Not Just A Game

Chapter 29

I stand on the pedestal at the fake cornucopia the next day at training. I'm with Dustin, Griffin, and Harley.

I've decided to study the tributes while training, instead of staring at them like yesterday, which proved to be unproductive.

Indi and Raudo are my new victims.

When we walked in to training this morning, instead of heading straight to the swords, they wandered to the back of the facility to the cornucopia.

I managed to get the rest of my District to follow me so it seemed less lonely and awkward.

As much as they intimidate me, it would be worse to find out their strengths and weaknesses in the Games than to face them here.

I'm looking straight at the fake plastic knives on the ground thirty feet from where I stand. That's my goal. But there aren't any backpacks in my path, so I'll have to go out of my way to get to them.

The countdown is nearing twenty.

I stand slightly right of the center of the cornucopia. If I ran in a straight line, I would run just past the shiny silver structure.

Indi is directly on my left, eyes locked on me. I realize we're both going for the knives. She knows this too, so maybe I'll go for a backpack instead to throw her off.

Then maybe I'll find another bag of knives near it.

The gong echoes loudly through the training center, and I full out sprint towards the nearest backpack. I reach it in a matter of seconds, and see combat knives littering the floor. They'll have to do. Its just training anyways.

I run back past the pedestals and stop. The instructor jogs over to me and says how great I did. I don't take it to heart, because they tell everyone that, every single time.

I didn't even encounter any of the hologram-tributes running around. I watch Indi closely. She already has her hand wrapped around the plastic knives, and prepares to throw it at a holo-tribute who runs after we with a holo-spear.

She launched the knife which passes through the hologram. The image shatters and disappears. The knife continues in its path and bounces off the nearest wall and clatters to the floor.

I turn my attention to Harley who managed to grab a bow and is shooting foam arrows at the hologram tributes. She has a backpack slung over her shoulder. I never really paid much attention to how Harley trained, but I realize I underestimated her. She's managed to shatter about three holo-tributes by now, and still aims for another.

I jump when I feel a hand tap my shoulder. I turn around to see Griffin behind me. I didn't even notice him finish.

I say a simple, "Hey."

"Hey." He looks at the floor. Things have been awkward between us.

We haven't really talked since before the reapings. He was basically family before, and now we never talk. I wish it would change.

After a few minutes of silence, neither of us has the drive to start up a conversation, but we both know what the other is thinking. I hope that the silence can say more than my words can.

Dustin stands beside me now, along with Harley. I see Indi and Raudo still finishing up the last few holo-tributes.

The images shatter into a visual of silver shards when killed. The holograms even have twisted faces when they're stabbed. I wonder if this is really what they looked like when they died.

Raudo bears a long piece of plastic resembling a sword. Even him smashing it against the air, somehow makes it still look lethal.

He smirks at me as the last tribute shatters into thin air.