Save me - A Hunger Games Story

Chapter 6

It was the first day of training.

All of the tributes were dressed in a black top and trousers with a silver number on each of our backs representing our district's number (mine and Ash's had the number 12).

One of the game makers gave us a speech about the rules of training and some advice for what to expect in the games. Then, she let us go freely around different stations teaching us different skills.

First of all, I went over to a station where an old man sat. He taught me how to build a fire from lots of different resources I could find in the arena. 

Then, once I had got a hang of that, I went over to where a woman was teaching knife throwing. There was no one else there, so She helped my privately. 

'Have you thrown before.' She asked. 

'No.' I replied.

'Well aim your wrist where you want it to land, flick, and don't throw at anyone.' She said, handing me belt of knifes.

As I felt the cold metal of the knives, an icy shiver fell down my spine. I had never really used a weapon before- never needed to, until now. Taking a deep breath in, I tied the belt around my waist and grabbed the first knife. My eyes locked on the target (an outline of a person), and threw it. Instantly I closed my eyes in fear of having hit someone, when a squeal of excitement  burst out of the woman's mouth.

'Are you sure you haven't thrown before.' She asked before I shook my head.

I grabbed a few more knives and realised my aim was almost always perfect.

Cautiously I turned my head around to see if anyone had seen my throwing, but luckily everyone was too busy at their own stations to notice. Phew. I would keep this secret talent of mine to myself for now.

Thanking the woman, I turned away to head off to another station.

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When a bell rang for lunch, we were all lead into a large cafeteria with multiple tables. I immediately noticed the six tributes from the Career districts- probably the Careers this year all sat in a table  in the centre of the room. I sat with Ash on the stable next to them, and nosily, we listened in.

'Hey what was that you were saying Alexis about your ...?' Asked the boy from 2 to the girl from 2.

'Oh nothing really Orion, except from .... and when I looked over ...' She replied, laughing.

'Well me and Cash can't wait for the Games to finally begin.' Said the girl from 1.

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By the end of our training, a few days later, I knew everyone's names from all of the districts:

1. Azora, Cash

2. Alexis, Orion

3. Electra, Kilo

4. Marina, Gill

5. Genera, Albe

6. Kia, Aero

7. Ivy, Arbour

8. Ashleen, Rayon

9. Mazie, Fonio

10. Furr, Angus

11. Summer, Culler

12. Me, Ash

We sat at the dining table on the evening of our last training, when Billy said. 'Tomorrow you will have your private assessments, where you must show your best skills off to the Gamemakers and in the evening, you will have your interviews with Felix Falconbolt and then the day after tomorrow, you will be in the arena and the Games will have begun.' 

'Oh how exciting.' Exclaimed Hazelle. 'What are you going to show in your assessments tomorrow then?'

'Well I think I might show knife throwing.' I replied.

'And I might show myself with a spear.' Said Ash.

'Great.' Replied Hazelle.

That night, I lay in bed in confusion and fear for the next day to come, when a quiet tap at my door broke me from my trance. 

'Come in.' I whispered.

The door creaked open and Ash entered. He sat on the end of my bed. 'Hey. Are you okay?' I unconvincingly nodded my head. 'I've been thinking recently and I have now decided so I was wondering if you would like to be my ally in the Games. We could work together, because I really don't want to kill you.' He added.

I almost laughed. 'Yeah, I don't want to kill you either.' Then after a moment of pause I added, 'Yes I will be allies with you. But what would we do if we were the only ones left?'

'We won't talk about that now.' He said and I nodded in agreement. 'Also I don't think we should tell anyone- leave it a surprise for the whole of Panem.'

'Okay.'

'Well tomorrow night we can discuss tactics if you like.'

'Great.'

He said goodnight and creeped back into his own room. And just then, I felt slightly less afraid.