An Ice Cold Killer - The 66th Hunger Games

Getting more mentoring advice (Part 6)

Unlike yesterday, I was waken up by myself after I had a nightmare of me being in the Games. It was hard to remember it, but I think I was in a desert. The sun was humungous and it was so hot the heat paralyzed me, I just sat there till I died. The air was so thick it was a challenge just trying to breathe. I woke up with my taking huge deep breathes like I was either a fish gasping on land, or like I had just ran 30 miles during full sprint. The prep team runs in to check on me.

"Its okay. Just a nightmare." I say. I don't think they believe me for some reason, because it looks like I've just cried, with my body completely drenched in sweat. I take a shower to wash myself off and I get dressed to eat breakfast and see whats on CapitolTV, the news channel for Panem. 

"For the most part, I think the parade went well. The speech, the chariots, all looked good as usual...except for a certain two people I think we all know of. Cayo and Mia. District 12. Their stylists have been fired and have been replaced already. For any future investors for District 12, don't let this turn you down. I know for sure that Mia is a very sweet 14 year old young woman. This also isn't me calling out any of them or District 12." Caesar says. I think when they said "replaced" they probably just killed them or sorting. Wouldn't be much of a surprise anyways. 

"You know what this reminds me of, Caesar?" Claudius asks.

"What is it?" Caesar says.

"That one year, exactly a decade ago. District 6's tributes had the same idea of their tributes being drenched in a black substance that was supposed to be oil. Remember?" Claudius says. They pull a clip up of the tribute parade that year and I recognize that the male from 6 was the winner of that year. He's now famous for being a morphing addict, like Megan. Speaking of Claudius, he has a cousin thats the Head Gamemaker this year. He's a couple of years younger than he is but he's quite a genius when it comes to making mutts and arenas. 

"Okay. Another day, another day of mentoring. So, today, I'm gonna show you how you could take shelter. This is my final lesson, so pay attention, since I'm not gonna repeat anything. Understand?" We both nod yes after Greir says that. "Good. Im gonna test your survival instincts since you've watched many Hunger Games. First off, you could you find shelter in a forest?" He asks.

"Ooh I got it! Make one out of sticks, tree limbs, and even palm fronds if you find some.  Or you could climb a tree and hide under the leaves, or if you're lucky, you can find a cave and barricade the entry with rocks in case of a flood or something." Elizabeth says, cutting me off of what I assume was an accident.

"Nice one, Elizabeth. A point for you. What about a desert?" Greir asks. I know the answer to this since the arena three years ago was a scrub desert. Many who lived after the bloodbath went insane from a lack of thirst and some of the other tributes were bitten by poisonous snakes. The famous Gloss Nicholo won that year, and he and his sister became very famous since they won consecutive years. 

"Hide in the sand if necessary. No-one did that except for one tribute to sneak up and bludgeon a career with a rock to death. 

"Correct. However, thats probably a bad idea since there could be poisons insects or something worse lurking in the sand. But its better than being blown away by a sand storm, and you could possibly suffocate to death. But its better than nothing." He says. "What about.... a snowy tundra?"

"Be in the cornucopia I guess?" Elizabeth says.

"That'll probably get you killed. Chances are, if it's a snowy arena, there will be opportunities to find other places to take shelter. You could make an igloo, even though that takes a lot of time. I wouldn't know myself, even though the other side of the arena three years ago was a snowy tundra. But, making an igloo seems best. Also, try to make fires. There's no way there would be no things to not make you keep warm, so make a fire in the igloo, the smoke can't rise there so the careers can spot you if they're still alive. The igloo also traps heat there so you'll keep warm, when though there's smoke in there. But, you could poke tiny holes in there so small amounts of smoke, not really noticeable to the eye from a big distance away, will escape. Undetrstand?" Greir asks.

"I do."  I say.

"So do I." Elizabeth says. Then, Greir shows us how to make fires. He takes a pen and uses it as a stick or something and pretends to make a fire.

"Rub your hands downward while turning the stick. This will create friction, creating heat, and eventually a fire, in theory. I tried it myself when I was in the arena just to see if it was true. I did it in the middle of the arena, and I did it so when the smoke would rise, the careers would come, and I would sabotage them. The plan worked flawlessly. When they came, there were only 2 left, and I kicked the boy in while at the same time I stabbed the female with my axe. I won right there and then. It was obviously easier said then done, but I still did it, with me being the tallest kid among the other 23. You see? Making fires can be used as a weapon. I remember seeing the year after mine where a career took an arrow, dipped it in a fire, and shot someone with it, and it set there insides on fire before it did on the outside, making them internally combust. Ive heard that most mentors don't want you to make fires, but they're not seeing the beneficial side to it. Sure, my plan may not have worked and I could have died, but sooner or later, we would have to meet anyways." Greir says. We do this hole mentoring thing until its time to hop on the train, going to train at the Training Center.