I got up from my chair and Zach gave me an encouraging nod. Okay let's do this. I walked in and noticed the Gamemakers up in a room above the training centre behind some glass. All eyes were on me and I knew all of them were paying close attention, as Katniss had warned us earlier. Now wasn't the time to act shy so I walked right in and straight to the knives. There were a variety of shapes and sizes but I picked the largest 2 and the smallest 2. The targets were lining the walls around me. First I threw the 2 large knives one hitting the head, the other the centre of the chest. I felt pretty proud considering they were 9 inches long and heavy. Now was the hard part, the small, light, 5 inch knives. Id had lots of trouble with them in training and had only perfected this shot once. Glancing up at the Gamemakers I threw the knives simultaneously and actually managed to hit the exact same spots on the targets. Okay now it was time for my final throws. I picked up 4 knives of equal size and stood in the centre of the room. I threw a knife in each direction and hit the centre target on each wall square in the middle of the chest. "Thank you Blossom", came a voice from above and just like that I was dismissed. Whatever adrenaline that had kicked into my system had worn off by now and I felt drained. I went straight up to my room and ate in there.

The only reason I came out was because the scores were being televised and Katniss wanted us to watch together. Unlike other years the scores were unpredictable and varied from tribute to tribute. Some got meagre 3's and 4's others 8's and 9's. I made a mental note to remember the highest ranked, they would be the toughest. Next came Zone 6. "Zara Wetheral, age 12. Oh this girl has potential. 10", The commentators say. Everyone in the room seemed shocked apart from Zara who has a somewhat smug look on her face. "Told you I'd be good", she says triumphantly. She's already the genius 12 year old who skipped 3 years in school before the war and now she's ranking a 10! Next to be ranked is Michael who gets a respectable 7. Then it's my turn. "Blossom Lore, aged 16. Our last female tribute receives a 9". Wait, did he say nine? I got a nine. I GOT A NINE! I can't believe it, even when the others all congratulate me. I almost miss Zach's score which is an 8. "Got beaten by two girls eh Fargil?", Katniss laughs. He seems a bit annoyed but a smile is back on his face in no time and we're sent off to bed because we have our interviews tomorrow and we're told that some of us in particular need our beauty sleep.

I never had night mares before, but on this night I do. I imagine a vast jungle filled with animals I've only ever seen in books, insects the size of my hands and so many different strange plants, I'm lost within the canopy of the jungle when suddenly a canon explodes. A sound only heard in the games. I hear footfall behind me and I start to run but tree roots trip me up. I fall and feel something snap in my leg and I hit the ground. I face my attackers only to find my parents and sister staring down at me teeth bared and knives at the ready. I wake covered in sweat and realise that it was all a dream. That doesn't stop me from lamenting the loss of my family and during the early hours of the morning I cry myself into a restless sleep

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