Time Drags On:

Training and Interviews

When I woke up, the blinding sun was bursting through the train window onto my pillow making it hot. I didn't feel like getting up so I just lay there, waiting for someone to come get me. The smell of bacon and toast slipped under the door and into my nostrils, mechanically moving me into the dining section of the train. About a dozen or so plates lined a rectangular table with tray after tray of breakfast foods just begging to be eaten.

"Hey there, sleepy head," Ellie Cornelius, our mentor, said to me as I walked in and took my spot at the table.

"What time is it?" I ask searching for a clock.

"It's ten 'til nine," Ellie answered. "Not used to being up so early?"

"No I just…" I didn't know what to say so I filled my mouth with a warm omelet.

I took a quick peek out the window, and didn't see much. I could see mountains in the very, very far distance. Were we in the Capitol? "So, where are we?" I asked.

"We're almost in the Capitol. Actually, we just entered! We should be at the training lodge in just a few minutes.

"Great," I whispered under my breath. I stuffed my stomach with bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, toast, jam, omelets and more awkward things that I questioned eating. Basically, when I was done eating, I couldn't move.

"Great news, everyone!" Jayjay exclaimed. "We're here!"

I looked out the train window to see the training center. It was thirteen stories tall, I think. And there was more underneath. I really didn't want to be here, to meet all the other tributes… The train stopped and Jayjay led us to the building. Obviously we were on the 11th floor. She led us up there and showed us our rooms. We got about a minute to change before we were led to lunch in the dining room. It was tons of platters: fish, chicken, turkey, ham with tons of sides, too. I knew I just ate, but I wanted to try it all.

I grabbed a plate and piled it high with a bit of everything. No, scratch that. With a ton of everything. Immediately after lunch, we were given outfits to wear for training. We each took our time to get dressed, or at least I did. First I went into my bathroom and took a nice, long, hot shower. I was in there for at least an hour and a half before the water got cold. I stepped out, dried off, and took my time dressing precise. It was tan jeans and a white t-shirt. The shoes were also white. I get it, we're grains.

I brushed my teeth and styled my hair so it stuck up in the front. After I couldn't stall any longer, I stepped out of the room to meet Jayjay, Ellie, and Lexi waiting for me impatiently. "It's about time," Ellie said rudely. "Now, let's go before we're late."

"So what stations should we focus on?" Lexi asked.

"Try climbing, knot tying, bow and arrow, and maybe camouflage. It doesn't really matter to me, just try and get to everything."

We walked to the elevator and rode the 12 floors down to the basement where the training area is kept. I think I could spot some people when we got there. There was the girl and boy from District Five, the boy from District Twelve, both tributes from Six, and the girl from Ten. Was it a coincidence none of them were at the same station?

So Lexi and I walked over to the bow and arrow session. The guy showed us how to properly load and aim to shoot an arrow. We did tons of other sessions too, like knot tying, rope climbing, hand-to-hand combat… Finally, private training came. It seemed to go forever. I was the 22nd person to go, so I was there for at least five and a half hours before it was my turn. I went in and didn't really know what to do. I decided to try out my bow and arrow skills.

I went and grabbed a bow and a sheath of arrows. I loaded the sheath on my back and grabbed the bow in the "correct" position. I pulled and arrow out of the sheath and put it in position to fire. I pulled back, aimed at the target, and let the arrow go flying. It was a bull's-eye. I couldn't believe it so I had to try again. I shot arrow after arrow onto the targets, all getting bull's-eyes. I started shooting at dummies and hit perfect spots. Hearts, lungs, brains, eyes… All hitting perfectly centered.

After about ten minutes or so of shooting, I put up the bow and remainder of the arrows and grabbed a rope. I used a trap I learned how to make that caught your victim and hung it by its ankle. I slipped a dummy in it and it swung around, dangling from the ceiling. Then I climbed up the rope and jumped swiftly from bar to bar across the ceiling. I had to get down so I climbed back down the rope. My time was up. Phew, that went well… I hoped.

I took the elevator ride back up to the room and found them all waiting anxiously. "What happened?" Lexi asked nervously.

"Private sessions are to be kept private," I said sounding old and wise.

We all gathered around the dinner table and had another belly-busting meal before going to interviews. They sent me back to my room after to get dressed and ready. They had me dress in a light blue polo over dark black skinny jeans. My shoes were black and white; they slipped on my feet easily. When I came out, all prepped up, Lexi, of course, was already waiting. She also had dark skinny jeans on and a long-sleeved purple shirt. What was with that girl and purple? She had black boots on that reached mid calf.

"Ready to go?" Ellie asked me.

"Sure am." We left. When we got there, they had us go up these tubes onto the stage. Mike Cornell, the speaker, was there waiting. As I rose, so did all the other tributes. They looked so fragile in their purple velvet seats. He started the interviewing almost immediately. All the tributes had different angles, I noticed: laid back, intelligent, clever, fun, lovable, serious, cuddly, cute, tough, silent… I wasn't really paying that much attention so when it got to me I had to be smacked by my sister. "What? Oh," I had said when she hit me. I stood up and talked into the microphone.

Mike asked me questions that I answered sarcastically, with a bit of sass. I sure wasn't trying to impress anyone. I didn't care. My interview got over before I knew it, and then it was time for training scores. Wow, this is going by pretty fast. Then the scores, name, and district showed up on a big screen, replacing us.

District One:

Hope Leveret-8

Jamal Savis-6

District Two:

Rae Landcaster-6

Zane Burwell-9

District Three:

Santana Sanchez-9

Noeh Jameson-6

District Four:

Luna Sohma-8

Zove Zibron-8

District Five:

Angie-5

Nathon-3

District Six:

Lattie Meyen-6

Eric Glasse-8

District Seven:

Kalm Pines-4

Jason Matthews-8

District Eight:

Delia Marques-6

Dareon Davis-7

District Nine:

Zendaya Alweather-8

Hark Lutz-7

District Ten:

Aileen Vaan-6

Garrett Aeilts-4

District Eleven:

Lexi Clark-7

Colton Clark-11

And that was where everyone gasped.

District Twelve:

Lina Catagorski-5

Jim Stewart-6

"Congratulations, everyone, and good luck tomorrow!" Mike yelled as the interviews ended. Next thing I knew, I was laying in bed, stripped to my boxers, about to get a good night's sleep to prepare for the horror coming shortly after.