The blood on these hands (Clove Kentwell)

Chapter 7

       The next few days of training went by very quick, Iris taught Gabe hand to hand combat but there was so much tension you could cut it with a knife. Iris would talk to Clove occasionally just to catch up or just say hi, those were the moments that Iris cherished most.

"I know I told you that this training thing didn't really matter but today it matters." Porter said while eating breakfast. "Why what's today?" Gabe asked while stuffing his face with food. "Well today is the rankings. It is when the game makers rank you on how well you have performed in training. So today will be a little different when you go down there I can't tell you much but what I can tell you is do your best this is your time to show your full potential." Porter said. Iris didn't speak as she was halfway listening to what he had to say and halfway in her own world thinking about what has happened over the last few days and her and Cloves meetings on the roof.
"Are you even listening to me." Porter asked Iris with anger and annoyance in his voice. "I'm sorry what did you say?" Iris asked in a calm almost cheery voice. "Something's off about you but I can't quite tell what it is but you haven't been paying attention to me or anyone who talks to and your always doing that weird thing where you smile to yourself lost in thought. I don't like it." "I think I might have an idea about what's going on." Gabe mumbled just loud enough for Porter to hear. "Oh at least someone can tell me why you are in lala land all the time now why is that Gabe." Porter said straining Gabe's name a little to much for Iris's liking. "Just shutup it's time to go anyways. We can talk about this later." Iris said still calm and confident as she walked into the elevator. Gabe followed behind her as Iris clicked the button.

Iris's knee was bouncing up and down frantically as she waited for her name to be called she caught those same calm brown eyes staring at her from across the room telling her it was going to be okay and to calm down. Iris calmed down for the time being until Cloves name got called then those calm brown eyes had to leave, Iris's comfort was gone and she was back to her own thoughts and she was most definitely not talking to Gabe to keep her company. "Gabe Bogart" the calm voice in the speaker said. Gabe got up and put his hand on Iris's shoulder "It's going to be okay just relax and I'm sorry for last night." Gabe smiled at Iris as he walked to the gate, then with a blink of an eye he was gone. Now Iris really had no one she put her head in her hands trying to calm herself down like Gabe said but it didn't do much for her so she just stayed sitting there anxiously waiting for her name.

     It seemed like years before her name was called but when it finally was a wave of almost relief washed over Iris but it was quickly replaced by intimidation as she saw all the game makers. They were all chatting and having a good time so Iris decided to make herself present. "Iris Stoll, district 5." Iris said with confidence behind her voice but she did in fact not feel any confidence at all just fear. All the game makers turned around to watch Iris as she grabbed an axe and held it in her left hand. She went up to the dummy and showed her close combat skills then got to the long range where she had to throw the axe. "Remember what dad told you to do Iris hold it with both hands above your head then throw." Iris whispered to herself as she threw the first axe. She looked at the target to see that she had completely missed the target. All the game makers started laughing and continued their talking Iris grabbed her axe and threw it again this time hitting the dummy right in the center of its head. She smiled to herself proudly and looked up at the game makers as they were all talking amongst themselves having not a care in the world that Iris was still there. That's when she let the anger take over her she grabbed an axe and just threw it she didn't aim she just threw. She instantly regretted what she did as she looked up at the game makers scared that she had cut one of their heads off but to her surprise she did cut a head off but not someone's more like somethings. A pigs head was laying on the floor at the feet of the bewildered game makers. "Welcome to the 74th hunger games gentlemen." Iris said with a fake smirk on her face as she walked out of there hoping she wouldn't die on the spot because someone was going to shoot her for being disrespectful.

She hurried up to her floor and went strait to her room so no one could talk to her. "GET OUT HERE HONEY WE HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT!" Porter yelled from behind her door. Iris groaned as she got out of bed and opened the door. "May I help you." "Yes you may, WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING THROWING AN AXE AT THE GAME MAKERS!" "I'm sorry I just got mad the-" "YOU GOT MAD SO YOU TRIED TO KILL ONE OF THEM!" "Can you please stop shouting I won't be able to even hear what you are lecturing me about if you keep that up." "Hmmm sorry I JUST GOT MAD! You understand that your actions reflect badly on all of us not just you." Porters face had gone beat red from anger. "Ok whatever you need to calm down and I need to go get some rest because we have rankings to watch later and an interview in front of a whole lot of freaking people so if you will excuse me." Iris said as calmly as possible as she closed her door. She wanted to scream, cry, and throw things around to break them but she didn't all she did was throw herself on her bed and lay there. She finally calmed herself enough to drift off to sleep.

She woke up to Gabe lightly shaking her telling her to wake up and that the rankings were being announced. Iris shot up and got ready to go outside with Gabe behind her, she sat down on the couch to see Cato's name flash across the screen. A 10 appeared next to him. "Wow psycho got a 10." Iris mumbled to herself. "What?" Gabe asked. "Oh nothing just thinking out loud Iris smiled at him before turning her attention back on the screen. Clove came up, just the thought of Clove got Iris's stomach tied up and knots and brought a smile to her face, a ten also appeared next to clove. Iris nodded in approval and slightly smiled to herself as the next tributes came to the screen.

Then came district 5, Gabe showed up first with a 8 appearing next to him. Everyone in the room was happy with what he got and told him congratulations. Gabe sat back looking proud of himself but Iris's stomach was still tied in knots as she came up on the screen. The silence in the room was so loud it was almost unbearable. A 11 came beside Iris on the screen. She almost jumped up and squealed with joy but last time she did that she got a stupid look from her brother Max she smiled at the memory as everyone huddled around her and toasted. "Hey you got lucky but if I were you I wouldn't try it again." Porter said seriously but his seriousness was quickly overcame by a smile as he hugged Iris and told her congratulations. "Now you go get ready you have a long night ahead of you." Porter said as he sent Tigress with Iris to go get ready for the interview.