Ruins of the past

Chapter 8

"The Cornucopia?", I hear the guy from district one suggest, his name is Glorio and he's one of the most arrogant careeros I've ever seen.
"Sounds like a good spot", answers the girl from seven. She now even eats with them! A careero from district seven, wow. Even if she wins people won't be happy to see her, they will be disgusted and she will be lonely.
A normal tribute winning there? Loved. But one of their own turning into a so hated career?
"What do we do first? Kill them first or grab the most important things?", I hear Glorio say.
I'm eating breakfast and, because I'm kinda late, sit weirdly close to the careeros, so that I can overhear their plans.
The food smells sweet.
It's not really interresting, it's the same tactic all careeros use.
Camping near the Cornucopia, killing people after grabbing the best stuff.
They're talking about their homes now, how famous they will be. Exited, happy, proud.
Slowly I stand up, I can't think of my home right now. Not of my parents, not of my school, not of my best friend.

The day goes by quickly, distracting myself with sword practice and some survival tips really helps.
It's late evening, the sun is still high up, it's summer.
"Hey! Why so alone? Can we sit with you? Or wait no, we don't sit with nearly dead loosers", I overhear one of the careeros mock Lera.
She sits there, her head in her hands, alone.
"Leave her alone, don't you have something better to do?", I interrupt the careero girl, Petra is her name.
She thinks she's the best, but honestly? All she does it talk shit.
She turns around and stares at me for a second, then she yells: "Oh, Mr. skinny can talk! Guys, look!"
I roll my eyes and focus on my food again, but then hear her say: "What? Now you don't wanna talk? Too shy? Or too afraid?"
Ignore it, that's best. Ignore her and just keep eating, don't let her provoce you!
She's behaving like a child, stupid names and looking for attention.
After a while she gives up and leaves the room, her footsteps getting quiet quickly.
A few moments later I hear a shy "thank you" and just nod.

Four days left to train, then the Interview and then.. the games.
I've talked a bit with this guy from eleven, I think. Maybe we'll become allies, then Chryss would be my ally too since they already are.
He's twelve, very poor, has a big family. He got reaped because of Tesserae.
What if I hadn't took them? Would I still be here or would I be at home, safer?
I shake my head, no. I needed to take them, she would have died otherwise.

My thoughts go back to the day I met her, it was winter, freezing cold and during a snowstorm.
Dad forgot something at work, I can't remember what it was, and I was alone at home.
It was in the middle of the night, I sat by my window, staring outside, looking at this white wonderland.
Then I saw a shadow running towards the supply house.
Anybody who is caught stealing there will get killed, regardless of why and what they stole.
Little children, the few old people we have, they make no exeptions.
So, when a Peacemaker came to check the noises out, I threw a stone at him.
Well, it landed kinda close to him.
It didn't hurt him, obviously, their uniforms are way to thick, but it distracted him so that the person could flee.
She came to me the next day, thanked me over and over again.
She was extremly thin back then, you could even see her bone structure! 

"What? Do you really thought we were going to be your allies? Just because your from district two?", I hear Glorio make fun of someone.
"You can't do anything! Your best skill is still worse than those of a five year old!" He laughts and pushes the tall but pretty skinny boy in front of him back.
"Leave him alone!", I hear some other careero defend him, but he just ignores her.
He lowers his head and is silent, his longer light brown hair hides his face.
He's taller then Glorio, which has to be pretty annoying for him, considering he himself is one year older.
"Man, he schould really tone it down a bit", I hear Tato, an potential ally of mine, say.
I met him this morning while I tried to make a fire, we talked for a bit and then thought about being allies.
He looks like most of the people in district twelve, straight black hair, olive skin and grey eyes, tired from working.

His family is very poor, he took Tesserea to help his siblings.
I've heard they now have the fence put under power all day, so that people can only sneak out at night, when dangerous animals are hunting. I think they even released some of those new mutated species there, the wolfes for example are way bigger and more agressive then before. Or those meat eating rabbits I've heard of.
They want to make sure they don't know anything that can help them, like those who started the revolution did.
That's also why they changed a rule, they don't need the winner alive anymore.
The winner is, if nobody is alive anymore, the one who died last.
"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna end well", I agree with him.
The moment I say this it happens, a loud signal rings out, paramedics rush into the room and force both of them away from each other.
Glorio has a bleeding nose and starts to try hurting the guy, I overhear the paramedics call him Ore, again.
Blood is dripping down Ores arm, a silver knife with detailed black handel right next to him on the floor. His face pale, afraid.

"Dear tributes, we have to remind you that harming others is still forbiden until you enter the arena. Todays training will be ended due to violation of said rule", I hear a deep voice inform us.
"What? That's not fair!", people start complaining, but they don't care.
They put children in an arena to kill each other! They obviously don't care about fairness.
"If he hurts us here who knows what he's gonna do at the bloodbath!", I hear the same girl from earlier whisper, she looks concerned.
Another girl joins her, then the girl from seven.

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Back again, a new chapter!
Thank you so much for reading, voting and commenting btw!

Guys. There was a spider directly above my face when I woke up.
I just searched for it everywhere and can't find it, maybe it wasn't real?
But also. I passed my class!