All That Glimmers Isn't Gold

Seven

Marvel

As Cato attempted to throw a spear at the dummy, I couldn't help but glance over to the knives station to where Glimmer was with Clove. She was watching Clove's every throw.

I also couldn't help the way her hair fell perfectly in her face as she flicked her eyes, along with her head, at each target Clove was hitting.

"Dude, you are so whipped." Cato said from next to me.

"Shut up." I punched him in the arm playfully and turned back to spear throwing. He reminded me a lot of Dash. After about throwing 15, my arm was feeling a little fatigued, so I stopped and put down the spear.

There was only thing running through my mind.

How I would protect Glimmer.

After reading that note it opened up every sense of mine to her, to savor every moment. When I die, I want to make sure its for her.

"Yo, earth to Marvel?" Cato waved a hand in my face.

"What?" He had snapped me out of my daze just before I had began to drool. Wow.

"Get your mind off of your girl and help me get the spears back onto the rack. Then we can go do sword fighting."

"Goodie." I picked up a couple of spears in each hand and placed them on the rack.

I then followed Cato over to the sword station, where a couple tributes from 6 and 7 were.

"Go build a fire." I heard Cato growl at them. I laughed at their frightened faces and picked up a medium sized sword.

I have to admit, the only weapon I had really ever picked up was a spear. I never paid any attention to swords or maces. So having the handle of an unfamiliar object in my hand, especially when one of my allies was near me, I felt like falling over embarrassed.

"You don't normally do swords, do you, Marvel?" Cato looked over to me and grinned.

I chuckle nervously and said, "Never in my life."

"Its all good. Go ahead and go back to the spears. Just use this time wisely, no flirting with your girl."

I was shocked that he had let me down so easily. And I was also shocked that he was telling me what to do.

Normally these things don't bother me, but when my life is at stake, it had some effect. I went to find one of the trainers sitting off to the side.

"Hey, can you," I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Umm, I need..."

"Help with training?" She asked. "That's what I'm here for, kid."

"Thanks." I followed her over to the medium swords rack. She handed me one, then got one for herself.

"Okay. So this is how you grip. Make sure the fork of your thumb is closest to the blade, right at the end of the handle."

I did as she instructed, trying to get my hand in a comfortable position, but the blade felt unfamiliar to me.

"I'm sorry," I chuckled to myself, thinking of how ridiculous I looked.

"No problems. You are better than most of the tributes that have come through. Now, I want you to swing diagonally from right to left."

"But there is nothing to swing at." I said.

"The air is always a good target."

I nodded and did as she instructed once more, twisting my arm to where I could hold the weight, but she reprimanded me.

"You are thinking like a spear throwing. You don't adjust your arm to its needs, you hold the sword for your preys' needs. You want a clean swipe, so you don't rotate the sword, you bring it straight down." She placed her hands right on my shoulders. "Now try it again."

I brought the sword down, clenching my teeth as the pressure of her hand pushed against my shoulder. I felt an inner pop as I was bringing it down.

"Nice job. Go ahead and practice those swings, now that you know what it feels like."

"Got it." The trainer walked off to another tribute, the small one from District 4.

I smirked and started to walk towards Clove at the knives station.

"What's up, Marvel?" She threw a knife, and within one second the blade was sticking out of the bead of the dummy.

"Just cruising around. I'm getting bored a lot quicker now."

"Perks of being old. Too bad you won't be used to it for long."

"And why's that?" She had thrown another knife, and this time it was in the leg.

"Have you seen Cato? Not saying that he is certain to win, but we are all contenders in these games. Not just you and Glimmer. Although I don't know why her odds are good."

"I don't want to win."

Clove stopped throwing and straightened up. "Shouldn't a career only care about winning?"

"Trust me," I started. "I do think about winning. Just not me winning."

And with that, I left Clove standing there, speechless.

Glimmer

Marvel had just walked away from Clove with Clove's mouth agape. What had he said to her?

He walked over to the spears again and started throwing them. I couldn't help but notice the way the muscles in his back flexed as he threw each one.

They each hit the target, right where the red bulls-eyes were. Soon the target had spears sticking out of it in all of the focus points.

I turned back to my own work, archery. I aimed the arrow to the head of the target, made sure my posture was correct, then re-aimed. The arrow shot through the air, hitting the backboard behind it.

Miss.

I did the same procedure to the head again, but each one missed.

How would I win these games?