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"Blissa, Its time to wake up." The voice says.
I roll over and groan. Just go away and leave me alone.
"Blissa!" Someone yells.
I nearly jump out of my bed.
I bolt up and sweep my hair back out of my face.
"What…" I hiss at the voice.
I surprised to see Uri with her ice blue eyes staring at me.
"Don't worry, Maganda has errands to run so I'll be helping you through today."
"W-w-what N-n-o N-n-o. She has to be here for me. For my baby.!" Panic is filling in my head I can feel my heart sinking.
"No, No NO! I can't deal with this, Please it will be okay. I will help you."
"O-o-okay." I stutter. Breathe breathe.
"You don't look like you're going to pass out anymore so I guess we can move on and get dressed, right." I nod. She holds my hand and slowly walks me to the dressing area. My thoughts are in panic for the coming encounter with my enemies, and my missing mentor. I have to keep reminding myself to breathe and relax.
I feel the fabric run over my skin and soon enough I'm dressed. Uri sits me down and brushes out the tangle mess that is my hair. No words leave my mouth, I just let it happen.
I'm soon being led down the twist and turns of the hallways. Everything is a blur.
"Blissa, don't make me smack you." My mind snaps out off the trance it's been sitting in.
"Eat; it will be good for you. Here, I made you a plate already. I am not going to feed you. Get your mind off the negative and focus on today."
Today; the first official day of training, where I will meet all of the tributes. Just the thought twists my stomach.
"Blissa! Eat, you need your strength." Uri yells again.
I take slow bits of the enormous pile of food on my plate.
I look up and notice all of our team is present except Maganda. I sigh, she is my only chance.
"Okay, you both need to listen right now; Maganda has discussed with me how she wants you to act today." She looks at me and Masst. Looks like Uri it taking over for today.
"Masst you are young, but you need to confident. People will see you as an easy target; you need to show them that you are far from being weak." Uri has a passionate look when she finishes.
"Masst do you have any experience, with survival or weapons?" Ruka chimes in.
Masst nods to Uri and looks up at Ruka,
"I don't know the first thing about survival, and I don't use weapons."
Ruka sighs,
"Hit as many stations as possible, do you understand." Masst nods. His spotlight of the moment is gone.
"Blissa!" I nearly jump out of my seat. Uri starts scolding me.
"Blissa this game means life or death, you need to get your head out of the clouds and listen."
"Yes Uri, I understand."
Ruka stands by Uri looking disappointed.
"Since you're expecting, people know where to hurt you. Offense is going to be your greatest defense. You need to protect yourself, and fight. Hit weapon stations as well as defense stations.
People are coming after you already Blissa, nobody cares that your holding a life, all the tributes will be brutal. I want you to be confident and act like nothing is going to phase you."
Uri doesn't know I've been training my whole life for these games; she will be pleasantly surprised later. But I still don't know if I can face all twenty three of those people. People that want to kill me and my baby.
"I will follow your instructions, I promise." I proclaim.
"Now both of you eat you will need strength through this day." Ruka states. Everybody is like a broken record.
Ruka leads me back to my quarters. He punches in the buttons of the shower and leaves without a word.
The shower seems to end too soon; I get rubbed down with lotion and leave the wonderful shower. It cleared my head and my nerves, at least for now. I find an outfit laid out for me on my bed. It's a plain tan shirt with the letter nine sewn into it, tight black pants and sturdy black boots. The look so menacing, I slowly work them on my body and return to the bathroom. I sweep my hair up, to keep it from my face. I back up to get the full image of myself in the mirror.
Somebody really wanted me to look pregnant in these clothes. The bump stretches the through the shirt and pants and is clearly visible, there's no way people could miss it now. I look huge; I must have had a huge growth spout since being in the capital.
Then it hits me form out of nowhere, I'm a lot further along than I expected. Being malnourished must of caused my baby to be extremely small, and now with all the capital food and eating so much. I've ballooned to over twice the size I was when I came here. Nobody's really noticed form all the baggy clothes and the weight gain from rich food. This is bad, very, very bad, I haven't noticed until now. I've been so out of it, I didn't even pay attention to the most important thing to me right now, my baby.
I feel so lightheaded; I think I'm going to pass out. I grip the counter for support.
There are no time limits in the Hunger Games the longest game in history lasted over right under 4 months. The games are brutal enough as it is, I can't be stuck having my baby in the games, and anything could cause it to come too early. The fact scares me more than anything. My thoughts are interrupted with a knock to the door.
"C-come in." It only comes out as a whisper.
Ruka steps in and I can see his face fall when he sees me curled over the counter. He rushes over grips my waist for because my grip on the counter is becoming weaker. We both slid down onto the cold tile floor.
"Blissa what's wrong?" he shakes my shoulders.
"Ruka, I'm a lot further along than we both thought." I cry out.
"I don't understand." He presses. He stands up and pulls me with him.
"Look." I gesture to my swollen abdomen. I can hear the gasp that escapes his throat.
"What do I do?" I whisper.
"Wait, here." He runs out before I can object.
I manage to make my way to the sink. I dip a white towel in cool water and press it to my face. Calm. Just calm down, I can't have another panic attack. I repeat to myself over and over.
I look up to the mirror and see Maganda in the door way. I turn to her. Her golden eyes drop to my stomach.
"I didn't know." I can hear the break in my voice.
"It's okay take a deep breath." She instructs.
I must look scared to death. I take a deep slow breath.
"Now come on were going to find out for sure before you have another panic attack." She holds my hand and leads me out of the room.
We have just arrived at the Medical Facility and Maganda is bickering with a nurse while I sit in an uncomfortable white chair. Apparently she won the fight because the nurse comes over and leads me to a private room.
She instructs me to lie down and obediently follow her order; Maganda stands next to me holding my hand while the nurse pulls out a measuring tape.
She pulls up my shirt and starts sliding the tape over and over across my abdomen. She scribbles the numbers on a clipboard, and then pulls over a machine. The monitor lights up and she moves its censor all around my stomach, she scribbles more stuff on her clipboard.
"It looks to be that she is about 25 to 26 weeks along. The baby has had a dramatic leap of growth from being properly nurtured and feed." She announces and leaves the room.
I was right. The situation has become a lot worse, just over being halfway through my pregnancy.
Maganda pulls my shirt down and leads me away from the Medical Facility and back up to the ninth floor.
We go to the place where they serve meals to all of us. I sit across from her and rest my right hand on top of my swollen abdomen.
"Listen' and don't talk until I'm done." She says as she reaches across the table. I fold my other hand into hers.
"We all know the Hunger Games destroys people. But no more mopping out of you, you have a duty to be strong for that baby, and your mother. You owe both of them that. And I know none of this is fair, and your still grieving-" Here honey eyes flitter down to the ring on the hand she's holding. It sends a pang to my heart. "But if you're going to make it out of the games you're going to have to fight."
I know ever since I had my name drawn at the reapings I've been a mess. Worrying, crying, and feeling sorry for myself. But that's done and Maganda is right, from now on I'm a fighter, not the poor pregnant girl. I squeeze Maganda's hand tight. Her eyes light up at my gesture.
We don't talk of the state of my pregnancy.
"Let's get Ruka to fix your outfit." She releases my hand and we walk to my room.
It only took about ten minutes to let out the seams in the outfit, now it functions properly.
Masst and I stand side by side. Now it's time to train. The talk with Maganda turned things around but I can't help as I let the worry and terror mix together in my brain. I'll finally get to meet the 23 people who will die in order to save my baby.
I look over to Masst he's wearing basically the same thing except his shirt is pitch black and the stitching of his 9 is white. My eyes wonder to his vivid green ones, they show fear and alertness. His eye's make my heart ache the ring on my left hand feel heavier somehow. Masst eyes are so similar to Caston's I miss him so much I wish he was here, I quickly dismiss that thought, and nobody deserves this. I finally let my eyes drop as well as my thoughts.
We end up in front of the elevator and step in; I can feel my heart plummet as we sink down to the Training Center. When the doors are opened it shows a huge gymnasium filled with various weapons and obstacle courses. I'm not surprised that we the last there, my medical visit delayed things a little. Everyone is standing in a circle, a very terrifying circle. I look around and do a quick head count, everyone is present.
A women steps into the circle and explains to everyone is instructed to listen while she announces her speech.
Everybody is free to travel to any station. The stations teach everything from survival skills to fighting techniques. We aren't allowed to practice combative exercises with other tributes; there are people if we need to.
The woman eventually begins to read the list of stations. I can't help the need to compare myself to the other tributes. I can feel the goose bumps rising on my skin, there all big, bigger than me. Well most of them, even though I'm swollen the years of malnourishment have taken their toll. Being skinny is most defiantly not good. Even the kids from the other poor districts look better than I do. And forget even comparing myself to the Careers there almost triple my size. I'm healthy and strong even if I don't look like it. I know I've had training before and I know the Careers have too, but my other competition is a mystery as of right now.
The woman finally stops talking and releases us. I turn around to look for a station I could be happy with. I feel them, the eyes, staring daggers at my back, the sound of my name in their whispers. I'm the target I can sense it.
I can't help feeling exposed and self conscious, these people know exactly what my weakness is and I haven't the slightest clue of theirs. Maganda warned me of this. So I straighten my shoulders, hold my head up high, a put on a big smile and turn to these unforgiving people. I clamp my toung to prevent myself from saying something that'll regret. When they see my eyes-cold as ice—the stop their whispering, disband from the group, and go to a station.
I did it now maybe I'll have some peace. I choose my station carefully, one that nobody is attending. It comes out as the fire starting station. Ember the teacher of this skill, is pleased to see I can start a basic fire with matches in little over ten minutes. I'm overjoyed with the knowledge of my father coming back so easily, like it never left. We go on to use a bit of flint, and steel. Just as with matches I excel I have fire in only a couple minutes. I'm giddy with excitement, my father taught me so well.
After about an hour I've decided that I've pretty much have that skill mastered. I can feel my hands itching for a weapon. I look over to the weapons stations; the Careers still have it under control, obviously intimidating the other tributes. Except me, they have skill, I see that but there flamboyancy is just unprofessional. I'm about to look away when I see the boy from district 1 send a knife into a dummy from about 13 yards away. I let out a choked sob as it brings back the memory of the horrible nightmare that sent me into a full blown panic attack. I can feel my heart quicken and the sweat break out everywhere. Everything goes in slow motion, I can't tear my eyes away from him; sending a knife over and over into the dummy stomach.
The next thing I know I see Masst waving his hands in front of my face.
"Blissa! What's wrong?" He asks over and over. He looks behind himself; I'm drawing in unwanted attention.
"Well I need some water too." He laughs to cover me up. Even though he's shorter than me he guides me to a table in the corner where were alone. I keep stumbling over my own feet. We finally make it and he sits me in a hard white chair and hands me a bottle of open water.
"What's up with you? I saw you from across the room looking terrified. You eyes were like frozen open staring at that guy." He jerks his head in the direction of the boy from district 1.
"Masst, I'm so sorry. You remember my panic attack?" I shake my head to clear my brain.
"Yeah, scared me, I thought you wear dying the way you were screaming." He says. I flinch at the painful memory.
"In my dream that boy—" His name is Lead I think Masst interjects. "Well he stabbed me right here." I draw a line on the peak of my stomach. He murdered my baby, and left me to bleed to death on the ground.
"Drink." He says and points to the open bottle in my hands. "He didn't do any of that it was a dream. You need to relax and spend this day to learn." He finishes and leaves me in my white chair. I finish the bottle of water and go back to learning, acting like Maganda told me. I don't even look at anybody else for the rest of the day. I learn survival skills all day and steer clear of the weapons. I excel at everything I try, making shelter, camouflage, herbal remedies, edible plants, and knot tying. All the knowledge coming back after being ignored so long makes me feel connected to my father once again learning, and perfecting my skills. I leave the Training Center after a long day exhausted both mentally and physically.
After stuffing myself at dinner I find myself walking slowly back to my room. My ankles are sore from exerting my body so much today. But it doesn't bother me, I felt something I haven't felt in a long time; a connection with my father. After he died I had no time to grieve for him, I started taking care of my mother. So this new connection gives me strength that I didn't have before, my father is my savoir, without the knowledge he drilled into my brain since my childhood, I wouldn't even stand a chance in these games.
Went I enter my room I discard the clothes on the floor and take a long soothing bath. I add oils and other soaps and enjoy the luxury I won't have in a few days.
I make little swirls in the water on the peak of my stomach.
"It's okay my baby, I'll win for the both of us." I whisper to the swollen bump. It going to be harsh in the games I already know, but I do owe it to my baby to win.
I lie back a just lose myself in the warm water and bubbles to a place where there is no Hunger Games and a place where my family and I live without fear or oppression of the Capital.
After about thirty minutes I decide that my body has had enough rest and it's time for my mind to get some too.
I slip on a cotton nightgown and find my bed to sleep.
Soon enough I can feel myself slipping into consciousness, leaving the numb state of sleeping and entering reality.
The sun is bright in my eyes, too bright. I groan and heave myself out of bed. I drag my body to the bathroom and clean up. I look up to the mirror,
"Day two, time for weapons." I say to the walls. My hands tingle for a weapon.
I skip getting dressed; I know there is no point Ruka will just redress me for training again. I follow my nose to the scent of cinnamon until I find the dining room. It's empty of people but filled with fresh food. I find a plate and dig in. I grab everything, the steamy eggs filled with cheese and meat, the caramelized carrots, and a cinnamon roll the size of my head and much more. I sit and inhale until I literally can't hold another bite. Not bothering to move, I twist my ring over and over around my finger waiting for my team.
After awhile I hear the shuffling of feet through the hallway. I straighten myself up as everyone walks in. We all exchange pleasantries and they sit down to eat. Today Maganda is with us and I don't think she will be gone again, she knows ill need her until the very last minutes.
Finally after the small talk and breakfast has died down, we get down to business.
"So what happened in training yesterday?" Maganda looks at Masst closely. She not talking to me yet thankfully, I'm going to have to explain my "freak-out" to her.
"Well I don't think I'm doing very well. I mean I'm trying. I can build a shelter, but that's about it. I can't start fires at all and I can't use weapons very well." His eyes fall to his lap.
Uri leans across the table and holds his hand.
"Masst, that is all right you have today to work on whatever you need okay." Maganda encourages.
"Thanks, I had to stop for a little while yesterday because of Blissa though." He mutters.
I can feel the heat in my cheeks, now I'm in it.
"Blissa what is Masst talking about." Her smooth voice speaks in my direction.
I lift my eyes from the ring and explain the night of my panic attack to her in full detail. I can feel Rukas hands on my shoulders.
"Darling you don't need to worry about that." He whispers in my ear.
"Blissa I'm not going to lie to you that a defiant possibility." Maganda sighs.
"That's all you both need to do is stay safe away from other tributes when you're in the area." She continues. Andra dismisses breakfast, she hasn't been around a lot, but we all know why. Nobody says anything though.
I walk back to my quarters with Ruka slowly. Something comes to mind that I need to say.
"No high heels Ruka." I smile.
"Excuse me?" He has no idea what I'm talking about.
"For the interview with Caesar Flickerman, when you have to dress me up." I can see his face light up in recognition.
"Oh well I thought ahead on that one, no need to worry darling you'll be—"
"Electrifying" I interrupt. He nods his head and smiles. I don't know what he has up his sleeve this time but I know he'll make me beautiful anyway.
Ruka dresses me quickly so in no time Masst and I are plunging down to the Training Center. We enter the gymnasium last once again. No lecture today just straight to business.
The Career's finally moved on to survival skills, so now it's my chance. I walk over to the station, hands ready.
Choosing is hard, there are spears, knives, bow and arrows, and even blow darts. Maganda told me to stay away from knives so I choose the spear, there's not much difference right.
I pinpoint my target easily; a dummy about 20 yards away. I get focused, tense my muscles. I run forward and release. I watch as it sails through the air, and with a loud thud hit the dummy right on target; the forehead, it rips the head right of the dummy.
Suddenly I hear a roomful of gasps; I become aware of the whole room watching me. Let them watch I think.
I pick up another spear and heave it at a different dummy. Having a weapon makes me feel a lot better. It makes me feel like a protector so I can finally defend the precious life I m carrying.
After an hour or so at trying my hand at other weapons, I give up when the frustration and soreness creeping along my arms gets noticeable. I'm not done for the day until I've tried my knowledge at hand-to-hand combat. My father always drilled me about hand-to-hand combat. Every day he was home was another lesson about it. When I asked him why all he said was. "When you're defenseless, it's the only thing left."I never knew what it meant but I didn't ask or complain after he said it.
Nobodies at the station so I plunge in immediately. The trainer looks at me I can tell she doesn't approve, but she is silent. She calls out a scrawny look male. We take our places and she calls out start. I have him pined in less than two minutes. I can see the surprise on both their faces.
"Don't doubt me." I say and walk away. I decided that was a skill to keep to myself.
Were released for lunch.
I don't complain I can feel my stomach groan. Food sounds wonderful after a day of training. I load up a mountain of food on my plate and sit at the same table I did yesterday, alone. I balance a roll on my swollen stomach while I eat away at and apple. I can see the disapproving looks around me but I don't care.
I wonder where Masst is, I scope the room quickly. I almost choke on a piece of apple when I see him. He's with a petite girl with long blonde braids down her back and silver eyes. I try to remember what district she from. I come up empty. I see the way there curled around each other and the way there acting; her stroking one of her braids, and him sitting up straight to make himself taller. I can see the adoration in both their eyes. They have probably only known each other for a few days but you can tell they both care for each other, maybe even love.
I turn my attention back to my food; I'll ask him later I think.
Dinner is filled with rich food and small talk. I stuff my stomach, and keep to myself. When were dismissed I follow Masst down the hallway. I grab his arm.
"Masst who were you talking to today?" I ask.
"I talk to a lot of people." He answers vaguely.
"You know who I'm talking about; the girl you're in love with." I press.
"I'm not in love." He looks down. I can see the redness in his cheeks.
"You are!" I giggle.
"Blissa, I'm not in love, I care about her, but it's never going to work were all victims. Nobody survives the Hunger Games." He sighs.
"I know what you mean." I say. My hands brush my stomach.
"I know Blissa, it's so hard though, Star doesn't belong here, she's a good person." His hands ball into fists.
"We are all good people here Masst, none of us deservers this." I continue to stroke my stomach.
"I know." I instinctively rub his back. He doesn't pull away. Silence fills the space between us.
"What are you planning to show the Gamemakers tomorrow?" I ask to fill the space.
"I have no idea, I'm good for nothing." I pull my hand away.
"You won't have any problems tomorrow though." He continues. I 'm confused.
"I never knew you were such a lethal person." He says.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I didn't do anything. He sighs frustrated.
"The way you took that dummy's head straight off, the creepy smile when you had when you did it gave me the chills. Also the way you pinned that guy in no time. Everybody expects you to be against it all, not moving around a lot, sitting on your butt doing nothing. But you're like the opposite, doing everything you can, it's like you don't even acknowledge that your—" He gestures to my abdomen.
I'm utterly stunned.
"I know it's not good for my baby, but what else can I do? If I just take it we'll be dead in a day, and if I fight I stress my body, and hurt my baby. I lose, either way." I look down at my stomach.
"Its lose, lose for everyone." He mutters and leaves me alone in the hallway. I stand there letting the truth ring around in my head. He's right. I enter my room. I strip down to nothing and crawl in my bed; letting the numbness of sleep take me away.
The next day at lunch, they start calling people out for their private sessions with Gamemakers. I sit nervously by myself, fidgeting with my ring. I try to find Masst in the room, I quickly spot him next to the girl he called Star. Masst looks the same every day, but today Star has her blonde hair down and her eyes aren't hard there actually sparkling. The things those two do to each other amaze me. There one more thing I see before I turn my head. Under the table I can tell their holding hands. In love no doubt.
When they call her name second, I'm absolutely stunned. She is from District 1, with Lead, she is a Career. I see as she gets up her eyes and Masst eyes lock on each other for just a moment before she exits the door.
Masst gets up and walks to my table. As he sits down I let lose my anger.
"Are you done being lovey dovey with the Career?" I challenge.
"Blissa, that not you business." I can see the anger on his face as he sees where I'm going.
"She can't be trusted, she's planning to draw you in the kill you." I say.
"You have no idea! She's not like that, she isn't a Career!" His face is turning red.
"The hell she isn't. Don't come to me when she betrays you." I get up and walk to a different table.
I sit alone in my frustration. How can he be so stupid?
The room gets quieter and quieter until my name is called. I don't feel nervous all I feel is anger.
I walk in the gymnasium; I can feel their eyes all over me, most on my stomach. I can read their eyes they don't expect me to do much. I'm going to prove them wrong. There looks make me more angry.
I don't say a word I walk over to the weapons and choose my knife carefully. I settle in a jagged blade that looks deadly. I send it right into the dummy's head from 30 yards away. Rips it clean off. I look at the Gamemakers again, only a few look impressed. If I want their approval I'm going to have to show them my hand to hand combat.
"I need an assistant." My voice is sharp. They send out a gigantic, muscular man, three times bigger than me. I'm scared for just a moment but anger replaces it quickly. We take our places on a mat; the Gamemakers announce the start.
I throw myself at him full force, and knock the wind out of him. He grabs me and pins me to the ground, I smile, and head but him right on his nose sending blood all over me. He is stunned for the moment, I manage to free myself. I run under his legs and jump on his back, clamping my arm around his neck, cutting of his air. He throws his huge arms up and rips me from his back, sending me over his head to the ground, hard. I know the Gamemakers are waiting for me to finish him. I wipe my hands through the blood on my shirt and draw two straight lines under my eyes. I get up and run at him once more. I slid my right leg out, tripping him forward. I jump on his back, grab his right arm and twist it back. He realizes what I'm going to do quickly. He begs me not to and tries to get free, but he is at my mercy. I kick his arm full force. The crack rattles the whole room. His scream soon follows. It echoes through the whole building. I'm satisfied I've broken his arm.
I risk looking at the Gamemakers once again. Every one of their jaws are dropped some are even shaking. They really didn't expect that. I jump off his back and step towards them. Some of them back away in response. I let my hands fall to my abdomen, I caress my stomach gently.
"Thanks for watching us." I smile, and just stand there letting it sink in. The room is filled with awkward silence, now I know I've got their approval. It takes a moment for them to recover, then one of them dismisses me.
I walk out of the gymnasium satisfied.
"Thanks for teaching me Father." I whisper as I head up to floor 9.
I know that this chapter was super long but it holds a lot of info for future chapters. I couldn't split it up sooo sorry! I made a mistake in earlier chapters so I'm just going to tell you. Masst and Star are about 15 and Blissa is about 17 to 18. If you want to know what my characters look like follow this link. .com/home/Jaylynn444/index Copy and paste. type in photobucket first then the rest of the link
There not perfect but there the people I imagine when I'm writing. Well as always Read. Review. Love.