and I look down to see a text message from Huckleberry Jenkins. He lives three houses down in the Victor suburb that we have going on here. He's very handsome, and very flirty. Just the type of boy my mother always told me to watch out for...but it's really hard when he's pursuing you so hard to say no!

What are you wearing? The text message asked with a winky face after it.

A chastity belt. I type to him. Huck, we've been over this.

It takes him not even two seconds to respond back to me with a horny remark.

Macks, waiting until marriage is boring. We could have so much fun!, followed by a stream of winky faces.

Huck, end of discussion. You want this? Put a ring on it.

He stops replying and I grab my journal off the bedside table. I've kept a detailed account of everyday since leaving the games. I could have potentially missed so much had the games done me in like predicted. I don't want to miss a single thing since Lady Luck smiled on me in that arena.

I open to the next clean page, and am about to press the pen down to the paper when a knock at my door fills the room. I wasn't expecting anyone today, and it's probably Huck trying to seduce me into giving something up. Not today Huckleberry, not today.

I get up from my bed, and march down the hallway with an aggressive speed. I get to the door and take a deep breath before clicking the lock and opening the door.

"Huck, I told you that I will not slee-" I pause and turn bright red as standing before me isn't Huckleberry, but Chanel Lourd. She is sporting a red cocktail dress with a matching scarf around her blonde locks. The red lipstick she is wearing is making her black sunshades pop, and her black shoes are to DIE for. She has the best fashion sense, I swear.

"Ms. Lourd!" I say smiling brightly. "How nice to see you! Come in, please!"

She gives me a peculiar look as she steps into the living room of my home. She takes the scarf off her head as I close the door, and then cross over to the couch and invite her to sit down.

"What brings you to my neck of the woods?" I say.

"You're too bubbly, and it honestly frightens me." she says, slowly approaching the couch. "I'm going to call you Elf. Because you're short, and your ears are kind of pointy."

"That's so cute!" I say smiling even bigger. I didn't realize I was on good enough terms with the Vice President to get nicknames!

"I'll never understand your high popularity rate." she says as she pulls a packet of paper out of her purse and slides it on the table. Intrigued, I pick it up and begin looking at it.

By order of the President, Rachel Callowgwey, Mackenzie Barrows is hereby charged with a task of the highest honor. Watching and training the tributes from infancy into the time of their 18th birthday where they will enter the games, Ms. Barrows also has the important task of teaching them social strategies for the games.

"Woah." I say looking astonished at this paper. Me? Out of all the Victors in this neighborhood...I was chosen as a trainer. I wasn't even trained myself. "I don't know what to say."

"Say yes, Mackenzie. It's also a bonus, but Huckleberry will be joining us." she says with a sheepish smile. "Think of all the time you get to spend with him."

I blush. I hope my crush isn't entirely to obvious. I mean, not that I like him, like him. I don't like, not like him? I don't know what we are, or even what I want. What I KNOW I don't want is 26 new children.

"This just seems like a lot of responsibility that I don't know if I'm ready for." I say. I try not to smile in gratitude for being considered, because I want her to know that I'm serious. No means no this time.

"Mackenzie, I think this goes without saying, but she wants the best. Look at your track record. Your following competes with even that of my own. That's a huge accomplishment in itself." says Chanel as she crosses her legs, and leans forward. "I'm not saying that this is going to be easy, but think of how rewarding it's going to be."

"We'll be raising 26 children, and on their 18th birthday they'll enter a game where 25 of them die."

She pauses and makes a face. "Okay, fair enough. One comes back though. What if that's one in your group? What if you get to watch this child grow up, and then watch them become something more than even they could have imagined for themsevles?" she says making it sound more exciting than it actually is.

"I just-"

"There is also a very heavy penalty for not agreeing to these terms. Like losing this home provided by the Capitol, losing your insurance, and income. Losing everything. You'd have to go back to District 3 and work your way for a living."

"That's not too bad, Chanel. My Dad is a mayor. I could just stay with him, and my mom runs her own-"

"Look, we need you. Not someone else in this neighborhood. You. You're the only one with the right amount of social knowledge to navigate these kids in the most effective communicative ways possible. I can't do that, Iris or Huckleberry can't do that. Mackenzie...we need you."

She gives me a pleading look, and I'm feeling cornered. At this point, what is actually the harm of taking on this job. At the same time though, it's like being a Mom to 26 children, and I'm not even married yet. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get attached to these kids, and then just watch them die…

"Chanel,"

"Please." she says earnestly. "You have me begging. Chanel Lourd doesn't beg. Especially to little Elfs who she secretly will probably hate later, but that's okay cause she hates everyone." She widens her eyes and raises her eyebrows. "What I'm trying to say, I don't ask twice. Don't make me take you down, because let's face it. You know I can do it."

She slides me a fluorescent pink pen with blue flowers on it. I pick it up, and it smells like lilacs! She has the coolest stuff! I click it and look down at the dotted line with my name printed under it. All I have to do is sign.

"And if I want out in the middle of the process?"

"No can do. It's Rachel's way or the highway. I'm not even allowed to back out."

I click the pen, and without really knowing why I sign the papers. She takes the packet back and signs where it ask for a witness and then smiles brightly at me. "Well, elf girl, it'll be a pleasure working with you over the course of these next 18 years. See you in 2 weeks."

"That soon?!"

"The rejuvenation process happens then. We'll be drawing for names."

She wraps her head in the scarf and places the sunglasses on her face. She is getting ready to walk out when I grab her by the arm and stare at her with a horrified expression.

"Are they going to remember they died?"

"No." she says solemnly. "They won't."

With that, she walks out the door.

BET YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU'D SEE ME SO SOON.

What did you think of Mackenzie? Do you prefer Macks or Iris? (I like them both.)

Finished the blog, that is without tributes right now, because I'm currently waiting to get the tributes submitted. :D

Keep it classy,

Caleb