The Incoming Storm: The Tale of the 325th Hunger Games

Chapter 9

 The next day, Quin and Maizer instruct us to follow up on any survival techniques we missed or want to get more experience with. They also tell us to start working with the weapons, they tell us to steer clear of the sickles and scythes since we already know how to use them, instead they want us to focus on common weapons in the arena, knives, spears, and swords.

When we arrive at the gymnasium, we join Spoola and Ross. The four of us warm up by practicing climbing again, and then we head over to the weapons area where most of the tributes have lingered.

Here, we have a good view of the careers who wield spears and swords like they were born with them. Just watching I can see other tributes doing their best to show off. I see Pastor lasso a mannequin around its neck and yank it to the ground. Thomas from 12 is pretty good at wielding a pick, and even Mola makes great work with little daggers. I wonder if their mentors told them to hide their true talents, or maybe they said to show off and try to join the career pack. That strategy appears to have worked for Clementine, who is now spending all of her time with the careers laughing and grinning as they throw spears, fire bows, and slice mannequins.

Spoola and I head to the knife stand, while Ross and Bran decide to practice with swords. We take turns sparing with the trainer there, we use foam knives and battle in close combat. Spoola is surprisingly good at it, she is spry and can bounce back and forth quickly. She seems to stab the trainer with no problem but then she comes back to the bench shivering. "I don't think I can do it in real life," she whispers. That is not a good predicament to be in during the Hunger Games, if you don't kill, you don't win.

"You can't think about it like that," I say, not that I'm in love with the concept of killing either. It seems to me that every minute of my time here in the Capitol has given me another reason to hate myself for volunteering.

After several rounds of sparring it is already time for lunch. I am starving and we rush to the food carts and pile our trays with sandwiches, soups, and salads. We eat so quickly we are left with extra time before training starts again.

"That Clementine girl is freaky," whispers Spoola, we had just watched all of the careers laugh at something Clementine said.

"I know," I say, "I wonder what her deal is." I can't fault her for volunteering, since all of us did that, but she seems different, more brutal. Maybe more brutal than some of the careers.

When lunch is over we head back to the weapons area and begin with swords, while Bran and Ross go to the knives.

"So, you really want to be allies?" Spoola says, chopping a mannequin's head off.

"Yeah," I say, "Why?"

"I'm surprised," she laughs a little, "Ross isn't the biggest on making new friends, I'm surprised you liked him enough to ally."

"Bran likes him, they were talking yesterday and he said something that made him want to be our ally," I explain. Spoola seems to blush.

"I wonder what," she says. "He's not very social back home," she drops her voice to a whisper, "He is lonely, not one person came to visit him."

I look to the knife station where Bran and Ross practice throwing knives. No one? Not one person cared that he was gone, maybe even forever.

"That's horrible," I say.

"Yeah, but that's the way it is. He lost everyone in that explosion. Luckily my aunt and uncle work in a different factory so I still have them, but everyone else is gone for me too. I had nothing to lose coming here, and I guess neither did he."

About an hour before training ends, the head trainer calls all of the tributes to the center of the room. She then takes us to the Rink, a large indoor track and obstacle course. Each of us needs to complete it 3 times and then we are free to go.