We'll never get free
Lamb to the slaughter
What you gon' do
When there's blood in the water
Raven Dragomir
District 6, Female, 18
(Training Day 1)
...
I wake up for around the third time in the past ten hours since I had tried to go to sleep. My night had been restless with the demons of my nightmares and the ever-looming Hunger Games. Only four days left. I've always known it would be a possibility with the amount of tesserae that Luna and I have taken out during our time living alone. I am prepared but, will it be enough? Whatever the outcome, I'm glad it's me in here and not Luna, I don't think I could bare to watch her on the district's public TV - fighting for her life.
I choke on a sob as the realisation dawns on me that Luna is probably thinking the same thing and how badly she wishes she could've gone instead of me. It hurts being away from her, I never thought it would hurt this bad but it really does. She's my everything.
A soft knock sounds on the door and I hear Darius' voice. "Breakfast is ready if you're feeling up to it." His voice is soft and gentle. "They say we have to leave soon so I can come back in a little bit if you'd like." However, I'm already out of bed and pulling on the outfit that was set out for me to wear earlier this morning by a small girl. I recognised her as an avox and she was what caused me to wake up for the second time in the night, she looked scared but I had smiled her at her and went back to sleep.
The outfit is one-piece and it's extremely tight, there's a number six with a circle around it which I assume represents our district number. I don't worry about my now messy jet black hair, it's silly that I used to worry about something so small. However, I keep on my moon crescent locket to remind me of my parents. I think a piece of them will be with me in these Games and encourage me to get through it.
I get out of my room and make my way to the dining room that Omar, our escort, showed us to last night during his grand tour. It has a large and pristine chandelier hanging over a polished marble table and I take my seat next to Darren. Omar and Harriet sit opposite us. Harriet is our mentor, the Victor of the 10th Hunger Games, she is blunt and fierce but I like her nonetheless. She's straight to the point, unlike Omar who likes to crowd us with a bunch of crap about The Capitol.
"Well, if nobody's going to break this silence then I guess I will." She states abruptly. "The two of you will be beginning your first day of training, these days may mean the difference between your violent death or your heroic survival. Now, the first order of business. Will the two of you be trying to help each other out?" My eyes widen a little, I had forgotten about the possibility of alliances and (now that I think about it) Darius seems like the perfect one. I mean, he's kind and in good shape. He turns to me and I lose my train of thought in his pale blue eyes.
"I'd be okay with that. Raven?" I grumble something as I try and swallow a piece of toast.
"Yeah, cool with me." I murmur, my face going red.
"Okay then...You can recruit other allies if you choose to, trust me, the two of you won't have any trouble with that. It's your choice but I recommend steering clear of the careers, they want to win this game more than anyone and aren't afraid to get their hands a little dirty while doing so." I nod as I chew on a strawberry, other allies feel dangerous to me and I'm unsure in having that much responsibility to keep everyone healthy and alive.
We finish up breakfast and Harriet gives us a little more advice on what we should work on, mostly advising us on the easiest weapons to learn. I did practice a little with weapons before but mostly just knives and I was pretty decent with them so I never felt the need to overdo it, now that it's becoming a reality I really wish I had felt that need.
We follow Harriet back into the elevator and she presses a button with the letter B (I assume this stands for basement) and we shoot down.
Nick Rain
District 4, Male, 16
(Training Day 1)
...
I take a deep breath as I walk out into the training area, side by side with Eric, we're also accompanied in the elevator by the District Five pair and their mentor. The two of them look absolutely terrified and I can't help but feel a little bit of empathy for them, Eric gives them a quick smile which I find strange. Most careers don't seem to be as sensitive but I guess Eric and I defy that stereotype. We talked a little on the train, he's slightly over-ambitious which can be slightly annoying but we both had the same kind of idea with sticking to the Career Pack.
As we walk out, I see a group of 4 by the edge of the room and recognise them from the Reaping Recap as the tributes from One and Two. I nudge Eric and we start walking toward the group, my hands are a little sweaty from my nerves but I wipe them quickly on my trousers as we approach.
"Personally, I think I'd be a great leader." The boy from One says, scowling at the girl from Two.
"Maybe you would. However, I think I'd be a better leader." The girl from Two snaps back.
The girl from One and the boy from Two look slightly bored and their eyes light up when they see us.
"Welcome to the party, they're trying to decide which one would be a better leader. I'm Lira. My district partner is Silver and these two are Andromeda and Ryan" Lira sighs and Ryan gives us a nod of acknowledgment but the other two continue their heated discussion.
"I'm determined and confident, I do think I can help guide the career pack onto the path of victory." Andromeda explains to us.
"Well, I'm the strongest of the pack and I think that will help us." Silver retaliates. Andromeda's argument seems a lot more convincing.
"Let's put it to a vote." Ryan shrugs. "All for Silver?"
Ryan raises his hand.
"And all for Andromeda?" Lira pipes in and Eric, myself and her all raise our hands. Andromeda smiles smugly, looking pleased with herself and Silver growls - his brows furrowed.
"Who even is this kid? Could District 4 not find another Volunteer?" Silver snaps at me and anger surges throughout me. If there was anyone I hated more in the world, it was people that made fun of my height.
"Oh you..." I threw myself at him and pushed his heavy body to the ground, I swiftly elbowed him in the side of the face and got up. I then pressed my foot against his neck. "Apologise." I growl and his face goes red with anger.
"I'm sorry..." He mutters bitterly and I release my foot before kicking him in the side.
Andromeda rolls her eyes. "Right then. First thing, we're all careers and we're all aligned. That means no attacking each other: physically or verbally. Are we understood?" She barks and I nod my head. Silver simply grunts and walks away. "Idiot." Andromeda mutters and everyone laughs in agreement. I can see myself getting along with this group of people, if only for a week or two. Everyone but Silver, of course.
"It might be good to have a 7th or 8th?" Lira suggests. "Like from the outlier districts."
"Yes, any suggestions?" Andromeda asks and I look around the room. The pair from Six are alone in a corner, the boy from Ten seems to be giggling and poking at something with a knife. Finally, my eyes land on a muscular guy with a buzzcut. He seems to be wielding an axe fairly well and is slicing away at a dummy, it's the boy from Seven.
"How about him?" I point toward him.
"He works. We'll ask him after he's done." Andromeda replies and I feel proud of myself for being able to help out, I'm just as good as them.
Vinicio Santiago Huerta
District 11, Male, 18
(Training Day 1)
...
My left eye is shut and I hold a dagger in my right hand, it's held back and in a position to throw. I focus my eye on the target in front of me, blurring everything else around me, and I let the dagger fly through the air. It's not a bullseye but it hits target and only just. A clapping sound comes from Carina, my district partner, and I smile warmly. The two of us had decided to stick together during the train rides and I had grown a real liking toward her, she seems unsure of herself and fairly insecure - just like me.
Last night was rough, all I could think about was my son back at home. Adelina, my ex-girlfriend, had shown up during my goodbyes and promised to take good care of Pierro. She had then given me a tight hug. A couple of years ago I would have take that as a sign that she still loved me or that we were getting back together but my love for her as faded. I just hope she's able to keep her promise and take care of him until I come home to shower him once again with my love and joy.
I get slightly lost in my thoughts and Carina's arms wrapping around me bring me back into reality, I realise that tears are dripping from my eyes and assume that's why she had embraced me. I embrace her back, though, the hug is meaningful and kind which is the complete opposite of The Hunger Games and it makes me feel better that there's someone to keep me sane in this place.
"Your go." I tell her as I wipe the tears away and go to collect my knife. We have been practicing at this station for around two hours and we seem to be making a little bit of progress. It's still a lot different to hitting a kid with one of these knives, though, nothing could prepare us for that. I help her position her hand in the way the trainer taught us and she shoots. Her shot is actually a lot better than mine and it just misses the bullseye, I clap her on the back and laugh.
A few attempts later, we take a break at the seating area and hydrate ourselves with ice cold water. Most of the water back home is luke warm and it's a whole new experience to drink something I'm so used to and have a completely new perspective of it. I savour the ice cold water in my mouth and think about how I'd love to give Pierro a sip back home. If I win then it could happen, we could have anything we wanted.
Carina and I talk a little about back home until we are interrupted by a boy with scruffy dark brown hair and a girl with long blonde hair. The boy also seems to be missing an arm. The pair of them look very sweet and they ask to sit down with us. I have a soft spot for kids, it might be because of Pierro but they truly are my weakness and caring for them brings me a lot of joy. Their outfit tell me they are the pair from Five but I vividly remember them from the reapings and how bad I felt watching their terrified faces.
"Well, uhm, Emerald and I were wondering if we could possibly be allies? I'm Nestor, by the way." Nestor asks, he looks very nervous and I can't help but nod eagerly.
"Yes, of course we can be allies!" I exclaim. Carina seems a little more reluctant and I feel bad for not discussing with her first but she soon nods in agreement and gives them both a sweet smile. The pair of them look a lot happier than they did before and they tell us a little bit about themselves and their lives back home. Nestor apparently lost his arm in an accident and my heart melts for him. Emerald seems to have a good life and is a very polite girl.
These two lives don't deserve to be cut so short and it breaks my heart that they would need to die for me to go home.
Kathryn Mallerd
District 3, Female, 16
(Training Day 1)
...
I punch tirelessly at the bag, I have to work harder than ever now that The Games are approaching. All my life I had been brought up on one thing, to be a Victor. Dawson has won before I was even born and sometimes I wonder if my parents decided to have me to simply follow in his footsteps and bring the family eve more glory. It's nice to have Dawson here with me and I know I have it better than most here, I am prepared for this and I have a brother here with me.
Do I want to be here, though? No. My family pressured me into this, this was never my dream or desire and I was pushed into is simply for their benefit. These thoughts make me angrier and angrier and my punches become progressively stronger and strong. Did they ever actually love me? No. I'm just their puppet to fame and glory. I punch harder and harder. Will they love me even if I win? No. They'll love my riches.
The emotions suddenly become too much and I fall to the ground, tears flooding down my face. I'm not sure how I was able to keep them in for so long, they've been building up ever since the reaping and I've bottled them up simply because I have to be strong. I don't have to be strong, though. My parents can't see me now and Dawson is probably in his room living his best life with a cocktail.
Their beady eyes are no longer able to watch me and my tears can go free without their pressure. I sigh heavily and pick myself back up, I've done enough with the punching bag and move onto the spear throwing station. I had never had much practice with throwing weapons so I think it's about time I give it a go, after all, I could be stuck in the arena with nothing but a javelin. I listen to the trainer's instructions and give it a few attempts, I mostly miss the target but (a couple of times) I get it on. That's no use, though, I can't do anything with those odds.
A robotic-like voice sounds from the loudspeaker. "Attention, Tributes. Report back to your floors. Training is over." The message repeats on and off while I take a sip of water and wait for everyone else to leave through the elevators. I take the last elevator with Xavier, my district partner. I had suggested the two of us aligning earlier and he had declined. He was nice enough but the decline hurt my feelings and so I stand in awkward silence as the elevator goes up instead of being my usual bubbly self.
Dawson is waiting for me as I walk out of the elevator.
"Did you make any allies?"
"No."
"Make any progress with throwing weapons?"
"No."
"Well what did you do then?" He asks, raising his eyebrow.
"Punched a punching bag and contemplated the meaning of life." I sighed and sat down to dinner.
A/N: Two chapters in a day?! Go me. Only 3 more to go until the bloodbath and I can't wait! I'm going to try my best to get these chapters out as soon as possible. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
- Neb