Callie Hadley: District 2

Training

     Training. Training, training, training. It feels like it has come too soon. We eat breakfast and go to our rooms where our prep teams await.

     "Did you shower last night?" Orius asks.

     "Um-yes."

     "Okay, make sure to do it every night. We will just put some skincare products on you to make you glow unconditionally!" Tavina coos.

     "Then, we will put your outfit on!" Sweeny squeals.

     And they do so. They put soothing creams on my body before swinging me into my uniform. I love it. It is very comfortable and easy to move around in. They tie my hair into a high ponytail, with some strands of my hair braided into the ponytail. They push me out of my room and squeal, "Have fun!" Before shutting it in my face.

     I wonder what they are doing in my room? Better not mess anything up, I think.

     I see my brother being pushed out of his room. He looks at me, and chuckles.

     "They put me in skincare!" I yell at him.

     "Whatever, you little baby," he says and puts his arm around my shoulder. We see Fifi and she shoves us into the elevator that takes us down one floor.

     "Have fun!" She squeals and walks away.

     "Wait, Cato, it's nine freaking forty. Why the heck are we here so early?"

     "To take a look at what we're messing with," He says with a smirk.

     We take a seat on the floor. No one else is here yet. Not even the other careers. But after five minutes, districts 1 and 4 come. Then 6 and 7, 8 and 3, 10, 5, 9, 11, and last be not least, District 12, who comes at 10:00 sharp.

    Atala starts to talk. "In 2 weeks, 23 of you will be dead. One of you will be alive. Who that is, depends on how well you pay attention over the next 3 days. Particularly to what I'm about to say."

     Then, I got an idea in my head. To annoy the crap out of my brother, and make all the tributes laugh. So after Atala said that, I cleared my throat. Some tributes looked my way, but then turned their attention back to Atala. Atala ignored me. "First, no fighting with the other tributes. You'll have plenty of time for that in the arena." Then she explained what stations were. "My advice is, don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes."

     So I said, "Yeah Cato!" I heard a few chuckles from the other tributes, and my brother tried his best to ignore me and keep a straight face.

     Atala continued. "10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Exposure can kill as easily a knife."

     "Are you listening, Cato?" I say with a straight face, which makes it even more funny. Then suddenly most of the tributes burst out laughing. I had done it. I had lifted the tense mood.

     "WILL YOU SHUT UP!" Cato screams in my face. And now we are tense and silent again. "My gosh," he mutters.

     "Still talking to you," I mutter. And suddenly, my brother grabbed my collar and put his face real close to mine.

     "You listen up, and you listen good," he whispers. "If you try anything like this again, you're done. You're out. Out of my sight, out of my alliance, out of the Careers. Got it?"

     I stay silent.

     "Got it!?" He says more lividly. But then I feel the strong hands of the peacekeepers ripping us apart.