Chapter 8

I sat at a table in something like a lunch room we had at school back at home. I stared at the soup in my bowl. Jeremy sat down across from me, slamming his tray down on the table. We had just made it through the first half of our group training for the day. This was the last day before we have to show what we can do to the gamemakers. Over the past week, the two of us have become quite the team. They had started putting the best tribute of each station up on the walls. So far, I have the best time in all of the speed and stamina stations. Surprisingly, Jeremy was holding the best accuracy with a spear.
"So, last full day of training," Jeremy said, picking at the vegetables on his plate. I looked up at him. Both of us were nervous about what was to come. Of course, none of us here knew what the arena was going to bring. Knowing that I didn't know was driving me insane. A slam on the table snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked around at the table to find that Darius and Alder were sitting with us. For the past couple of days, the four of us sat together. We never talked about what we were going to do once we got in the arena. All we knew was that we had each others' backs.
"Anyone else nervous about showing what we can do to the gamemakers?" Alder asked. I nodded my head in unison with Darius and Jeremy.
"I'm more nervous about the interviews," I confessed. Alder laughed.
"I think everyone is nervous about something at this point." We sat in silence for the rest of the lunch time.
After we finished, we were corralled back into the training room one last time. This was my last chance to get any real training in without being judged by someone. I went to the survival stations and bounced around, testing my knowledge on everything. I knew that when it came down to it, the knowledge is what's going to keep me alive. The four of us avoided each other, trying to fly under the ally radar. We all knew that Districts 1 and 2 were looking for the groups to form. The groups that they would look for to destroy.
I had twenty minutes left before training was over. I had finished all the survival training. I wanted to avoid the weapons as much as possible. I had nothing left but the stamina and speed stations. I noticed that Districts 1 and 2 were hogging up the stations, trying to beat my time. I watched them as they ridiculously stumbled through each station, making silly mistakes that were costing them time. For the rest of the time, I watched them, laughing at their competitive ignorance.
Jeremy and I quickly caught up at the end. We rode the elevator up to our floor, talking about the tributes the whole way. We quickly named the threats. The two of us had already made a plan as to what to do if someone attacks us and have even gone as far as to one of us dying.
As we stepped out of the elevator, Galaria quickly met us and shoved us to the living room and turned on the TV. There, playing out in front of us, was a riot in five different districts. They must have figured it out. They must have figured out that some of us were chosen because of the rebellion. They quickly showed a shot in our district of peacekeepers beating down on some of the citizens. Out of all the commotion, only two people caught my eye. It was my brother hold someone's mangled body. The more that I studied the body, the more I realized who it was.
The screen went dark and I didn't know why. Jeremy wrapped his arms around my shoulders. He must have seen the same thing I saw. My mouth hung open. I couldn't get the words that I wanted to say to come out. Galaria stood over the two of us.
"Why did you turn it off?"she demanded. "Those people deserve what they're getting." That was it. I quickly stood up and started screaming at the woman. I don't even know what I said. Jeremy got in between the two of us. He pushed me back to sit on the couch and wrapped his arms around me again. I felt the warm sting of tears flowing from my eyes. Galaria left the room in a rush, probably dumbfounded by what I screamed at her.
"It's okay, Valiant. They probably didn't mean to hurt him. He'll be okay. I'm sure of it," he tried to reassure me.
"You didn't see what I saw. You didn't see my brother's face. He's dead and I know it!" I cried. This was the second hardest time I have ever cried in front of someone. Both times happened to be in front of Jeremy. Jeremy stroked my hair, trying to get me to calm down. He would say reassuring words, trying to convince me he wasn't dead.
"For all we know, it couldn't have been your father." After I had calmed down, the two of us went to bed. I staid up for hours, thinking about what I saw. At least I knew my brother was okay. Questions still filled my mind on whether or not that truly was my father.
When morning came, I couldn't have been happier. I wanted something to keep my mind off of the things I saw on the television. I quickly got dressed and walked into the dining room. I sat down at my usual spot. Jeremy sat across from me. He wore a concerned look all the way through breakfast. Galaria didn't speak through the whole meal, partly because we knew what was going on and partly because I screamed at her last night. We finished quickly and headed down to the training center.
We had to wait in the lobby. I never liked the idea of waiting. For the first time, I wish I was in District 1 or 2 that way I wouldn't have to wait. We had to stand in order of our districts, which meant that I couldn't talk to Alder or Darius. I stood behind Jeremy quietly, fiddling with my thumbs in order to stay patient. Jeremy turned around and faced me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I looked up into his brown eyes. He knew that I was going to be a mess from the night before. That's why he looked concerned throughout breakfast.
"I'm fine. Doing better than last night," I responded. Jeremy took a sigh of relief.
"Good. You don't need to stress about that. Especially right now." He was right. I can't stress about it. My life is on the line here. I can't be worrying about what's happening at home. A lady called for Jeremy. It was his turn to go in.
"Good luck!" I wished him.
"You too." He quickly turned and left with the lady. I turned to look at the tributes behind me. Nervous looks crossed everyone's face. I wasn't the only nervous one, by the looks of it. Darius looked at me in the eye and smiled. He was one of the last tributes to go. I felt bad for him. I surely couldn't wait as long as he could.
It took an hour for the lady to come and get me for my turn. Whatever Jeremy did must have impressed them long enough to keep me from going in there. The lady led me down a long hallway and stopped me in front of a door.
"Now," she began. "When you walk in, tell them your name and district number. They will tell you to begin and you show them what you can do. They will judge you on your performance and come up with a score between one and twelve. The scores will be seen on television later today. Do you understand?" I nodded my head. The door to the training room opened and I stepped inside. The room was set up differently. Instead of the giant platform in the middle, there was a table with the gamemakers sitting at it. The survival training was to their left and the weapons were to their right. No stamina or speed stations. I walked to the middle of the room and stood in front of the gamemakers.
"Valiant Rolin, District 9," I stated. The man who sat in the middle of the table nodded his head and marked something on the paper in front of him.
"You may begin," he said to me, not even looking up. I walked over to the weapons and picked up a sword. The dummies stood in a circle around the station. I stabbed and sliced at the dummies, knowing exactly which points on the body would disable and kill my opponents. I severed a few heads and even sliced a dummy in half at the waist. I had finished destroying them in about three minutes. I set the sword back down and started to walk to the door.
"We didn't say you could leave," a lady at the table told me. I turned around to face them and nodded my head apologetically. The knife table stood right behind me. I turned and picked up a knife. I spun around and chucked it at the gamemaker table, slicing the flowers that sat on it. The vase on the table now had nothing but flowerless stems sticking out of it. The pillar behind them now had a knife stuck in it. I smirked at the gamemakers.
"You may leave," the man in the middle said. I walked off. I had never felt more happy in my life. I showed a great amount of skill in only five minutes. The last move is probably what will make me or break me. Throwing the knife at the table probably wasn't the smartest choice, but it definitely gave off the impression I wanted to make. I wanted to make it known that I didn't like being there.
I made it through lunch without even mentioning what I did for the gamemakers. Galaria eventually shoved us into the living room and turned on the television. The man who has been narrating the events since the reaping, Julius Ramus, popped up on screen. He goes through how the scoring was a reflection of how we performed all week in training and that our performances will be scored between one and twelve. Julius went through the districts starting with District 1. He named the tributes then announced their scores. As I predicted, Districts 1 and 2 got eights and nines in their scores. District 3 got nothing but fives.
"District 4, Alder Mextel," Julius announced. I leaned in as he looked at the paper to announce the score. "Nine." I knew it. I knew that Alder would do well. He was a lot like Districts 1 and 2 in that way. Districts 5 through 8 were nothing special, mostly sixes and sevens. Now, it was our turn. My stomach turned into knots.
"District 9, Jeremy Corr," Julius said. I gripped Jeremy's hand reassuringly. "Eight." Jeremy sighed with relief. Galaria squealed with joy. I smiled at Jeremy, still nervous about my scores. Everyone quieted down when Julius looked back down at his papers.
"District 9, Valiant Rolin," he stated. My heart pounded out of my chest. He looked at his paper, then did a double take. "I can't believe this." My hands shook. Jeremy gripped my hand, trying to keep my from going mad. "Ten!" I sat still as everyone around me cheered. Jeremy gave me a hug. Galaria stood up and jumped up and down. My eyes were wide and I couldn't speak. By the end of the scores, I was at the top. This scared me more than anything. I would be the first target of the District 1 and 2 alliance. That was it. My death sentenced was signed.