Kaven Brock, 15: District 10 Male
Gangsters don't cry therefore, therefore I'm
Mr. Misty-eyed therefore I'm
Can you save?
Can you save my?
Can you save my heavy dirty soul?
Waking up this morning was more of a chore than it usually was. I guess something in my brain is telling me that I should do anything to delay my inevitable death. Every time I wake up, I'm a day closer to never waking up again. I would usually avoid facing such a thing, but I can't really do that in this scenario. It's the Hunger Games for fuck's sake. The whole point of it is that people will die. It used to be something I never really cared about, but now that I'm here, I'm forced to recognize that I'm on borrowed time.
Speaking of time, it's currently 8 AM. Clint will be knocking on my door any second now. It's become a daily ritual ever since we got here. I don't really want to interact with him unless I absolutely have to, so I just stay in my room until he, Drusus, or Kaliah drags me out.
Just like clockwork, I hear three knocks on my door. I open the door and am greeted by Clint standing in the threshold.
"Good morning, Kaven," Clint says.
"Morning," I grunt back. I walk past him, my shoulder brushing against him.
"Kaven, can we please start off on a good note today?" Clint says. "I'm getting tired of having to fight with you every day."
"Then just leave me alone," I say. "That shouldn't cause you any trouble."
"But it will," Clint says.
"Not really," I say. "It's not like I'm worth helping or anything."
"Everyone is worth helping," Clint says. "Even people like you."
"What do you mean, 'people like me'?" I ask.
"Someone who's a loose cannon," he says. "You're high-spirited Kaven, but something must've happened to hold that back."
My heart drops at Clint's statement. A lot of things are holding that back, but how could he pick up on that? As far as I know, I haven't dropped any hints about my past. Where is Clint getting this information?
I can feel my cheeks flush red. My blood starts boiling. My heart rate rises. I can feel the anger bubbling up inside me. The dam's about to break, and Clint is making the cracks. I look him in the eye. He looks worried this time instead of frustrated.
"Kaven, calm down," Clint says, voice full of concern. "I want to help you, but you need to calm down for me."
That's it, the dam breaks. I ball my fist up, ready to take a swing at Clint. I raise my arm, but I can't muster up the strength to swing. Instead, I drop my fist and burst into tears. Tears of anger and frustration fall down my face, fueled by years and years of nothing but bitterness from every authority figure I've encountered. I've never been cared for by any adult in my life, and now I have one. Clint steps up to me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into my first hug in what felt like forever. I throw my arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Let it out, Kaven," Clint says. "Let it all out."
"I'm sorry," I manage to force out before I have to choke back another sob.
"No, I'm sorry," Clint says, rubbing my back. "I shouldn't have been so hard on you."
My tears eventually stop falling and Clint releases me. I wipe away the remaining moisture in my eyes before looking back at him. He puts his hand on my shoulder.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Clint says. "How about a nice, big breakfast?"
"That sounds great."
Cannoli Cartwright, 13: District 9 Male
Yeah, surprise, I'm in the same time
Beneath the same sun
Oh man, you cut me to size
My little buttercup
As I ride the elevator down to the Training Center, I can't help but be a little excited. Ever since meeting Eris on the first day, I have had an extra spring in my step. Sure, she's a little cold and detached, but it's nice to have someone to talk to. When the elevator doors open to the Training Center, I see Eris standing right in front of the platform where Bellona gives her daily announcements. As I make my way to her, she turns around. Her eyes meet mine as I give her a wave and a smile. She waves back at me, but she doesn't smile. It remains in that same stoic, neutral expression I've gotten so accustomed to over these past couple days.
"What's up, Eris," I say.
"Hey, Cannoli," she says back. "I've been waiting for you. I was thinking we could talk a little about strategy before Training started today."
"I thought I already told you that I'm fine with whatever," I say, recalling all the time she spent talking about pre-Games strategy.
"I know," she says. "But I still want to talk about the actual Games."
"Oh, yeah," I say. "So, what do you have in mind?"
"Well, I haven't thought much past the first few minutes, but I guess I could tell you what I was thinking," Eris says.
"Sure," I reply. "Hit me."
"Well, I was thinking since you're a lot faster and more agile than me, you could go for the supplies when the countdown is over. You'll get in and out much quicker than I can," Eris says.
"And what will you be doing?" I ask.
"I'll be standing by the pedestals, keeping an eye on you," Eris says. "If anything goes wrong, I'll come in get you out of there."
"That sounds good to me," I say. "For a second there I thought you were just going to leave me hanging at the Cornucopia."
"Oh, no," Eris says. "I wouldn't do that to you. It would be foolish of me to try and go off on my own."
"Good morning tributes," Bellona says, bringing a premature end to our conversation. "Welcome to your third and final day of Training. I hope you've used your time here wisely, because the Private Sessions will take place this afternoon. That being said, only the first half of the day will be dedicated to your training. After lunch today, you will be called into your Private Session, going in district order. You will have fifteen minutes to show the Gamemakers your skills, then you will be evaluated accordingly and given a score from one to twelve based on your performance."
Looking around the room, I see that everyone reacts differently to this information. The Careers look pretty excited, but everybody else looks anywhere from nervous to terrified to indifferent. Tiller told me that the Private Session is very important for sponsors, but I should still aim for a score close to the middle to avoid putting a target on my back. He says that a good interview will make up for a mediocre training score.
"With that being said, you are free to go," Bellona says. Everyone scatters to different areas of the Training Center.
"What should we do first?" I ask Eris.
"Survival skills," she says. "We need to make sure those are solid."
"Okay," I say. "How about we start with shelter building?"
"Alright," Eris says. She starts walking over to the shelter building station. I follow close behind. As we walk across the Training Center, I notice that Eris doesn't look back at me. I don't think she views this alliance the same way I do. She sees it as all business. I'm a little disappointed, but it's better than nothing.
André Barley, 18: District 11 Male
Tell me who and I'll be thanking them
The numbered lovers of Duke Ellington
Do I owe each kiss to lip and cheek
As soft as Chet can sing?
Once again, we're back at the weapons station. North and Niobe have both picked up knives and are doing to town on the dummies. I've found myself an empty bench close to them where I just sit back and observe. I watch as the two of them tear through several dummies, hacking and slashing away. It's uncomfortable to watch.
"André, are you sure you don't want any more knife practice?" Niobe asks.
"I'm sure," I answer.
"Okay, suit yourself," Niobe says. "We're going to be here for a while."
"That's okay with me," I say. I lean back against the wall, letting out a deep breath. I look to my left, towards another weapons station. The Careers have claimed it for themselves. Five of them are standing around the station talking amongst each other. The District 2 girl holds a wicked-looking weapon. It's a large metal hook attached to a long black rope. The girl swings it around above her head, then throws it at a dummy about six feet away. The hook latches onto the dummy's neck, right where the throat would be. She violently pulls on the rope, causing the hook to tear through the throat. Stuffing pours out of the dummy's neck. All I can think of is if that dummy were me, and if that stuffing was my blood pouring out of my neck. I instinctively hold my hand up to my throat, checking to see if it's still intact.
I don't realize how long I've been staring until the District 2 girl's dark eyes meet mine. I immediately turn away, trying to act like I was minding my business. I stare straight ahead, eyes wide. I hope none of the other Careers noticed me staring. I should've just kept my eyes down.
"Yo, André," North calls. I jump up, gasping hard.
"Whoa, chill out dude," North says. "I was just making sure you were alright."
"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie. North gives me a look that tells me she knows I'm not telling the truth.
"I saw you looking at the Careers," she says.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to deny the fact that I was in fact looking at them.
"Lying won't save you, homie," North says. "I saw you."
"Okay, I was looking at them," I say. I start bouncing my leg nervously, looking anywhere but at North.
"What's your problem?" she asks. "You're not scared of them, are you?"
"What? No," I reply. "That's ridiculous."
"It's still not saving you," North says. "You're not a good liar."
"Okay, I'm scared," I say. "They're literally trained to kill us. How could you not be scared?"
"Just because you're scared doesn't mean that you should let it cloud your mind," North says. "Chances are that they won't even come for us, and if they do, we'll fight them."
"But what if we lose the fight?" I ask. "I don't want that to happen."
"Well, the only way to win against them if they attack us is to fight them," North says. "We can't just let them kill us."
"But I—"
"André, listen," North starts. "You can't be passive in the Hunger Games. That's a one-way ticket to dying early. Do you want to die?"
"No," I say.
"Then get up off your ass and actually but some effort into training with us," North says. She's right I can't just lay down and let myself be killed. I can't give up on myself so easily. I might die, but I won't go down without putting up a fight.
"Give me a knife."
Piper Cullen, 17: District 7 Female
She knows what I think about
And what I think about
One love, two mouths
One love, one house
Alice and I eat in silence, just like we did yesterday. The only reason I'm with her is because of what happened at the end of the first day. I'm almost afraid to leave. If I try to break up this alliance, Alice will make sure there's a target on my back. I'll be on the top of everyone's hit list. I'm pretty much stuck here. The Private Sessions start in a few minutes, and I'm as nervous as ever. But I think I have a plan. In order to stay under the radar, all I have to do is not show off my skills. If I do that, I'll be fine.
"So, Piper," Alice says. "Are you ready for your Private Session?"
"I think so," I answer. "I'm aiming for a score somewhere in the middle so I can go unnoticed."
"Yeah, about that," Alice says. "That's not going to happen."
"What do you mean?" I ask. I'm confused. What's not happening?
"You're going to go for a high score," Alice says. "Or you're going to go into the Games without an ally."
"You're joking, right?" I ask. Surely Alice isn't being serious right now.
"Piper, I never joke around," Alice says. "I'm dead serious. I saw you throw those axes, so that's what I expect you to do in your Private Session. If you score anything under a seven, you're going to lose your only ally."
"But you said that my secret was safe with you," I say.
"I know," Alice says. "I changed my mind."
Alice looks at me with a smug grin on her face. This was her plan all along. She played me. I should've just walked away when I had the chance, but I was so desperate for an ally that I didn't read between the lines. Gosh, I'm so stupid.
"Why are you doing this?" I ask. Alice's expression darkens significantly.
"Because of your dad," Alice says. What is she talking about? I talked to her about how much I needed to get back to my dad, and Alice made it clear that she understood my dilemma.
"What does my dad have to do with this?" I ask.
"It's the way that you constantly talk about him," Alice says. "With you it's always 'my dad' this and 'my dad' that. Quite frankly, I'm sick of it."
"Well, we can talk about your dad then," I say, trying to appease her. "Would that make you feel better?"
"No," Alice says. "My dad's an unfaithful bastard. Hearing you talk about all the good time you and your dad have is just so annoying. It's like you don't understand that not everyone has it as good as you do. On top of that, you never shut up about it, so I decided that something had to be done about that."
"So your solution is increasing my chances of being murdered?" I ask. "That doesn't make any sense."
"Hey, you should be grateful," Alice says. "A high score means more sponsors."
"But people will target me," I respond.
"That's the risk you take," Alice says.
"I didn't want to take that risk," I say.
"Looks like you don't have a choice anymore," Alice says. "Unless you want to be alone in the arena."
"I don't," I relent.
"Exactly. That's why you're going to do exactly what I say."
Annese Dior, 18: District 1 Female
Somehow, they both seem to become one
A sea full of sharks and they all smell blood
They start coming and I start rising
Must be surprising
I'm just surmising
The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. Instead of heading back out to the Training Center, everyone files into a waiting room with four rows of benches. Each bench has each district marked off, indicating where we are supposed to sit. I inwardly cringe at the thought of having to sit next to Cyrus, but luckily, I have the first Private Session. I take my seat, and no more than two minutes after I sit down, my name is called. I walk through the door and enter the now empty Training Center. I up and to my right and see Lucian Sterling, the Head Gamemaker, and a few others sitting in a lounge area overlooking the gym. I turn to them.
"Annese Dior, District 1," I say.
After my introduction, I walk right over to the sword rack and pick one up. After quickly examining it, I decide that it's the right one for me. I step up to a row of five dummies lined up shoulder to shoulder. I cut through the first dummy's abdomen, spilling stuffing on the floor. I chop it right in between the neck and shoulder. I finish it off with a plunge right through the heart.
For the second dummy, I decide to slice at its legs, showing that I know how to incapacitate my opponent before polishing them off. The dummy falls to the floor. I step on its torso and stab it right in the face. This dummy has had enough punishment. I move on to the third one, quickly chopping off both arms before stabbing it through the stomach.
For the last two dummies, I decide that it's time to show the Gamemakers another weapon. I go over to the knives and pick out a kukri. I twirl the curved blade in my hand a couple times as I step up to the fourth dummy. I push the dummy over and pin it down. I take the knife and slash through its throat until I see the black floor beneath it.
For the fifth and final dummy, I step around to the back before slashing it on the inside of the thigh. If this dummy were a real person, they would be dropped to their knees, unable to stand. I bury the knife right in between the shoulder blades, causing it to stick out of the front. I tip the dummy over, causing it to hit the floor with a thud. I turn back to the Gamemakers, giving them a smile and a small bow.
"Thank you for your time."
Artemisia Carnation-McIllroy, 12: District 3 Female
Tell me which one is worse
Living or dying first
Sleeping inside a hearse
"Artemisia Carnation-McIllroy, District 3," I announce to the Gamemakers. The Head Gamemaker gives me nothing but a small, uninterested nod. Being from District 3 is always a disadvantage since we're right in between two Career districts. The Gamemakers are all looking to get through us to get to District 4.
I still have to give them everything I got, so I go right up to the obstacle course. I look back up at the Gamemakers' lounge. They're all watching me with bored looks on their faces. I take off, giving myself a running start before leaping up on the first platform, I quickly jump to the next platform, avoiding the trainer's baton. I jump onto the third platform and dodge the next trainer's swing. I jump off the platform and onto the soft mat in front of the climbing wall. I begin scaling the wall, my hands and feet moving quickly. About halfway up the climbing wall, I try and make an ambitious jump to get closer to the top. I push off the foothold, aiming for another larger foothold about six feet up. I reach out to grab it, but I get nothing but air. Panic sets in as I realize that I'm going to fall.
I plunge down ten feet before landing on my back on the mat below. I stare up at the climbing wall, frustrated that I have to climb it again. I stand back up, looking at the Gamemakers laughing amongst themselves. They're most likely laughing at the fall I just took. The Head Gamemaker notices me looking at them and raises his hand to quiet everyone else in the room. Now I'm furious. They think I'm a joke. I storm back up to the climbing wall. I use all of my strength and energy to make my way up.
Once I get to the top, I take a few seconds to catch my breath. I race through the rest of the obstacle course as fast as I can. I slide down the incline to the next platform, dodging the trainers' batons. I get to the last jump, running up before jumping across the gap. Just before I finish the obstacle course, a trainer seemingly pops up out of nowhere. He takes a hard swing at me with his baton. I try to move out of the way, but I'm not quick enough. I'm still clipped by the end of the baton. I stumble forward before falling through the finish line. I look back at the trainer, who has a sly grin in his face. I turn back around and storm out of the Training Center, not even waiting to be dismissed.
Taj Pavonis, 17: District 6 Male
Some days I feel skinnier
Than all the other days
And some days I can't tell
If my body belongs to me
When I walk into the Training Center, I immediately remind myself to remember the plan. I can't afford to forget it. I head right over to the survival section, aiming for the fire-starting station. Before I get there, I hear the sound of someone clearing their throat. I turn around, looking for where the sound is coming from. My eyes finally land on Lucian Sterling, who is looking at me expectantly.
"Oh," I say. "Taj Pavonis, District 6."
"Thank you," Lucian says. "You may proceed."
When I get to the fire-starting station, I immediately get to work. I start digging a pit in the artificial dirt, forming a large bowl in the ground. I take a bunch of large logs and throw them into the pit. I pile smaller sticks and twigs on top of the logs and finish it off with some dry grass.
After I'm satisfied with my fire pit, I head over to the first aid station and grab two bottles of alcohol and a rag. I pour out one of the bottles and dip the rag in the remaining full bottle. I stuff the rag into the empty bottle, leaving most of it hanging out of the lip, creating a Molotov cocktail I carry the bottle over to the fire pit. I grab a lighter and light the end of the rag. It immediately ignites. Before the flame can reach my hand, I throw the cocktail into the pit and it goes up in flames. I watch as the embers fly above the fire, mixing in with the rising smoke.
For the rest of my session, I just sit in front of the fire, watching it burn. I can hear the Gamemakers mumbling to each other, probably worried about whether or not the fire will spread. But I didn't light this fire intending for it to spread, so I don't move back. I just watch as the warm yellow, orange, and red flames dance their lively dance. Fire is a living, breathing entity. It is born, and then it dies, much like a human. It's beautiful in every form, from a small candle flame to a burning building. The heat turns most people away, but not me. It draws me in, practically calling my name. It speaks to me, and I've learned how to speak back. Feeding the flames gives me purpose. Without it, I am nothing, but without me, the fires will still burn. They will always burn.
Eris Kalking, 12: District 12 Female
When life gives you lemons, you don't make lemonade
You use them to make girls cry
You take those lemons, no sugar at all
And you squirt it right into our eyes
By the time I'm called for my Private Session, the Gamemakers are ready to wrap things up. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to sit through twenty-four kids trying and mostly failing to impress me.
I wonder what Cannoli did for his session. Not that it matters since I don't really need him for anything past the bloodbath. Sure, I'll stick around to make sure he actually goes in, but if he gets into a fight, I'm leaving him. It's so easy to lie to him. He's so gullible. I'm glad I was able to punch my ticket out of the bloodbath so quickly.
"Eris Kalking, District 12," I say. After my introduction, I don't waste any time in waiting for them to tell me to start. I go straight to the knives station and pick up a knife. I bring it over to the first aid station and take out a kit. I make a deep cut in a dummy's forearm with the knife. I set the knife aside and take out the needle and thread. I thread the needle and begin stitching up the cut. When I'm finished, I take some scissors and cut the excess thread.
I make another cut on the dummy's other forearm, repeating the stitching process, but using another, more complex stitching pattern. Then I take a piece of cloth and cut it in two. I sterilize them with alcohol and place them on each of the dummy's forearms, tying them tight. I return the first aid kit to its shelf and take the knife back over to the knives station. I walk to the middle of the Training Center, looking up at the Gamemakers.
"I'm done," I say.
"You haven't used all of your time," Lucian says.
"I know," I say. "I don't want to keep you here any longer. Besides, I've shown you everything I wanted to show you."
"Alright. You're dismissed."
Well, I got this one out quick. I actually planned to have it out earlier, but I was a little too ambitious with that. Anyways, that was the last day of Training.
Questions:
I don't really have any questions for y'all but I would love to see your score predictions.
Next chapter will be the score reveals!
Until next time,
Ty