All roads they lead to shame
All drowning in the blame
All reflections look the same
In the shine of the midnight revolver
Asha Titus, 18
District 2 Female
Waking up in the training center is the most surreal thing you can imagine for someone like me. I've waited my whole life to be here. It's finally my time to shine in these games.
I don't want to be overconfident. There's something about overconfidence that is a bit dishonorable, and it never does well in the games. No, but I'm comfortable. I know that's a weird word choice too, but being comfortable in a situation like this, but I think makes all the difference. You make stupid moves when you're worried about who's stabbing the next knife in your neck.
Ortheus and I sit at the breakfast table as we eat breakfast. 2 eggs hard boiled, a glass of water, and a protein shake for later. Although anytime with Ortheus is unpleasant. I'm grateful for right now, because for once he's being quiet, and I can process the things that have been happening since the games have officially started.
Firstly, I didn't like paparazzi nearly as much as I thought I was going to. And if I'm being frank, I didn't have much of a liking for them to begin with. All they ever do is make things up. I've not even met the girl from 1, but there are already rumors in the tabloids that she's pregnant with Ortheus' baby. If this is the true nature of the Capitolites, then it's disgusting.
The second, I don't see the careers as much of a threat this year. Arabia, I think her name is, is someone that I definitely have to look out for. I also think that Alexandrite - a stupid name for starters - is someone that's going to be a rough one to get by. I think she's the type to play dumb, but I think she might be really clever.
Oliver, the boy from 1, and Delta, who has a girl's name in my humble opinion, don't look to be much either. As far as threats go, Ortheus is probably the biggest one as a male, and he's a joke. He's way too cocky.
Lastly, there are outer District kids that scare me a lot more than the careers. The girl from 12 is someone that sticks out significantly to me. Also the boys from 10 and 7. I've rewatched the reapings multiple times, and I'm almost 98% sure that the boy from 10's fainting act was strategic.
Taking the last bite of my breakfast, I take my plate to the sink and rinse it off before I head to the elevator. Ortheus finished eating before me and didn't bother to wait for me. As I pressed the button, the door opens to reveal the girl from 12 and the girl from 10. She's very young looking compared to both the District 12 girl and myself. I clear my throat as I step on the elevator.
"Good morning," I say.
"Good morning." says the girl brightly. She looks amused at me while I talk, but I decide not to push it. The girl from 12 just continues to stand ahead. When we reach the bottom floor, I can't get off the elevator fast enough. All but running into the training center as I step off, I run directly into a lady that is walking to the front desk.
"Watch where you're going kid!" she says angrily as she looks my way.
She's a different lady than the one that was there yesterday, and it surprised me that her tone was so rude as she spoke to me.
"I'm-wow, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"
"I know you didn't mean anything. You brats never do. Don't you have games to go die in?"
My eyes widen as she continues to be rude to me for something completely unintentional. I've never felt this disrespected in my life, and that's saying something.
"That's really rude," I say.
"I don't care."
"You talk a big game for someone who probably can't fight. If this girl is from District 2, odds are she can kill you in at least 7 or 8 different ways with the things that are in your hands. Maybe you should go back to the desk you work at, and stay there."
I turn to see the girl from 12 arguing with the lady. Not only have my eyes widened, but my jaw has dropped as well. This is the same girl that didn't even acknowledge me in the elevator, and she's the same girl that just stood up for me.
The lady huffs as she walks away in a hurry, sitting down at her desk. I turn to the girl from 12 and look at her, confused.
"You didn't have to do that," I say. "Thank you."
"I don't like people who are assholes for no reason," she says. "I saw what happened. It wasn't on you."
She walks past me with a nod and goes into the training room.
All hide beneath a skin
A hope so paper thin
I'm at the door again
And the shine of the midnight revolver
Maxwell Hurley, 17
District 6 Male
Samira has been the biggest blessing that has been given to me throughout these games, so far she remains that way. I'm sitting in the middle of the training room not quite sure where to go. The instructor has just given us "the rules", which basically states "don't kill anyone until the games and you're golden".
I find that a little bit disheartening.
The guys here are huge. The only one that I'm bigger or the same size as is the District 1 boy, but I have been watching him lift weights for the past 10 minutes, and the kid is a tank. Not to mention the fact that I've seen the District 2 boy, and the District 4 boy playing with a sword. I'm not comforted by their accuracy.
"Where are we off to first?" ask Samira. She's been a lot more open with me since the night before the reaping. I'm honestly glad that it happened the way it did. A little upset about our rotten luck, but she's a solid friend.
"I think we should check out the survival stations," I say. "I don't know a lot about that, and I don't see us using a weapon efficiently."
"We should at least train with a weapon."
"Good call," I say. "I'll work on the fire, you work on a weapon, when we both get a semi decent idea at what we're doing, we'll switch."
She nods. As she walks over to the offensive section of the gym, and I take a deep breath and walk over the survival stations. The little girls from 10 and 11 are there already, and they seem to be getting along great. When I arrive they instantly tense up, but I smile gently at them.
"We thought you were a career." says the girl from 10.
"Naw, I'm from 6."
"Blue." she says to herself as she looks back down at her stack of woods and continues to build it up.
"Don't freak out." says the girl from 11. "She said the same thing to me, only mine was yellow."
"Interesting," I say as I start to build a teepee shape with my sticks. The instructor nods at me, and smiles. This is probably the busiest he's going to be. "So, what's District 11 like?" I ask, looking at the blonde.
"Oh it's great!" she says. "My mom is big in the government and my dad is a big time professor, so we're well off. I get pretty much all the luxuries of someone from District 1, and I don't have to work in the field."
"So great for you, and not so great for everyone else?" I ask chuckling. She seems to be a bit unaware of her circumstances, and I think she's really nervous with how she's babbling.
"Yeah," she says. "I guess so."
We continue talking as we try and light our fire without flint, and somewhere between our conversation, Samira comes and joins us. "Blow darts are so my thing. I've yet to hit the center of the target, but I totally hit the outermost ring, and I think if I can do a poison combo thing, I could really kick ass."
"That's true." says the girl from 10. "You don't need to be accurate with poison. Just get it in their bloodstream." I also hear her mutter the word 'green'.
After another twenty minutes, I finally get a fire going. All of us cheer. We all high-five and then a sudden awkward realization of the fact that we are going into an arena to kill each other in a couple of days settles in on us. The little girl from 10 is the first to speak.
"I have a gift for trusting people, and something is telling me that you two are really trustworthy," she says. "You're maybe not as trustworthy, but you're my age and I think I'm going to need that," she adds to the girl from 11. "I want to ally with strong people, and I know I don't look like much, but I'm stronger than I look. I can climb really well, and I cook and I-"
"I think an alliance with you two sounds swell," I say looking at Samira. "That is if you're okay with it."
She shrugs her shoulders. "If I'm quiet, it's not that I don't like you. Just who I am," she says quickly, which gives me a chuckle.
"I'm Max," I say. "This is my friend Samira."
"Dove." says the little girl from 10.
"Elodie." says the girl from 11.
Just a bullet away
Just a bullet away
From leaving you
Just a bullet away
Arabia Hakim, 16
District 4 Female
The girl from District 1 has already annoyed me. She's so flirtatious with the boy from 2. She's not like most of the District 1 girls, she's short and curvy, but the boy from District 2 seems to be eating it up. All it takes a few ego strokes and these career boys are like putty in your hands.
"So, are we going to stick together this year?" Delta asks the group. "Or is it going to be like two years ago where there was no pack?"
"I think it's definitely safer as a pack." says the girl from 2. "I'm Asha by the way."
How is it that we've been sitting together for over 45 minutes and no one has thought to introduce themselves? One by one, we go down the line introducing ourselves, ending on me.
"My name is Arabia, and I'm from District 4-"
As if my words were a trigger, we hear a gunshot fill the room of the training center. The sound of breaking glass sounds above us raining crystal drops down on us. Running into the room and descending from the ceilings are masked men. They wear casual business suits as well as a mask with a smile on it. The woman in the back is holding a sign that says "Down With Farrow".
"Hello tributes," says one man as he steps forward. The trainers have formed a line around us, and they are attempting to herd us in like cattle. The little boy from 12 is frozen with fear as he stands right next to one of the masked men, as well as the girl from 9. Once the little boy sees the trainers roping us in, however, he runs towards the circle barely escaping the grasp of the masked men.
The girl from 9 was not so lucky as they grab her and put her into a choke hold.
"I'm sure you're wondering why we are here?" ask the masked man.
"A bit of an understatement." says Ortheus as he steps forward in the group.
"Where are my manners?" says the masked man. "Introductions require handshakes." He throws his arms up, and one by one the trainers start falling down to the floor with a bullet in their head. There are snipers on the ceiling, and I'm beginning to feel a bit uneasy.
"As you can probably imagine, we aren't here on the friendliest of terms." says the man. "We have a bit of an issue, and unfortunately for you, we see you as the solution." He begins to pace the floor and faces us as we are still uneasy about the situation. "We have to kill you all," he says sadly. A bullet fires and the girl from 9 falls to the ground in the same fashion that the trainers did. A yelp escapes from the lips of the girls from 10 and 11, and the rest of us flinch as her body lay limp on the floor.
They aim their bullets at us, and right as I'm sure my life is about to end, the girl from District 8 steps forward.
"Why are you doing this?" she asks them.
"We want the President to know that she's not in charge. That she's not important. That she isn't our President. Our loyalties are to the Snows, not this...this trash." he spits out the word. "Katherine Farrow is a disgrace and a stain against everything this great nation has worked for. I will not sit by unnoticed. I will make a change-"
One by one the masked men began to fall in the same fashion that everyone prior has, with a bullet in their head. The man takes off running as his comrades fall, only to get hit right as he tries to exit the door. He falls to the ground backward, his face totally erased by the impact of the bullet.
"Hey, that's the lady from the elevator!" says Asha surprised as she tenses up seeing her with a gun.
"Sorry kid," says the woman. "We don't have a lot of time before they send backup. Let's get moving, now!"
We all hustle down the hallway. The careers take the outermost edges because we know how to fight. When we reach a certain area of the training center, the lady that shot the man whips out a card and scans it on a reader.
"My people took out the snipers, and are currently looking for anyone who could have possibly gotten away. You kids will be safe in here for now."
"How ironic that we're safe when in a few days we'll be fighting for our lives." says the girl from 12 sarcastically. "Mighty nice of you," she adds.
"Boss's orders." says the lady with her hands up. "Go in."
We run into the room and close the door. We are all silent. Everyone scared to make even the slightest of moves.
Redemption purify
Will nothing satisfy
The scars just multiply
In the shine of the midnight revolver
Ishmael Fosters, 17
District 8 Male
The minutes tick on as we stand frozen inside of the closet that the lady from the front desk put us in. Each of us knows that the comfort of the person next to us is enough for this moment, but in a few days, it will mean nothing.
Because on our own right now, we are vulnerable. On our own in the arena, we are champions.
Whitney stands next to me with her face hard and fierce. For someone so young and joyful she has a certain ferocity about her that intrigues me.
A gunshot in the lobby sends the whole closet into a tailspin. Each of us inches further back into the closet to avoid being the closest to the door. A few more shots are fired as we all press into each other, and then silence. We hear the clicking of high heels, and then the closet door opens to reveal the President of Panem herself.
"Well, that was not the first day of training we had planned for you," says Katherine Farrow. "Is everyone in here alright?"
"Everyone in here is fine." says the girl from 7. "It's the one that got caught up in all of this in the training room that you should be worried about."
I had almost forgotten the girl from 9 that was shot in the head before the team that had attacked us was taken out. I frown as I didn't even know her name, but I liked the tattoo on her wrist. She was always smiling and having a good time when I would see her with her escort. At least, a good of a time as you can in this environment.
"Oh my gosh, there's only 23 of you in here," says Katherine as her face shifts into one of deep concern. "No, no, no. They aren't going to like this at all." She turns around and starts to sprint away from the closet, and surprisingly fast in high heels, I might add.
The girl from District 1 is the first to run out and follow her, and slowly one by one we all followed. I took up the rear and watched as we weave in between all of the giant hallways in the training academy. The clicking of Katherine's heels overtake the sound sneakers we are all in, and then she suddenly stops in her tracks.
"I'm the President," she says boldly. "Why the hell am I running from these nimrods? This is so freaking twisted." she turns around and sees the entirety of the games standing behind her and she jumps upon seeing us. "You know what?" she says. "Follow me."
She leads us back to the front of the training center where she walks out onto the steps. Reporters swarm her, yelling all sorts of questions as she holds up her hands and quiets them down.
"Citizens of Panem." she begins, "We have experienced a great loss today. An attack on the very thing that we find near and dear, our idea of safety. Let it be known that on today Panem did not shrink back in fear. Your President did not shrink back in fear. Your tributes did not shrink back in fear!" she yells to the audience who is eating up every moment. "They fought valiantly and courageously. So much so that one has passed in this battle."
The audience gasps as she holds up her hands to quiet them down again.
She looks at the pack of tributes standing behind her and then quickly nods.
"Sybil Thyne will not be forgotten. She was a great girl, an accomplished tattoo artist, and a valiant tribute."
"How does she know all that?" I whisper to Whitney from the middle of the group.
"She's the president. I guess it's her job?" says Whitney.
"But because of Sybil's sacrifice, we are one tribute short. I personally will be traveling back to District 9 where I will reap the lucky tribute who will take her place and compete in this year's Annual Hunger Games!"
The audience cheers and the rest of us are left reeling at the news. A new tribute with non-televised reaping is such an advantage in this game. They have an entire train ride to create a persona, to make themselves strong, or at least appear so. We have no idea who is about to walk into this competition.
"I will fly out immediately to make this selection. May the odds be ever in your favor District 9."
Katherine walks back into the academy as the reporters continue to swarm us for interviews and questions. We all shrink back into the academy doors, except for the boy from 5 who is loving the attention the reporters are giving him.
"Well, you gotta hand it to her," says Whitney as she walks back into the doors. "Girl knows how to work for a crowd."
Twisting in apocalypse
Death upon the fingertips
Frigid metal touches lips
In shine of the midnight revolver
Ember Poxal, 18
District 12 Female
I didn't have it in me to continue training today. I don't think anyone really did. Immediately after Katherine walked back into the doors of the training academy, it was a beeline to who could get to the elevator first. Of course, I was one of the last ones on the elevator, and getting into my bed was something that couldn't have come fast enough.
There's something about almost getting murdered that really makes you think. I have survived my whole life. I've never liked my profession. I've never liked how I had no choice in who I was to become and it was thrust upon me. I never liked walking the streets as a lady of the night.
But alas, that was the life that fell into me.
This game is a chance to change everything. Of course, I don't relish in the idea of taking someone's life, but I'm also not stupid. The Victor not only keeps their life, but they get money. My parents being crippled...we could really use that. My sisters could leave the business. We could finally just be normal girls.
"I finally have a big soft bed, and I can't even sleep in it," I say to myself as I throw the comforter off and grab the robe from the chair that was next to my bed. I throw it on and walk out of the room. There's no one in the living room or the kitchen.
I walk into the kitchen and make a cup of hot chocolate. I might not have this at home, but if I make it back alive, you better believe I will have it. Sipping the warm drink I decide to go up to the roof where I could see the Capitol. I had wanted to go the night before, but I didn't want to see anyone else who had the same idea as me.
I press the button and step onto the elevator as it dings and opens on my floor. Stepping onto it I press the button and watch the doors close in front of me. 30 seconds later the doors open and I'm looking at the roof of the training academy.
There is a small garden that is immediate to my left, and a couple of tanning chairs on the other side of that. I walk out into the brisk air and see the girl from District 2 standing at the edge of the building with a contemplative face on.
"Do you often just stare at people and not say anything?" she asks me without turning around.
I shrug my shoulders and walk over to her. She's looking out into the great city, and I have to admit that it's beautiful. I'd expect nothing less from a city that thrives on beauty and admiration from each other.
She points at a building that is across from us that is maybe 5 stories shorter than the one we are currently standing on.
"That's where the snipers had to be," she says. "It's a perfect angle to get right into the training room. We were sitting ducks had the Capitol not stepped in and helped us."
"The Capitol is sending us to our deaths anyways," I say as I take another sip of my hot chocolate. "Whether it was today, or three days from now, I die without ever seeing home again."
"I probably will too." she whispers.
I raise one of my eyebrows at her and try to stifle a laugh. "Forgive me," I say, "But aren't you a career? Scratch that, you're not just a career. You're from the career District! There's no way I just heard that come out of your mouth."
"Today made me realize a lot of things," she says to me looking right into my eyes. "One of which is the very idea of my mortality. I've played with life by volunteering from this."
"So that's it?" I say, "You just give up?"
"No," she says turning away from the buildings and sinking down into the gravel of the roof. "Make no mistake, I'm here to win, but I take this a lot more seriously than I did."
I sink down into the gravel as well and hand her my mug of hot chocolate. "This game is going to be especially hard," I say as she takes a sip of the drink. "Whether we like it or not, every single one of us is a survivor of a terror plan. We're bonded through that. I don't know if I'm going to be able to look someone in the eye and just tell them it doesn't matter."
"Yeah," she says as she hands me my cup back. "Locked in a closet together for one minute, fighting tooth and nail to get to the end the next."
"My name is Ember," I say sticking my hand out.
"Asha," she says taking my hand into her own. "And I know I already said this, but thanks for sticking up to that lady for me in the academy this morning."
"It's nothing," I say taking another sip of my drink. "I don't suppose this is a no kill situation?" I ask with a half smile. "I don't kill you, you don't kill me?" I say.
"How about we just be allies instead?" ask Asha looking me in the face.
"Oh my gosh, you're serious," I say as I stare at her completely shocked.
"I can't trust my career pack," she says. "I know I can trust you. Are you in?" she ask me sticking out a pinky.
"A pinky promise?" I say looking at her amused.
"Take the damn pinky," she says as I hook my finger into hers. "I'll stay with the pack, but at the bloodbath, be ready to take off."
I nod as we just face forward after that looking at the garden next to the elevator. We sit there for a long time because when we finally realize it's getting late, the sun was rising. A voice appears on the loud speakers and makes both of us jump.
"Tributes, due to the District 9 Female being absent, there will be no training today. Enjoy a relaxing day." the voice clicks off as I stare at Asha who has barely moved since we agreed to align.
"Well, I'm off to bed," I say grabbing the mug from the ground next to me and walking towards the elevator.
"Good night," she says
"Good night."
Well, this was a fun chapter. I had a lot of ideas for this story, and this was one that I toyed with for so long, and after a confirming PM from someone, I just knew that I couldn't resist and had to do it!
25th Place- Sybil Thyne, District 9 Female, Killed by a terrorist: So I promise I won't make this a habit in future SYOT's, but I just needed something of a bang to happen in the story. I needed to make sense of the subplot that we saw a little bit off in District 7 and show how Katherine got to the point she was at. This seemed like the best way to show tensions were rising. In the end, it came down to who was the hardest to write for. The reason the train rides took so long was because of Sybil's POV. I felt like everything I wrote was either predictable, or try hard, and it was really hard for me to figure out where to go with her. In the end, I chose her based off of writing ability. Someone has subbed a D9 Female in, and I'm quite happy with the replacement but thank you, Cloe, for sending Sybil. May she rest in peace.
Alliance Update:
Cute SMOL Bean Alliance: Samira, Max, Dove, Elodie
Hella Queens Fierce asf: Asha, Ember
The Brat Pack (Who doesn't know it's missing a member): Alex, Oliver, Ortheus, Arabia, and Delta
What did you think?
Did you like this chapter?
Was it awful?
What did you think of our alliances?
Keep it classy,
Caleb