Deceived: The 500th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 10 - Training: Day 2

NANCEE RANKINE'S P.O.V

I picked up a bow and arrow with caution. I hadn't even bothered to learn about weapons yesterday. Today I had tried using a sword, a crossbow, a blowgun and an axe. None of them had worked out for me.

Haile was next to me, being careful not to touch the tips of the arrows. I watched her aim and fire, her arrow hitting just to the right of the centre. She was learning at a rapid pace.

I tried to copy her. I aimed and fired. The arrow soared, but it clipped the edge of the target board and stuck into the wall behind it.

Sighing, I tried again. This time, arrow went too high, diving over the board and into the floor behind it.

I was frustrated now. I know it was only 2 arrows, but I am a very impatient person. I threw the arrow with as much force as I could, roaring in the process.

It hit dead centre.

"Nice shot," said a girl from behind me. I turned around to see Topaz and Zak. Topaz seemed nice. "That was pretty impressive. Do that with a spear or trident in the arena and you'll have a chance. Wanna join Zak and I at the spear area?"

Zak looked a little annoyed. I could see him eying the dagger area. I agreed but I kept my distance, not wanting to annoy Zak anymore than I was.

I picked up a spear that rested against the wall next to me. It was a lot heavier than the arrow, but that was expected. Topaz lined up her spear and launched it into the target. The wood splintered slightly as the spear lodged itself in the centre of the target.

I tried to copy her. I threw it, but it flew downwards nearer the target. It hit the bottom of the target board. I grunted, the impatience building up inside again.

"You need to judge how far away your target is," said Zak, "I don't really want to help that much, I'm not one for making allies or enemies in the arena, but I'll give you one too and one tip only." He leant down and whispered, other tributes starting to join the spear and trident training. "Judge the distance and for every meter, try and aim it about 5-10cm above the target. That way, when it dives, it'll fly down into the centre. You'll have to throw it hard though, or it won't reach the target."

He excused himself and went over to Topaz. He kissed her cheek, murmured something and went over to the dagger area. Majoris stared coldly at Zak as his sledgehammer drove through the dummy's heart. Maybe he was using his hatred as a way to gain more power.

What did I hate? I'm pretty sure I'm quite a laid back girl. The only things I ever hated were things I did, like hang around other people and stuff. I couldn't get my anger out that way.

Then I watched Majoris throw his sledgehammer onto the floor and storm over to Zak. He started yelling at him for no reason, Zak shrugging every word off. Topaz bounced over to them and tried to break them up. It wasn't working. Majoris aimed his fists at Zak.

That is what I hated. Majoris.

Without thinking, I took Zak's advice and aimed. Only it wasn't for the target. I was aiming for the tip of Majoris shoulder, hoping to knock him back.

I let go of the spear, growling as I did so. Topaz jumped out of the way onto the floor as the spear pierced my target. Majoris flew back into the dummy behind him and yelled angrily. Zak laughed and Topaz was still on the floor in shock.

"Nice shot, 5," said a kid behind me. I noticed one of the Paisley brothers, the younger one - not Jed, smiling and nodding his head. "I like you. Wherever you found the guts to throw a spear like that, I don't know, but I'm happy to offer you an alliance."

"Thanks," I smiled. Then I thought of Pomeline and Haile and Jaymes. They'll make do. They don't need me.

Wait. They need me. I don't need them. I want them. No I don't. I want Pomeline.

After debating with myself, I decided it would be best to leave the District 5 alliance.

"I'm Maxwell," the guy said, holding his hand out.

I shook it. "I'm Nancee. Where's your brother?" I asked.

"I won't be needing him anymore." Maxwell replied coldly. I followed his gaze. He was with Yarrow and Keelan. Keelan looked annoyed. His brother, Jed, had his hands all over Yarrow.

I understand why he wanted to team with me. He was being hurt by his brother. Maxwell volunteered to go into the games to die side by side with Jed, and Jed had just tossed him away. Maxwell came here for nothing.

Keelan threw his knife onto the floor directly behind Jed. One step back and he trips. Clever.

Keelan walked over to us, fists clenched. I could sense the anger in him, feeling as useless to Yarrow as Maxwell was to Jed.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, Keelan is my ally. You still want to join?" Maxwell asked.

I nodded. "We're all fighting against someone, aren't we? The ones we were fighting for?" I said. Then it hit me. I had just said that I was fighting against Pomeline. What have I done?

"Yeah. We're here to prove we are the better half. We aren't going to die as regular faces of District 9, forgotten by the first night." Keelan snarled, his gaze still on Yarrow and Jed. "After all I've been through with her, I thought we'd be there for each other, at one another's sides until the very end."

This made me look like the bad person. I had left Pomeline. I was the bully here, not a victim like these guys.

It was time to accept Pomeline and I aren't both going to make it out alive. I looked at her over at the sword section. She screamed as she was shocked by one of the dummy's knives. That was at least the 20th time today.

I picked up a spear. "We won't be betrayed by our friends. It's time to forget them and move on. We will be the victorious ones." I said. No going back now. I refuse to die before Pomeline and her alliance in the Games. The odds will not be in their favour.


TANSY SPENS' P.O.V

Alisma and I worked on hand to hand combat. My time at the Capitol since the Reaping has been nothing. I haven't fallen out with anyone, fell in love with anyone or done anything out of the ordinary. The Capitol probably suspect I'm just another Bloodbath tribute.

"You ready for another robot?" The instructor asked me.

"Bring it on," I said, gritting my teeth. The robot advanced towards me, arms in front of it. I ran towards it and collided with it's chest, knocking it to the floor. If that was a person, it would've winded them.

It got up and tried to punch me in the face with its padded fist. I ducked and put my foot out, tripping it over. I jumped onto it, pounding its face with my fists. The robot pushed me off in defence and tried to leave the floor. I kicked it in the temple, knocking it to the floor one again. I stomped on it's neck a few times and stopped moving.

"Nice job. Again," the instructor commanded. He set up another robot. Runyon came over and asked for a robot for himself. Whilst mine were being set up, Runyon got his and started flying around the room, rolling and flipping everywhere. Impressive.

Pomeline came over, looking sad. "What's up?" I asked. I didn't want to see her like that.

"It's Nancee. She's kind of just left me. I have no idea why." She replied. "she won't speak to me or anything."

"Sorry, Pomeline, but it happens around this time during the Capitol. People realise that only one comes out alive. Well, 3 people this time. Friends betray and stuff. It happens," I said, the new dummy advancing towards me

"Tansy, have you accepted death yet?" Pomeline asked. I could tell she was starting to.

"I haven't fully accepted it yet," I said, grabbing the dummy by the neck, twisting it and pile-driving onto the floor. "You can't just give up. You need to prepare yourself for fighting, not dying. Yeah, I can accept I'm gonna die nearer the time, but right now I'm not acknowledging it. Let your acceptance come nearer the time."

"So who are you teaming with?" Pomeline asked.

"No one. I don't want a team. I don't want to watch my friends die. I'd rather die solo and stuff." I replied. Pomeline looked sad. "Hey, aren't you teaming with Haile and Jaymes?"

She nodded, "I don't want them to die. I don't wanna be a Bloodbath tribute," she wailed. I hugged her for a brief moment, then remembering the cameras were watching us. I pulled away from her.

"The only person stopping you is yourself." I turned away and kicked the dummy on the floor in front of me before leaving Pomeline on her own and going to the lunch buffet.


YOHAN ALLARDYCE'S P.O.V

I picked up the shurikens to my left. Unlike throwing knives, you don't have to worry about the rotation of it. Shurikens slice no matter part of it hits the body. I like shurikens.

Haile had her bow and arrow, Chester and Alisma had throwing knives, Ovid had a crossbow and I had my shurikens.

"Okay," the instructor said, "welcome to the long ranged target competition. Each of you will be assigned a colour."

I was green, Ovid was blue, Alisma was red, Chester was orange and Haile was yellow.

"Okay, you will get a point for every target of your colour you hit. If there are multicoloured targets like this," the instructor held up a green and yellow target, "then anyone who has their colour in it can hit it. If you don't hit it first, 5 points will be stolen."

I looked around at the targets. There must be something to do with losing points.

As if the instructor read my mind, he said "there will be a lot of blank targets. Hit them and you'll lose 2 points. Black targets are small and worth 10 points. If you hit a star shaped target of your colour or a black target, the points for that target will be doubled. You have 15 minutes to get as many points as possible."

Look out for the black star targets.

The klaxon sounded, and I watched as a bunch of conveyer belts started moving targets along. Arrows and knives started flying through the air, colliding with the targets.

I launched a shuriken at my green target. Boom. 2 points.

Targets started to move faster now, left, right, up, down. I threw shuriken after shuriken at the green circular targets, hitting the centre nearly every time.

Before the activity, we had been given watches that tracked out points. Right now I was on 22.

I saw a green and orange target and threw my shuriken without hesitation. Chester swore as my points rose and his points dropped. I was winning.

I saw an arrow fly into a green, red and yellow target. Haile giggled as Alisma and I lost points.

Then came the first star. I threw my weapon and it hit, putting me further ahead than everyone else. It flew away from us and more circle targets came out.

After about 10 minutes, one star for each of our colours appeared and became surrounded by white targets. People started cursing left and right, losing points quickly.

Haile screamed as the tip of her arrow cut her finger, blood squirting everywhere. Oh yeah, she's a haemophilic. An Avox was instructed in and was told to escort Haile to a medical room.

I looked for black circles and multicoloured circles whilst people tried - and failed - to hit their star.

I then noticed a slight gap between the white circles. I flicked my wrists as I threw the shuriken. It was thin enough to slot between the white circles and hit my star.

The klaxon sounded again just as Ovid hit his star.

"Well done guys," the instructor said, clapping. "Our runner up with 189 points is Chester, but our winner with 206 points is Yohan. Congratulations guys!"