Chapter 4
Two extremely large doors open and we are released down the longest street I have ever seen. Hundreds Thousands of people screaming and honoring our names. I look up and I cant help but smile with great happiness and extent. I start waving my hand and feel proud of myself. On tv I always hate this moment when the tributes look all superior as of they will survive but know they cant. But at this instance I can understand they want an impression made that they are excited for the games.
I feel honored, waving happily as if nothing is wrong. I wave my arms so high at all of the crowed as they scream and holler my name. I'm in utter fame and glory. This feels odd and weird though as there is nothing great about the capitol and they are not screaming for my existence but rather for my close coming death. I stand here happy, waving, smiling, all for the gratification of these selfish gruesome people. Why do I feel so happy? Why do I feel so consumed by everyone?
Suddenly Éclair grabs my hand. My eyes winded and she looks at me and say
"Im really scared"
"Its okay I got you" I said.
Suddenly the chariot came to a halt as we wait outside in front of the training center for the next two districts to join. After 11 and 12 arrive the familiar man named president snow walks out on top of the building and watches us as if he wants a final examination before we go into the training center. We circle the training building a few times and finally two big doors open and the real games begin.
Chapter 5
After we are hauled into the training center, we are escorted to our rooms. My mouth drops when we walk inside. Everything is of elegance. The walls, the furniture, the chandeliers, its absolutely amazing. I walk to my room and open the door and find a bathroom a closet and a fairly large comfortable bed. I sit on the bed and I look up at the ceiling. I stare blankly just thinking about the events to come in the next few days. In a few day I could be dead. I may even be alive.
I lay my head on the pillow and somehow fall asleep. I had a peaceful dream that night. I was with my father and my mother. They were both grasping my shoulder as we walked down the meadow. Everything was calm and peaceful. We walked over to the familiar dirt patch and we sat down and all hugged each other. We started to sing. A song that always makes me smile and gets me through any situation.
The meadow is soft
The meadow is blue
A place to stop
And rest in comfort
The meadow is green
The meadow is peaceful
Lay down you head
You wont be harmed
The meadow is peaceful
The meadow is soft
Rest in peace as a new day will come
Tomorrow brings a blight new day
But only in the meadow
I wake up. How long have I been sleeping? I look at the clock and I notice its 6 in the morning. I walk into the bathroom and I open the shower door. The shower alone was massive. I walk over to the nozzle and notice at least 30 different settings. I have never taken a shower before so I dint know exactly what I was doing.
When I got out of the shower I walked into the kitchen to have breakfast. Nalin Éclair and Carther where there waiting for me.
"So Florian I have decided we shall start training and talk strategy with you two" Nalin says.
"Okay sounds good" I said.
Éclair on the other hand said nothing. She has been speechless since she asked for my hand at the tribute parade.
"First things first" he says.
"Today you will begin training and this is when the game makers and sponsors get a good feeling for what each of our tributes have to offer".
"Éclair what are you most skill full in" he asks first
"what do you mean by skills"? she says in a modest hushed tone
"Well I mean skills with weapons survival or anything of that sort" he says.
She looks around for a bit as if she is looking for the answer on the ceiling.
"I guess I'm okay with a bow". she says quietly.
"Be more specific" Nalin asks.
"Well back in district 10, after I'm done working the farms, I go out into the woods and hunt for animals to sell. I brought home a couple of deer and rabbits before."
I have seen her with the deer before. It was amazing at how accurate she pierced the deer heart only killing it with one arrow.
"And Forlian how about you" he says as if he never responded to Éclairs answer.
"Well I'm fairly good at a knife I suppose. Back in 10 I removed some of the animals leather or other valuable materials. I also throw my knifes to hunt occasionally".
I felt bad in some was as if my response was more interesting and sophisticated than Éclairs. I lied though as I've never went hunting before.
"That's nice" he says. "Every bit of skill you guys have I want you to show it to the game makers and sponsors. They are what will keep you alive. They will provide you with your specific necessities. Feed you when your hungry and ultimately keep you from being killed by natural disaster or other causes."
" Make them remember you".
"Okay" we both say in unison.
We all look at at the clock and notice its time to go to our first training session.
Ecalir and I walk over to the elevator and we hit the button to take us to the training center. When the elevator arrives we see the two tributes from 12. They look fairly small and skinny. They both have a look of fear on their faces and this fear almost makes me feel sorry for them. I decide to say hello.
"Hello" I say to the two of them.
They both say hello and I decide to introduce my self.
"So this is Éclair and I'm Florian. We are from district 10". I say
"Hi. I'm Kathy and this is Briar. We are from 12" Kathy says .
"Very nice to meet you I said".
I'm interrupted when I hear the ding of the elevator signaling our arrival. I walk into the massive training center. I see tones of booths. I see many survival skills and strategies But I see more fighting and combat oriented panels.
We walk over to where the other tributes are standing and we see the head trainer Claudius.
Claudius is a massive man. He has huge muscles. Just his biceps could easily break someone's neck. Though he is massive he is also very short for his age.
He gives us all a death stare as he announces the rules
" In a few weeks 23 of you will be dead. 1 will be alive. I bet all of you want to be that one person so how closely you pay attention over these few days will determine that. Even though everyone wants to know how to kill with a weapon most of you will die from natural cause. So I advise you all not to revoke the survival skills."
I look over at some of the carrier tributes and I notice the one from 1 rolling his eyes. He looks a bit slender and tall but I know not to overlook him because I know all of them have been training for this their entire lives. But the one from 1 seems a bit arrogant
I look back a Claudius as he continues with the rules.
"There will be no fighting with any of the other tributes. You will have plenty of time to do that in the arena ".
He lets us all go and me and Éclair decide to go to the survival skills first because most of the other tributes rush to the weapons as fast as they can.
We walk over to the edible plants station first. I take a quiz and I receive a final score of about 78%. Éclair however receives a 39%. We walk over to many other booths. I learn how to tie a decent knot to keep myself in a tree at night. I learn how to build a proper fire and I even get the chance to climb and run in some of the obstacles they have there.
Éclair tugs on my shoulder when she notices the line for the bow has died down to only one tribute. I let her go and I watch her pick of the bow and nail a strait head shot on the dummy. My mouth drops as she picks out another arrow and knocks another perfect bulls eye.
She walks back over to me and my mouth is still wide open
"Wow" I said in amazement
"What"? she said
"That was phenomenal!" I said
"Oh thanks" she says with a smile.
She says she wants to go practice more so I decide to go to the survival booths again.
