Deceived: The 500th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 29 - Training: Day 3

CRESSELIA BLACK'S P.O.V

I picked up the sword I had been using the last two days. Jackson was with me, his weapon of choice an axe.

With the comfortable handle of the sword gripped in my hand, I swung around, hearing the swoosh as the sword cut through the air.

"Hey, Cresselia," Jackson laughed. "You wanna get 5 dummies between us?"

I nodded. "Bring them all to us. We'll take them down."

5 dummies were set up. Between them, the dummies had an axe, a sword, a trident, a bow and arrow and some shurikens.

I sliced my sword at the one with the bow and arrow. I sliced through the bow string. Jackson used the axe to behead the dummy. The arrows rolled over the dead dummy.

I ran to the one with the sword. The two metal weapons collided. Jackson was fighting the one with shurikens.

I twisted, the dummy's sword missing my body. I stabbed at the dummy, causing it to keel over and fall to the ground. I sliced the sword through its neck. It choked on its own blood and died.

Jackson threw his axe. It stabbed the dummy, with the shurikens, in the back. It flailed on the floor and died. 2 to go.

My sword pierced the heart of the dummy with the axe. It fell to the floor, the end of my sword sticking vertically out of its chest.

I picked up the axe. I haven't used one of these before. It's pretty cool.

The last dummy - the one with the trident, threw his weapon at us. Jackson defended the trident with his axe. Both weapons flew out of reach.

The dummy lunged for Jackson, and they wrestled on the floor. Jackson blocked the padded punches the dummy threw at him.

I threw my axe. The weapon rotated, slicing the air. It hit its target - the dummy's neck. The dummy fell limp on the floor. Jackson got up and tossed the dead dummy aside. "That was hard, but fun!" He panted.

I nodded, and went over to the first aid area. I'd had enough of fighting.

I wonder how Zenobia is back home. Alone on the streets. Fending for herself. She can't use a weapon. She isn't a fighter. I miss her so much.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to cry. Zenobia is so sweet and kind. The poor kid.

Maybe she was taken into the orphanage?

I hope not. I know what the District 10 orphans have been through.

I tied my arm up in a sling. I made a cast out of mud and leaves. I learnt how to identify medicinal plants.

"Hey, Cresselia," Jackson said. He lifted up his cast. It had hearts and flowers all over it, painted on at the camouflage area.

"Honestly, I'm not in the mood," I said, with a serious tone. "Just let me be for now."

I walked off, throwing bandages and gauze on the floor. I miss Zenobia so much.

I went over to the lunch area, even though I wasn't hungry. I sat at one of the tables, taking a bunch of dried meat, dried fruit, bread and crackers with me.

How would I ration these? The games only last for 5 days maximum.

I divided the items I had gathered into 5 equal piles. I learnt that the crackers wouldn't supply my needs.

I'll need to hunt in the arena if I want to survive.

But the problem is I don't know what animals are okay to eat. In the last arena, there were those rabbits that poisoned 5 of the tributes.

I'll only hunt animals I know. I'll cut them to shreds before I eat them. For me, my survival isn't about violence, it's about hunger.

This is the Hunger Games after all.


SPIKELET QUINN'S P.O.V

I grabbed my golden pickaxe from the stand where I had left it everyday.

I've decided for training, dummies are too easy. Today, I asked if I could mine some rock.

A bunch of hard slabs had been delivered to the Training Centre just for me.

If I was getting special deliveries like this, it shows that somewhere out there, people care. People think I may have a chance of winning.

I started mining the stone, gaining a rhythm and developing a hitting pattern.

I did this for 4 hours straight. I finally stopped when I felt my hands burning. The burning sensation was worse than it was yesterday from the bar exercise.

"Oi, pickaxe boy!"

Spiro.

I turned around. He was laughing, a tub of light green cream in his hand. "Try some of this if your hands are sore."

I scooped some cream with my index finger. I already felt the blistering pain leaving my hands, being smothered by the soothing cream.

"Where did you get this from?" I said, my hands being moisturised.

Spiro tapped his nose. "I have a little deal going on," he smiled, and looked over at an Avox. I recognised the face, but I don't know where.

The Avox smiled at me. She had bright white hair, big blue eyes and she was extremely tall.

It was my old neighbour. Her family 'moved away and died.'

"Cathie!" I screamed at her. Her smile widened, happy that I remembered who she was. Grandis dated her once, seeing as they're the same age. "How long have you been here?" It's been years since I've seen her.

She held up 4 fingers. 4 years? I wonder why she was sent here.

Unfortunately, I will never be able to find out why. She can't talk.

I saw Muscida. She had a whiteboard and a pen, and was writing down things to Cathie. Cathie smiled and wrote something back.

She held the whiteboard up to me. 'My father betrayed the Capitol. My parents were executed. I became an Avox. I never did anything.'

I shook my head. The poor girl. She had a life filled with joy, waiting for a day to volunteer for the games. Instead, she became an Avox. For her parents actions.

Muscida and Cathie started signing something to each other. They were both using their hands and head actions to communicate. It was pretty interesting.

I decided to go find Grandis. Maybe he will become emotionally attached to her again. It'll give me a chance to knock him off guard in the games.

It's easier to feel weakness if you can love.

"Hey Grandis," I yelled. "Get over here."

He stomped over here. "What do you want squirt?" He grunted.

"I don't want anything." I pointed to Cathie. "Someone is waiting for you."

Grandis saw Cathie. Cathie started silently crying. Grandis collapsed onto her shoulder.

Good luck in the games, Grandis.


ASTONIA ELTWEED'S P.O.V

My favourite weapon here has to be the trident.

I've only wielded a trident once before, which was at the Mayor's house. He has an entire room of weapons. Only fake ones, but heavy enough to do fatal damage if you have the strength.

My favourite instructor here has to be the lady at the plant area. She actually guides you through the area, helping you where you need it, but not smothering you with pointless information.

I've learnt what plants I should use on wounds, what I can eat, which ones have no purpose and which ones can kill me in seconds.

I've learnt that if a plant has fine hairs, thorns, an almond scent, pink or purple grain heads and discoloured sap, it's best to stay away.

My favourite tributes have to be Muscida, Lawson, Carlin, Cherrie and Spikelet.

I'm teaming with Muscida, Lawson and Carlin. We all have enough common interests to bond, but not enough to clash.

I am an extremely rich girl. Muscida is an abused mute girl. Lawson is a survivor with only one hand. Carlin is the cleverest guy I've ever met.

I love Cherrie. She's so cute and kind, but there's something about her that's sly, stealthy and almost ruthless.

I also admire Spikelet. I've heard of 1 tribute who has used a pickaxe in the games, and this was sometime near the 150th games. He was from District 12. He mined a hole in the rocks and stayed there for ages. He was eventually killed by a girl from 9.

He has the courage to use a pickaxe in the games, something that no one does. Everyone sticks to their same daggers and bows, district 4 with their spears and district 7 with their axes. It's nice to see originality in the games.

I went over to the weights. I have used these a lot over the last few days. I've noticed myself getting stronger. My biceps bulge slightly, even when I'm not tensing.

I lifted one of the big balls. It was heavy. I refused to look at the size. It was the biggest one there.

My reason for failure in the test yesterday was to do with that I don't have strength when it comes to gripping. I find it hard to pull myself up, so I've spent a lot of this morning climbing and swinging. I think I've improved a bit since yesterday, but I'm not as strong as Stevia.

I could feel Career eyes on me. I closed my eyes and swung my arm slightly.

I opened my eyes. I need to focus. I looked at the target about 20 metres away from me. I threw the huge weight at the target.

The wood splintered under the force of the weight. I looked at the rack.

I had just thrown 20lb weight. That's almost a stone and a half. That's like throwing a fifth of me.

Sage, Grandis and, surprisingly, Leporis, were all staring at me like I was a threat. Sage wrote my name down in a notebook he had.

I am a threat to the Careers.

I left the weight in the middle of the floor and left the training ground. I've done everything my body can handle today.

I need to rest for my private session tomorrow afternoon.

I need to rest full stop. I haven't slept properly since a few nights before the Reaping. My parents have been shot. I'm in the Games. I can't sleep.

I won't sleep. Sleep is for the weak.