The Mentor. (Cato Hadley)

Chapter Three.

Rewritten 03.14.2023

As I wait for this year's Tributes in the Justice Building, the burning in my throat caused by the mason jar of moonshine clutched tightly in my hands reminds me that I'm alive. Most Victors, such as Haymitch from Twelve and Chaff from Eleven, have substance abuse issues. The alcohol causes a numbness, a protective security blanket I can hide from the pain of the Capitol under.

I think of it as a lesser evil, the alcohol an addiction easier to hide than the morphling District Six Victors have access to. It's perfectly calculated on the Capitol's part; District Six, the transportation District, the one District that has every opportunity to stage a Rebellion and overpower the Capitol. It's also the biggest District, with almost one-hundred thousand citizens. District Six is the only District with easy access to Morphling, a huge epidemic on their hands. A good fraction of their citizens are addicts, starting as young as thirteen years old, maybe even younger. Like I said, perfectly calculated on the Capitol's part. This keeps the most powerful District at bay.

The boy - Cato - gives me a look as his eyes drop from me to the moonshine in my hand. Maintaining eye contact with him, I chug the rest of the liquid, ignoring the bitter taste and the burning in my throat. Clove seems as if she couldn't care less, staring forward as if she is above this, above us.

"I'm Brutus," the man introduces himself, him and Cato at the same height level. "But I bet you already knew that," the smile on Brutus' face is genuine, the distraction of The Hunger Games making him truly happy.

"Arrogant much?" I scoff, gesturing for the Avox to refill my glass with more moonshine. I push the nauseous feeling from my mind, just the thought of the emotion of happiness being associated with this twisted Capitol game making me sick. I pick up a knife from the table, throwing it in Brutus' direction. It misses his head, but only by a centimeter.

"Marblyn Rivers," he introduces me to the tributes, gesturing to the knife lodged into the wall. "Played one of the greatest Games I've ever seen, I mentored her."

"You did not mentor me," I scoff, rolling my eyes as I struggle to drop my bitter attitude. "Enobaria did," Brutus absolutely loved to remind people that he was part of my mentor team when I won. Often, he would even take the credit for my win. I don't even mind; letting him do that helps me erase the memories and thoughts of all the innocent people I murdered.

"Do you have any advice on how we could win?" Clove asks, cutting straight to the chase. In reality, I don't believe Clove has that big of a shot at winning. Just seeing her small frame compared to Cato's size, it's clear that she isn't going to be the strongest competitor.

"Stay alive," I shrug, uninterested in this conversation. These two are brainwashed, obsessed with winning a game that has no winner. The Victor status isn't worth being destroyed emotionally, mentally, and physically. It just isn't worth it. "Take over the Cornucopia. The bloodbath is going to be intense, you need to stay prepared for that. They should have knives, they have every year except the one where the only weapon was a spiked mace." Sanai brought home that Victory during the spiked mace year. Luckily, the Capitol found it boring and they strayed away from the limited weapon method after that.

Cato raises his eyebrows at me, staring with almost disgust in his eyes as I down my second glass of moonshine the Avox just delivered. "Aren't you younger than me? I don't take advice from kids."

I stand up, already regretting telling Brutus that I wanted to work with the male Tribute this year. "I won The Hunger Games when I was fourteen years old," I scoff, not breaking the icy stare. "What's your excuse?"

Brutus steps between us, effectively ending the petty argument. "Now, Cato, that's no way to speak to your Mentor, is it?" Cato growls, as if not accepting that idea. Just because he's a foot taller than me and a hundred pounds heavier, absolutely does not mean I can't kill him right here, right now.