Chapter Seven
Back on the seventh floor, I was undressed, showered, and sent downstairs for dinner. Other tributes were there, and were standing around talking. I'd left before David, Gregoire and Johanna, so the only person I could probably speak to was Rhett. Looking around, I noticed he hadn't arrived yet. I took momentary looks at each tribute, accidentally making eye contact with Emertxe. I almost instantly looked away, slightly shocked that my existence had been acknowledged by a Career. Turning around abruptly, I didn't notice the boy from District nine behind me,
"Woah - sorry!" I apologised quickly, a little flustered,
"No worries," he replied, "Adalyn, right?" I remembered his name was Dylan. Though he was a year younger than me, he was still the same height as I was, possibly taller,
"Yeah," I nodded, suddenly feeling rather shy. Also, I didn't really want to converse with someone who might be dead in the next 2 weeks,
"I'm Dylan, nice to meet you?" He stuck his hand out, which was about twice the size of mine. For a thirteen year old, he was sure tall and muscular,
"Um, yeah," I took his hand and shook it awkwardly, wondering if he was going to try and threaten me some time soon. Instead, he ruffled his shaggy, black hair and began glancing around aimlessly,
"Yeah, see you around, Adalyn," Dylan smiled uneasily, then walked off to find his district partner, most likely.
I wasn't supposed to do that. No getting attached to anyone, no allies. I decided upon it there and then, not even David would be my ally. As if on cue, David, Gregoire and Johanna entered the room, chatting noisily together. I turned away from them, and made my way to the table.
Once again, masses of food were stacked on shelves - probably enough to feed the whole of District Seven for a week. Taking all the food I sought, it made me feel guilty that they couldn't enjoy this with me.
Looking around, all the same people as before were hanging around together. Most of the Careers and Astrophel were at one end, and anyone else just sat around with their District partner. Once again, the girl from Four, who I now knew as Anise, sat next to me,
"Alright, you two," Johanna stole my attention away from Anise, "Tomorrow, you have group training. Either of you got any good skills?" Johanna stared at David, who shrugged,
"I can use an axe," David answered modestly. He ruffled his hair, like he always did when he didn't want to brag,
"Are you kidding me? Every District Seven can use an axe. Everyone expects you to use that!" Johanna grumbled, which left David shocked. His one valuable skill and he couldn't use it because it was 'predictable', "And you, Adalyn," Johanna gave me the same stare,
"I can't use an axe," I replied simply, then smirked. I then wedged my fork into something I didn't know the name of, only knowing that it tasted superb, "but I'm strong?" I added,
"Well, you're a District Seven, everyone in District Seven is strong. God, you're all the same!" Johanna complained, then put on an expression that looked as if she was thinking hard. I rolled my eyes, and continued eating. It was apparently difficult to please Johanna,
"How about we just wait and see what they can do?" Gregoire suggested. He'd been so silent, I'd almost forgotten he was even there,
"Guess that's the only bearable option. Anyways, I'm off," Johanna left the table rapidly, not caring if nobody else had finished,
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed... Hmm... Every morning?" David whispered to me, then chuckled,
"Couldn't agree more," I smiled, shovelling some more food down my gullet.
I was avoiding my plan - I told myself to stop. I couldn't get fond of anybody.
After dinner, I went straight to bed. It was only seven thirty, but I just couldn't tolerate anything else. I pulled the cool duvet over my body, and forced myself to fall asleep.
Blood lay on my hands. David's corpse was motionless beneath me - the boy from District Four held his trident up high. Blood caked the three points,
"No!" I shrieked, and began pulling out a weapon. An axe,
"You can't even use an axe, stupid District Seven, what a failure. You think you can kill me with that, when your dear brother couldn't? It makes me laugh. Laugh so hard," he tormented, and began aiming his trident. I lifted the axe above my head, and aimed as well.
Before he could do anything, I threw the axe, which landed square in the middle of his chest.
Blood seeped into his shirt, there was a clank as the axe fell to the floor. The gaping wound - I couldn't look without feeling bile rise in my throat. Coburn collapsed to the floor, just as I heard a canon. I had just killed someone. And someone had just killed David.
I sat up abruptly, realising it was all a nightmare. Cold sweat covered my body, the duvet stuck to my legs. The night dress that I had on was all tangled up around me,
"Just a dream, just a dream," I mumbled, leaning back into the warmth of the bed, shivering.
I could never kill someone, never. If it was so painful in a nightmare, it would be even worse in reality.
I shut my eyes again, trying to reflect the happy memories at home. It just hurt even more to know I'd never make any more of them.
