May the odds be ever in your favour

Chapter 5

When we arrive at our apartment, with the number 8, Charlotte and Darion advise us to get some rest because the next three days are going to be vital for the Games. As I enter my room, I'm once again reminded of the luxury the Capitol has to offer. But, however expensive everything is, it's not like my home back in District 8. Yes, we have a small house with two bedrooms and one kitchen but it's where I grew up.

I change into some silky pink pyjamas and quickly put myself to bed. Today's events have left me exhausted and I have to regain some strength, if I want to gain skills during the next few days. It's easier said than done though. It is difficult relaxing your body and mind when knowing that in less than 3 days, you are probably gonna be dead meat. I close my eyes thinking of home and drift to sleep with fainted memories of a home that I'll probably never see again.

The next day, I wake up and immediately freshen up in the bathroom. I braid my hair down my back then head to get breakfast in the dining area. Seems like I am the last one to join the party since Wren, Charlotte and Darion are all there already taking their breakfast. "Morning Rosy," said Wren smiling "Good morning guys," I say in my sleepy voice. "We have no time to waste today, do you hear me Rosaline?" says Charlotte strictly. "You have to be at the training centre in less than 20 minutes!" she claims. I sit down at the table and I can't decide where to start. I need to gain a few pounds if I want to survive in the Games. I quickly take a plate of pancakes and eat it with what I was told is chocolate syrup. Even if I hate the Capitol and what they make us do, I can't hate their food. Every dish is rich with different flavours that I've never tasted before. It won't be that hard to gain some weight with so much food to try out.

After breakfast, I don't have time at all to talk with Wren since we are rushed by Charlotte to the elevator. It kind of scares me how you have to close yourself in a small space and it just transports you underground on its own. We have an elevator back in District 8 as well, in the Justice Building. But it has fallen into disarray since it's rarely used.

Once we are out of the elevator, I see two big metal doors wide open, revealing the training centre. There aren't many of the tributes there yet, so I have the opportunity to take a glance at my soon-to-be opponents. I see a buff-looking guy with blond spiky hair laughing with another girl with dark brown hair and freckles. These two must be from upper Districts. They seem like they are in their element. The girl points a finger at me and the boy turns his head in an instant to catch me staring at him, evaluating him.

He shouts laughing ironically from the other side of the room "Like what you see, eh 8?", "Yeah, I must say, you do look a lot worse than you did yesterday" I shout back, even if I didn't manage to see anyone besides me and my District partner yesterday. He doesn't know that though. These people need some sarcasm fired back at them. The guy doesn't seem to like my comment, as expected. He growls at me making a gesture with his thumb going over his throat. Maybe I've gone too far, he has marked me as the number 1 enemy for sure. But, maybe it's good that I stood up for myself. This way I'm making sure they know I'm not some weakling.

We are all gathered up in the training centre and a woman in lab robes is standing before all of us going over the rules of the training centre. "These three days are vital to your survival in the arena. Train as you like in whatever station you like. I know most of you can't wait to get your hands on a blade but I assure you that there are higher rates of dying from natural causes so pay attention to the survival stations as well. Something extra before you begin, no fighting with other tributes is permitted. You will have all the time in the world for that in the arena. With that, you may begin your training."

"Where do we start?" asks Wren looking at me lost. " We will have to try everything at least once today and tomorrow we will decide on what stations we want to focus more on. I have my eyes set on learning some stuff in here that will be useful" I wink at him fixing my braid. Wren and I split up going to different stations, trying to pay attention to every detail. I'm decent at remembering poisonous plants, awful at fighting with tridents and slightly decent at throwing knives. Setting up tents and creating a fire isn't as difficult as I had imagined.