Sharp Objects

chapter six

When I wake, the light is shining in through the windows. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and throw my duvet of my bed, causing it to tumble to the floor.my dress from yesterday I hung on the closet handles,and I put it back on. Then I tie my hair into a ponytail, and mak my way to the main carriage.

Tallulah is sitting at the table, eating some kind of Capitol delicacy, and crystalline, brutus and cato ar ein the middle . I clear my throat as I enter, and four heads turn to face me.

"Morning clove" says crystalline, smiling brightly " come join us! We could do with another persons views! At the moment I'm outnumbered by the two killing machines!"

I laugh when I see cato's reaction.he scowl in disgust and folds his arms over his chest. Trying to look more like a 'killing machine' but actually acutely resembling Harper when cointoyke won't let her out in the garden.just the thought of Harper causes my heart to lurch inside my chest, but I manage to swallow the lump in my throat, and I go and sit down next to crystalline on the sofa.

"So" I ask,slumping on to the sofa "what are we arguing about over here?"

"Well," replies crystalline "I was just saying how much survival skills matter when you're in the arena! But these two idiots think that grabbing a sword and killing as many people as possible is the best way of winning! Can you back me up here?"

"Well,"I begin, racking my brains in search of some hidden survival knowledge " going straight to the cornucopia battle and grabbing the first weapon you see is a good idea, but what happens when you have no food or water and you have to hunt? And what about building fires? Tree climbing could come in useful too! Dont overlook survival skills, they could be the difference between life and death .that is why they are called survival skills.surving means staying alive, and that is what you want to do isn't it?"

"Right,so,now with that all cleaned up,let's watch the other districts reapings over breakfast!" Shouts tallulah from her spot at the table. Tallulah turns on the television,and the Capitol anthem begins to play.then they go through the reapings,one by one.

From district 1,the boy and girl both look to be careers. Marvel and glimmer. Although glimmer looks pretty 'blonde air head with no skills' to me.then it shows me,walking up to the stage, my face is completely indifferent mask. Then cato volunteers and the crowd cheers, but the cheers are silence as he raises our arms together. I look towards him, sitting opposite me, but he isn't paying attention to the television. District 3 is insignificant. District 4 churns out a career girl who looks like she'd be quite  useful and a 12-year-old boy that, I pretty sure, won't make it past the first day. The girl from 5 appears to be sly and cunning, definitely not someone to be ignored,but the again, not someone to form an alliance with either. 6,7,8,9 and 10 all look useless. The bou from 11 is huge, like some kind of giant, and the girl is his complete and utter opposite,tiny and timid. The girl from 12 volunteers for her little sister. I know why she did it. I would volunteer for Harper any day. Her fellow district 12 tribute looks pretty strong, could be useful, but not in the the way of alliances. He is from 12,we don't mix with them.

Then the Capitol seal appears, the anthem plays,and the hole programme ends. Cato stands up abruptly, and goes to stand by the window, staring out into space.

Crystalline gives me a ' what's up with him ?' Kind of look, and I shrug in response. She gestures for me to go over there and talk to him, but  I shake my head. I don't want him to get the idea that I like him or something, even if he does have those sparkling blue eyes that glisten in the sunlight.

Shut up, clove! He's your opponent! Do not in any way like him !

" clove?"  Says a distance voice, and I almost jump: crystalline is waving her hand in front of my face,trying to get my attention. I must of zoned  out or something. She leans out towards me and begins to whisper " go talk to him, something's up. It was you that he became team with when he held your arm up a the reaping, which means that you two are a team in the arena. And plus, he's pretty useful, so I wouldn't loose him! Now go,find out what's wrong!" She waves me over to the window, and I stand up silently. Then put one foot after the other.