Sea Of Secrets [1]

Four

   The day after the opening ceremonies, I feel the final weight of reality come crashing down on me. I know I am going to die when I step into the arena, and I know that I won't survive a day if I don't get killed at the cornucopia. I know I'll either starve or die of thirst if they have no rivers or streams. I'm already dead if you look at it in the Capitols eyes. They probably know I won't last.

   The warm water runs over my bare body as I struggle to keep myself composed. If I cry, I might not stop.

   The shower that I am standing in is about the size of my room back home. It has multiple shower heads, and hundreds of buttons that you can press if you would like honey shampoo, or minty soap. I use the minty shampoo and the lavender soap. I used to have mint tea back at home when there was nothing else to eat, and mint was the cheapest herb there was.

   When I step onto the mat outside of the shower, a warm blowdryer heats and drys my hair, and body. This whole training center is huge, filled with exquisite things, and luxurious rooms that I haven't been able to count on my two hands. We are on the fourth floor, the whole floor is ours to spend in until the Hunger Games begin.  The rooms are filled with Avox's hurrying around doing different chores that they were assigned to. If I had the chance, I would rebel against the Capitol, but then again I don't want my tongue to be cut out.

   As I reach for my closet, something black and slick catches my attention on my bed. It's a pair of tight black pants, a long sleeved shirt, and leather lace up boots. Today is the first day of training. I have no talents, and nothing else to show for. I'm a coward and I couldn't even bare the thought of having to kill someone to become free.

   The reality is, you are never free in the eyes of the Capitol. They always watch you, having you parade yourself every year for the rest of your life. It's not fair, and it never will be. I quickly throw on my outfit and let my hair flow down across my shoulders and back. My pale skin doesn't look good with dark black.

   A table full of breakfast foods are set out for us, and I quickly take a plate and scoop up some oatmeal for myself. I put some blueberries in , and sit down between Mags and Finnick.

   "Now that we are all here I need to tell you some ground rules about the training. Don't show off your skills just yet, wait till the last day so you can show it off to the game makers. They will be taking notes , so don't make a fool out of yourself. Do you want to train separately or together?" Finnick looks so serious, and I can't help but wonder if him winning the games wasn't the best thing that happen to him, but the worst. I don't want to end up having to fear something or someone for the rest of my life.

   "Separately, please" I take a spoonful of oatmeal into my mouth and notice that Sam looks taken aback by what I said , that it hurt him in some way. "Sam, you can't stand by me every second of the games, every second of your time here. You need some independence and so do I. I'm sorry, but I probably won't last long enough in the games to protect you, you'll have to figure out a way to protect yourself" I look away from his piecing eyes, feeling myself flush that I embarrassed him in front of everyone. A knife flys by my head, and I snap it back to see that it hit the wall behind me. I look at Sam in surprise , and then smile. "Just like that Sam, just like that"

   "Okay , Coral you'll be with me, and Sam you'll be with Mags. Go get ready we leave in ten" Finnick smiles at Sam, proud of him that he could throw something. Maybe I misjudged Sam, I thought he was just a shy and fragile thirteen year old, but I was wrong. He's ruthless, and not afraid of killing , even me.

   I walk to my room and lay down for a few minutes before I have to go. Finnick won't be proud of me because I have no skills to give, I can't throw a knife, I can't shoot with a bow and arrow, and I'm not strong. Maybe I'll hide in a bush or someplace until everyone else is dead. That's what one group of tributes did one year. They won.

   I meet up with Finnick in the elevator and figure that Sam and Mags are already gone. The training rooms are below ground, and once we step off the elevator, it's like a big gymnasium. It looks like something kids could play in. You just have to take out all of the weapons. Hell, some would even use them because everyone in the Districts have their mind wired to think that they will be next, that they will have to fight. It sickens me.

   "Follow me" I follow Finnick down the hall into another big room, but this one smaller. "What skill do you have that could benefit you?"

   "You sound like Caesar , Finnick"

   "You don't have any do you?" I look down to the ground , not wanting to show my face , because the expression is pure humiliation. "How did you get food back home, or how did you provide? Your parents do everything for you?"

   "Don't bring them into this Finnick. This is my training, and you don't have to dig through all my past to find what you are looking for. I don't have any skills"

   "They did didn't they? They brought you up to be a weak girl. Someone who relies on others for what she needs" he steps closer to me, examining my face.

   Without my consent, my arm reaches up to his face, my hand closed into a fist, knuckles facing to his nose. My fist interacts with his nose, knocking him back a few steps. I keep going, only this time he's back up deflecting every move I take at him. I swing my leg at the back of his knees and he drops to the floor.

   "Isn't this funny , Finnick Odair on the floor in front of me, this must be a change for you, now you're at the feet of a girl" I reach my hand down, extending it to help him up. When he's up I look him in his eyes. "They died Finnick, I was fourteen and my brother was four. He's seven now. So next time, don't bring them into this"

   "Oh I knew, Mags told me. I just had to see what skill you were hiding. And it seems as if you are skilled at hand in hand combat" I look at him in surprise. He used my parents death against me. "Sometimes the people who are gone are the ones you have to fight for the most"

   "I can climb. I've been climbing sense I was a little girl, I just remembered"

   "Are you good with weapons?"

   "I don't like using weapons"

   "You'll need to if you want to win" He hands me a knife. "Throw it to the target on the other side of the room, I want to see how close you get" I raise my arm , putting it a few inches behind me , and with a flick of the wrist, I shoot the knife into the center of the target. Just like that, I'm a pro. A new light erupts inside of me and I smile up at Finnick, thankful.

{~}

   The three days pass so fast, me working on climbing, hand on hand combat, and knife throwing. It's a good thing no one can see me fighting because I want it to be a surprise for everyone, even Sam. I want him to know that I have a new fight in me, and I'm not going to back down.

   "Coral Adays, from District Four" I just got done throwing a knife into a dummy, when my name was called for the final private session.

   "Good luck" Finnick looks at me and smiles, not the smirk he usual gives, but a proud and genuine smile. I nod and step out of the room and into the gymnasium. The game makers are all sitting up in their seats, their eyes looking down at me. I know that their silence is a cue for me to start. I head over to the climbing wall, and quickly climb up, slice a dummy, jump , roll, and beat my fists into another. I show them my knife throwing skills, how I can climb, and how my hand on hand combat is.

   When I'm done, I bow and leave the room, leaving them with no words, but the shear expression of shock on their faces. No one expected a small and shy little girl to make moves like that, and neither did I. I didn't know I have the fight I had until I was brought to fight.