Grading on the Curve
Night 4 in the Capital
The Scores
"ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS."
- George Orwell, Animal Farm, Ch. 10
When I get back to our floor I can't help but feel elated at how well the session went. I never thought it would go that well. I can't help but giggle at their reaction when I threw the knife in the table. But then it dawns on me that next time it will be real kids I will be throwing the weapons at not dummies and tables. This brings my mood down quite a bit. When Finnick asks how it went I can't help but smirk and say "pretty well I think".
"That's good; a good score will get more sponsors" he says.
"Not that you would have trouble getting sponsors even if I got a 1, you just need to bat your eye lashes and would have half the population at your knees" I tease him. He grins sheepishly but it almost seems like a grimace. I remember two nights ago and immediately feel bad.
Later we all crowd around the TV waiting for the scores. The seal flashes and anthem plays.
"Welcome Panem! We are here to announce the training scores that the tributes received during their private sessions earlier today! Without further ado, let's begin! Gemcity Night 9! Satin Rose also 9! Fusion Blake 10! Aurora Spring 10! Hertz Powers 5! Ampere Current 7! Cam Sheenan 8! Priya Carmichael 11!"
An 11? Wow I did not think I would get that high. I beat all the careers too!
"That's great, an 11!" Finnick says as the rest of the scores are read.
"Braxton Thomas 9! Melody Channing 4! Raiden Shield 6! Aspen Shield 4! Rueben Tahara 10! Nova Starling 6! Zion Rex 10! Calla Storm 3! Piper Crane 2! Bryony Helix 5! Reed Ghent 4! Zari Holden 6!"
I don't pay attention to the rest of the scores that much. I guess my 11 only further serves to cement the target on my back. The careers will be even more pissed I beat them and I have been branded the biggest threat. Maybe I should have thought twice about getting a high score.
No what am I thinking? Of course I should have tried to get the best score I could to attract sponsors. It is not like I would have flown under the radar anyway. The scores don't matter at all once we are in the arena but I should have plenty of sponsors at least. Now the only thing left is the interviews…