Eleven

Cypress

   "Everybody up! Today's going to be a busy day!" Sapphire shrieks at my door. I groan as I get up and pull on a T-shirt and pants. I comb my short, curly, brown hair and brush my teeth.

        "Today's training. Starts at ten. Do your best. Try to get some allies." Daved says at breakfast. He scowls at the word 'allies.' Looks like he didn't have many in the Games he was in.

 "Yes, sir." Blaze replies automatically.  I just sit and have a massive internal eyeroll. It's been going on since we've gotten here. Daved will say something, and then Blaze will say something that is completely agreeing to what he says. I try not to puke or do something like roll my eyes. 

      I meet Sapphire and Blaze at the elevator at five minutes to ten, and we head down to the ground level of the tribute building. Most of the tributes are there, but District Twelve still has to come. I look around. We are in large gym. The girl from 10 is standing with her arms around herself. The boys from One and Two are arm wrestling. Someone pins the number 11 on my back like the other tributes.  When District Twelve arrives, the trainer lady, Atala, tells us about training. There are different stations, and we are allowed to go to anyone we like. No fighting with other tributes. When Atala lets us go, I wander around until I find the knife station. The instructor tells me how to throw one, then lets me try. I pick a knife that's small, sharp, and resembles a dagger. I throw it, and it nearly hits the target. After a few more tries, I hit the bullseye. I smile to myself. At least I'm not hopeless. At the fire building station, it's just me, the instructor, and another girl from twelve. After fifteen minutes, I make a decent fire. I notice the other girl. She's having trouble. "Here," I say, and help her with the flint and steel you have to use to make a fire. 

  She looks at me and smiles a bit. She's got dark hair, which is tied back in a ponytail. Her gray eyes are kind of sad. "Thanks," she whispers.

   When I arrive at the axe throwing station, I can't even lift the axe. The other boy from Seven, Javier, snickers. I glare at him and walk away.  As I'm walking, I notice some Careers picking on the girl I helped. They are saying something about her district and family. The girl isn't saying anything to defend herself.

 Without meaning to,  I say, "Shut up! Can't you see it's making her feel bad?"

       "So what? Why should we care? Someone's gonna kill her anyways." A boy sneers, while the girl laughs.

"What if someone did that to you? How would you feel? You guys are proud of your district, right? So leave her alone!" I snap.

"Jeez, What's your problem?" Another boy says, and they all walk away.

At lunch, which is a bunch of tables and carts of food around the tables, all the Careers push tables together and sit. The rest of us are scattered among the other tables. I end up next to the girl from twelve.

After a while of eating in awkward scilence, I say, "Hi." 

She mumbles "Hi" back.

"So," I say even more awkwardly than the scilence.

"So what?"

"So, isn't kind of awkward just sitting here and doing nothing?"

"Um, okay..."

"What's your name?"

"Cypress."

"No offense, but isn't the name 'Cypress' supposed to be for people who kick butt?"

"I know. It's ironic that way." She says ruefully. (No pun intended.)

"Well, my name's Sage."

"Good to know."

"Wanna be allies?" I ask. Cypress seems pretty nice.

"Yes. I would love to be allies." Cypress replies.

Author's note: Sorry. This wasn't my best. :)

Copyright © 2012 anniema3