𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟕𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 ✔️

𝕍𝕀𝕀

The air is tense in the waiting room as we wait for our Individual Assessments with the Gamemakers. Everyone is nervous, especially the weaker tributes who will certainly get low scores. I hope I can get a good score - Nereus says that they're really important to get sponsors, and that's something Aurora and I will need.

A buzzer sounds and the door in front of me opens. The tiny girl from District 3 stumbles out, walking quickly out of the room. I take a deep breath - I'm up next.

"Griffin Cohen, District 4. Please proceed to your Individual Assessment."

I stand, giving Aurora a quick kiss before I head into the training room.

The training room is massive and cold, and my footsteps echo as I cross the room. Above me, the Gamemakers sit in fancy chairs. At the center sits Reina, the Head Trainer, along with Dr. Heinrich, the Head Gamemaker. The doctor peers down at me through his thick glasses, and I bow out of respect like Nereus told me to.

"Griff Cohen, District 4," I tell them. Dr. Heinrich gives me a nod.

Heading over to the spear station, I take a moment to select one of the perfect length and weight. There is a training simulation available, so I step into the machine.

Behind me, a digital opponent forms, charging at me with incredible speed. I duck, and the opponent topples over me. Standing up, I quickly stab down at the body beneath me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot another opponent, and I quickly turn around, blocking the opponent's attack and sticking my spear into his ribs.

Before I know it, another opponent is attacking me, and then another. I get lost in the simulation, expertly defending and attacking with an ease I never had before. I am one with the spear. I understand it, and it understands me, and none of the enemies can even get near to me.

After clearing through a wave of enemies, only two remain. I can tell I'm at the end of the simulation, so I throw my spear through one opponent and into another, ending the simulation. I'm pretty impressed with my performance, but that's mostly because all my fighting skills are from the last three days.

I feel like a different person when I emerge from the training simulation. I feel light on my feet and giddy with excitement. I can't believe I pulled that off. I didn't know I was that good with my spear. All my hard work paid off.

When I step out of the simulation, Reina is smiling down at me encouragingly. Dr. Heinrich's face is blank, and he writes in his notes without acknowledging me. I have no idea what he's thinking. The man intimidates me immensely.

I look up at the Gamemakers awkwardly. "Would you like me to throw some weights?" I ask. I'm not sure what they want me to do now.

"No, thank you, Mr. Cohen," Dr. Heinrich says, clearly dictating every syllable. "That will be all."

"Thank you for your consideration," I say nervously. Did I do enough to impress the Gamemakers? I don't know what more I could have done, but you never know.

My footsteps echo as I cross the massive room. I feel like the Gamemakers' eyes are burning holes in my back as I walk. I hate being evaluated and scrutinized like I am right now. It makes me feel so vulnerable and uncomfortable. I can't stand it.

A buzzer sounds as I step out of the training center and back into the waiting room where all the other tributes are seated in rows. The remaining tributes look up at me as I step out. I offer Aurora a reassuring smile as I pass her, and then I head up to my suite. All I can do now is wait for the scores to be released tonight.

The elevator is silent when I enter. Exhausted, I slam my palm into the 4 button before sinking to the ground. I look out the glass walls of the elevator over the glistening Capitol. It's the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. I know parts of the city were destroyed during the war, but it seems like these areas have already been repaired somehow. I can't fathom how rich the Capitol is, while the Districts suffer. And I'm sure this gap will grow because of the outcome of the war.

The elevator stops, and I climb to my feet, stepping out into the District 4 suite. Nereus and Salacia and nowhere to be found. The main suit is empty other than the Avoxes scattered around the edges of the room.

With nothing else to do, I order a snack from an Avox and sit at the table at the center of the suite. I look around the decadent room. Whoever designed the suite paid attention to every detail, and I never noticed how precise every detail is. Fishing nets coated in gold hang from the ceiling above me. Schools of tiny silver fish seem to swim across the walls, which are covered in shimmery blue wallpaper. Everything in the room has a fishing theme, but it looks so... elegant. District 4 is rough around the edges, and that's what I like about it. The suite is like District 4 but through the eyes of the Capitol. It's incredible, yet off-putting at the same time.

I'm interrupted by Salacia, who enters the main room of the suite. She cheers when she sees me, rushing to the table.

"Griff! How did it go?" she blabs. "Tell me everything!"

I don't really want to talk to Salacia right now. It's clear to me that she doesn't really care about Aurora or me. Just like the rest of the Capitol, she's vapid in a sickening way. She just wants to know if I did well since that will reflect well on her status in the Capitol. She makes me sick. At least Nereus cares if we have a chance of winning, although he's almost as bad as Salacia.

"I did well," I tell her curtly. "We'll see when they release the scores."

"I'm sure you two did great," Salacia says. "You've worked hard. Right?"

I hold back a biting remark, just nodding my head. Salacia wouldn't know how hard we worked - she only ever asks us how we did when she's worried it'll affect her status.

My food arrives, carried in by an Avox, and a device on Salacia's hip lets out a sound. She excitedly picks up the device, losing interest in me and heading to the other room. Letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding in, I thank the Avox and dig in. I'm starving.