Thank You, Girl on Fire {Cato's Story}

Part 2---Chapter 7---Training

Chapter 7

Training

I slunk into the larger room, previously in my bedroom. It was late enough that I’d assumed no one was up and about. So I moved stealthily into the room with the semi-circled couches, all gold and silver, and the large screen across from it.  

I made my way to a remote. It was long and a solid black, sending a question through my head on how it operated, but before I could actually try to turn on the TV, it turned on itself. Motion activated, huh.

It defaulted to the Capitol channel, the broadcaster of the Games. It was showing a rerun of the parade, showing our proud smiles and crowd cheers, ending with Twelve stealing the attention. I clenched my fist and stared blankly for a moment at my knuckles, which were turning white.

Tapping the black, buttonless remote with my index finger, the screen suddenly changed. Instead of the old geezers with the strange hair and strange makeup and strange everything reflecting on the parade and the glimpses the people got of the upcoming tributes in the long waited game, it showed a menu. Quarter Quells, different games, reapings, interviews, trainings.

Narrowing my eyes, I moved my finger to the right several times, and the yellow bar landed on the Quarter Quell button. I paused, thinking. No, I decided. I want to watch the reaping. Pick out the weaklings.

I scrolled the yellow bar over to the reaping button, and then clicked on the 74th. The opening music played, and then I saw a district where there were fancy silver buildings and people dressed in furs and make-up that could paint a canvas.

“District one,” I muttered to myself. There was a beautiful girl from One, blond hair, tall. Good for hunting food? I asked to myself. She’s my ally. Pray to God she’s fit. That’s Glimmer, I guess. Her fellow tribute was a shorter guy, but he looks like he’ was built thickly. Hard to drive a spear through. That’s a plus. District One might come in handy this time around. Must be Marvel. District Two came on, and I could feel myself tighten. I found myself in the crowd, which was easy, because all the trained kids from the academy stood in front. There was me, and then I found Clove, Camilla, and Tacitus.

Clove was called, and my heart sped up as I saw myself turn to Camilla. I’d really like to give Camilla a piece of my mind by that point. Then Eli’s name was called, and I was up at the podium before Eli could even begin to walk.

District 3 wasn’t very memorable, a stupid looking girl who would probably die from a flick to her head, and then a boy who just didn’t look very stable. District 4 was the same way. D*mn it, I stomped my foot. They were supposed to be allies, and I found myself looking at a boy who probably came up to my hip, and a girl who had a vacant expression and huge lips that would do her no good. The boy from 5 looked okay, but I was already wary of District 5’s girl, who looked too smart for her own good. I shrugged. She’s easy. I’ll knife her no problem. Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9 were absolutely pathetic. Why do they even call this a competition? It’s like throwing a lion into a cage with 23 newborn birds. No one has a chance.

10’s boy had a limp, too bad for him, and 10’s girl was added to the pathetic pile. District 11 came on, and the boy was called. He’s tall, and thick, and bulky. Cato, I laughed. Look’s like you have some competition. I rolled my eyes. I’d kill him in seconds. Give or take the deflection time of our swords. If he had one. And if he managed to keep a good hold on it. The girl from 11 was puny, probably couldn’t fight for her life. I’d just let someone else kill her. And then I’d kill them. Easy.

I saw a blond boy from 12 getting called up, he was crying, how touching. And then there was a volunteer. The only other volunteer besides me. I paused the reaping for a second and sat back on the couch. Something just stirred in my chest. But before I could think about it any while longer, Elektra came up from behind.