I woke up sad, but afresh with the news my father was dead. I was angry also. Who would want to kill such a loving and kind man. Well that was it. It was my turn to become like my mother. Hard and willing to kill for the sake of killing. Once out of bed i put on my jeans and my new jacket so i could head down and see Cashmere. She was rather nice to talk to. Well we never did much talking just training to be good with a knife. I was sure she'd help to bring out my dark side and lock away the old Glimmer. Out with the old, in with the new as we all would put it.
Cashmere lived alone next door to her brother Gloss and just four houses down from ours. It was a short walk down the cobbled path passing the water fountain and the endless daisies beside the path. Cashmere had a tree planted in her garden it produced lemons. The sourest ones in all of Panem, I was sure of that. The tree was in bloom, the lemons just starting to form, pitty i could do with the bitter taste of lemon to feed the fire that grew within my now blacking heart.
"Cashmere" i spoke as knocking on the door a little before letting myself in. "Cashmere.. it's me.. Glimmer. I know I am early.. but can we talk? I need help. I need to be a warrior. A plague, a killer." I spoke lightly looking into each room as passing them all walking towards the kitchen where i suddenly found her make tea for us both.
"Today is the day you fight for the right to be our representative in the games" Cashmere spoke softly as she turned around with her bright smile. "Today is the day you win and become that girl i have always knew you could be. Today you are no longer a girl. But a woman. My next door neighbor" That made me laugh a bit. She was my best friend in these parts. She understood me. I always believed that she was like me and once went to my mother for help. Thought i dare not ask.
"Teach me how to be a killer like you and my mother. I want the kind loving Glimmer gone. This is my time to shine." she said with her beautiful smile as she sat down on the hard wooden chair, crossing her legs
"That is not something one can teach. It is only something someone can learn" Cashmere spoke sitting down across from me "When you win this right you'll get two weeks of training. It is there you will learn and it is there you shall watch for everyone's weaknesses so you can kill them"
I watched Cashmere pick up her china mug sipping at her tea, I knew she was right. I knew that there I would be come a fearless warrior and come home in victory. "Do you think we have time for one last fight before we have to go?" i asked with a soft smirk watching Cashmere's face light up. "Yes"
Quickly i got up. Cashmere always had her knife on her, i rushed to the other room and grabbed my usual knife and before i knew it the knifes clashed as we fought each other. It was enjoyable. A way to release my nerves and use my angry as power. Each day i got better, but i was never good enough for Cashmere. I lasted about 30 minutes before i was flat on my back panting for breath with her knife on my neck.
"Getting better Glimmer. Now your warm up is done... We should go to the arena" Cashmere spoke standing up reaching her hand to me. I took it and stood up "I agree. my mother is outside waiting for us. This is going to be my year"