The 1st Quarter Quell

Chapter 9 - Training (Part 1)

"Come on, Althea! Wake up! It's your first day of training and you're already late!" Dixie's whiny voice screeches too loud for dawn - my head is already throbbing from the amount of times she'd bludgeoned me with the pillow. I moan into the pillow and slowly move my body, limb at a time, until I'm sat up. Dixie shoves a glass of water into my face and practically forces the drink down my throat. I take the glass from her hands more forcefully than I intend to, and gulp in an effort to wake myself up."It's past nine and you have to be there at ten! Dear this is not a good start! What will the Gamemakers think of your tardiness!"

"That I really don't want to kill anyone?" I ask sarcastically before drinking more water, and Dixie sends me a glare that's screaming out for me to take this more seriously. I probably should since I could be dead next week. And besides I'd rather not get hit by Dixie's fan again.

"Odile can you get in here and make her presentable, please?" Dixie calls out as she stands up and brushes her fishnet skirt into place. I hear soft footsteps coming down the hall and Odile walks in bearing a small bag of which I assume is packed with cosmetics and other devices to make me 'pretty'. 

"There's not much to do seeing as it's only training." Odile says, sending me a smile that immediately makes me less irritated at my awakening. She has such a calming affect on me that makes me feel a whole lot better about the situation.

"Well, the Gamemakers will be feeding their opinions directly to the announcers and the program later, so it won't hurt to at least look presentable." Dixie says with a bright smile, giving my cheek a light tap. I bite my tongue in irritation at Dixie's pushiness, but then tell myself she's only doing her job.

As I pull my legs over the side of my bed, I stretch my arms and yawn, fighting the urge to roll back and sleep some more. An Avox walks in with what I assume is breakfast on a tray, and the scent fills my nose, making my stomach rumble.

My mind briefly wanders to my family - Alfie and Izzy must be up about now, and my brothers making their way to work. Nostalgia floods my thoughts with the thoughts of pancakes and the mountain lakes of District 2. Not to mention my own bed.

"No, no, no!" Odile teases as she sits me back down before I could leap at the food set out, "We're going to prepare your face first." The wry smile on her face tells me that she has another mastermind plan for me in store down the line, and that this next will be her opportunity to make a doll out of me. Dixie then proceeds to lecture me on how to behave around the Gamemakers-

"You must be poised but look ready and not too eager to train-"

"Eager to train to kill people?" I scoff at Dixie's direction, and Odile gives me a scolding look that reminds me she's only helping me stay alive. 

"If you don't want my help suit yourself, but I won't be your shoulder to cry on when my numerous contacts in the Capitol do not wish to speak to you!" Dixie whines, throwing her hands in the air in defeat, and I laugh at her over the top reaction. 

"Who's crying on who?" Guinevere asks as she walks into the room, still in her night clothes, half awake. She still looks more prepared for work than Zachariah could ever be, providing he actually gets out of bed before 'work'.

"Dixie if this one irritates the Gamemakers." Odile sniggers as she moves away from me. My eyes linger over the exquisite breakfast laid out for me, and Odile's chuckle tells me I can finally eat. I leap for the food set out and don't hesitate wading through it.

"Well, the only ones she'll be irritating are the other Tributes - after last night, everyone's got their eyes on those two." Guinevere says sounding proud of herself, her eyes sparkling with a happiness I have never seen before. Must be nice actually having the slightest shed of hope in the kids you're preparing for slaughter.