A Cato Tale

Chapter 1

It was like any other morning: get up, get changed, eat and then go to training. Many of the people at my training center get bored of it after a while but not me. I loved training and being better than all the rest. So, that's why this year is my year, I'm going to be the boy tribute for District 2.

I've been waiting for this for my whole life. When I first tried out to be a potential career and got in, I was so excited and I was convinced I would become the tribute one day and here I am. Now that I am 16 and trained for 4 years of my life, I am ready.

I look at the clock: 7:00. I should have been up half an hour ago. I shrug it off and get changed at a normal pace, as if I'm not late at all. I pull on the clothes I wear every day to training: black trousers tucked into my black boots and a black top with the number 2 on each sleeve to stand for my district. I take one last look at my plain room before closing the door and making my way downstairs.

I call out for my parents: "Mum? Dad?"

I shrug as they must have gone to work early. They are Peacekeepers and they have to be ready to go to work at any time they are asked to. I quickly run into the kitchen to grab an apple and rub it on my shirt as I close the door.

I start to walk at a normal pace down my road and to the training center as I start to eat my apple. The training center is only a 10 minute walk from my house so I could be there within a reasonable time.

Within what seems like no time, I can see the training center and have finished my arrow. I throw it to a bin 10 meters away from me. It goes in.

"Yes!" I say quietly to show my achievement.

As I lift my head up, I see an unfamiliar girl running towards the training center to try and make it on time. She's around 50 meters in front of me so I can't see very well but I can see that she does have very dark brown hair. If I don't know who she is now, I'm guessing that I soon will so I continue to walk to the training center.

"I'm here, anyone miss me?" I say in my usual smirk tone to make me sound better than the others. I am better anyway, so why shouldn't I use that tone?

I see my boys come towards me and we give each other manly hugs. The girls are off in the corner whispering to each other, probably about me. They all love me so I give them a wink and I hear them all giggle. I would go out with one of them but I'm too busy with my training and I think they are all too bitchy for my liking. Then I see the hair of the mysterious girl that I saw running earlier, she is facing my trainer, Brutus. Brutus sees that I am here and starts with the training session.

"Hello everyone, glad we are all here." He begins to say. "Today we have a new student who has moved up from the group below but is still a real contender for the female tribute this year."

Then she starts to turn around and I see her full face. It's beautiful. Her hair falls perfectly over her face and she has freckles that cover her nose and cheeks and beautiful brown eyes. I think my mouth might have dropped open when I first saw her but I bring it back together when Brutus says to get going with the training.