Chapter 5 already. What did you think of Cassia's dress in the last chapter? C:
"WHAT?" Marcellus and I scream at the same time.
Sapphira had just walked in and told us that as a special addition to the 64th Games, there would only be one day of training, prolonged to 9 hours straight. This is unbelievable. This is infuriating! I don't know who I'm more furious with, the Gamemakers or myself, for believing that these Games would be like the others.
Fuming, I walk out, slamming the door behind me to get dressed for the grueling 9 hours of hardcore training ahead. Pulling on the tight-fitting shirt and pants, I scowl. What are they trying to do? Are they trying to get us all p'd off? Chucking my pajamas behind me, I walk out to join Marcellus and Sapphira, and Sapphira escorts us down to the Training Center. I look around at the other tributes, taking note of who I might want to ally with.
Definitely that girl from 7… Mila, I think.
I watch Mila swordfight with an instructor for a few minutes, and head off to a station called Weapons: Rocks, Sticks, And Other Things. I wonder why they have that station this time around. A horrific thought strikes me. What if they don't have weapons this year? I quickly push it away.
It's never been there before, from what I've heard. The station I head for. I fiddle around with some rocks, crashing them together to create sharp tips, and use plant vines, a big but light rock, and a heavyset stick to create a spear. "Try it out on that dummy over there," Suggests the instructor. I grimace, and fling the spear away, watching it dig into the dummy's stretchy, plastic flesh.
A grin slowly spreads across my face. Maybe I'll have a chance if they don't have any weapons this year.
I decide to try my luck at the bow and arrow station. Taking an arrow and bringing it back, I aim for a post quite a bit far away from me. Letting it sail into the air, it hits a bit off target, but who cares? I can use a bow and arrow too, apparently.
I try once more, but miss. Almost instantly I hear a couple of tributes laughing at me. Whirling around, I take one of the heavy arrows that have dull ends, and point it at the District 2 girl, Thalia, who laughed. Squeaking with fear, she runs behind her instructor. Idiot, she won't be able to hide in the Games.
I laugh and turn back around, jogging over to a weird-looking station that has strange little heavyset axes. I walk up to the instructor. "What are these things?" I pick one up, and it goes flying towards my legs, swinging from its own weight. I scream and jump to the side. The instructor sighs and plucks it out of my hands.
"Battle axe. Egyptians used them." He says shortly. I give him a quick apology for causing the ruckus and train with it. I chop up a dummy, taking off its arms and legs. Handing back over the axe, I walk over to Marcellus, and we walk over to an interesting station with spiked gloves, then visit another station with things called pikes and sarissas. "They were used by the Greeks," explains the instructor.
The rest of the day flies by uneventfully, except for Faustina from 11 breaking down in tears, screaming that she wanted to go home. Poor kid.
But that's how I feel. The Games start tomorrow, for god's sake, and we're only allowed one day of training. Which reminds me. The Games. I need Mila.
I walk over to her and extend my hand. She stares at my hand for a minute. "…Does this mean we're allies?" She asks. I nod. She grabs my hand and we shake. "Would it be okay for 9 to ally with us too?" She nods at a black haired girl fighting a simulation with a knife. I nod again, and she calls 9 over. "Hey 9! Get over here." Running up, 9 looks from me to Mila. "The name's Septima. I know your name is Cassia, but you…" she trails off. "Mila." She says.
We all sit on a mat when it's time for a break. "Okay," I start, whispering. "Tomorrow, Septima and I will go for weapons. Mila, you'll go for one of the larger packs, because you're the strongest. Septima and I will have your back, alright? Try to grab at least one big one or two medium sized ones. Heck, get 3 small ones if you have to. Just get something." Mila and Septima both nod.
Mila chimes in, "What do we do after?" I contemplate this for a moment. "Well, I think it's pretty obvious. Run as far away as you can, as fast as you can, and try not to spread out." Then Septima pipes up. "I'm best with a sword, so I'll grab two of those. A bow and arrow will be helpful, and we have to get at least one knife. Mila, you seem good at hand to hand, so I'll grab one of those spiked gloves for you. No, wait, two. A spear, maybe, Cassia?" I nod. "Septima, Mila, wait. What if they have none of those?"
"Then we grab what we can."
"Okay. 3, 2, 1, break," We whisper, do a fist bump, and go our separate ways.
I only hope we survive through the bloodbath.