Broken (A Hunger Games Fanfic)

Chapter 4

I froze.

Across the field, an old woman was going berserk.

"It's her! It's her!" She screamed.

Ciara looked at me and gasped. She turned away and ran back into her house as the Peacekeepers ran in my direction. I was grabbed from behind and nearly fell flat on my face. I was sure my family and I would be killed right there on the spot. A heard a gun blast as I closed my eyes shut.

But I didn't feel any pain.

I opened them and saw the old woman who had screamed lying on the ground, blood beginning to pour out of the gunshot wound. The Peacekeeper who grabbed was dragging me away as the others walked out of the house with the rest of my family.

"Ash!" I shouted to him. He didn't look up. Berkley and Sage were bawling, shrieking for me to come back. Galen looked at me and mouthed the words 'I know you're ready'.

The Peacekeeper kept on pulling me away to the train station.

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A day later, a train had come and I was pulled away to the Capitol. The young woman who does the reaping in District 7 every year introduced me to her. I found out her name is Calypse; she has silvery blue hair, curled to perfection, and eyes that are the strangest color of green-blue. Around them are curly designs in the color silver. Like all the other people from the Capitol, her clothes are outrageous.

"Well, we are a bit behind schedule, due to your disappearance," She tells me, "We'll meet the train with our male tribute in District 2. For now, you can go get dressed for dinner,"

I walked down the train trying to find my room. I asked a girl if she knew, but she didn't say anything. She just lead me down the hall to a silver and gold door.

"Thank you," I said, but she already left.

I opened the dresser and took out a clean white shirt and knitted cardigan. I slipped on jeans and flats then brushed my windblown hair. There was a knock on the door and Calypse told me it was time for dinner.

The dining room wasn't large, but it was the most elegant room I'd seen on the train. Calypse and a boy I didn't recognize were sitting down, talking and eating. The boy had black-brown hair and green eyes with flecks of gold. He looked about Ash's age, eighteen or nineteen. He saw me and stood up.

"Hello, you must Annabelle Adler. I'm Adrian, your mentor," He shook my hand.

"Hi," I said carelessly, walking away to eat. I knew it was rude, but I didn't want to be here.

The dinner consisted of varieties of crustacean and soups, desserts, and foods I couldn't recognize that I knew immediately were from the Capitol. I ate light and talked hardly. Why would they try acting like it was feast to celebrate some ridiculous act? I'm about to get killed, and they're acting like it's the greatest thing that ever happened to them.

"We'll be arriving in District 6 soon," Calypse informs me, but I hardly hear her as I exit the room.

In my bedroom, I pull on a nightgown from the closet and lie on the bed. I want to slap them, wake them from their little fantasies and make them face reality.

At one point in the night, there was another knock on my door. Sleepily, I stood up and opened the door. I expected Calypse or one of the servants to inform me about something I didn't even care about, but instead it was Adrian.

I sighed, "What do you want? It's two in the morning."

"I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes, if you don't mind,"

"Fine, but make it quick,"

He lead me down the corridor until we were in a room set with Victorian sitting furniture and polished tables in mahogany wood. He sat down on an armchair and I sat on the couch across from him.

"I could tell something's wrong with you by the way you were acting at dinner," He tells me.

"I'll give you a hint," I reply, "Why do you think I ran away from the reaping?"

He didn't answer me.

"Because I knew I was going to get picked,"

"And you did," He interupted.

"And I knew that I wouldn't survive in the arena for more than a day. My only good skill is making and throwing a knife. I can't track or trap an animal, or even shoot a bow. I'd probably get killed in the bloodbath."

"That's why I'm here to train you," He assures. "I can help you with those skills tomorrow after we watch the reapings,"

"Okay, okay, can I just go back to bed now?" I ask agitated.

"Sure," He says, "See you tomorrow, Annabelle."

I walk back to my room and fall asleep before my head touches the pillow.

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The next morning I put on jeans and tan boots with the tanktop Ciara gave me in District 11. Calypse tells me we are entering District 3. Calypse makes me watch the reapings from the other districts. A girl from District 10 looks strong enough, but I can see her trying not to cry. The boy from District 4 is strong and handsome, but he reminds me of Galen. When it comes to the time when I need allies I will have a hell of a time deciding. After they are finished, I stand up to find Adrian

Adrian is waiting in the same room he took me to last night. He has a few arrows and a bow set out on the coffee table, along with a silver knife. A wooden stand is placed on one wall drawn to look like a human, with targets placed in a variety of places.

"Welcome," He greets me, "To the Adrian Vance Early Hunger Games Training Center!"

"Isn't that kind of a long name?" I joke.

He laughs then hands me the knife.

"You said you were good at throwing a knife," He reminds me, "Try hitting the targets from across the room,"

I walk to the entrance I came in and got into my knife-throwing position, aiming it for the target in the center. I let the hilt slide off my fingers as I throw it. It flies in a straight line like my older knife and sticks itself only an inch away from the target.

"Not bad," Adrian praises, "Show me how good you are at shooting an arrow."

"Are you sure you want to risk your life?" I say sarcastically. I set up the bow as straight as I can get it, but my skills with setting up the arrow haven't changed a bit. When I finally the get the bow and arrow in a good position, I let it go and soars to the wooden stand, but it lands three inches away from the head.

"Hmm, I think I believe you now," Adrian says mockingly. He walks over to me.

"First, you need to know your dominant eye. Which eye is more accurate at aiming judging distances? If your dominant eye is the right, then use your right hand to shoot. Your left shoulder should aim to the target," He instructs me.

I do as he says and get into a shooting stance.

"Lightly hold the arrow with your fingers while still holding the bow, then pull back. Release by relaxing your fingers."

I do as he says, pulling the bow's string and relaxing. The string snapped away from my fingers, the arrow flying exactly how the knife did. It seemed to fly in slow motion, then landed on the blue ring around the target's red spot in the center. I gapped at the arrow's landing spot. Beside me Adrian is smiling.

"Oh my God, I did it!" I shriek. I'm about to hug Adrian in thanks, but I stop myself. It would make me look weak.

"Yep," Adrian agrees, "Keep practicing and do exactly what I told you. If you know more stuff, the more people will want to be your ally,"

I practice a few more times with the bow, then Adrian teaches me trapping. He has started to tell me how to set a trigger wire when Calypse walks in.

"Excuse me, Adrian, but I have to take Miss Annabelle away. We have arrived in District 2,"

Thank you for reading! Chapter 5 you will meet the male tribute! :) -Kaitlyn