The 200th Annual Hunger Games - The Ultimate Games

Reflections

"Yea, I do as well," I mumbled. Arwin looked down at the floor.

"I just... I could have done something," she said softly, "I had a bow, for Christ's sake, why didn't I just shoot Aria? I'm so freaking stupid."

"We can't blame ourselves for this," I said, "The only person to blame for Shane and Eve's deaths are Aria, and the only one to blame for Ramona's is Hunter."

"I know we can't, but..." Arwin went silent for a few moments.

"But what?" I murmured.

"I miss them," Arwin replied simply. Her voice thickened as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I miss my friends."

"I wish Ramona were here," I whispered. Silence fell upon us like a veil for a few moments.

"We all lost something in that arena," Arwin murmured. She looked up from the floor again, her eyes meeting mine, "But we have a choice. We can choose to let it destroy us, or we can let it make us stronger."

I nodded slowly, almost as if I were underwater.

"It's hard, though," I muttered, "To let it go, I mean."

"I know," Arwin murmured, "I know..."

Valentina Curtis POV

"You know, you can stop looking at me like I'm about to use you as target practice for my katana, Tatiana."

Tatiana didn't reply, just sat back in her armchair, still giving me a wary look. I sighed in annoyance, going back to examining my nails.

Because the Capitol was still determined to be stupid and stick us in the same floors we were in the Qualifying Rounds, Tatiana had now become my temporary flatmate, of sorts. Amaya, Jon, Victor and Doug were all dead, and so that just left Tatiana and I.

"Why do you kill?" Tatiana asked carefully.

I glanced over at her, raising my eyebrows, "Because I want to win?"

"I know, we all do, but..." Tatiana hesitated for a moment.

"But what?"

"But most of the tributes aren't exactly chill with slaughtering other teenagers. Most people have some kind of moral issue with murder. You don't seem to."

I shrugged, "It's kill or be killed."

"It's more than that, though," Tatiana said, adjusting in her seat, "What about humanity, your basic, fundamental human ties with other people? Do you just ignore all that?"

"Maybe I'd notice it if I had any," I replied, "I just don't connect with other people. At all. I have more of a connection with a cat than I do with you. I don't want to kill, but it's not a problem for me."

"Not a problem for you?" Tatiana said incredulously. I shrugged.

"Human lives are trivial to me. They don't matter to me. I don't empathize with people, and I don't take pleasure in their misery. I just kill. That's all there is to it. It's like getting a papercut. Not particularly pleasant, but not a huge deal."

"So, what, you're a crazy sociopath?" Tatiana asked. I glanced over at her, and grinned toothily at her.

"You're half right," I smiled, "I may be a killer, but trust me, my sanity is very much intact."

Mike Roberts POV

"Thanks for meeting me."

Hope approached me as I sat on the rooftop, staring out at the Capitol lights. I was sitting cross-legged, watching as the hustle and bustle of Capitol life went on beneath the Tribute Centre. The city lights were almost entrancing. Hope sat next to me at the edge of the building, tucking her knees up to her chest and resting her chin atop them.