Sharp as Glass
"Clove, you're sharp, as sharp as a knife you throw, as sharp as glass, but you're not smart. And you definitely will fall for anything when the time comes. Let's face it. You can volunteer, you can show off, but are you actually ready for the games?"
I look down at my chest, tugging on my sleeve. It was stupid of me to go straight to Shen, my training instructor for advice. What did he know?
"But, for all else, your just not ready. Your knife flicks are off balance, you don't know anything about survival yet and…" he pauses, eyeing me up and down, "you're… too small".
That was what did it: the height problem. I tried taking deep breaths to calm me, as losing your cool in front of an instructor was not respectable. But he had gone too far. The only thing that could calm me was thinking about slicing up some tribute from an outer district. He was still going on.
"Clove, I seriously need you to re-think this volunteering business. You're a fantastic student, but there are tributes from 4, 1 and even 11 that could kill you! It's suicide".
"Cato gets to go!" I rebutted, but Shen simply held up his hand.
"No more, I mean it". His final word was serious, so I should play it safe for now. Arguing with an instructor from an official Academy can bring dishonor and get you banned. I am not prepared for that.
I marched, steaming from his lecture. That didn't even make any sense! I'm perfectly ready. I can hit any target, I laugh at the fact of death. I am ready! You don't know anything!
If there is anything good to this seething rage, it's that I can put the emotion towards my training. I hit the red button by the knife rack, flaring up the alarm system. Motors whir into life and four human silhouette boards come flying from my right. The whack on the button has caused a small bruise on my wrist. The pain is good, it helps me focus. Already I have 4 knives in my hand, two are dainty, and begin throwing with more rage than ever.
Each hit goes straight to the head, the heart, the arm. Any part of the body I simply slice away at. I am the master of the knives, flinging them over my shoulder, on my knees, practicing any way I can to learn where my weaknesses are. I have to be prepared to throw a knife from any angle.
By the time I am worn out, it takes me a while to realize the shadow over my shoulder. If it's Shen then I don't want to talk, but it's not.
It's Cato.
"Nice skills", he complimented, smiling down on me. His smile has me flustered. Oh gosh what do I say? Something cool? Arrogant? Funny? Finally I just say "Thanks", and give him a smile.
"No seriously, those hits are impossible to get, you have a real gift with killing". All these compliments! Why is he talking to me? Say something you twit, I think to myself.
"I hear you are volunteering this year?" Oh boy wasn't that a real charm of a line. Talk about his imminent death.
Cato leans against the pole, folding his arms with a thoughtful look on his face. When he answers, his face is devoid of emotion. "Yeeeah, but I know I'm going to win." His smile whisks me away, and I am totally speechless. He then bent down, brushed my hair back from my ear, and whispered, "Don't listen to Shen, he doesn't know what he is talking about. Volunteer. Do it. You're good enough. Do it for me". His lips are almost brushing my ear, sending chills down my back, before he stands back up and walks away. I am left speechless for the first time in my life.
Is he playing games with me? Or does he really think I can do it? I blushed again, thinking that perhaps the best tribute here thinks I'm cool. I'm never cool. But he thinks so.
By the end of the afternoon, I have my decision. The reaping is in two days time. My new friend Cato will receive a nice surprise.
However, as I exited the Academy that afternoon, Shen's advice kept ringing through my head.
"You're sharp Clove, as sharp as a knife you throw, as sharp as glass, but you're not smart. And you definitely will fall for anything when the time comes…"