𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 · 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

~"all we're saying is to be careful."~

The gong goes off.

Everyone springs from their pedestals, some running away while others make a break for the Cornucopia. But I can't move. I'm frozen to my pedestal, like my feet are glued down, helpless as I watch Silk arm himself with a spear.

Suddenly, everyone else disappears and it's  just me and Silk. He slowly walks over to me, a smile playing at his lips. I'm still frozen to my pedestal. At the last moment, I'm finally set free. But by then, it's too late.

The spear plunges through my heart.

~~~

I wake up with a start, returning to reality.

My eyes focus on the clock. It's 7:55, and people probably would have woken me up soon anyway. Trying to shake my dream, I push back the covers as artificial sunlight streams through the window.

I take a shower, and when I get out, I find an outfit already laid out for me. A pair of black workout leggings, and a fitted, dark red tank top. It's also cropped. I am suddenly struck by the thought that this outfit was not planned by Cinna or Portia. I like both of them, and they don't seem the type to stick a 14-year-old in an outfit like this without checking first.

It's okay, though, because there's a loose, black jacket which I immediately put on and zip up all the way.

I glance at the clock. It's almost 9. I leave my room and go down to the dining room. Finnick, Linden and Reed are already sitting at the table with plates of food. There's a long table set off to the side filled with platters of food. Finnick instructs me to get something and sit down so he can continue giving me more instructions because he's bossy.

I sit down next to Reed, across from my brother.

"I want you to show them every way you can kill a human. Knives, spears, swords, maces, tridents-all of it," Finnick begins. "Make sure everyone-not just the other careers-see you. They need to know what you can do."

"Am I allowed to go anywhere else besides weapons?" I ask.

Finnick considers this. "Go to the plant station. And fire starting."

"Didn't you mention there's a knot-tying station?" I say.

"Yes. You don't get to go."

"...why?"

"Because you don't need to go," Finnick says simply. "You're from Four, nobody's going to question or not whether you can tie knots."

"But I want to make Bellamy feel stupid," I protest.

Finnick rolls his eyes. "Is that the District Two kid?" Reed asks.

"Yeah. His mother is Myra Lyme," I answer. "When she got married, her husband took her last name."

"Reed, I've been meaning to ask you something," Linden says.

"Yeah?" Reed says.

"I need to know if you're going to join the pack or if you're going to ally with someone else, or go solo. We can't train you two together if you're with the pack," Linden says.

"You can always go with Bellamy and I," I offer.

Reed stays quiet for a second, thinking. "I think I want to go solo."

We're all a little surprised. "Okay," Linden says.

"But if I meet you in the Games, I promise I won't fight you," Reed says to me.