nightmare + f. odair✔

05

Octavia neared the knife section, eyes trained on the deadly weapons.

After the dreaded conversation with the girl from two, Octavia was ready to start something new. Something enjoyable for her, something she could learn to understand rather than be reminded of the things she already knew.

The trainer running the station gave her a brief nod of acknowledgment, signaling for her to follow him to the knife rack.

"I'm just going to take a guess and say you've never thrown before," he stated gruffly, grabbing a belt of smaller, dagger looking knives and thrusting them into Octavia's arms.

"Congratulations, you've guessed correct," she mumbled, more to herself rather than him.

He shot her a glare, but Octavia just shrugged and grabbed a knife from the belt. She strapped the black piece of fabric onto her slim waist, and waited for the next set of directions.

"There are three types of knives," he started, turning away from the rack and eyeing her.

"Balanced, handle heavy, and blade heavy. You're starting with balanced, as you're a beginner.

Octavia nodded quickly.

"To throw, you'll want to stand straight, facing the target. It was about 30 meters away.

"Bend your wrist and forearm to a few inched past your ear, and throw. Make sure you exaggerate the wrist snap," the trainer finished, gesturing for her to do it.

Octavia got into position, doing as instructed. She kept her gaze trained towards the target, before throwing.

It landed on the floor three feet in front if the dummy.

She let out a "hmph," tilting her head towards the trainer who frowned.

"When you snap your wrist," he began.

"Make sure you snap it forward," he finished, nodding for her to try again.

Only this time, at a target shaped as the human body.

Octavia let out a shuddery breath, closing her eyes involuntarily as she shook the dark thoughts from her head. If she were to kill and survive in the games, this is what it took.

So, Octavia positioned herself the way she was told, and threw. She did everything perfectly, and the knife landed in the second to last ring.

"Good job," the trainer seemed impressed.

Octavia ran out of the room, emptying her stomach on the floor of the hall.

She couldn't do this- she couldn't kill innocent children. She couldn't bare having the blood on her hands.

Tears streaming down her face, she pushed herself back against the wall.

Breathe

Breathe

In, out

She recited in her head the words her mom used to speak to her when she was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Octavia?"

She looked up from her position, noticing Alix standing a few yards from her.

He stared at the younger girl. She was only a two years younger than him- she was a child and she was thrown into games that condemned children to their inevitanle death.

Alix sighed, running a hand through his locks and going to sit next to the evidently distraught girl.

"I know we aren't- friends, or anything. But you're a strong girl, Octavia Whether. And if you wanted-" he cut himself on, debating his words carefully.

"Survive, these games, you could," his words soothed her tremors, and she shakily stood, standing almost a full head shorter than the older male.

"Why?" She asked, her words confusing him.

"I'm going to need you to be a bit more specific, love," he smirked, his previously kind voice replaced with one of sarcasm and humor.

"Why help me? Why say that, unless its some messed up mind game?" Octavias voice raised slightly. She was frustrated, angry, aggravated.

"You think that low of me?" His face dropped slightly, knowing he'd been an asshole to the girl, but not to that point.

She shook her head at him, wiping her face and turning on her heel and walking away.

Two could play at that game.

-

The next few days of training consisted of a lot of climbing and knife work on Octavias part.

She hadn't heard from the boy from nine or Hahna since their previous conversation, where she had hesitantly agreed to an alliance. She also hadn't spoken to Alix, who had ignored her like the plague.

"Octavaia," speaking of, the aforementioned male appeared in the doorway of her bedroom quarters.

"Alix," she muttered, her eyes not moving from the book she read.

"Listen- I wanted to ask you if you wanted to be allies."

His words were rushed, nervous almost. Octavia looked up from the book she was reading about the early days of the new age, frowning.

"I'm already apart of an alliance, Alix," she spoke carefully, her words slow and calm.

"Oh," he mumbled, more surprised then anything. He didn't show it, though. He just smiled lightly and walked out.

Octavias brows furrowed, as she stared at the now empty walkway.

Maybe, just maybe, Alix Peters was not as bad as she thought.