Sorry, guys having trouble uploading, so I'm gonna post this short chapter just to see if its working, I'll post the second have within the next few days :)

Chapter 14

Our second day of training goes on with out any really event, Fry and I practice building fires, which comes easier than I thought it would, what with my knowledge of a sparks relation to friction, and despite my hesitation from Skader's directions, Fry convinces me to race him up the rope ladder, which is as difficult as most of the other tributes made it look yesterday and eventually both of us manage to flip it sending us falling to the floor and landing on the mat with a quick thump. Fry's easy laugh catches and we both lay there in near hysterics as the other tributes shoot us weird looks and the careers smirk at us.

We don't try again, and instead head to the station I've been looking forward to since yesterday, but have been avoiding all the same. The electronics station, in my opinion is basically a tribute to Beetee, the victor from district three that set up a trap that set off a shock wave through the arena, electrifying the other tributes. On the day of my reaping, Beetee was the first person that had popped in my head when my father had told me I was smart " Dicen, you can win alright? You're smart! Just..." Just? That was the question that has been bugging me since, just what? It was probably something simple like "Dicen...Just believe in yourself" or "Dicen...Just don't give up" but staring at the wires now I'm thinking "Dicen...Just be like Beetee" I can feel a slight comfortable smile form on my face as we slide into the seats, where different cables and conductors seem to have been thrown around at random around the table, creating a jumble that would confuse the hell out of someone who didn't deal with this stuff on a daily basis.

A young guy trainer, probably in his early twenties smiles at us, showing off two deep dimples on his cheeks "District Three, I've been expecting you" He says jokingly. Fry glances up at him and then over to me.

"Oh, right you're probably good at this crap right?"

I shrug, "my dads an engineer."

"So that would be a yes. Well I guess Skader told us not to show any strengths or anything...but I seriously doubt the other tributes will mark this as any kind of threat...even despite Beetee" He finishes, reading my mind.

"Beetee is by far my favorite tribute! I have his games recorded at home, I watch them all the time!" The trainer says excitedly "Well, anyways, you want me to show you some of the basics?" he leans in slightly and lowers his voice, as if to tell us a secret "I can show you how to make the exact conductor that Beetee took everyone out with..."

Fry blinks and looks as if he's about to shoot some sarcastic remark at the guy when I cut him off "No thanks, my dad showed me how to do that a few years ago, for fun. Do you know if they ever put any of this stuff in the arena? Or, was that kind of luck...?"

The guy purses his lips thoughtfully "They do...every once and a while, you know, if they think theres a tribute that could use it to make things a bit more exciting...but between you and me, I think they're a bit more reluctant after Beetee, I mean, he took out all the last tributes all at once, which ended the games kind of short...most Capitol people don't like it, because its not as exciting" he rolls his eyes, saying he definitely doesn't agree.

I just nod after that, feeling a bit deflated. There goes any slim shot I have at winning.

He shows us a few simple connections, and I show him some more, which he watches with wide, fascinated eyes. Somewhere in that Fry tells me he's going to go to another station that I don't catch and gets up, apparently bored.

"Huh, you know, I've always wanted to visit District Three, see all those factories, meet all the experts in engineering..." The trainer's voice trails off and I glance up from my multi-strand, searching his face for any kind of sign he's joking, but don't find any.

My immediate urge is to argue, tell him he's insane, ask him if he realizes what the working conditions in District Three are, but of course, he doesn't, he was born and raised in the privileged Capitol. I don't know what they tell the citizens here about the districts, but I doubt its any where close to the truth, judging from this guy's dream like gaze. So instead I just smile and get back to the wiring.

I'm not sure how long I've been at the station when a shadow falls over my hands, and I feel someone staring over my shoulder. I tense a bit, hoping its Fry, but when I look back, its a man, wearing a black suite with a bright orange tie, one of the game makers has broken away from the endless buffet table placed out for them, I realize. When he notices me looking at him he smiles, looking friendly enough "I'm sorry to interrupt District Three, I'm just here to observe, I've noticed you've taken a clear interest in this station" he laughs "hardly surprising though hmm?"

I don't answer, only nod and offer a tight lipped smile.

After a minute or two, he wanders away and I push off from the table, thanking the boy trainer for his help "No thank you" He responds "I'm supposed to be the expert in electronics here, and you've taught me alot. I hope there are useful supplies in the arena this year" He lowers his voice again "I'm not supposed to choose favorites or anything...but I'm rooting for you." I smile again, and walk away, 'thats just going to leave yet another disappointed person.'