The Celebrity Hunger Games

Chapter 23: "How Did You Do?"

District 11

Aston Merrygold’s p.o.v

The Games this year had changed. The Opening Ceremony would now be taking place after we received our scores from the Gamesmakers rather than before. Then we would have our interviews before we were put into the arena. The thought terrified me, so much so that I couldn’t even say goodbye to my family. I couldn’t face seeing them, especially if it was going to be for the last time.

I spoke to my fellow tribute Rochelle on the train, but I couldn’t take anything in. She had just had a baby and couldn’t bear to be away from her. I tried to be sympathetic but I couldn’t allow myself to focus on her problems when mine seemed too big. I had no skills. Our mentor was called Sam Evans and our stylist was Tina Cohen-Chang. I liked them enough to put up with them, but I couldn’t help but blame them for me being here. My rational mind knew that it wasn’t their fault, but my subconscious wanted to blame someone, anyone, for me being picked. Anyone including me.

“So, what do you think your best skills are?” Sam asked us. “Knife-throwing” Rochelle said quickly, as if she had had her answer ready for the longest amount of time. I had to think about my answer for a while longer. “Um…maybe… plant intellect?” I said, phrasing it as a question. They both looked unimpressed with my answer and I couldn’t blame them. What ‘Hunger Games’ contestant couldn’t throw around an axe or hit someone with their undeniable strength? The answer…me.

I felt stupid in the training centre. Everyone else was practicing their skills by shooting bows or throwing knives, and I spent the entire time trying to distinguish between a poisonous plant and a non-poisonous plant. Not only was it annoying, but it was mind-numbingly dull. Why couldn’t I do something that no-one else could do? I knew I would be killed, what I didn’t know was when.

2 days later, we had to show our skills to the Gamesmakers. Being in District 11, I had to wait a long time for everyone to be done. One by one, they came out either looking really happy or with a poker face. No one was stupid enough to let anyone know if they had done badly. “Good luck” Rochelle whispered to me as it was my turn. I walked into the room and immediately wanted to be sick. The Gamesmakers looked bored and unsatisfied. They’d obviously seen the same things throughout the day. I didn’t have to speak, just go up to my station and show them what I was good at. Instead of sticking with the plants, I picked up an axe. I swung it around and lost my grip. It flew out of my hand and almost hit one of the Gamesmakers. They quickly gestured for me to leave. I wanted to cry. “How did you do?” Rochelle asked. I subtly shook my head and left, not letting the tears fall until I was alone.

Rochelle Humes’ p.o.v

I ran into Marvin’s arms as soon as he entered the room. Sitting on the train, I reminisced the last words that he said to me. “Do it for us”. I knew that, because of this, I would try my hardest to kill my fellow tributes, but I was neither clever, nor fast or sly. I feared that, once we were in the arena, people would see straight through me and kill me. It hurt that there were 23 people that wanted to kill me. I knew that it wasn’t personal but it still hurt.

“So what do you think your best skills are?” our mentor, Sam Evans asked us. “Knife-throwing” I said automatically. I don’t know why I said it, I’d never been particularly good at anything like that, but I wanted Sam to believe in me. Maybe that way I could have a chance to actually be good. The other District 11 tribute, Aston Merrygold, claimed that the only skill he had was an intellect with plants. I turned my face away from him so he couldn’t see my relief. I was glad that he wasn’t really strong or brave, that he couldn’t be seen as a career tribute. There would be enough of them already without me having to worry about one from my own district.

In the training centre, I went straight to the knives. Most of the other people trying were better than me, but there was only one girl who had it as a specialist skill.  She was from District 8 and could handle herself well. I would be worried about her if I wasn’t so busy worrying about the career tributes. The guys were clear. Mostly from the first two districts, but there were a few from some different districts that I couldn’t be sure about. I would rather get killed by anyone than a career tribute. I’d rather kill myself.

2 days came quickly. People were coming in and going out of the room, mostly looking pleased. “Good luck” I whispered to Aston, because as much as I wanted to win this competition, I did want him to do well. I wanted someone to be on my side, so I had to be on his side. There were only two people after me, the two people from District 12, who both looked scared out of their minds. I smiled at them both. The girl gave me a shaky smile back and the guy pretended not to see me. Then it was my turn.

I picked up a knife and threw it straight in front of me, at one of the Gamesmakers. My aim was off by about 100 centimetres, I wasn’t aiming for him. He ducked and the knife stuck into the wall, directly where his head would have been. He seemed frightened but some of the other Gamesmakers looked kind of impressed. ‘I hope I can get at least a 6!’ I thought to myself as I left the room.