Stay Alive (A Hunger Games Fanfic)

Chapter 8

Our last day of training is today. We'll be assessed and then given a score out of twelve tomorrow. After that, we have a day of rest, and then we're off to our deaths. It's a little depressing, you know, knowing that there's a likely chance I'll be dead in 48 hours. I really hope that I won't.

These past four or so days of training have been intense. I continued working to perfect my hand to hand combat skills. I also threw a few more knives. Now I can hit the bullseye almost every time. Not exactly the dead center, but I don't need a dead center hit to kill a person.

Wow, I'm getting morbid. And violent. That's what these stupid Games do to you.

I'm also finding that these past few days I've been reflecting on my life. It's stupid, I know. I don't plan on dying. It's just that I can't help but wonder how my mother would handle my death. She'd probably starve. Yeah, she can work, but she needs a man in the family to help. The one that my father never was. It sounds cheesy, but my death could very well be around the corner.

I'm planning on winning the Hunger Games. Not for all the fame and fortune, although everyone wants a little bit of that, not excluding myself. But there's one person for sure who needs me back home. To add to that, District 12 hasn't won for a long time now. Our only victor was a woman who died a while ago. The pride in our District is extremely low.

That makes me think, if I didn't win, who would I want to? I don't even need to ask myself. It'd be Maysilee. She seems brave and smart enough. She could have a chance if I happened to die or anything. I've thought about allying with her, but I don't want to have to separate from her or kill her. I'd probably never be able to do that.

Sure, Eloise is pretty nice. But I've seen her around. She isn't good at much. I wouldn't want to have to babysit her in the arena or anything. I mean no offense when saying she has little to no chance of surviving. Then, there's Lon. He's already made friends with the buff boys from Districts 7 and 8. I realize people ally a lot with other people, especially towards the middle of the Games, but this soon? It seems a little bit like betrayal. Even if I didn't really like him in the first place.

Speaking of Maysilee, there's no doubt I'm attracted to her. Only a teeny bit. Well, okay, more than that. Not in love though, definitely not. Everything about her is almost perfect. She's beautiful, but even more significantly, she's caring and brave. I've never met anyone like her before. Lark was fun, but nothing like Maysilee.

But I can't let my feelings show. And I can't let them deepen. They can't get any more intense than the level I'm at.

--

After lunch, we have an hour to ourselves before the assessment.

I immediately head to my room. I need to think for awhile. To be honest, though, I don't like my bedroom at all. It looks too...rich. District 12 is at the top of the building, so maybe there's an entrance to the roof somewhere.

I start searching, and soon find it ajar at the end of a long hallway. I wonder if anyone's up there. I climb onto the steel steps and walk up a flight of stairs and reach the top.

There, I see who came before me. It's Eloise and Maysilee.

"Hey." Eloise turns and greets me.

"Hi," I say bluntly.

I walk over and sit with them. Eloise seems uncomfortable with the silence, so she speaks again.

"So, what are you guys gonna do in the private testing?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe I'll make a fire or something dumb like that. I'm probably gonna get a low score," Maysilee says tiredly.

"Good for being positive," I reply.

She just looks at me briefly and turns away, not responding.

"Ah, sorry, I just..." I mutter.

"Whatever. It's fine."

Dang it. She really thinks highly of me now I bet. Why do you always have to be so sarcastic, Haymitch? And dumb, too.

"I'm sure you'll do fine!" Eloise squeaks.

Yes. It sounds like a squeak. I wince slightly at the high pitch of her voice.

"What about you, Eloise?" Maysilee asks her.

"Um... I don't know, to be honest."

"Haymitch?"

"Yeah?" I respond after I realize Eloise is talking to me.

"Are you gonna answer my question?"

Gosh, she can be quite annoying. But I do want to keep my skills a secret.

"Nope."

"Alright then." She looks away disappointedly.

"Sorry," I say. "I just want to keep it a secret."

"Oh, I see, strategizing like the others," says Maysilee, looking at me intently.

"Well, I really plan on winning."

Her gentle gaze turns hard. Whoops, wrong thing to say.

"What?" I say gruffly. Honestly, what's the matter with what I said? It was a little mean, but everyone wants to win. I didn't know it was THAT offensive.

"We all are, but that doesn't mean I plan on keeping secrets from my own teammate!"

"We aren't teammates!" I yell back. "There's only one person coming out of that arena, and it's gonna be me, and no one else!"

She just looks at me sadly, and then turns around and starts walking away quickly.

Oh my goodness. That was horrible, what I said. She has a family she wants to come back for. How could I say anything like that, especially to her?

I start running after her.

"Wait, Maysilee!"

I start catching up to her, but she starts sprinting and leaves me on the roof without looking back once.

I mentally punch myself. How could I have been so stupid? I knew she wanted to win, too. I basically just told her that she's going to die, and not only that, but she's going to lose. Lose to me.

Eloise walks past me. Then she pauses, and turns and gives me a small smile. It's not a happy one, though.

"It's okay, Haymitch. I don't plan on winning. That'll be one less person in your way."

Then she turns back around and leaves me standing alone.

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Author's note: OHMYGOODNESS I'M AT A HUNDRED READS!!!

I love you ALL. Thank you SO SO much.

Hmm...so. Whoever reads this, tell me what you think! Comment, vote, and tell your friends.

Also what does everyone think about the Haymitch/Maysilee thing? I know some people won't like it, but I plan on making it happen.

Tell yo friends, y'all. No one's gonna read this if no one knows about it.

Thanks for everyone who's bearing with me.

Also, I'm thinking of a different title, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks friends.

Have a good life.

To the maybe 5 people who actually read this.