Chapter 26: Training – Day 3 and Training scores.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or any of the characters.
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-Private Sessions. – Haymitch growls when he sees us at breakfast. – Do you know what are you going to do?
-Easy. Archery, knifes, maybe axes. – I say as I fill myself with food.
-Fine. And you, Peeta? – Effie asks in her annoying voice.
-I'll throw some heavy things. – He answers.
-Well, you two are going to do great. I'm sure you will get one of the highest scores. –Effie says in a very optimist voice. – It's almost 10 o'clock. We should get going.
-Fine. – I reply with my mouth full of food. I love when she gets mad at me because of my manners.
-Manners, Carolyne. – She says. – Don't talk with your full mouth. That's disgusting.
-Yes, mother. – I whisper under my breath.
-What? – She demands.
-Nothing. – I say innocently. – Don't you think we should get going?
-Yes, honey. – She says in a softer voice.
We walk to the elevator and leave Haymitch laughing to tears. He loves when Effie gets mad, too.
-Where do we go first? – I ask Peeta, when we are in the gymnasium.
-Let's try to climb some tress. – He answers. There are no natural trees to climb, but some other things. Rue is climbing a rope, she takes Cato's knife and climbs to the ceiling; she hides behind some elastic ropes.
-Where's my knife? – Cato shouts. He points at Jehan, the boy from 6. – You took it. Give it to me.
-No…I …never….No. – Jehan starts babbling.
-Give it to me. – Cato shouts taking the boy from his shirt neck and lifting him from the floor. Some peacekeepers come and take Cato away from Jehan. – You'll pay for this. – He screams. I try hard but I end up bursting in laughter while everyone looks at me like if I was insane.
Cato comes nearer to me. – Why are you laughing? Idiot. – Cato shouts at me.
-First, I'm not an idiot; you are the idiot. – I say. His face turns crimson in rage. - Second, I laugh because of your foolish reaction; it's hilarious to see you threatening a boy who is 4 years younger than you, because you think he stole your knife. You are pathetic. You can get another knife; you are just trying to intimidate the others. – He attempts to punch me in the face, but I hold his arm and bend it to his back, making him to scream in pain. I stop before the Peacekeepers come. – Don't underestimate me, idiot. – I walk away and watch him strangulating the air. Sure he wants the air to be me.
-You shouldn't provoke him in that way. You already turned District 2 against you. – Peeta says, disapproving my behavior.
-I know; and I pretend to do the same with 1 and 4. – I reply uncaringly. – That way, the Games would have more fun. – I say sarcastically.
- I don't understand you. You volunteer to save your sister but you are eagerly to kill people. You want to return home but you are provoking other tributes to kill you. I can't understand you. – He says.
-And you won't. – I say. – You don't really know me and you probably won't.
-You are pretty closed off. Why?
-I learned long ago that if people know your secrets and feelings they can use them against you. So I don't really trust in most of the people. – Why does he care? He should be caring about his own life. – Let's climb some trees.
We pass half an hour there; Peeta tries to climb an artificial tree and I pass the time jumping from tree to tree and ropes; holding from the elastic ropes in the ceiling or just climbing things. Then, we move from one station there until the bell rings. We eat and see how the tributes are called one by one for their private sessions. When they call Peeta, I'm left alone.
-You'll do great. – He says before going.
-You too. – I reply. Not that I'm really confident about this. Not that I really care.
-Carolyne Everdeen. – A mechanic voice calls me. I smooth my hair and walk into the room. – Carolyne Everdeen. – The voice says again.
-I'm going. – I mutter. - Stupid machine.
The Gamemakers have been drinking and eating for a long time. They don't even pay attention to me when I walk in. I'll have to make them pay attention to me.
I clear my throat. – Carolyne Everdeen. – I say in the same mechanic tone as the machine.
-Who ordered the pig? – It's the only response from the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane. But he looks at me while I move to the knife station.
I pick up a knife and throw it at the dummy. Perfect shoot. I do the same for another five minutes, mixing somersaults and different movements as I throw the knife; always hitting on the target.
I walk to the axe station and decapitate some dummies. Then I go to the archery station; I take a bow and a quiver of arrows, I walk into the shooting range and move some dummies and human silhouettes to the center of the gymnasium. I shoot at each one; the arrows piercing them right in the heart or in the head. Then I shoot at the ceiling lamp and to the rope that is holding the boxing bag. It is perfect shooting but the Gamemakers are too busy eating the pig.
-So you think that stupid pig is worth more than me? Well you will be surprised to see that you're wrong. – I scream in my mind. I take an arrow and shoot it at the apple that the pig is holding in its mouth. The Gamemakers scream and jump, one falls into a bowl of punch.
-Oh, don't be so pathetic! You'll be dad by now, if I really wanted to kill you. – I say softly, but not loud enough for them to hear me. I feel Seneca staring at me.
-Excuse me. What did you say? -He asks using that annoying Capitol accent and faking a smile.
-Thanks for your consideration. – I say sarcastically; I leave the bow and arrows in the floor and walk away of the room.
I walk to the elevator and hit the button, when I walk into the hall, I see the others talking to me, But I don't hear them, I want to be alone. So I rush to my bedroom and close the door behind me. Haymitch and Effie knock on the door and call my name endlessly but I only go out until it is time for dinner.
I sit at the table, where everybody is waiting for me, and wait in silence for the food to arrive. The adults begin chitchat about things I don't care.
-How bad were you today? – Haymitch asks. I feel everyone staring at Peeta and me.
-By the time I showed up, they were to drunk and bored that no one bothered to pay attention to me, so I just threw some weights around until they dismissed me. –Peeta says like if he doesn't care.
-And you sweetheart? –Haymitch asks at me. His tone makes me angry even more than I was before.
-I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers. – I say.
-You did what? – Effie asks in a horrified voice.
-I. Shot. An. Arrow .At. The. Gamemakers.- I say slowly, emphasizing each word. – Actually, not at them, just in their direction.
-Why did you do that? – Portia asks calmly but with a hint of terror in her voice.
-They weren't paying attention to me; they thought that a dead pig worths more than me, so I had to show them their mistakes. – I say as everyone's eyes widen in terror because of m y insolence and arrogance.
-What did they say? – Cinna asks calmly.
-Nothing. Well, I don't know. I walked way after shooting the arrow. – I say, not really caring about it.
-Without being dismissed? – says a horrified Effie.
-I dismissed myself. – I know I promised Prim that I will try to win these Games, but I simple couldn't let them trample me. – Do you think they will arrest me?
-Don't think so. – Haymitch says. – Be a pain to replace you.
-My family? – That is what worries me the most.
-No. It would be a waste of effort. They'll probably make your life hell in the Arena, but they already promised to do that. – Haymitch replies. – What were their faces like?
-Shocked. Terrified. Ridiculous. A man tripped over a bowl of punch and a woman chocked on her drink and spit it on the face of a man. – Everyone laugh except for Effie.
-Well, is their job to pay attention to you, no matter if you are from 12.
-Thanks, Effie. Still, I'm sure that they will give me a terrible score. – I say.
Everyone has finished eating. – Talking about scores. What if we go to see them at the TV room? – Cinna suggests. Without a word everyone moves and sits in front of the TV.
-Welcome, ladies and gentleman. –Caesar start saying. – Today we will see the scores of our tributes for the 74th Hunger Games. As always we are starting with District 1.
Glimmer's photo appears behind Caesar. – 9. This girl must be skillful. – Caesars says. –The other tributes picture appear and their scores too.
Glimmer – 9 Marvel – 9
Clove –10 Cato –10
Rosen – 4 Darvin – 5
Janine – 8 Rosham – 6
Finch – 5 Blake – 3
Gwin – 3 Jehan – 2
Leven – 5 Krane – 6
Margot – 3 Quirrel – 4
Isbel – 1 Rone – 2
Demelie – 3 Ivo – 3
Rue – 7 Thresh – 10
My heart stops when I see my picture.
-Carolyne Everdeen. Caesar says, there is a pause and then the number comes. – 11.
I hear everyone cheering and greeting me. Then Peeta's picture goes out.
-Peeta Mellark. – Caesar says. – 8.
Not the best but pretty good. Everyone cheers again and greets the both of us. These are the highest scores I remember for District 12.
-Both of you did great. – Haymitch says. – Higher rating, more sponsors.
Hope you like it. Please read and review!
Any mistakes, questions or suggestions, just tell me.
Taylor.