"In a few weeks 23 of you will be dead and 1 of you will be alive. The games will test your physical and mental strengths. So I hope you will pay attention to all survival skills, cause if you don't you might die a slow and painful death." The training instructor said, that scared me but I need to get some practice on blow darts fast before learning any survival skills.

"You may go" Everyone scatters off and I go around looking for blow darts. Dear lord I hope their here. I look and look until I finally see blow darts, the one with sharp ends not the needles. These blow darts are much more like weapons than the ones I use at home. I just hope they'll put blow darts in the arena, cause if they don't, I'm screwed. I quickly take them and find some dummies to throw them at. Across from me was a bunch of dummies not being occupied by Careers.

I throw a dart and start throwing them all one by one then two at the same time. I look to see if any game makers are watching. A good 40 percent of them are but the rest are watching someone else. Dammit! I turn around to see who it is. Oh great, it's the girl from District 3, Saffra. She's able to use every weapon in this room! She's throwing axes, knives, using a bow, sword. Everything. But still looks good well doing it . Wait, what am I saying! I shake my head and refocus on my darts, the only thing she isn't using. That's a really good thing.

I keep throwing my darts until I cant stand the pain anymore, so instead I'll go see what Thera's doing. I look to see what she's doing and instead Byle (The boy from 1) is annoying her. It seems he's been doing that to every girl tribute in this room. Such a douchbag. This goes on for another ten mintues or so until he finally leaves her alone after ten threats from Thera and I walk up to her.

"What was that?" I ask in curiosity.

"Career. I bet he's trying to get tributes to fall for him, and I think its working." We both turn to him, on his was bragging about all his muscles to The girl from District 8. Once again, total douchbag.

"Ugh, such a arrogant type, but arrogates can be a threat in the games. A threat to yourself." She says, and how right she was.

"Where do you want to go?" Thera asks. I put my hand on my chin, thinking.

"How about making a fire?" I suggest.

"Well, I was thinking more something in the weapons section." She turns and points to the all the weapons.

"Sure." I said with a shrug.

We both walk to the weapons. I got some practice on my darts already, I'm very interested in what she has to offer.

"Aren't you gonna get your darts?" Thera turns around noticing I'm just standing there.

"I already got practice earlier. I wanna see what you can do." I say with a smirk.

"Fine then, Better take notes." She just smiles and turns her back to me, Then she starts. Three dummies come out of one and she throws three daggers at once. Amazing. Thera may only be 14 but she can definitely kill and her tall height for her age makes her seem older.

One dagger after another. I am very impressed. She throws another sux daggers.

"Good job, guess I should take notes." I say jokingly.

"Knew it." She smiles and pats my back.

"Hey, how long have we've been here?" I ask. Thera's head turns around and looks at the clock.

"Its only been an hour, why?" She asks.

"Cause I'm hungry and I want to get out of here."

"I think we all want to get out of here." Soon after I say that I hear peacekeepers coming in and stopping a fight. It seems Byle has gotten on the wrong nerves today. The girl from 9, that mayors daughter can put up a fight. I figured out her name is Hash. The peacekeepers lead Byle away from Hash, probably to give him some type of punishment for picking a fight with another tribute. Welcome to hell buddy. Its fine though, it was his choice to come here and be tortured. He did volunteer.

"What do you think the punishment will be?" Thera asks.

"Who cares?" We both laugh. "I'm going to the climbing station wanna come?" I ask.

"Nah, later. I'll just stay here, you go if you want." She continues with throwing her daggers and I walk over to the climbing station.

There are four people in front of me waiting to get their turn for climbing. Saffra from District 3 is in front of me, crossed arms and looking confident. Man, she is ho- Stay focussed Neal! There are cameras everywhere and this is being broadcasted district to district, and the game makers did promise the best games ever and whatever juicy stuff they can get, they will show. Plus, Katri would be watching to, and would kill me even if I came back alive for cheating. Well its not cheating if I'm just looking at Saffra... Nah she would still kill me.

I watch as the boy from District 8 fails to finish the climb. Saffra's up, she is a natural. She finishes in less than four minutes. As she walks by a devilish smirk falls on her face.

"Try beating that 5." She walks and shoves me at the same time. How rude! I bet I can totally beat that!

My turn comes up, and I start the climb. It was first a net then a rocky type of wall then you would fall down on a mat. I you fall anywhere before the end, you would come crashing to the ground with possible injures and be put in the games anyways. I manage to finish but not nearly as fast as Saffra. I can hear her already laughing. I walk up to her and give her an angry scowl.

"What intactly are you laughing at?" I say with an angry tone.

"You. What else?" She laughs again.

"Better watch your mouth there." I threaten. If my family is watching they must be disappointed with my actions either that, or shocked. I'm the most peaceful person you can know, I have never threaten anyone. Ever.

"Just cause your older doesn't mean you scare me." She's getting angry, I can tell. Before I can say or do anything else I feel a tap on my shoulder.

"Come on Neal, just leave it." I turn around and its Thera.

"Better listen to her. She knows what she's talking about." Saffra says.

"Fine, but beware Saffra."

"Yeah, yeah I'll try not to die of old age." She walks off.

"What do you think your doing? You can end up being tortured!" Thera says frantically.

"Well, Sorry! She was the one bugging me!" I yell.

"You idiot, if you get mad then you already let her win." Thera just continues with her daggers.

After that my mind isn't focussed anymore so for the next hour or two all I did was learn a few survival skills and some plants but that's all. Time went by faster, I was trying to forget the troubles around me. If I possibly could. Most of my thoughts were about how I'm brutally going to be killed in the arena. Its like my nightmares are coming back to me. The only thing to keep my thoughts happy are thinking of the memories I had with Katri, but that can end up in tears. Oh how I wish I could feel her warmth and comfort. I wonder what she's doing right now? Is she watching? Or did she already find a new boyfriend? I know she could easily get any guy she ever wanted, but love finds it ways through everyone.

Before I can continue I feel a sharp pain hint my finger. I forgot about the fire I was making. I quickly move my hand using the other one to cover it. I tried to not show pain on my face at all even though it didn't hurt that much. I remove my right hand that was on top of my left. There's a small burn, I've had worse.

"Get him to the medic." I hear a trainer say.

"Um, no its not necessary. I really don't-" before I finish peacekeepers lead me to a weird room.

"Give me your hand." I don't hesitate. I give her my left hand. She looks at it and puts this weird oil thingy on it. I see the burn disappear before my eyes within minutes. I was amazed.

"What happened kid?"

"I got distracted, then I forgot I was making a fire." I explained.

"Fine. Go back to training and don't get in to more trouble." I walk out as calmly as possible. Trying not to run right out of the room I step out the exit.

I found that the tributes were exiting through a door I sneak in the line with Thera. And that's end of day one for training. God knows what hell will come for the rest.