SILVER • THE HUNGER GAMES ¹

| 09. OH WISE TELEVISION SCREEN

BOOK ONE
CHAPTER NINE

( OH WISE TELEVISION SCREEN )

JAMES' POINT OF VIEW

     I OPENED THE DOOR of the elevator and stood back in the familiarity of the District Ten quaters. The day had already began to end after a busy Training day. My private session wasn't that special, according to the looks of the Gamemaker's bored and extremely uninterested faces. I wasnt too sure how Silver's session passed. Apparently she hit every target because Bradley told her to do her best. Maybe he underestimated her, I didn't know. I only hoped that she achieved a low score, so the Careers didn't go chasing after her in the Arena.

     Unexpectedly, I shuddered, coming to the realisation that there was only forty-eight hours until my fate was going to be decided by the Capitol's watchful eye.

     "Everybody!" Atlanta suddenly called from the living room, her voice getting louder after every second we remained 'late'. "Results time!"

     "Okay, okay. Keep your wig on!" Bradley replied hurriedly after having a nap in his room.

     I dragged my feet down the decking stairs, exhausted, and fell down onto the teal sofa, directly facing the Television. Silver sat next to me, her eyes dilated with sheer nervousness and she had the right to be worried. Everyone did. Her arm was icy cold has it touched mine and I made extra effort to make them warm again, sitting everyone down on the sofa next to us.

     Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman flickered onto the screen, both fashioning a mix of mystical blues and vibrant reds and matching striped bow-ties.

     "Here we are," Caesar announced cheerfully, "Time for the Training Scores!" Silver took a breath, as if she was shutting herself in a box, trying to make herself as small as possible as they read out the scores.

     "Let's start off with District One," Claudius exclaimed as Blaise's face appeared on the screen. "Blaise Ivory. Nine. And, Ottilie Chase. Ten."

     "She's my favourite," Ceaser stated and I rolled my eyes. "But District Two! Rey Lance. Ten. And, Althea Hadley. Ten. What a pair!"

     It continued for the next ten minutes and the majority of the scores from the other Districts were as expected. Bella, from Four, manages to get a nine and the small girl from Seven somehow achieves a six.

     All of a sudden, my very name was called, "James Oak, District Ten." Caesar flipped to the next page of his long script, "Seven."

     Everyone congratulated me on my efforts but I was filled with a stream of mixed of emotions. Was an seven allowing me to get the sponsors if needed? Was an seven too high for me to be considered a threat to the Careers? Or was I just average? I didn't know, but what I did know was that I was extremely sure that Silver was going to achieve a higher score than I. Atlanta was clapping extremely quickly in my face, blocking my view, so I stretched high just to see the screen. Caesar's wild hair was coming into sight as he eventually called, "Silver Quinn."

     I could see her straighten up from her slouched posture and focus on the screen, her misty grey eyes widening. Atlanta stopped clapping. Silence. Caesar and Claudius looked surprised as they carefully read it from the paper, "Ten."

     No thirteen year old from a non-Career District had gotten a ten before, I was quite sure. Ever. Atlanta, Tigris and Saffra jumped from their seats and enwrapped Silver in a huge huddle with her squashed in the dead centre, rolling her eyes slowly. But, there was one game-changing problem, which I hated to admit. She had a death wish.

     I turned around to spot Bradley leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and a displeased look on his face. As he noticed my gaze he switched his glance to the back of Silver's head as she talked with Atlanta, Saffra and Tigris. He nodded eventually at her, almost as if he was signalling me to retrieve her from the ball of excitement that was radiating from the three Capitol citizens who crowded her. Tapping her shoulder lightly, she twisted around to face me.

     "Balcony," Bradley stated sternly. "Now."

     We shuffled up from our places on the sofa and began to follow our mentor across and out of the room through a set of glass doors. Silver glanced up at me questioningly, but I could only shrug as a suitable answer. As I had no clue as to what was going on.

     Abruptly, he stopped and spun towards us. "I expect more from you." His lips forced themselves shut into a form of a straight face and he scrunched up his nose with disgust. I didn't know how to react. He really did expect us to be the best. Maybe I was the failure this year. Silver showed me up and now he hates me.

     He opened his mouth once more before either of us could answer. "However, I don't need to say that now, do I?" And, unexpectedly, his anger switched to happiness as he extended his arms to give us both a hug.

     I wished and wished that we could have stayed in that moment forever. Just Bradley, Silver and I together, away from the hustle of the Capitol and fearless in our own adventures. For once, I felt like I was part of a family.

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