Skinny Love

Cato Hadley

Hey. I'm Cato Hadley and I was born on April 7, 2197. I'm currently 18 and living in District 2 of Panem. I have blue eyes and blonde hair, just like my Father and younger brother, Logan. Neither of us inherited our Mother's eyes. I'm guessing that our Father would have liked that. He would be able to see something of her in us. Well... Other than something of our face structure. In case it wasn't clear, my Mother is dead. She was murdered in the 56th Hunger Games. She was safe from the reaping from what I know from my Father and from what I've watched of the tapes. All she had to do was remain quiet... She didn't... She went in and volunteered for Lynn Love, the sister of a family friend. I think it was stupid of her to do that. But when the cameras cut to the face of Jennifer Love and the rest of her family... I understand why she went into the Games. She went into them because they were all friends. I don't think my Mother ever got a visit from Jennifer though. Jennifer's husband, Christopher, was reaped in the same year

This year is the 74th Hunger Games. The final year that I have to be reaped. My last year, just like hers. I won't be going in unless I'm reaped or Logan is. I won't allow him to fight in the same Games that took our Mother away from us. She should have been granted a safety from the reapings. Jennifer Love was because she was pregnant with a child. That child was born without a Father as a result... Logan and I grew up without a Mother because of the Games. We never really got to know her that well. There's still pictures of her around the house. Logan and I have sat up in our rooms and just listened to our Father drinking away his pair on her birthday. The next day would normally be the day that we cover for him at the bar. That's the downside of living above the only bar in town... You have to have someone working it constantly or else it doesn't work out very well...

Anyways... I've trained with a sword since I can remember. I know for a fact that I'm the top of the class, well on the guy's side at least... Clove Greenleaf, the daughter of Jennifer and Christoper Greenleaf, is at the top for the girls. I watched her train with those throwing knives. She never missed that I can tell of. She also never missed a day. Not even to mourn over the passing of her Father when the replayed the tapes at school. I didn't for my Mother though. It was frowned upon by the school and the District. You would get labeled as weak and your name wouldn't be included in the reaping bowl. Yeah... Not allowed my ass. District Two is practically the lap dogs of the Capitol. We can do whatever we want as long as we're one of the "strong." If you're one of those people then you're in the reaping bowl each year until you're old enough to be taken out. The thing with us though... You don't get out once you turn 18. Your name is kept in the bowl if you're 18th birthday comes rolling around before the reaping. If it's later... Well, consider yourself lucky.

I despise the Capitol and everything that they have done. I don't care that I have had a better life than those in other Districts. I don't. What matters to me is that they're responsible for the slaughter for 23 children each year. I will never forgive them for that. It seems as if the District is more focused on the enjoyment of the bloodshed. I can't stand it and do my best to just work harder. If I have to go into those Games then I want to be able to survive. I won't stand for letting myself be another statistic of the "weak" in District 2. It would bring dishonor to my family. I intend to try to defy the Capitol in some way possible. I will do my best to fight against them. I need to survive in these Games if I'm reaped. I can't have my Father lose a child.

He's blind to the cruelty of everything. He's blind to the way that I fake a smile or sneer to just get through training or the day itself. My head is full of questions that will never be answered. Full of ones that I can't voice. That I can't even hint at thinking. It'll just end in murder. I've seen those that voice their opinions or questions against the Capitol here in District 2. They don't live very long.... A day at most... My Father is blind to all of that. It falls on me to fight against the Capitol in anyway possible. I will always strive to put an end to the Capitol. All I need is to find someone that will fight besides me. Even if it's only for a brief moment before I'm killed.