Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think, I really do appreciate feedback! I don't own the Hunger Games nor it's characters.
Chapter Four
Once the opening ceremony is over with we are collected by Marsella and escorted to our rooms on the twelfth floor of the Training Centre where we will be staying until the games begin. There is a large dining area and living area and we each have a room with an en suite. I didn't think they would give us a room bigger than the ones on the train but they have and the enormity of my suite both amazes and disgusts me in equal measure.
I've been told I have an hour to get ready for dinner so I quickly jump in the shower and after spending forever trying to figure out the various dials and settings I manage to scrub off the disgusting black powder that was covering my body. I change in to a blue shirt and pull on some black trousers before heading in to the dining room; I didn't realise how hungry I was until I sat down at the table.
It isn't long before the rest of the group join me, including everyone's stylists, and we are brought huge portions of food. As I stuff my face with strawberry cheesecake I can see Titam drinking a thick, brown liquid that I have never seen before. He must catch me looking at him because he quickly calls over an avox, a Capitol servant who has had their tongue cut out for committing a crime, and moments later a mug of the brown liquid sits in front of me.
"It's called hot chocolate," he informs me as I move the mug to my mouth and sip the hot drink. It's so sweet and delicious that I can't help but gulp it down before noticing that everyone is smirking at me.
"Shut up," I grunt but this only causes them to laugh more.
Maysilee and Clo are sitting next to each other, giggling as if they were sisters. They both have the same shade of blonde hair so, I suppose, they do look alike. I know that Maysilee comes from Town but I'm not sure about Clo. She doesn't have that Seam look like me; no dark hair, no grey eyes and her skin is very pale. No matter where she is from, all I can see is a scared little girl.
We finish our food and gather on the sofas to watch the recap of the opening ceremony. District 1 and 2 look magnificent in their intricately designed outfits and it's hard not to see the looks of jealousy on our stylist's faces. Elerrah sits through the entire thing with a huge scowl on her face, which I have to stop myself from laughing at.
Eventually the screen shows the four of us leaving the Remake Centre in our chariot and each of us are waving at the spectators. Maysilee and Dinium are playing the role of perfect tributes; they are smiling and waving as if they are genuinely excited to be there whereas I'm simply appeasing them. In all fairness to Clo, she's trying to be smiley and bright but it's clear that she's terrified. We eventually reach the end of City Circle and stop at the podium where President Snow stands to give his speech. For once I was grateful for my nonplussed expression, at least I didn't have to hide my distaste for the snake.
"I suppose that could have gone better but it could also have been a lot worse," Titam says, switching off the screen.
"I don't think so!" Screeches Marsella, "Not one of you made an impression and now we're all going to fail! I hope you try harder in training tomorrow!" She rises to her feet and stomps off in to her bedroom, thank goodness. I'm not sure how much more of her I can take.
"Okay," says Titam, "Tomorrow at training I want you all to practice with a weapon and spend as much time as possible as you can over the next three days at the survival stations. I think we all know that the best way for tributes from twelve to survive is if they can last as long as possible. And if you can make any alliances then do." It's a grim thought but it's true. "I suggest you get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow."
We all nod and head to our rooms. I was waiting for Titam to bring up the subject of allies but I'm not going to befriend anyone in that training room tomorrow. If I have to face this ordeal then I'm doing it by myself, I don't want to protect anyone and I don't want anyone to die whilst protecting me. The citizens of the Capitol just love to see how alliances form and break and I refuse to give them the satisfaction of watching me partake in one. I change in to some pyjamas and I fall asleep before my head even reaches the pillow.
Breakfast is a quiet affair as we indulge in more of the Capitol's highest cuisine. For once, Titam is not playing the role of the jolly mentor and sits eating in silence until he rouses us to head towards the training room.
"Remember, try and identify the main competition and make friends," he says as we get in to the lift and press the button for the training room.
When we arrive the massive room is already filled with most of the tributes, including the Careers. Seeing twenty four tributes at the start of the games is horrifying but being faced with double that number is simply chilling. The only way to describe it is sanctioned mass murder.
It isn't long before the rest of the tributes arrive and a tall man begins to explain what each of the stations are and that we are not allowed to fight with each other until we get to the arena, which seems to be fine with everyone except the Careers. I head straight for the survival skills stations and spend the morning learning how to make fires and create snares to trap food and, unfortunately, the other tributes.
The girl from 1 who smirked at me during the opening ceremony is showing her skills with an axe and it's clear she's been training with it all of her life. The tributes from 1, 2 and 4 are all grinning as she throws directly in to a dummy's head. They're so stupid! Do they not realise that she's going to be throwing that axe at their heads?! I suppose they're so arrogant that they all think they'll be able to take the others out and become the victor. Well, one of them could be right, I suppose.
Over the next few days I practice with the knives and spears, which I'm not awful at using but I'm no Career. I eat alone and make no attempt to form an alliance, much to Titam's dismay, but he doesn't push the subject. Dinium is going to team up with some of the tributes from 6, 7 and 11 and he's asked Maysilee and Clo to join them. Clo can't believe that he's asked her and instantly says yes but Maysilee says she'll let him know. Poor Clo, I wonder if she knows that Dinium is only being polite.
Maysilee is definitely one to watch; not only is she playing Dinium for a fool but she's been practicing with the bows and knives and she's not bad. I've got a feeling that she's not letting on just how good she is.
On the final day of training we have to perform individually for the Gamemakers so that they can give us a score out of twelve so that the people of the Capitol can decide who they want to bet on and, possibly, sponsor in the arena.
All of the tributes are herded in to the cafeteria before we are called back in to the training room to show off our supposed skills.
"Do you know what you're going to do?" Dinium asks me.
"No," I reply, because I genuinely don't. I don't see how I could possibly impress them. "Throw some knives, I suppose. You?" I'm hoping this intimidates him, slightly, but I know it won't, he's seen what I can do and it's nothing special.
"Probably something similar, maybe start a huge fire just to see what they do."
I actually find myself laughing slightly but stop once I realise what I'm doing. I can't forget that I might have to kill him.
"Look, Haymitch," he says, "I know this beyond horrible but we don't you think we deserve to enjoy what little time we have left? Just having a friend for a day is better than no friend at all."
I'm not sure what to say to this. Part of me thinks he's right and the other part thinks this is just part of his plan. Maysilee and Clo seem to get on with him so it's only me who he hasn't won over, yet. He's not a nasty person, I know that, but I can't let him be my friend. If I have to kill him my family will have to deal with the backlash of being related to the awful boy who killed 12's only chance of a victor.
"I'm okay," I say and turn away from him.
It takes over an hour for Dinium's name to be called and then another half hour until it's my turn. Clo will be the last to go in, which means she should be fresh in the Gamemakers minds and is probably her best chance of getting a decent score.
I walk in to the room, announce my name and throw a few knives the dummies, stepping back each time I do so just to test myself more than anything. I get some in the chest and one or two in the head but I doubt I could pull that off in the arena. Once my time is up I saunter out of the room and get in to the lift back to our floor where Titam, Maysilee and Dinium are discussing their sessions with the Gamemakers.
"How'd it go?" Maysilee asks as I walk in.
"Fantastic," I say and walk straight in to my bedroom. I lie on the bed and all I can think about is Tilly, this is the longest we've ever been without speaking let alone seeing each other.
I wonder how she's feeling right now. Has she spent any time with my mother and Layle or just avoided them? I hope they all stay in touch once I'm gone, maybe they can talk about me and remember how much I love them.
I'm called for dinner by Marsella but I'm not in the mood to socialise so I ask one of the avox men to bring me my food to my room. I know it's pretentious but I'm worried I'll lash out at someone if I don't have my own space for a bit.
I do, however, join them for the training scores, out of curiosity more than anything. The Careers undoubtedly score between the nine and eleven mark with a few other tributes managing to get eights or nines. Dinium's smiling face flashes on to the screen followed by an eight and the whole room erupts with applause, apart from Maysilee and I. She scores a seven, which is fairly impressive for someone from 12, and graciously accepts her stylist's congratulations.
My scowling face then appears and for some reason my heart beat picks up. I don't even care, I tell myself, I really don't. An eight flashes under my face and I have to stop myself from smiling, simply because it is the same score as Dinium. I know what I did was pretty bland for the Hunger Games so maybe he isn't as impressive as I thought. Whatever, we're both going to be dead soon, anyway.
Clo scores a three and tears instantly well up in her eyes. She goes to bed before we see her cry but it's impossible not to hear the wailing coming from her room. Maysilee rushes in to comfort her but it's no use. Clo know she's as good as dead.
"I'm going up to the roof, do you want to come?" Dinium asks. I didn't even know we were allowed to leave our floor. Now I want to know what's up there but not if it means talking to Dinium.
"No thanks," I say.
"Haymitch, there's something I want to say to you." Oh, great, another rallying speech on why I shouldn't hate him. "I think you've got a really good chance of winning this and, if you do, I was just wondering…"
"What?!" I shout.
"I was just wondering if you'd make sure my parents are okay. They live right on the edge of the seam and my mother can't work because she's always so ill. I just need to know that there's a chance they'll be looked after once I'm gone."
Why does he have to be such a hero?! It would be so much easier to hate him if he was a blood thirsty Career!
"Sure," I say. "If you do the same for mine." I know I'm not going to win but there's a chance that Dinium will and if he wants to strike a deal for the safety of our families I'm not callous enough to say no.
"Of course," he says and then leaves. As soon as we're in that arena I'm going to have get as far away from him as possible because I'm not sure if I could bring myself to save him for the sake of my life. He may be my family's best chance of a decent life but any kid from the seam will tell you, owing people can cost you your life if you're not careful.