I sit next to Typher in the waiting hall and wonder about what talent I should show the game makers. I've really gotten good at throwing knives, but I don't know whether or not to do this in front of them, I mean, they've watched us for days at our training sessions so they know I've gotten better at it, but what else can I really show them? I can't do any of the things I'm good at; I seriously doubt they have a huge pool for me to swim or fish in, and I don't know if they have something from the edible plants station so I can show my knowledge about that.
I guess I could ask Typher what to show them but I can see that he's also struggling with something, so I decide to figure this out on my own. I don't have much time left to decide though, the girl from District 3 is in now, and then its Typher's turn and then mine.
Several minutes pass and then they call for Typher, I tell him good luck and squeeze his hand, and then I let him go away with a smile on his face. When he's left I start to panic a bit, I have no clue whatsoever about what to show the game makers.
When they finally call my name I decide to throw the damned knives, I can't really figure out anything else to do, so I stand there for about fifteen minutes throwing knife after knife in the dummy about fifteen yards away, hitting almost every time, and I can see how bored they get after a while, before they finally send me away.
Up at our floor they ask me how I did and I answer truthfully – I sucked. I tell them how I couldn't figure out anything to do so I just threw some knives at the dummy. The worst part is that they seem to pity me for it too, as if that will help me right now.
Typher tells me that he did all of the things he learned during practice back home; shooting with a bow and arrow, some martial arts, his skill with a sword and so on. I don't even get how he managed to do all of that in that short period of time, but I'm sure he will get high scores tonight though when Hewitt will announce them to the entire Panem. I on the other hand should be lucky if I got a five.
On the other hand, if I got low points the other one's might just count me out during the first battle, killing the one's that counts as bigger competition, thinking that I am going to kill myself sooner or later. But I can't really count on that either.
Soon enough though the evening comes, and with that the program where Hewitt will reveal our scores. It's not all that surprising to find that the one's from 1 and 2 all get nines, it's expected really, or that Typher manages to collect a ten, but it's a huge surprise when we find out I scored a seven. It's awfully strange considering both my size and the fact that I'm as dangerous as a rabbit, but I won't complain, I'm celebrating actually. This means they think I will have a chance to win this, I'll admit, it's a small chance but nevertheless, it's a chance.