The training went so fast. After our archery station, we went to the axe throwing. I hit everything but the bulls-eye. Quaid...hit the bulls-eye every time. When we went to hand-to-hand combat, I learned some ways to put your opponent in a headlock. And snap their necks. We learned how to make fires, which berries were safe to eat, and where to stab someone to ensure death.
And, we were the only ones talking and looking at each other.
During lunch, Quaid introduced me to Flitter, Camilla, and Lucifer. Flitter and Camilla seemed more than enthused to meet me. They asked me about my strengths, my favorite weapons, and they even asked about District 10.
"So, how do you know how to throw knives?" Flitter asked.
"My dad bought me kitchen knives and I used an old shed to practice in." I explain.
"You don't have a Training Academy?" asks Camilla. I thought she knew only Districts 1, 2, and 4 had a Training Academy.
"Not in District Ten." I reply. I want to be nice to her so I won't die in the arena.
"She's really good at archery. She hit the bulls-eye almost every time." Quaid says. Flitter and Camilla's eyes light up.
"Almost gets you nowhere in the arena, Cowgirl." Lucifer snarls, eating his food. Everyone turns their heads to him.
"Almost gets you past the bloodbath, smartass." Camilla slaps her district partner. "If she's as good as Quaid says she is, we'll live longer."
At the end of lunch, Quaid told me that I was in the alliance. The Career alliance. Ever since I watched the Games, I detested the Careers. They win the majority of the Games, get the best weapons, and are always arrogant. But, being in the alliance will ensure that I live longer than if I just went by myself.
The second day of training came around. Like Quaid and I planned before, we showed off our expertise in knife throwing and spears. Quaid watched me as I threw my knives. I wasn't used to holding curved knives and anything sharper than a dull butter knife. But, I picked up fast. Every time a human silhouette lit up, the knife flew from my hands and hit the heart. Twenty in a row. I didn't look at the other tributes reactions or anything. I just focused on the targets.
As we were moving towards the spears, Quaid pulled me aside. "You should have seen Lucifer's face. I think he made a mistake calling you out yesterday." His emerald eyes flickered. I could barely contain my feelings. I hugged him quickly and I started to laugh. I proved Lucifer wrong. I proved him WRONG!
"Now he knows I'm worth it in an alliance." I smirk and Quaid laughs.
I watch as he picks up a spear. He throws it over his shoulder and it pierces the silhouette right in the head. Quick and painless death. He threw another spear into the heart. He wasn't lying; he is an expert and throwing spears. His form, the speed of the arrows, and the consistency of the hits prove how long he has worked with these weapons. I sneak a glance to the other tributes and they don't seem all that impressed. He is from District 1 after all.
On the third day of training, it was time to perform for the Gamemakers. There was a rule change, now that we are paired with someone not from our district. Since the boys surpass the girls, we will go in order by our boy partner. So, I will go after Quaid. Being paired with a boy from District 1 was a blessing. When I perform, the judges won't be bored by too many tributes before me.
Quaid already went in and showed his spear throwing abilities. When he left, he came to me. "Shoot your arrows and throw your knives. You'll do fine." Despite that twenty other people are in the room, Quaid pulled me into his arms. He felt warm and comforting. He smelt like roses.
"Thank you, Gem Boy." I say, giving him a nickname.
"You're welcome, Cowgirl." He says as he heads towards the elevator.
"Jada Caldwell." Someone calls my name. I turn and everyone watches me enter the gymnasium.
As I walk in, I smell bleach in the air. Did they just clean the floors? I stand in the middle of the gymnasium and state my name and district. "Anytime you're ready, Miss Caldwell." I nod and I move towards the archery station. I grab the bow and load up an arrow. Once the arrow reaches my cheek, I remember Quaid's words, Breathe in, breathe out. Be relaxed and you will hit the target every time. I took in a breath, let it out and shot the arrow. It hit the target, spot on.
I shoot two more arrows and they land right next to each other. I place the bow back and move towards the knives. I waited until the profile lit up and threw the knife. Right through the heart. Another one lit up and I threw it at the head. Another one lit up and I threw it at the heart. I hit each target. I moved to the center of the gymnasium.
"Thank you Miss Caldwell. You are dismissed." A Gamemaker said to me.
"You're welcome and thank you for your consideration." I politely say as I make my way towards the door. I am stopped by a Gamemaker's voice calling my name.
"Miss Caldwell, if you make it home, tell your father that we love the meat produced by your farm. If not, we'll send a note to him." The voice oozed with desire. Was the desire for the meat or... I turn and look at the man who said that. He was a tall, thin man with stubble near his mouth. He waved me out as soon as I looked at him.
I walked towards the elevator, not looking at a single person in the lobby. When I reached the elevator, I heard a voice called Lucifer's name. I clicked the up button, got into the elevator and clicked 10 on the control panel. When I reached my floor, I passed Annabelle and Dane and went to my en-suite bathroom. I turned on my shower and dazed off into space.
"You didn't need to sign up. I could have given you food." I say as we leave the Justice Building.
"My mother needs it. We are down to our last goat and we can get all the help we can get." Hadley says, walking down the stairs, leaning on my arm.
"We could have given you food." I say.
"I can never eat someone else's food." Hadley replies, humble as always.
This day was something I wish I could forget. Hadley, a newly turned twelve-year-old, just signed up for tesserae after my pleading not to. She has just been diagnosed with her muscle disease. With her new sickness and more chances for the Games, it made me sick to think that she'll leave my life sooner than I imagined.
As we walked on the main streets of the city, we noticed Peacekeepers lined the dirt roads. There were twice as many as there were yesterday. According to gossips at the Blue Bar, the extra Peacekeepers were brought in to see if anyone was stealing meat from the butchers. Our main Peacekeeper, Irving, was twenty feet in front of us. He walked closer to me. He had two Peacekeepers behind him. I couldn't see his face; his helmet covered his eyes.
He was in front of me in seconds. I never like Irving. He had a thing for my mother a few years after I was born. But, he knew my mother was married. So, he turned his attention to me.
"Jada, I'm surprised. You shouldn't need tesserae. You have more money than the mayor." He says, staring at me.
"Actually, I signed up." Hadley says, but Irving didn't hear her.
"I don't want a Caldwell child to die in the Games. You know, no Caldwell ever was chosen for the Games. And with your new tesserae, you will no doubt..." Hadley interrupted him, raising her voice to a point I never heard it go.
"I SIGNED UP, NOT HER!" Many Peacekeepers looked at her, making sure she wasn't assaulting anyone.
"Oh, Hasten children, however, have a history to be chosen. Sorry, Hadley. The odds aren't exactly in your favor." He continued to walk, absolutely sure he was staring at my back. I glanced at Hadley. Her eyes, rimmed with tears, turned red. No one has ever called out someone's odds for a Reaping. Irving pushed the limits of Hadley's emotions. She couldn't run by herself, so I walked her to her town house.
'Irving,' I thought to myself that night, 'The odds will be her favor. I will not let her die.'
I turned off the shower and slumped into my plush bed. My head hit the pin I put there yesterday. I pulled it out from my pillow case and stared at it. The arrow in its mouth, the golden color remained even after 100 years of neglect. I looked at the bird, not exactly sure why this was left in a District 10 room. But, I didn't question it. Someone told me that a mockingjay symbolized strength and safety.
Will this bird help me be strong and safe?