The End of Innocence: The 72nd Annual Hunger Games

The Final Interview

"You'll be fine, get up boy."

I lie slumped against the long wall where I was standing with twenty-three other kids two weeks ago. They all had their final interview, so did I. I'm back and having to speak for myself this time. I'll be praised. Back then, I was only giving my own voice out, to let Panem know what I'm like, for them to root for me. But now I have to give my thanks, I have to tell them how grateful I am for the opportunity they've after giving me, I have to thank all those who 'participated'. They all gave me my winnings, without twenty three other kids dying, I wouldn't be here.

"Please Max, the interview starts in five minutes."

I look up at the man who I thought of last before Vickin decided to kill himself. Mandrel. He stares down at me in a black tuxedo, a bottle of wine in his hand. He told me Vickin sliced his own throat with my hatchet. His death and my final screams have been on repeat throughout the entire Capitol since I won. I'm not watching the last moments, I believe everyone's words. Mandrel looks down at me with sympathetic eyes, but I stare back at him with no feeling or emotion. I feel nothing since I won, I thought I'd be ecstatic, I thought I would be jumping for joy being the last alive, but all I've felt is emptiness since my name was called. 

I'm in a suit. An all black suit with a golden tie, just a reminder of what I wore before I was a Victor. The youngest ever - apparently. That's all I've been hearing since my entered the Hovercraft. The whole of Panem is itching to see the aftermath of me. I was pretty damaged leaving that Arena. The doctors told me I only had minutes to live, I lost so much blood waiting for my own death. The Hovercraft came just in time.

"But I don't want to." I say coldly.

He kneels down and puts his hand on my knee. I flinch straight away from the thought of a foreign hand coming lose to me. He hasn't changed since I last saw him, but I have. I'm broken, I'm skinnier, I can't eat - literally. Vickin's spear pierced right through my stomach and damaged my intestines. I was in surgery for seven hours, and even swallowing now is a pain. The doctors didn't even knock me out for the surgery, they needed feedback to make sure I didn't die. The knife in my calf damaged ligaments, so now I have to walk on crutches. They told me crutches were the last option because The Capitol wants to see a Victor come out untouched, with no bruises or scars. They want no memory of the Victor even being in combat. To be perfect. 

"Max, please. After this we can go home. You can see your family." He says rubbing my knee in sympathy.

"Do you not understand, I don't want to go home." I snap. I'm just about to cry, when The Capitol Camera comes from around the corner. A team of ten or so people all holding microphones and other camera equipment rush at me. They're all dressed up too, after all, it is a big day.

Myself and Mandrel both agreed for mutual safety, I have to act extremely fake in front of anyone from The Capitol, any people of any sort to do with The Games. Rumors spread since the dawn of the Games that anyone who isn't an ambassador for the Games after they die, get punished severely. It is an unwritten rule, a rule no one wants to talk about in public. I wipe my eyes and stand. I put on a fake smile and my cheeks go numb again. Fake smiling is a thing I'm going to have to get used to, so Mandrel told me.

The anthem plays from behind the camera, this is what's being broadcasted to the people in their homes watching, but not to The Capitol. They get the pleasure of suspense of what I'll look like, who I'll be wearing. Right after I came out of surgery I had to a photoshoot. I had to pose in ridiculous positions holding numerous weapons. Hours upon hours holding axes and swords, topless in some, then others me wearing glamorous getups. No matter how much makeup they put on me, they couldn't fix the damaged look I had on me. The photos were sent out to the Districts and only selected high-ranked Capitol Citizens. It'll be released after my interview in magazines. So now this is now me, The Capitol Camera recording me to show all. My District in particular.