The Mentor. (Cato Hadley)

Chapter Nineteen.

Rewritten 03.29.2023

Sometimes I wish I could shut down, dedicate my life to Morphling like the Victors from District Six. Unfortunately for me, Snow only makes the drug extremely accessible in Six; the one district that has the capability of starting an effective rebellion. District Six is the transportation district, and the easily accessible drug causes many to be addicted before they even hit fifteen. It's a huge epidemic in the most populated district, and that's exactly how Snow wants it. Morphling would make the pain of being a Capitol prostitute a little more bearable, but the lack of it means alcohol will have to suffice.

I lay there in the strange man's bed, saying nothing and doing nothing, just as Snow had instructed me the first time he forced me to do this. I tried to tell him no in the beginning, using the excuse that I was only fourteen. All that did was get my uncle killed, and cause my father to hate me. Later on I learned they waited until Finnick was sixteen, because they wanted him to be 'of age', which only made me wonder what was different with me.

I hope that one day, I don't have to do this anymore. I hope that I'll be free, and I hope I'll be able to escape from the pain. I'm only sixteen, and Snow has forced me to sleep with well over five hundred men and women.

This session could have been mere minutes, it could've been hours. For all I know, it could have been days until the man who bought me was finished. I disassociate every time I have to do this, not thinking of what's happening. He finally leaves, and I'm alone in the abandoned, still ruined village on the outskirts of the Capitol. I hope Cato is doing better than I am, I haven't watched the game all day.

President Snow has come to me consistently, reminding me of what's at stake for me. He has been calling me 'The Hunger Games Princess', telling me that I need to be more social. He said I should be spending every waking moment trying to find sponsors for Cato, informing me that with tributes dying, that means there are more sponsors to be had. While the nickname he has given me makes me absolutely uncomfortable, I have to shrug it off. I know what it really means, as Finnick is called 'The Hunger Games Prince'. All it means is that we are his two most expensive prostitutes, which makes him the king.

After making my way back to the Gamemakers Headquarters, I debate on making my way back to my bedroom on the second floor of the tower, like I desperately want to. Instead, I make my way to the City Circle, ready to lay it all on the line and do as Snow asked. He wants Cato to gain new sponsors, then I'll get Cato new sponsors.

Usually, the mentors are allowed to go home when they don't have any more tributes to mentor. So, when both tributes of a District die, that districts mentors can leave. Since the beginning of the Games, the mentor table outside of the Headquarters has gotten considerably smaller.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite mentor," the overwhelming smell of roses hits me like a ton of bricks. If you look past that scent, you can smell a few wafting tones of his signature smell of blood.

"President Snow," I greet, not looking up from the stack of papers in front of me. These papers stated each of the tributes stats, strengths and weaknesses, backstories, how they got their training scores, and their odds of winning. I especially take note of the kids who have died, learning what the world missed out on.

"Now, Ms. Rivers, I would very much appreciate eye contact," his usual Peacekeeper guards surround him, letting me know he still doesn't trust me.

Slowly, I bring my eyes from the paperwork before me to meet his eyes. President Snow is the only person in the entire face of the world that can instill this large amount of fear into me. "What can I do for you, Mr. President?" I ask, doing my best to hide my fear. Fear isn't an option, I cannot let him know how much he scares me.

"We've been over this, Marblyn," he sighs, taking a seat next to me. "You've seen how Katniss and Peeta have been playing their angle. Katniss has just begun a revolt in District Eleven, imagine what she could do if she becomes a Victor." I resist the urge to smirk at the fact that Katniss has sparked a rebellion. Maybe Plutarch Heavensbee is one-hundred percent right about her.

"If you want Katniss dead, why don't you just have the Gamemakers do it? I'm sure Seneca Crane would love to, she did shoot an arrow at him." I mention Katniss' training session, that Haymitch had told me about. She scored her eleven by shooting the apple in the roasted pig's mouth - the same pig that the Gamemakers were about to eat. Seneca was shocked, and Plutarch actually fell into a punch bowl. Katniss sure is a spitfire - perfect face of a rebellion.

"You aren't thinking hard enough. If I have the Gamemakers kill Katniss, that would lead to even more of a revolt. Even the Capitol loves Katniss, you see that yourself. So, the person who kills her has to be a fan favorite. Cato needs to kill her, Marblyn."

Little does President Snow know, I have made my decision. I'm going to sacrifice myself, sacrifice my family, and sacrifice Cato. We need this rebellion, as soon as possible.

I socialize as much as I could possibly bare, but soon I end up back in my room, the same place I wanted to be all day. I spend most of my time here, because social situations aren't really my thing. I hate mostly everyone, with very little exceptions. The thing is, I was never really a people person.

To say I'm sick of The Hunger Games would be an understatement. Snow worded things in a way where it seemed harmless, but I could understand his underlying message. What he really meant, is that if Cato didn't kill Katniss, then the two of us will suffer. Cato is the one person in the arena that the Capitol folk like more than Katniss. I never thought I'd see the day where being likable would get you killed, but I guess that's where Katniss Everdeen is at nowadays.

I don't even want to watch The Hunger Games anymore, but I know I have to by my forced Capitol mentorship job. So, I watch it half-heartedly, only to make sure that Cato is safe. Snow wants Cato to kill Katniss, but Plutarch says Cato can't be Victor, but he can come out alive. That's what I'm confused about, what I'm not understanding. How could Plutarch possibly get that done? Should I trust him? Is Plutarch more trustworthy than Snow? And, just like the teenage girl I really am, I think of the most burning question. Does Cato really like me, or was I just a last ditch effort to get laid before he had to face his impending death?

Katniss has found Peeta, he lay camouflaged in the rocks of the stream. This means the two of them have a chance at winning, if the Gamemakers keep the two Victor rule. Personally, I think that's just an added game, to force the Twelve tributes into the final two position. And, once it's just the two of them, I believe the Capitol is going to be excited to see another Rhindan and Janelle situation.

I need Cato to come out of this alive, whether he's the Victor or not. I don't think I could deal with it if he doesn't come out alive, as Plutarch promised. Truthfully, Cato and Clove are the real threats in this game though. If Clove was to kill Cato, I just might make my murder count thirteen. This is just a game to the Capitol, but my feelings for Cato are not a game to me. But what I do know, is that if Cato doesn't win, my death will be Snow's first decision.