Author's Note: Hey Odesta Fans! Here is the second chapter of the day! I'm not used to being able to update this often and I'm really enjoying it!
I want to thank Sparkle duck3, music lover from district 4, odestalovebaby, and houseofme for reviewing. You guys are amazing and your reviews all mean so much to me. It makes my day that you all take the time to write a review for every chapter. I wouldn't be able to keep writing if it wasn't for all your encouragement! I love you guys tremendously!
Also thank you AEP19 so very much for following!
As I mentioned last chapter, if you have any ideas as to what should take place in Annie's games please let me know! I would also love to hear any tribute suggestions you may have! I really appreciate your help!
I had the idea to start another Odesta fanfic. I would be accepting prompts and will use them to write oneshots. If any of you have any prompts to start me off with please let me know. In order to start the story I need someone to send me a prompt!
Here is chapter 11!
DISCLAIMER: As you all already know, I am not Suzanne Collins. *sigh*
Annie Cresta:
I stay in the warm water of the bathtub for what feels like hours, my salty tears mixing with the fresh Capitol water. I know it must be time for training, but I just can't bring myself to face anyone. For a second I almost convince myself that I will miss the games if I just stay here in this bathtub, but I shake my head to clear the silly thought. The games will happen whether I want them to or not, and if I want to go home to Macaulay I will need to train.
This thought is the only thing that makes me climb out of the warm water. I stand on the cool bathroom tiles, water dripping of my dark auburn hair. My training clothes are soaking wet; I'll have to ask Emmalina for another pair.
I dry off as quickly as possible, knowing that I will be late if I don't hurry. I am surprised that nobody has come to escort me to breakfast; I'm sure that Finnick would want me to eat before a long day of training.
As I exit the bathroom, still dressed in my soaked clothes, I notice the letter from Macaulay on my bed. The sight of it makes me feel sick once again, but I swallow hard. Despite all the time I spent thinking in the bathtub, it's still almost impossible to believe what my brother has written to me. I know that I must forget this startling news, at least until after training. I have work to do today learning everything I can about survival skills. I told Finnick I would try and I can't go back on my promise.
Someone knocks on the door and I can tell by the briskness that it is my escort.
"Goodness gracious, Annie. Why are you all wet?" Emmalina cries in despair as soon as I open the door. I look down sheepishly, not sure how to explain to the lady that I took a bath with my clothes on. Thankfully, Emmalina doesn't give me the time to explain, for she runs off shouting for an Avox.
Soon she returns, clutching a new set of training clothes in her hands.
"These were supposed to be for tomorrow, but considering how you're soaking wet, they will have to do," Emmalina sighs. "Now, quickly get dressed! You have a half an hour until training and we can't be late!" With that, she turns on her heal and walks swiftly towards the dining area. I can hear her high heels clicking down the hallway as I shut my door.
As quickly as possible I change into my new clothes and redo my ponytail. Then, with one last glance on the letter splayed out on my bed, I head to eat breakfast.
As I take a seat at the table, though, I realize that I won't be able to keep anything down. Just the sight of the mountains of food makes me feel queasy. Once again I think of how terrible it is that the Capitol has all this food, when many of the districts find it challenging to provide a sandwich.
"Good morning, dear," Mags greets me and I'm relieved that she doesn't bring up the fact that I'm not eating. Instead I guzzle down a glass of orange juice. Mags and Emmalina both look to be done their breakfast and Kye is chewing on his last bite of a bagel. Despite the fact that the little boy looks extremely nervous, he still seems to have an appetite. I know just how he feels. It's intimidating to think of all the tributes we will meet this morning.
"Good morning," I say back to Mags, but suddenly I realize that someone is missing from the table. Where is Finnick? I was hoping to go over our plan one last time before training begins.
"Is Finnick still sleeping?" I ask the older lady, but I know immediately by the sad look on her face exactly what Finnick is doing.
"Um…Finnick is out with some friends," Mags replies after a quick glance towards Kye and Emmalina. She gives me a knowing look and I know that the lie is solely meant for the other two. Mags must know that Finnick confided in me and I don't think that it's because he told her. I blush when I realize that Mags bedroom is close to the elevator and she must have heard Finnick and me yelling at each other last night. Thankfully she doesn't mention anything.
"Quickly Annie, have something to eat. We have to leave in a few more minutes!" Emmalina orders, glancing at her tablet. I grab a croissant and nibble on it for my escort's sake, but I still have no appetite, especially now that I know where Finnick is. It pains me to think of all the terrible things that the Capitol women must be doing to him right now. I just wish that I could do something to help him, but I know that's impossible. Suddenly training sounds like heaven compared to what Finnick is going through.
When Emmalina isn't looking, I sneak the croissant into a napkin and tuck it under my plate. Mags frowns at me, but fortunately she doesn't say anything. She must know that I'm worried for Finnick.
"I'm ready to go!" I tell Emmalina. She nods gratefully and walks towards the elevator, dragging Kye and I after her.
"Wait until you see the training room! It is fantastic! You two make sure you behave yourself and no annoying the other tributes. You don't want targets on your back now, do you?" Emmalina rambles on as the elevator drops to the basement of the hotel. Kye and I don't bother to answer her.
The 12 year old almost looks green and I notice him shuffling nervously from foot to foot. I want to comfort him, but I don't know how when I'm sure that I appear just as nervous.
All too soon the elevator doors slide open and Emmalina shuffles us out into the training room. I stare in awe at all the weapons that line the walls of the room. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Kye doing the same thing. We are one of the last ones to arrive and after I am done gaping at the terrifying weapons, I take in my fellow tributes. It's easy to tell which group are the careers. Four large teenagers stand over to the side of the room, laughing loudly and sizing up their competition. Nobody else says a word and I'm definitely not the only one staring at the Careers.
Actually the only tributes in the room that aren't staring at them are the boy and girl from 11. They stand at the other side of the room, whispering to each other with their heads bent together. They don't acknowledge that there is anyone else in the room and the sight of them makes me remember my dream. My stomach churns violently and I quickly look away.
"Welcome everyone! Please gather around, so we can get started!" A tall woman with heavy black eyeliner and a tattoo of a snake winding up her neck shouts loudly. Quickly we are stumble towards her. She is one of the most intimidating people I have ever met, besides the 4 Careers that are staring at me like I'm their meal.
"My name is Atala. Now, as you can see there are many stations set up around the room. The stations range from survival skills to fighting techniques. Keep in mind that learning to survive is just as important as fighting. About 70% of you will die from natural causes. An expert is at each station and you may visit each one as you choose. You are forbidden to engage in any combative exercise with another tribute. There are assistants on hand if you wish to practice with a partner," Atala continues to read a list of the stations that are available, but I'm not listening.
Instead I take in each tribute, searching to see who the biggest threats are. The Careers are at the top of the list obviously, but right after them are the tributes from 11. Despite the fact that they are some of the smallest tributes present, they look mysterious and dangerous. I know I must be aware of them and not just because of my dream.
As soon as Atala gives us permission to start, I search around the room, deciding where I should go first. Remembering Finnick's instructions, I head to a station about edible plants. Kye follows me and thankfully we are the only two there.
As the expert at the station gives us a lesson on which plants are poisonous and which are okay to eat, I quickly glance around to see what skills the other tributes are learning. Everyone is practicing using a variety of the frightening weapons except for the siblings from District 11. They are both at a nearby station, practicing what looks like building large traps. The traps are much larger than they would need to use to capture an animal. They must be hoping to use them to trap people, but for some reason I feel that that's not all they are planning. I don't know what it is about them, but I know that they have a dangerous idea.
Once I manage to identify all the plants at the station I am at, I decide to head over to the trap building station. The two tributes from 11 are still there, looking as though they are having trouble with the trap they are attempting. They have been working on it for at least an hour, so I know that this trap must play an important role in their plan. Whatever their plan is, I'm determined to find out so that I will be aware during the games. If that means pretending to be their allies, then so be it.
I silently step beside them and ask the expert to teach me how to build the same trap. It involves many knots and I am able to create it with a breeze. The siblings from 11 stop to watch me and I silently thank my father for bringing me to all those fishing clinics. I guess making numerous nets each day pays off.
"Wow, you're really good at that," The girl breathes quietly. She glances at her brother and he nods slightly. "I'm Clarissa and this is my brother Chaplin." I smile at her and stick out my hand.
"Annie," I say. At first Clarissa stares at my hand, startled, but then she slowly reaches out and shakes it. Chaplin does the same. Their hands are both calloused and rough from what I assume is from days working in the fields back in 11.
"How do you do that so easily?" Chaplin asks, curiously.
"It uses the same knots that I always used to make nets back in 4," I explain to them. "I'm surprised at how challenging this net is; it takes years to be able to do those knots." I make sure the instructor doesn't hear me, for the knots are very simple to do if you know the right trick. I'm not about to reveal that to them, though. I want them to need me on their team, even if it's just to make these traps for them. I stifle a smile as Clarissa and Chaplin both frown. They believe me! I feel terribly guilty for lying, but I know that it is necessary.
"Oh, so you don't think we would be able to learn them in a week?" Clarissa asks disappointedly.
"Not a chance! Why don't you practice a different trap? I'm sure that this one isn't the only one that will catch food," I say, knowing full well that food isn't what they are trying to catch with the trap.
"Oh, we aren't using this to catch food," Clarissa blurts out and Chaplin elbows her hard. Her eyes immediately grow wide and she looks down, ashamed. I silently congratulate myself; they are in the exact position that I need them in.
"You're catching people in this? Wouldn't it be easier to just kill them with a weapon?" I ask, feigning shock.
"We don't know much about weapons," Clarissa says again, but as soon as the words leave her mouth she receives another elbow in the ribs. I thought that it would be harder to get information out of them, but it seems like Clarissa doesn't know how to hold her tongue.
"I don't know much, but I do know how to use a spear. Back home when we ran out of nets, my father would get me to spear the fish," I lie. Never have I once even touched a spear, for we never ran out of nets. As soon as training is done, I will have to get Finnick to teach me how to use one.
Clarissa and Chaplin exchange another look and I know they are close to wanting me on their team.
"Could we see you use one?" Chaplin asks and I immediately start to panic. I have no idea how to use a spear; maybe I should have thought this lie through more. If they know I lied to them, it will create a huge target on my back.
"My mentor told me not to let any of the other tributes see how good I am. He said that it will create a target on my back," I say, thinking quickly. "But I trust you two."
"Maybe we should be allies then? I think we could really use each other," Clarissa suggests and this time I don't have to hide my smile.
"I would love that! The Careers won't take us very seriously, you know. We all look so small," I say. I'm hoping to convince them to let me pretend to be a part of the Career's so that I can get information out of them, but really they are the ones that I am fooling.
"Yeah, I'm worried about them," Clarissa sighs. I pretend to think for a few seconds.
"Hey, I have an idea! One of us could pretend to join them, but really we could just get information out of them!" I suggest. They seem to think about it for a while.
"I guess that would work…" Chaplin says hesitantly. "Who should do it?"
"I think Annie should. They will only let someone in who is good with a weapon and we obviously aren't," Clarissa says. Chaplin looks uncertain, but finally he nods in agreement.
"Okay, I guess I can. We'll have to split up, so we don't seem like allies. Today I think we should focus on survival skills and then I'll join the Careers tomorrow," I say, making hand quotes when I say join. Clarissa and Chaplin both nod again and I turn to walk towards another station.
Despite the fact that I succeeded in claiming their trust, I feel a knot of regret in my stomach. I took a risk by fooling them and I can't help wondering if I did the right thing.
Do you guys think my chapters are too long? I can shorten them up if you wish. Please review, whether it's to suggest ideas or just to say what you think of this chapter. Your reviews are like fuel that keep me writing! :)
Remember to send me an Odesta prompt if you think of one, so I can start my next fanfic. Don't worry, I will continue writing this one also!
I have one more question. My friend told me about this company that you can send short stories to and they will consider getting them published. I absolutely adore writing and I was just wondering if you guys think I am good enough to get a story published. Please be honest!
Well, that's everything! You can expect another update tomorrow! I love you all dearly! 3