Chapter 4: Nightmare

It seems like weeks went on before the scores were given out and Lear didn't fare well with the judges. They gave him a low four, the lowest score of that year's Games, and our District two tributes received the highest of the scores with each being given a nine. Gale refused to let us rest and worked us every day, twice a day in the gym.

"Jay, I told you last week." Gale stopped us during a mock fight to correct something again. "You are not going to do any damage with punches like that. You need to throw your whole body into each punch so that Thrash receives the hardest punch every time."

"Gale, I don't feel comfortable hitting my brother like that." I ducked away as Thrash's fist flew toward my face and pulled back to get ready for my own attack.

"Jay, remember, he is not your brother anymore. He is your enemy." Gale stopped us, this time halting all action to take Thrash's place against me. "Would you have a problem punching me?"

"I only hope I don't hurt you." I laughed before getting ready to begin the mock fight against him. He nodded, signaling to begin, and I moved to slide under his first attack before hitting him full force in the back. A crackling sound echoed through the arena and I jumped back quickly.

"That's what I was talking about." Gale staggered forward and coughed as he spoke. "Let's move to the archery arena. I want to try something."

"Gale, we were supposed to be working on my hand to hand fighting." Thrash complained as we made our way across the giant gymnasium.

"Yes, but I have a feeling your sister is more like her mother than I originally thought." Gale smiled at me as Thrash rolled his eyes. The gym was crowded with new prospects for volunteering next year, and yet, Gale's hushed and hurt voice still echoed against the stone building's walls. We moved slowly, walking at Gale's pace as he limped slightly.

Our daily routine became like clockwork after the first year I moved to District Two with Gale. Gale would wake us up before dawn to run until the sun rose, then we would work on our archery and weaponry skills until he was content for the day. Sometimes after lunch, we would work on setting traps, one-on-one fighting, or hunting and fishing.

We had started our day with the run, but Gale moved us into one-on-one fighting for Thrash's benefit. I quickly picked up archery, but had some trouble with some of the more common weapons. Thrash and I still hadn't hit the bull's eye, but we were getting better each day.

No matter how busy the days were, Gale always found a way to make time for the coverage of the Games. Lear was a decent tribute, lasting through the Cornucopia and becoming allies with two of the Careers from Districts One and Three. District Two's tributes surprisingly didn't last long. Miles, the seventeen year old who took Thrash's place, was killed quickly during the Cornucopia attacks by a District six tribute, and Serum was lit on fire on day two by the girl from District eleven for the bronze spear she was carrying.

The girl from District twelve died quickly at the Cornucopia while trying to get a backpack from the center, but Lear and his allies managed to crawl into a hiding place and hunt for a while until the career pack chased them straight into a wolves' cave. The footage burned into my mind as my friend suffered being torn apart, piece by piece to feed the Capitol's wolves.

As soon as our tributes died, everyone was working on improving something for the next year, even the sixteen year olds had something to work on at the gym. It seemed like the all of District Two lived in the gym for months after that year's Games had ended. Gale refused to allow me to do any training with the bow until the nightmares would go away, but he gave in to my pleading after a month. With all the practice we were getting, and the images of each career that helped kill Lear plastered in my mind, my arrows slowly started to hit closer and closer to the intended targets.

The days started to blend together as the Games grew closer again. My parents called every day leading up to the Reapings, checking up with us and our progress. Gale became very strict on Thrash and me during training, forcing us to use all of our might in everything we did and working us as hard has he would his peacekeepers for war.

"Jay, no matter what happens, just remember that you are stronger than anyone here." Gale pulled us aside before the train arrived to talk to us. "Thrash, you are older and bigger than anyone else. You shouldn't have any issue in the arena."

"We know, Gale." Thrash and I said in unison as the train made its way into the station.

"Ok, I don't have anything else to say except not to forget our training sessions." Gale smiled at us before giving us each a hug. "I'm proud of both of you, no matter what."

"Yes, sir," Thrash replied as we headed for the train.

Everyone seemed as anxious as we were for the Reaping to begin, and no one could stand perfectly in a line. The attendant wrote down my name and stabbed my finger quickly, trying to rush me through the process. I looked around quickly for the other fifteen year old girls and took my place as Thrash made his way to the attendant.

The mayor looked down at us all and stopped briefly on Thrash's face to stare at him. He wasn't happy with Thrash's decision last year, and was probably hoping for Thrash to redeem himself this year. Something I knew wouldn't be happening if the mayor threatened my brother, not on his last year for the Reaping.

We both stood relaxed as the mayor introduced my parents and they stood to begin the Reapings. With my name only in four times and Thrash's six and no tesserae to repeat them, there was a slim chance we would be chosen. However, even stranger things have happened at the Reapings. The victors stood side-by-side and addressed the crowd of teens as if we were all being sentenced to death.

"We would like to joyously welcome all the members of District two to the 122nd Hunger Games!" Coppice's voice echoed quickly through the District as the message from the President began to play. She had won a few years back, and served in Effie Trinket's place since.

"May the odds be ever in your favor!" the mayor yelled out as the message ended and Coppice reached into the girl's bowl. With every second that Coppice took to grab a slip of paper, I began to grow more and more nervous.

My nerves began to jump as she slowly lifted her hand with the tribute's name and I took my dress's ribbon in my hand to calm me down. "District Two's female tribute this year is." Coppice glanced at my parents before she began to read the letters, her next words freezing me in place. "Jay Mellark!"

I had frozen in place, the girl next to me pushed me forward and my legs began to move on their own. My mind kept searching for the sound of a volunteer, anyone but me. I wasn't ready for this; I wasn't ready to kill people, even if it meant my own survival. I wasn't ready to die yet, but my nightmare was coming true. I dropped the ribbon and slowly made my way to my death.