Sorren Princeps – District 1
Risso Lottare, our other mentor, steps into the main room on our floor. He has his hands on his hips, head up high. He makes us sit on the couch so he can lecture us. He strokes his beard that has a design shaved. It's almost like he has wings on the side of his face. Sapphire stares at him, eagerness in her eyes. It's a look I've rarely seen. The last time she had that look on her face was during the 32nd Hunger Games when one of her friends volunteered for the Games. She never made it out, but it changed Sapphire.
No one has really noticed how competitive Sapphire really can be. Even my mother doesn't see it and she's got all eyes on her favorite child. Biting my lip, I watch Risso. It's not hard to see why and how he won. He's good looking with his perfect bone structure, blue eyes, and ashy blond hair. He's big too; fast and strong.
"Now's the time to show the Gamemakers what you're made of," Risso says. "You're District One tributes, so act like District One tributes. Don't be weak and don't mess up." He's quick and straight to the point. The words are repeated in my head, from the time I rise from the couch to the time I go down to training.
Lucien talks to me a lot about throwing a javelin and gives me tips on fighting with a spear. In return, I show him how to handle a sword. He's a bit rough with it, but he can definitely be deadly if he wants to be. The situation is the same with me and javelins and spears.
Lunch comes around and I sit with the rest of the Careers. All of us have bonded since we've arrived. We talk more and tease each other. It won't last long though. After tonight, the real competition begins. We'll see who scores better than whom and then the interviews come around and we'll have to attract sponsors, which could be the difference between life and death.
Immediately after lunch, we're called into our training session with the Gamemakers. The boys of each district go first. When I saunter into the Training Center, the Gamemakers lounge around on plush seats in a seating area. The Head Gamemaker, Caccio Artefice nods to me so I can begin.
My body instinctively moves for the swords. When my fingers wrap around the hilt, adrenaline instantly surges through me, giving me power. I slice and dice my way through dummies. Then I try my hand at spears and javelins. The javelins don't hit the center each time, but I do well with the spears. The knives are pretty easy to handle. I can't help thinking though how much I want that sword in my hand in the arena. I want to win with that sword in my hand.
Sapphire Princeps – District 1
Fifteen minutes. That's how much time I have with the Gamemakers. That's how much time I have to prove to them that I deserve a high score. Fifteen minutes later, my brother returns, doing the stride of pride. The Gamemakers must have liked him, but we won't know what they really thought until tonight.
My name is called. One foot in front of the other. It's my time to shine. My brother and I have both lived in the shadow of my mother. It's our turn now. And when one of us returns, we'll be loved by the Capitol. I want to win and have this love. It'll be better than a mother's love. Tens of thousands times more the love than my mother will ever genuinely give me.
The Gamemakers relax in their box. Excited about the Career tributes and the food they'd ordered. I'd had lunch a little less than an hour ago. However, there's still butterflies flying around in my stomach. My hands tremble and I bit my lip. I'm not sure whether it's nerves or adrenaline.
The Training Center appears to be much larger without all the other tributes. There's more room to do things. More space I can put between me and a target when I launch a javelin. The Gamemakers will be surprised by my accuracy. Flabbergasted.
Caccio Artefice grins, nodding for me to start. My sapphire blue eyes are trained on them, making sure the Gamemakers keep watching me. I decide to save the best for last. Keep them on their toes.
First, I do sprints to show how fast I am, which is very fast. I'm pretty strong too as I lift some weights. My hands then go for the bow and arrows. I string the bow, moving quickly so I'd have time to show them my real talent. My hands tremble as I release the string. The arrow just narrowly misses the center, but that's okay. After shooting an arrow three times, only once it hits the middle.
As far as I know, I've got about five minutes left. It's time to for the finale. The metal of the javelin is cool to the touch. It's almost a comforting feel. I draw my arm back, letting the strength build up in my muscles. Whoosh! The javelin glides through the air, smacking the target dead in the center.
I do this two more times. Two minutes left. It's time to show them all I've got. I fight a dummy, stabbing it in all the places that would kill a human with a spear. Quickly, I show them where I'd deliver the coup-de-grâce. As a grand finale, with a minute spare, I throw the spear. As my session ends, the spear hits the target and I can't help but smirk. The other tributes won't even see me coming. Especially not my brother.
Pietta Carmelle – District 3
Devon's upset at us. Chrysanta's really doesn't give a whoop. I didn't pick good allies, but there was no one else. Devon said I should have teamed up with the Careers, set up traps for them. I'd last longer that way. They'd keep me around until I was of no more use. After that, I'd run off and be out of sight and out of mind. In the end, I'd stand victorious and twenty three other tributes would go home in boxes.
Instead, my allies are Sage, Rilly, Trenton, and Max. Sage of Six can identify plants, something the rest of us can't do very well. Rilly, well, she's hopeless and needed someone to help her out. I saw her hit the girl from Five, the screw-up. Although, the District Five girl looks more capable than she appeared. Trenton is lame, barely able to walk straight. He'll die quickly, so it won't even matter. Max is an entirely different story. He's smart, but too…too…there's no word that I can pinpoint exactly. But, he's weak. I'm weak too, unable to handle weapons or run fast.
The thing is, he has everything to lose: family, friends, and a girl if he could get one. I have nothing. My parents don't care, and I never wasted my time on friends. That's the one thing that makes me different than all the tributes. I don't want the glory. I just want to go home and live in a Victor's house, away from everyone. Live a secluded life.
The boy from District Two struts into the Training Center and fifteen minutes later emerges with a proud smirk. The Dictatrix girl, who everyone seems to be talking about, enters the room. She's deadly and not to be trusted. Arrogant, big ego, and an attitude to match, it isn't hard to see what her downfall is going to be.
Maxwell's turn. He's shaking nervously. He doesn't have any special skills with weapons. As far as I know, he can start a fire, and that's about it.
My turn. My small frame is dwarfed by all the large equipment that seems even bigger without all the taller tributes. The Head Gamemaker frowns at me, nodding reluctantly. Fifteen minutes ticking down. It may not seem like a long time, but it feels like forever when you don't have a lot to do.
I head for the snares, building elaborate traps. If the arena has the right thing, I could possible electrify my trap if there's wire. Along with the snares, I build a fire, construct a shelter, and climb a fake tree semi-successfully. My hands are sore by the end.
The training session has ended. As I walk out, the next tribute is called in: the boy from Four. He grins to me and strides inside like all the other Career tributes I've seen. Tonight I'll get to see how well I did in front of the Gamemakers. Hopefully it's not too high that I'll be seen as a threat and not too low to be seen as worthless, but maybe that's what I really want.
Lucien Ritsert – District 4
Nayeli. Nayeli. Nayeli. She's a sniveling coward. And a damn good actress seeing as she has the whole Career pack fooled. When I tried to tell Gabrielle, she laughed, shoving me to the side. She thought I was trying to steal her lime light or something. It doesn't matter. In the arena, Gabrielle will see what I was trying to tell her.
"What does a sea monster eat?" I ask Morgan. She's a bit nervous, so I thought some comic relief would help her relax. She doesn't reply. "Fish and ships!" I laugh lightly, grinning.
"That one was a bad joke," Morgan says flatly.
"Still funny though, right?" I turn to Nayeli and Kage, who are sitting to my left. "You two think I'm funny, right? I've been cracking jokes all weak and Morgan here still doesn't think I'm hilarious."
"Tell us a joke," Kage says, half smirking.
"Okay. Okay," I say, my gaze set on Nayeli who has a bored expression. "Why did the military send an octopus to war?"
"Why?" Nayeli replies half-heartedly. She doesn't care obviously, but I want Morgan to see the happiness my jokes bring. Not the Nayeli, that's for sure, but to everyone else.
"Because it was well armed!"Kage laughs loudly, but Morgan and Nayeli are unfazed. Suddenly, the little girl from Three emerges from the Training Center. I crack my knuckles and Morgan cringes. She hates it when I do it. I said I would stop, but seeing her freak out every time I do it brings me great joy.
The Head Gamemaker motions for me to begin. Instantly, my hands go for the trident. I lunge, dodge, and swipe at an invisible opponent. I demonstrate great skill as I move onto a spear, since a trident will be highly unlikely to appear in the arena. Of course, a sponsor could help me out and send me one. I throw javelins too, hitting the bullseye every time. The Gamemakers are amused by my accuracy.
Lastly, I work with hastily making a net and snare. Both could catch everything. For a remainder of the time, I use a sword and go back to the spear. I even try my hand at knives, which works out pretty well. When I leave, the Gamemakers look pretty pleased with my performance.
Outside, the other tributes wait patiently. Kage high fives me as Morgan goes into the Training Center. Nayeli raises an eyebrow at me, studying me as I continue walking down the hall. I wonder what she's going to do for the Gamemakers. Will she intentionally get a low score to seem even more like a screw up?
Nayeli Morte – District 5
Screw up. I never thought I'd like to be called that, but now, it's my favorite word. I've completely repelled the Careers. They won't be coming after me. They'll figure I'll be finished off in the Bloodbath. They're wrong. I have the skills to fight. Hand-to-hand combat, knife throwing, sword fighting. That's all I've got.
The Careers will be faster and stronger and bigger. They will have all the food from the Cornucopia. If I just get one backpack and my hand on a weapon or two, I could survive. After the Bloodbath, my main concern will be water.
"What're you gonna do for the Gamemakers, Screw-up?" Kage asks, poking me. He grins and he enjoys annoying me. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction though.
I scowl, whacking his hand away. "It's none of your damn business," I reply. Who does he think he is? Is this how he always is or is this some sort of wall to cover up how scared he is of dying?
"I think it is. Considering we're district partners and we're friends."
A bitter laugh escapes my throat. "We may be partners, but we're not friends. I don't need to tell you anything. Now, go!" I shove him off his seat, pushing him towards the door into the Training Center.
Fifteen minutes later, Kage exits and it's my turn. A smirk is plastered on his face as he motions me towards the Training Center. I stand slowly, rubbing my hands together. Showtime. A soft wind blows in my face as I enter the room.
The Gamemakers are still interested in the tributes. I'm sure that by the time the District Ten, Eleven, and Twelve tributes come in, they're really bored. Caccio, the Head Gamemaker, tells me to begin. In one moment, I wonder if I should act weak, or shock everyone with my score.
In a split second, I reach for the knives. I twirl them in my hands, throwing them from twenty feet. Every time, it hits its target. Then, I do a little climbing and knot tying. Finally, I pick up a sword. The small thin one that's easy to carry and use. I pray they'll have one in the arena.
I leap, step back, and swipe at an imaginary opponent. I stab at the dummy and slice off its head. I would show them my hand to hand combat skills, but decide not to. I'd rather use it in the arena and shock all the other tributes. My hands just know what to do. I don't even have to think about it.
Tarragon Layland – District 6
Sage, Trenton, Rilly, and all the other tributes don't stand a chance. I think that half of them will die in the Bloodbath. The ones that will be challenges are District Two and the guy from Four. Otherwise, they're all pathetic, weak, little cowards. Especially the girl from Five. If a puny girl from Eight can beat her up, then clearly the Five girl is weak.
There's even more rumors about other tributes. District Two girl slept with someone or someones like her escort. The boy from Nine has a pregnant girlfriend from home. The girl from Ten is a cannibal and the boy from Ten was run over a cow. There are other rumors too, but I doubt that half of them are real.
The first two tributes are in and out. In the arena they used nothing but weapons. The District Two tributes exit with pride. The tributes from Three are both small and probably didn't have anything to do. At best, they could run as fast as possible, which is probably that fast. They could also do snares, but how will that help them in the arena? One thing's for sure, they'll both die in the Bloodbath. The tributes from Four both seem capable of themselves.
My bets on the Bloodbath are simple and logical. Starting with Sage, the next few to die will be the tributes of Five, Eight, Ten, Eleven, and the girl from Nine and Twelve. It's not hard to see why they'll die.
The girl from Five goes in and seems to come out quickly. There's disappointment etched on her face. Her shoulders are slumped and she walks slowly. As quickly as she left, I go into the training Center. The Gamemakers are in their area, stuffing their faces.
My father had trained me a little, but I never really cared about it. He showed me how to use a sword and that's about it. I learned a little about plants and insects, but I've never gone out and used those skills.
The Head Gamemaker, Caccio, sighs and waves me on to begin. Then, he turns back to his fellow Gamemakers and chats with them. I take the test for edible plants and animals, passing, but not with flying colors. Next, its wrestling. I can take down another tribute easily. Especially since a lot of them are small.
Lastly, I go for a sword. A large broad one that's heavy. I swing, giving the dummy a fatal gash, stabbing it in the chest, and beheading it. The Gamemakers look over at me occasionally, but not very closely. I wonder what score I'll get. I'm sure it'll blow the other tributes away.
Fifteen minutes are up and I leave. Sage bounces in her seat, watching me as I leave. I smirk, winking at her. I think my bets on who will die are pretty accurate. We'll see after tomorrow. Let the Games begin.
Wash Hayner – District 7
My brother wouldn't want me to kill, but I know he wants me to come home more than anything. I've got two choices once I enter the arena. Live and kill, or die. It's not that hard of a decision. At least, it shouldn't be. I would rather die clean than live a murderer.
Dustin has a girlfriend. Maybe he understands the situation I'm in. His girlfriend wouldn't want him to kill. Of course, she'd want him to live and living meant killing. No one ever really wins the Hunger Games. I've heard that a thousand times before, and now I'm really understanding what they meant.
There's something else though, that Victors leave out. They leave out the fact that the Games corrupt. Even the kindest of souls could go insane with bloodlust. The Game messes with your head, tricking you and manipulating you. People change. Sometimes it takes a long time for people to change, but sometimes, it takes a split second for someone to go mad.
Usually, our tributes die in the Bloodbath, but not this year. Clara and I both have good allies and we both have skills that we need to survive. Before the Training Sessions with the Gamemakers, Dustin assures me that I'll do well.
He slaps me on the back, smiling warmly. "You'll do fine, Wash. Clara and I both think you'll do great in front of the Gamemakers. They'd have to be mental if they don't give you something higher than a nine."
"Thanks, man. Same for you," I reply. I shake his hand and we sit by our partners.
"What are you going to do for them?" Clara asks me. She brushes her hair behind her ear, gnawing at her lip. Her eyes shine brightly under the lights. I wonder how they'll shine under the moonlight in the arena. Will they be scared or fierce?
Before I can answer, I'm called into the Training Center. Clara whispers good luck to me and Dustin gives me two thumbs up. I take a deep breath, walking into the Training Center. Besides the Gamemakers, it feels so empty and big. My footsteps seem to echo as I head for the center.
Caccio doesn't even look at me as he waves me on. I head straight for the axes. No one else touches them except from District Seven tributes. Everyone else goes for the swords, bows and arrows, knives, and spears. I use the axe on a dummy, grimacing as I take the head off. Then, I throw the axe. It smacks into the target, making me wince again as I imagine the target as a person.
As I take the edible plants test, I can't get the thought out of my head. If I kill, will I like it or will I go insane? Will the Games corrupt me?
Ector Cabot – District 12
I move my arm around Lark, pulling her close to me. I grin, shaking her. "This is our moment to shine, Larkie!" She tries to wiggle away from me, but can't. I hug her like a teddy bear, wrapping my arms around her throat. I'm not choking her, but she begins breathing heavily.
"Please, get off of me, Ector," Lark asks, trying to be a sweet, little girl.
"Don't you want to know how much I like you?" She attempts to shake her head, but can't from my grip. "In fact, I love you so much that I'll spare you from a terrible death from the Careers. So! I'll formulate a plan where I kill you in the Bloodbath. Then, you won't have to face a terrible death at the hand of the snarky red-head. Problem solved." I let her go, spinning her around to face me. Lark look down at the ground, hiding the tears falling down her face.
Weakling.
Finally, it's my turn. I jump gleefully, licking my lips. "See you, Larkie," I say, grinning and winking. She cringes away from me and a bitter laugh leaps from my throat. I strut into the Training Center. It's empty and now I can unleash my true potential. The other tributes won't know what I did for them.
By now, the Gamemakers are lethargic. Bored. Stupid. I head for the weapons rack, picking them carefully. I take a sword down and some knives and daggers. First, I throw a couple of knives, but the Gamemakers are oblivious.
Show them. Do what you do best. Kill them. Of course, I can't kill them, but I can show them how I'd kill them. There's stairs that lead up to the Gamemakers box. Dagger in hand, I leap up the stairs, two at a time. The Head Gamemaker frowns at me.
"Excuse me, but I'd like to show you something very interesting," I say. I step behind one and casually set an arm over his shoulder. I pull out the knife and the other Gamemakers move towards me. I hold up a finger, clicking my tongue. "Hold on. Let me finish my lesson."
I grin and they back up. The one I'm holding onto actually shudders, and I let out a low chuckle. "So, my mother used to be a doctor. And she taught me all the parts of a human body. The weak points, pressure points, joints, veins….the basics really. But, I got interested and studied a little further. Got my hand on a knife and tested it out. Well, I wanted to see if you could die if this one artery was cut. Of course my mother knew the answer, but I didn't listen to her.
"My mother and I both found out that if you cut that artery, you would die. Following that, I did more experiments, on animals, not real people. My mother never did. Instead, she was in a box in the ground." The story may or may not be true, but the Gamemakers don't know that. I wonder if they think it's true. Part of it's true. I did learn the weak points of the body and veins and more. I had the scars to prove it. "Want to know how I kill an animal?"
I jump for another Gamemaker. I get a hold of him before he can get out of the way. "Step one. I stab the victim, oh, sorry, I mean prey," I say, "in the stomach. The abdomen if you will." I gently press the knife at the man's stomach. I'm surprised the Head Gamemaker hasn't kicked me out yet, but by the way he looks at me, I think he's interested.
"It's a rather slow death. So, step two is cutting the throat. If you cut along the carotid artery, you die within seconds. It's taken me tons of tries to hit the right artery. You may even sever the jugular. More blood," I tell them, carefully the dagger across the man's neck. He whimpers softly. I'm sure he's got kids to go home too. Maybe a wife. I wonder how they feel with him creating a Game that forces kids to kill other kids.
I'm cautious so I don't actually cut the Gamemaker. Instead, I carry on. "Then, it's time to gut the animal. You have to hack at the animal, skin it, scrape all the meat off the bones. Remove the organs too. That's really important. It's a good idea to cover the prey's eyes too. I mean really, how creepy would it be to see two dead eyes staring at you?"
"Why are you here?" Caccio asks me. He raises an eyebrow.
The question intrigues me. I release the Gamemaker, who sighs heavily, scrambling towards the other side of the box, away from me. "Why am I here? Well, one, I was reaped. But, honestly, I can't wait to get into the arena."
"I mean why are you up in here? This box is private." He crosses his arms across his chest.
"Obviously you don't do a very good job at keeping other people out. I'm in here because you lazy sloths won't watch me demonstrate what I'm capable of. Anyways, you probably want to know why no one volunteered for a poor soul like me. Right?" I laugh. "It's because the people of District Twelve know what I want."
"And what do you want?"
"I want to feel…" I hold my hands out in front of me, the dagger in the right one. "I've always wanted to feel a real person's heart in my hands. I want to feel it pump until it gives out. I want to feel blood in my hands. I want the warm liquid flowing through my fingers. You get that feeling, don't you? Wait, you never get dirty. Never mind. Let me continue."
"I think that's enough," Caccio says, holding his hand up. "Leave now."
I smile maliciously, jumping down the stairs. I walk out with glee and send Larkspur in. This will be the greatest Game ever.
