Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
Ellis Rowden, 17
District 9 Female
Katherine sits on the couch as the doctors on staff address the gun wound she got in her leg. She is biting a towel as they don't have any anesthetics as they stitched her up. "You're very lucky the bullet passed through and didn't end up lodged in here. I would have had to knock you out myself."
"I've been operated on before while being awake," says Katherine. "Things like these always tend to find me," she says as he finishes up the last stitch. She smiles a sarcastic smile and then looks up at the ceiling of the train cart. "You have a pretty sick sense of humor," she says.
I chuckle and she looks up. We drift down the railroad and everything seems to be going good during this part of my trip. For someone who is absolutely shocked about being here, I don't think it's really sunk in yet.
"Are you ready for training?" she says
"I think I'm still trying to process even being here right now," I say to her as I cross my arms in a defensive manner. "It doesn't feel real. Almost like I'm going to wake up from a bad nightmare in a matter of minutes."
"I know how you feel," she says
"No, you don't," I say back at her. And I mean it. Even if she did go into the games, she was a career. She trained her whole life for a moment like that, and not to freaking mention she won.
"I wasn't the selected volunteer," she says bluntly. "In fact, they told me I would never be chosen for the games. I was 'too much of a wild card and not enough strategy.'"
I should hate this woman. Everything she stands for is something that I can't stand. She's a walking memorabilia of the games. She is a walking proof that careers that win these games can have glitz and glamor and everything their selfish little hearts desire. But she was also just shot in the leg, and something about her seems genuine.
"I mean, a large amount of my winning had to do with having a really stupid career group in the same year, but I volunteered to run away from my life at home. I figured at best I win the games and become a celebrity. At worst, I die and don't have to face my demons back home. Dying in the games would have been a lot easier if I'm honest."
"You're just a stunning work of sunshine."
"So much crap has happened," she says looking at me. "I somehow always ended up in the middle. Even when I had no intention to be, I always was-"
The train comes to a screeching halt, and both Katherine and I look to where the captain's platform is on the front of the train. We both get up and walk, or in Katherine's case limps, and when we make it to the front of the cart the Captain is swearing like a sailor as he hits his hat on the control board.
"Damn engines! I told them Avox losers to check on it!" he says angrily. "Why can't they ever do anything right?!"
"Calm down," says Katherine instantly. "I'll call for a hovercraft. You're fine."
"But Miss, you aren't slightly scared this could be another ambush?"
She was already walking out of the door when the captain asked that. She turns her head to the side and glances over her shoulder at the man sitting in the chair behind the control panel. Absolute idiot if you ask me. You don't want to make someone with power nervous ever. That just makes them make irrational choices.
"Of course I'm nervous," she says. "I've just gotten shot in one of the more peaceful districts," she says as she walks out of the room. I quickly follow her as she limps down the hallway and down to the main living cart and crashes down to the cart. She puts her hands over her face and lets out an angry yell. "This is stupid!" she says
"So am I not getting a training?.."
Katherine perks her head up stares at me with shock. "I completely forgot about your training," she says as she looks at me. She scrunches her eyebrows, and then nods, and stands up and walks over to the kitchen. She picks up a knife and looks back at me.
"Get ready," she says, "I don't take it easy."
"What do you-" I'm interrupted by the knife being thrown directly at me. I step to the side quickly and stare at the President in complete horror.
"Good you have agility." she says.
"What would have happened if I didn't?!" I ask
"Doesn't matter, you do. Pick it up and throw it back."
"Seriously?"
"You want to be trained or not?"
I walk over to the knife and grab it from the place in the wall she stuck it to. I pull it and hurl it back into her direction.
You know I'm here for the party
And I ain't leaving til' they throw me out
Gonna have a little fun, gonna get me some
You know I'm here-
I'm here for the party!
Kyle Timmons, 17
District 10 Male
"Very good." says the trainer as he dodges my strike with the sword, "Now remember not to throw all your weight into one jab. You're a bigger tribute and can easily have a smaller tribute take advantage of your weight."
He's been very helpful, but my head just isn't in it. Dove hasn't talked to me since we arrived on the train. Often times she looks sad when she looks at me, and I don't know if that's because she is an ally, or she's targeting me, but either way I'm not too keen on it. I spent the entire day watching Capitol soap operas, and now I really just want to know if Katerina and Jake end up together.
"Damn tv dramas," I whisper to myself.
Looking around this room it's hard to imagine the tributes being dead one by one in a matter of days. If working with the animal's taught me anything, it's that you need to keep the healthy and young ones alive. The Hunger Games is just wasted youth on kids like us. A place that's so full of life. Some with bright futures, some with not so bright futures-
"Are you, like, going to keep going or can I have a turn?" ask a male voice from behind me. I turn around and see the boy from 5 standing behind me clutching a little baby sword that is way to small for him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be in your way."
"Then move," he says as he widens his eyeballs and then walks past me towards the trainer. Surprisingly this kid moves fairly well. He seems like a little bit of a sissy boy, but he has a pretty good rhythm going as he lunges and dodges the trainers blows. After about 15 minutes he stops and wipes the sweat from his brow. I realized that I've sat back and watched him the whole time, and he turns to face me.
"Is there an issue?" he ask me. "You're being very weird just staring at me the way you are. Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude?"
"I-I- sorry."
"What's your name, 10?"
"Kyle," I say extending my hand. He looks down at my hand to the boy from 5. He widens his eyes and looks down at the hand that is in front of him like it has a new found disease and if he touches it he's sure to die.
"What am I supposed to do with that?" he ask me confused
"Shake it?"
He sticks to fingers out and grips my index fingers and moves my arm up and down. He quickly wipes his hand on his shorts and clears his throat. I try not to be insulted with what just happened, but to be honest the kid makes it a little difficult.
"Look, Kyle," he says. "I need an ally, well actually, I need allies. I want you to be a part of my allies."
"I-"
I'm honestly dumbfounded. I didn't expect anyone to actually want me in an alliance, let alone someone like this kid. Back home in 10, this is a person I would never talk to. He seems a little too prissy and entitled. But I get along with pretty much everyone back home anyways...so maybe this could work. Plus at least I know if I need to outrun him he'd probably be scared of sweating.
"Well, don't just sit there staring at me like a buffoon. Tell me!"
"Sure!" I say more just fearing for the insults that he'll say yes than actually wanting to say yes.
"Very good," he says, "First thing's first. We need to scout. I want nothing to do with the younger tributes.
"Uh, okay." I say
She decided then,
He'd never get away with doing this again
Two black Cadillacs waiting for the right time
Elodie Sash, 13
District 11 Female
I hate pretty much everyone in this group. Like completely hate, 100% want to fight someone if I wasn't a 13-year-old, 98 pounds, little girl. However, there is one person that I hate the most, and that is the boy from District 5.
How stupid can this boy be? He constantly puts himself at odds with everyone. Not only that, but he's making open alliances with people and they're loud as I'll get out. I've noticed a few things since we got back into training today. One of which being that there are certain tributes that keep looking at each other.
5-boy is constantly staring at the careers trying to get their attention, and the careers are looking at everyone but him. Okay, so I lied, I only noticed the 5-boy. I'm considering calling him nemesis. He reminds me of the bad guy in every story I've ever read.
"I want nothing to do with the younger tributes," I say mocking him as I work on the blowdarts. They're very close to the sword station that Nemesis and District 10 are at.
"Did someone just mock me?" says the boy from 5 as he spins around. His eyes are big and wide like the thought of anyone talking bad about him is a shocker. I'm willing to bet often times people make fun of this chump.
"Yes," I say as I wave and smile a sarcastic smile. "I just thought I'd do an impression of you. You're just so high above everyone here that I thought I could try to be you."
"Stupid girl, you can't possibly be me," he says. "You're a girl."
Yes, because that's the thing that's keeping me from becoming him. Not the fact that he's everything I can't stand. "You're a special kind of stupid," I say as I get up and walk away from him. I see Dove, Samira, and Maxwell at the lunch table taking a break and head over there.
"Excuse me?" he says angrily. "At first I thought you were just a creepy nice girl, now I see your true colors and they're as ugly as the shirt you have on!"
"You've the same freaking one, moron." I respond as the distance between us increases.
"Kiper! Get her!"
"Who is Kiper?" ask the boy from 10.
I sit down at the table with my alliance as they enjoy a turkey sandwich. Samira is just listening to the words that come out of Dove's and Max's mouth. I've noticed she's not much of a talker, but I've also noticed that if there is a decision that needs to be made Samira makes it.
"Trouble?" ask Dove as she turns around and looks at the boy from 5 stomping around on the ground and stabbing a dummy with a sword.
"Hardly, trouble would insinuate that I was nervous or even cared about the event that just took place," I say searching for where the sandwiches are. Samira lifts her finger and points to the buffet against the wall and I see a do-it-yourself sandwich station. I smile as I get up and walk towards the station. I pull two pieces of bread out of the bag and start to apply the condiments I want when Nemesis walks over and takes the mayo knife right out of my hands.
"Sorry, you don't mind. Do you?" he says with snark as he cold shoulders me.
"Actually, I do," I say as I turn him around and rip the knife out of his hand. "You can go away until I finish actually. I'm using the whole table."
"You can't do that," he says
"Fine, I'm using all the oxygen in this section. There's not enough to support you. Go away."
He looks at me like he's contemplating the validity of the statement and then frowns. "That's not true," he says as he picks up a new knife and begins to make his own sandwich. "Look, I'm going to be candid with you."
"Oh, that seems to be a big word for you. I'm impressed you used it correctly!" I say with fake enthusiasm.
"But," he says emphasising the word. "There is only room for one head honcho, and sadly for you, that position is already taken."
"Yeah, by me," I say with authority. "Look, I'm no stranger to people like you," I say with venom dripping from my voice. "Our types just don't get along. I've not the energy for this diva-war thing that is inevitable with your attitude and demeanor, though. So I'm going to give you the chance to pack your crap up and walk away. Many have tried to beat me, all have fallen. You'll be no different."
He looks at me with a slack jaw as he finishes making his sandwich. He clears his throat and turns on his heels. "This isn't the end."
"Your funeral," I say. "Literally."
So you keep on inventing shadows
Where there are none
You don't even see the sun
Can you see the sun?
Delta Brooks, 17
District 4 Male
"I don't trust any of these people, Delta," says Kai as she looks around at the group. I've realized a few things since I've been reaped. One thing, that I probably shouldn't reply to Kai when others are around. She seems to be a little antsy already, and if people can start to see her I can't imagine her ever being okay.
Plus she was really scary when I last got her upset in the goodbye room.
"Especially the District 1 and 2 girls. They strike me as unworthy of trust. Kind of like you were when you let me drown, but not as bad because you at least have some redeemable qualities."
"What are you looking at, dude?" ask Ortheus staring at me. "I swear every time I look at you, you're staring at a wall. Are you stupid? Is there a few screws loose in the head?"
"Lay off, Ortheus," says Arabia. "You're not cool because you bully someone."
"You're not cool because you're high and mighty," he says. "Tell me, do anyone of you has experience leading?"
"More so than you do," says Asha as she steps up and stands face to face with him. "You don't scare us Ortheus. We aren't the academy droids that followed you around like you were the walking reincarnation of Odipeous."
"Who?" ask Alexandrite questioningly.
"Odipeous was the first victor from District 2.," says Ortheus. "And I'm not the reincarnation. I'm way better than he ever was."
Asha sticks her head back and laughs a hard laugh. Alexandrite walks over to where Ortheus is and puts her arm on his shoulder. "I'm sure you were, cutie," she says glaring a mean stare at Asha.
"Oh snap, Delts!" says Kai excitedly. "I knew you couldn't trust her! She's a freaking psycho slut!" she says laughing as she falls to her knees with tears streaming down her face. I glance down at the floor and Ortheus snaps his fingers.
"Dude, this whole argument was about me being nice to you, and you still haven't changed anything about what I made fun of you for."
"The point is he doesn't have to," says Arabia. "If he wants to stare off, he can stare off."
"Whatever, it's creepy as hell," says Ortheus as he turns around and puts his arm around Alexandrite's waist. "Come on, let's go." he says "You can watch me throw spears at stuff."
"I'd love too." she says shooting a glance at Asha with a sly smirk.
After Alexandrite and Ortheus leave it's just Oliver, Asha, Arabia, Kai, and myself standing around in the circle. Kai has since composed herself and has wiped the tears from her eyes. "That was a good laugh," she said. "I needed that."
"Something needs to be done about those two," I say
"I agree," says Oliver. "I think she's using him more as a shield, and I see her making a clean sweep if she can out survive him."
"Depends on the arena," I say
"I personally think they both suck," says Asha. "If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
Asha walks away from the group and when I turn my head I catch a glimpse of the District 12 girl going in there as well. I look at Arabia, who hasn't seemed to have noticed, or if she has doesn't think it's significant, but then I look at Kai and she is squinting her eyes.
"That's sketchy," she says. "I know they're walking into a bathroom, but since when don't we all wait to go one at a time."
"Maybe she really had to go," I whisper back.
"What was that Delta?" ask Arabia.
"Uh, nothing," I say. "I'm going to go throw a trident around," I say as I walk past the group and head over to the trident stations.
Shorter update than I anticipated, but I felt bad my updating has slowed...I've been SOOOO busy with my school, but long story short everything worked out.
I'd really appreciate if you went over to FictionPress and looked up my new original I've been working on. I've recently had to slow down on it because I've gotten too excited about it, but I think it'll be great! Would really appreciate the views/critiques! (Link is in my profile)
Alliance Update
Hella Queens Fierce Af: Ember/Asha
Brat Pack Minus One: Alexandrite/Oliver/Ortheus/Arabia/Delta
SMOL BEAN CUTIES: Max/Samira/Dove/Elodie
What the hell just happened, but Caleb likes it so what the hell ever: Lenovo, Kyle
Keep it classy,
Caleb