I wake up to a white clock next to my head beeping like it's going crazy. I read the numbers on its face: 7:30. I moan and pull the covers over my face, desperate for just a second more of my peaceful slumber.
I am lying very still in my bed, focusing on my breathing when I hear a soft knock on the door and someone whisper "Clove" through the cracks. I answer with a small murmur and the door swings open revealing Cato with a large tray of blueberry pancakes and two glasses of orange juice.
"You hungry?" he asks while I sit up in my bed and rub my eyes. I notice that he's looking at me in a way I've never been looked at before, but I decide to dismiss it rather than letting it cloud my head with worries. "Today is training day," he starts before he occupies his mouth with another forkful of pancakes. Once he swallows he continues, "And most mentors tell their tributes not to show off, but Enobaria says that we are good enough so we should try our best to intimidate the others. You ok with that?" The way he looks up under his furrowed brow at me shows me that he isn't only saying the words, he sincerely wants to know if that is ok with me. I nod my head in reply and get back to my food.
After that we eat in silence. Not the uncomfortable silence where you can feel the tension in the room, but the kind of silence that doesn't have the desire to be filled, because it doesn't need to be. We have no reason to speak in mindless small talk while we could just as comfortably sit in silence without even the slightest hint of awkwardness.
So I sit on the bed, the tray over my lap, and eat my pancakes in peace. I steal the occasional glance up at Cato, usually finding his eyes already on me, which makes me giggle and quickly look back at my food.
Eventually I find myself entering the training room with Cato by my side. I see all of the other tributes in matching outfits: tight black pants and a black shirt with grey and red and their district's number on it. Everyone is wearing that except us. I also notice that the tributes from 12 and 6 have yet to arrive. As Cato and I walk over to a young, fair-skinned woman with pink hands and hair the color of the sky. We check in as Cato Gothard and Clover Carlisle. She hands us our outfits and directs us to the changing rooms.
We come out at practically the exact same time and go over to join all of the other tributes congregating in the middle of the training center.
I notice Cato looking at me funny, "What?" I ask confused why he seems so odd right now.
His only response is when he says "Clover?"
I sigh and roll my eyes dreading the moment that someone questions me about my real name. "My real name is Clover. But that name is far too girly, too weak. It will never do in the districts of Panem. In fact I hate the name. It was my dad's dogs name when he was growing up," I look up at Cato, his brown furrowed in confusion, "Yes, I was named after my father's dog. Ever since my mom died I was raised by two men. Well, a young man and a drunk man who might as well be a baby, but, nonetheless, men. When I lost my mom, the girly side of me died with her, and so did the 'r' in my name. I never go by Clover anymore. Ever. Well, my dad calls me Clover and for legal purposes and all that, but ever since my mom passed, the girly girl inside of me, including the girly version of my name, died with her. That's how it's always been and that's how I want it to stay. Clove. My name is Clove."
I realized that I was looking down at my hands the whole time I was talking. I look up into Cato's eyes and I see someone who understands. It's odd to find someone so sincere in a boy that looks so shallow and cruel.
Cato turns to face the same way I am and looks over to me and says; "What station would you like to start at first, Clove, Just plain Clove." I smile and start to make my decision when the woman from the from table tells us to form a circle around us while she goes over exactly why we are here and what we should be doing here.
"In two weeks, 23 of you will be dead," she starts, "one of you will be alive. Who that is depends on how well you listen in here, particularly to what I'm about to say. Do not overlook the survival stations, everyone wants to grab a sword, but, most of you will die from natural causes: 10% from infection, 30% from dehydration, and 15% from starvation. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife." And with that she turns to the gamemaker's table and takes her seat on the left side of Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker.
After that all of the other tributes head to their various statements. I chuckle and shake my head as Cato points out that each tribute was going to the station that his or her district specializes in; 4 to knot tying, 7 to the fire starting station, 11 to the edible berries station, and 12 to the camouflage station.
I knew that I was part of the career pack with Cato, Glimmer, and Marvel, but I was shocked when I turned around to find the little boy from 3 standing among us, no one telling him to leave.
Sensing my confusion, Glimmer pulls to the side and tells me "District 3 specializes in electronics and…" she pauses and looks around. Looking back at me, she continues, "and explosives. The careers always get the bulk of the supplies so we are going to have him rebury the mines around the supplies so if anyone tries to get it they will explode." She looks up at me, beaming.
I look back at her, my smirk on my face, and ponder. That is a great idea. No one in the game has ever done that before. There's just one question that I have; "whose idea was that?" I finally ask her.
"Cato," she says looking over at him, eyelashes batting, "Isn't it brilliant?" she asks me, and I reply with a nod.
Cato, Marvel, and the boy from 3 tell us that we should get going. I can't help but smirk some more when I see that all of the weapon's stations are empty. Piece of cake. I think and stride over to where I see a huge array of knives that take up almost the entire wall.
I look behind me and see Cato holding a sword, marvel throwing some heavy, metal object, and Glimmer attempting to use a bow and arrow. I look over at the 12 girl and see her eyeing the bow enviously, it makes me laugh.
I walk over to the wall of knives. I haven't seen so many in the same place. Yes, we have a big knife collection back at the training center back in 2, but we have nowhere near this many. I run my hands over one of the throwing knives and feel that it is the smoothest metal I have ever felt. I examine how sharp it is and poke the tip with my index finger. It slightly punctures my skin and a small bubble of blood appears. I stick my finger in my mouth and put the knife back, taking a step backwards to look at all of the knives.
Wow. Is all that I could think. I graze over the array with my eyes, hungry to know what I have to work with here and what I will have to work with in the games. I can't believe all of the types of knives, some that I have used before, and others that I haven't. I am itching to try them all out. So many throwing knifes. So many stabbing knifes. I see daggers of all different sizes and with each knife I weigh the different kills I can do with each to create maximum pain and suffering. Each knife I see I plan how I will kill someone with it, strategically planning which ones I will throw, which I will keep. And I like it. I like the way my brain feels when I kill someone in my mind.
I don't notice how long I am standing there until a young woman, most likely in her late 20's, comes over and asks me if I would like to begin. I smirk over towards two of the 12 tributes, who are both looking at me. I turn back to the woman –still smirking- and just nod my head once.
"Pick out 10 knives for throwing." She instructs me as she hands me a medium sized silver tray to put my weapons on.
I put 8 regular knifes for throwing on the tray to see which has the best balance and place 2 longer daggers to try out. I've never thrown a dagger before but I've also never had to go in the games so this is a whole new experience for me.
I walk over to the knife station and find the woman standing there with a small panel in her hand.
"Now," she starts, "you will stand on this red line," she points to a painted red line on the ground, "and I will use this," she points to the panel, "to make one of those," she points to human body outlines with targets on the head and chest that I hadn't noticed before, "light up." She demonstrates by pressing the far left side of the panel making the far left body light up, "You will throw your knifes at either target on the lit up body. You ready?" she asks me.
I smirk again and pick up the first of my knives. "GO." She says and the centermost silhouette lights up red. I throw the knife at the head target and it lands in the dead center of the innermost ring, right where the forehead would be. This continues on for 9 more times. I make 7 in the chest where the heart is and 1 more in the head. The first dagger I threw, ever, landed in the neck of the body. Even though this was not the intended target, it would still kill, so I was content.
Training went on for the rest of the day and the one after. I kept the exact same schedule both days; knifes, then spears, then berries, then knots, then bow and arrows. The second day I went to the fire building station instead of berries.
The next day Cato, Glimmer, Marvel, and I are scoping out the competition. We watch as the boy from 12, Peeta is trying to climb on a wall and falls. It was hysterical. We all erupt into laughter. We watch as the 12 girl goes over and tells him something.
We are still laughing when he stands up and picks up one of the throwing balls.
"He's gonna throw it!" Marvel manages to get out between fits of laughter. I look over and see that Marvel is right. He is going to throw it, which makes us all laugh even harder.
Peeta throws the ball and it hits a rack of spears. It was mildly impressive. We all look over to Cato – who shrugs and walks away- and we do the same.
I have never felt more prepared for anything in my life.
Individual training is tomorrow and I am more than ready. I am so excited. I am going to blow the gamemaker's minds tomorrow; I know I will. I know that I am ready.