One Lucky Winner

Chapter 19 ~ Peeta

Today was exhausting. Shooting a rifle or even a small hand gun, is way harder than it looks. I could hardly hit the target. I hope I won't need to use one of those in the arena.

I just got done doing some more camouflage. That's all I've done today; guns in the morning, then more guns after lunch, and then camouflage. I stand and look at the clock. We have a little more than 20 minutes left. 20 minutes left of training for this Hunger Games.

With this in mind, I sigh. I suppose I should do guns again, even though I don't want to. It's my last chance to do it before the games, though, so I might as well.

I start looking for Katniss. I spot her at the archery station. I make my way over there and see her standing in line, behind a guy that's about to go. I don't know why she's been doing this station so much today. I guess it's the same thing with me and camouflage, though.

I get there just as the guy is about to do it. He's one of the first guys Haymitch showed us when he was talking about all of the tributes. I remember what he said about them. Strong. Smart. Sassy. Haymitch said he was dangerous, yet he wanted us to be allies with him and his friends. I watch him closely.

"Name?" the trainer asks him.

"Thomas," he answers quickly.

The trainer taps something on the screen and looks at him. Thomas. "Okay, go ahead."

He hesitates. "Um, could you show me?"

The trainer gives him the bow, looking unhappy and annoyed. "Okay, so hold this parallel to your body. And take an arrow and load it here-"

"His elbow needs to be straight," I hear Katniss blurt. Both the trainer and Thomas look at her.

She walks towards them. "I'll show him," she tells the trainer. She snatches the bow and arrow from Thomas and loads it. She looks at him. "See how my elbow is straight?"

He nods, looking nervous and slightly dazed.

She gives it back. "You try."

He loads the arrow and draws it back. "Like this?"

"Kind of," she says. "Don't slouch."

He stands up straighter. "Now?"

"Yeah, you got it." Suddenly I come into my right mind. What's she doing? Why's she teaching this random guy how to shoot? She's teaching the enemy. When has she ever expressed interest in teaching people how to shoot?

I watch in confusion and mild amusement as she teaches this random guy how to shoot. They even go into the simulation together and do it together. It makes me angry. She's teaching our enemies how to shoot. Why? Is she even aware of what she's doing?

After watching them in anger for a while, the head trainer calls us in. I walk away from the archery, eager to escape that.

Amongst the crowd of tributes, I find Gale and stand by him. A few moments filled of awkward silence later, Katniss joins us. I don't say anything to her.

"Well, you've just completed training for The Hunger Games," the head trainer says as soon as everyone's there. "Just like yesterday, we have another record broken. The archery station gained a new time. Legolas killed 30 people in 12 seconds. Great job!"