Breaking Down Bridges ▸ Hunger Games

Chapter Sixteen: Cato Demeir

Chapter Sixteen:

Cato's POV

It's true

We're all a little insane

But it's so clear

Now that I'm unchained

—Evanescence, "Sweet Sacrifice"

I could feel the anger rising inside me as I glanced up at Shawn's picture with my score underneath.

I had watched his demonstration, and it wasn't impressive. Yeah, he was good with spears, but I was ten times better. And as far as his knife-skills... well, Cyra could take him out in a second. The only reason he got a twelve point five was because of his stupid grandfather. I had trained for thirteen years to get that score... and Shawn was just the grandson of the damn president.

I couldn't contain my rage anymore. I stormed right back inside the training center gym and snatched a sword off the display case.

"Mr. Demeir... what are you doing...? The demonstrations are over..." President Frost trailed off, raising his eyebrows.

I smirked and twirled the sword around in my hand. "I know."

"Then, what are you doing here?" he repeated, clearly unamused.

I drove the blade of the sword through a nearby dummy and pulled it up, ripping the head off, leaving it attached to the top of my sword.

Frost and his Gamemakers stared at me in confusion.

I began laughing as I pointed the sword and dummy head towards them. "Ya think your little grandson's sooooooo  skilled, huh? Yeah, well, he's nothing but just another worthless tribute. You'll see who deserves that score when we're in the arena. Because, believe me, this head might as well be his..."

"You're very, very lucky I like you, Mr. Demeir," Frost trailed off, "Because if I didn't, well... we all know what would happen..."

I just laughed, pulled the head off my sword, and tossed it behind my shoulder. "I'm not done yet."

Frost shook his head and gave me some sort of disapproving look.

I made my way over to the fire-making station and dipped the tip of the sword in a flame until I was waving a flaming sword around the room.

One of the Gamemakers was smirking, which made me snap, "Hey, you! What do you think you're smirking at? You're next!!"

"Next for wh—?"

Before he could finish his question, I threw the flaming sword right through his chest.

The blood splattered all over the other Gamemakers and President Frost. This was going even better than I planned.

"Don't you see?" I laughed, "I deserve the record-breaking score! Not Shawn... We all know that the Hunger Games is about killing... not who your damn grandfather is. And, clearly,  I'm not afraid to kill. I'm not even in the arena yet, and someone's already dead because of me. So, thank you for your time... I greatly  appreciate it..."

With that, I strolled out of the room, leaving President Frost and his Gamemakers alone to clean up the mess.

Doe was staring at me, eyes wide in shock, trembling in fear like she always did.