An Enemy's Song

Fences

The preparation for the games, I knew, would be pointless. I didn’t even see why they bothered dressing us up, getting us to act pretty and train, when we all knew who would die and who would live in the end. Mine and Cato’s mentor pulled us out of bed early, something I wasn’t entirely happy about, to train. I argued with him for a long while. I needed sleep far more than I needed training, I’d been training my whole life to just volunteer.

                I refused to move. I needed sleep and I was sure of it, so I stayed there, ignoring my mentor who was screaming at me to get up. I didn’t give a shit what he wanted. He didn’t care if I lived or died, he just cared about getting paid and being a part of the games. I heard him swear and stomp out of the room and I grinned, knowing I had won. I was just about to drift back off to sleep when I felt a dead weight launch itself on top of me and knock the air out of my lungs.

                My eyes shot open to see Cato sitting on me, smirking. “Get up Clove, we have to train.” He said to me, prodding my side.

                I glared at him and swore. “Leave me alone, Cato, I need sleep. Piss off.” I growled at him. He just laughed and climbed off of me but still didn’t leave the room.

                “Come on,” he said, “Don’t you want to come and check out the other tributes? I certainly want to see why everyone is so hyped on the girl from twelve.” He pondered.

                I became more alert at his words and realised for the first time that fire girl would be there too. It’s like he knew exactly what to say to get me to move. I smirked a little. I definitely wanted to see her, especially while she was training. It’d enable me to pick out her weak points, and think of more ways to kill her. My mind revelled in possibilities.

                “Okay.” I told him. “Give me a couple of minutes to get ready, wait for me.”

                He nodded and walked out of the room. I met him about ten minutes later, ready to torment my girl. I couldn’t wait to see her writhe in discomfort. Of course I couldn’t do anything to hurt her physically before the games, but I sure could mess with her mentally. I planned on doing just that.

                Me and Cato stood in the elevator in silence on the way to the training hall. We’d all been briefed on the equipment the day before and I made my way straight to the knives and targets when we arrived. We were the first tributes there. Obviously the careers were more eager than the others. I figured I might as well have fun while I waited for her to come.

                I carefully grabbed a small knife, running the tip gently against my fingertip. I smirked. I found knives such an underrated weapon. They were perfect for the damage needed to be done and they didn’t cause too much mess. I pulled it back and released it at the target. Bull’s-eye.  Not that I was surprised. I never missed.

                I stood there for a good hour, just throwing knives at all the targets, hitting them dead centre every time, when I felt eyes on me. I didn’t turn, because it’d alert the onlooker that I was aware of their presence. Instead, I peered behind me from the corner of my eye and smiled. It was the girl from twelve, watching me. I knew it wouldn’t take much to draw her to me.

                “Hey there fire girl.” I said, menacingly, my back still turned to her. I noticed her gasp and I smirked wider. She was so vulnerable and naïve. She didn’t have a clue. It’d make things so much easier though. She didn’t speak so I turned to look at her. She was still watching me, captivated. I couldn’t read the emotion on her face and it confused me. “What’s the matter twelve, cat got your tongue?” I taunted her.

                Her eyes glazed over and she looked at me properly. I couldn’t wait to kill her. the anticipation was rising inside of me. “I have a name, you know.” She told me, agitated. Good. Let her get annoyed. I wanted to see her angry.

                “Oh you do?”  I put on a sickly sweet voice, “I thought you were just the moronic volunteer from district twelve, who’s going to die first in the games.” I was mocking her, trying to get a reaction. I wanted to see her riled up. I wasn’t sure why.

                Her eyes flashed with anger and I appreciated how strong and beautiful it made her look. I couldn’t believe the thoughts I was having. One minute I wanted nothing more than to see her dead and the next I was calling her beautiful. I shook it off.

                “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” she sneered at me, “from a career.” She spat the word like it was diseased and I’m not sure why, but it sent me over the edge. I got angry and I didn’t think about my actions before I found myself pinning her against the wall. I had her hands pushed back above her head and the contact made my skin tingle and spark. I got closer to her face and felt the need to scare her. She needed to know her place. She was mine.

                “I think you need to get an attitude check, sweetheart,” I told her, “I will be the one to kill you in the games, and I can make it quick or I can make it slow,” I pulled my knife out, “and painful.” I told her as I dragged the blade slowly across her collar bone, careful not to pierce the skin. The action almost made me feel sick. Wait what? The day before I was picturing all the ruthless, bloody ways to kill her and now, the thought of injuring her made me feel ill. I couldn’t get my head around what the girl was doing to me.

                I expected her to be scared, but to my shock, she just stood, staring into my eyes, defiant. I heard footsteps and quickly released my hold on her. I turned around to go back to training when I felt her arm lock around my neck, not tightly enough to restrict my breathing, but with enough force to stop me from moving. My breathing stopped. I realised my knife wasn’t in my hand anymore.

                I felt the cold metal touch my cheek as Katniss leaned in, her mouth next to my ear, her breaths sending shivers down my spine. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Clove.” She whispered quietly, before letting go and walking off to the other district twelve tribute like nothing had even happened.