A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while I've been super busy! I'll try to post a new chapter at least twice a week. Once again, please review!
Chapter 4
I was woken by the sunlight streaming in through my window. I stretched and yawned and got up to wash my face. When I came out of the bathroom my bed was made and an outfit was laid on it. It was a tight, black top with a 5 on it, navy sweatpants and snow white trainers.
When I entered the dining room on our floor, Burke, Fuschia, Jiane and Farise were already there. "Morning," smiled Jiane, "Good sleep?" asked Farise. "Yeah thanks," I replied. Although I was nervous for training I was starving so I went and got some pancakes. "Okay so guys," said Jiane to Burke and I, "when you're in the Training Centre don't show all your skills. You don't want people knowing what you can do. Show enough to make sure you're not thought of as an easy target but not enough that would make you a threat. So Burke you could work on an axe or knives and definitely go to survival but save sword fighting for the Gamemakers, Feeona you could use a spear or shruikens and even try a bow and arrow." "Okay." we nodded.
"Okay so make sure you get there on time!" sang Fuschia for the tenth time. "Fuschia," I said, "You're walking us to the door. How could we be late?" "I don't like your tone missy," she frowned." I rolled my eyes. We stepped into the elevator and Burke pressed the button labelled 'Training Centre'. When the doors opened we were directly in front of a big set of double black doors. "Okay, here you go!" trilled Fuschia, pushing us in.
There were already a few tributes there but not Evan. They were in a big group so I headed that way. On my ways over I noticed a platform with lots of rich looking people eating, laughing and drinking. Gamemakers and sponsors I decided. The tributes were all standing around a muscular tanned man in his late forties and a group of young adults wearing the same uniform as the man. We stood there waiting for a few minutes until everyone arrived. "Okay then now that were all here," began the man, "my name is Harris and I am the victor of the first Hunger Games and the head trainer here. You have three days here. On the third day you will all have a private 15 minute session with the Gamemakers to show them what you can do. They will then give you a score out of 12. Here not only can you learn how to use a weapon, you can also learn survival skills. After all only 60% of all tributes die in battle. The rest die from starvation, dehydration, freezing and many deadly diseases. You have three days tributes, three days. Make the most of them. And remember tributes, save the fighting for the arena." And with that all the trainers dispatched to different stations
I stood for a moment, pondering over which one I should go to first when I saw a hand-to-hand combat station. I'll give it a go, I thought. I went over to the station where I was paired with a large muscly female trainer. She taught me a few moves and I practiced until I was able to floor even the largest trainer. I decided to go to the survival station next. I kneeled down on the ground an I tried to start a fire the way the trainer had, by twisting a stick or two until a spark was produced. I was failing miserably until a pair of hands placed themselves on top of mine and moved them downwards. "The further down your hands are, easier it is for the kindling to light." said Evan. My cheeks flushed slightly but sure enough a flame caught and I soon had a crackling fire. "Thanks," I said, accepting his hand up, "I could have been there for days." "Probably," agreed Evan grinning. "So where do you wanna go next?" he asked, "Um, let's go to the weaponry." "Cool." We walked over together, attracting a few curious stares. I picked up a belt of shruikens and Evan picked up an axe. "You can use those?" he asked, incredulously. "Yep," I replied. I grabbed a marker and pulled out a mannequin so that I could use it. I marked five big X's, on both eyes, the neck, the heart and the forehead. I walked 15 metres back, aware that every eye in the room, including the people on the platform, were on me. I took a deep breath and quickly threw the shruikens, each one hitting the targets. I turned to see everyone, including Evan, staring at me. I pulled out the shruikens and tried again, only I moved farther out this time and directly to the left. The shruikens whistled as they flew through the air and once again hit the targets. "Let's see you with that axe," I said to Evan, the Gamemakers eyes still on me. Evan realised I was trying to get him to show them while the attention was still on us and quickly moved a hundred yards away from the mannequin and threw the axe, lodging it with power into the mannequins chest. " Wow, that was cool," I told him walking over to him, "District 10," he said as an explanation, "I work in the butchers chopping meat. And you were pretty cool yourself," he told me, smiling.
After a few more hours of training, Harris blew a whistle, signalling lunch time. A bunch of tables were quickly pulled out and set up while cart after cart, after cart, were wheeled out, laden down with food. Districts 1, 2 and 4 pushed a couple of tables together, the career alliance made already. I grabbed a tray and stacked plates of food on it. "Feeona, over here!" called Evan, pointing to an empty seat beside him. I sat down and quickly observed who else was at out table. There was both from 7, Angie and Axel, Jasmine from 8,Zac from 9,Kayla from 6 -who was actually pretty good with a bow-and Evan's district partner Zoey. "Hi," I said, smiling nervously. "Hey," said Jasmine, smiling back, "So, what do you guys say!" asked Zac, in a low voice. "About what?" I asked curiously, "About making a rival alliance. Just until the careers are dead. Then we split up peacefully until we meet again." I had never seen a rival alliance being made but it seemed like a good idea. "You can invite your district partner too," added Zac. "What are you doing?" I asked Evan, "I'm in." he said. I thought for a moment then said decidedly, "I'm in too."
After training Burke and I met with our mentors in the living area. I told them about the rival pack. "I'm in," said Burke immediately. Jiane and Farise were smiling, "It's a great idea!" exclaimed Jiane. Just then Fuschia shrieked, "Dinner time everybody!"
The food was amazing. For starters I had a spicy soup that came with a special drink because it was so hot. I then had a fatty type of bird called a groosling, covered in a green, minty sauce. For dessert I had a giant ice cream glass, filled with profiteroles smothered in chocolate and strawberries. The amount of food these people in the Capitol ate shocked me, they were here stuffing there faces while people in the districts were starving. After dinner I was so full that I just went straight to bed, exhausted.
Getting into bed, l realised that the games were three days away, two more days of training and then interviews. My stomach became nauseous thinking about it. I had become close with Evan and I knew I couldn't kill him. I put my head on my pillow and made an attempt to fall asleep.