The Tournament of Life

Part 5

  Every tribute is stocked into the training room just waiting to be called, to show off their skills to the judges. I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I need to think of something and fast.

Boys, then girls. That's the order. So when Max is called and I'm sitting alone with about ten other people, I nervously bounce my knee. I can hear whispering, and suddenly someone speaks aloud. 

"I'd bet a lot that her brother is weak without her. I get everything you got if it's true." I clench my jaw, trying to be unfazed by the comment, but I just can't seem to let it go. 

As I'm about to turn around and give this guy a piece of my mind, my name is called. "Hunter, Aspen. Please report to the training area at this time." The female voice cuts me off from attacking the other tribute, and I stand up with my fists clenched at my sides. 

"Good luck, Mother Nature." I hear a few others snicker behind me, but I ignore it. It might be better to let off some steam in here and not in there. 

I notice Max walking past me and back into the training room where the other kids sit. 

The judges look pretty upset, but I pretend not to notice. 

I pick up the ax that stands against the metal pole in the middle of the room and get a feel of it. It's heavy, yes, but It's perfect for damage. I ready myself in front of the dummies and swing the ax forward, quickly doing a duck-and-roll to retrieve it from the foam. 

I spin and decapitate the head of the dummy, aware of the silence that has spread through the room. I run to the other direction, slide on the ground and face back to the dummy which is now fifty feet away.

I wow the judges by my final act, which is turning around and forcing the ax backwards, where fifty feet away it gets caught in the dummies stomach. 

Claps erupt from the table on top of the podium, and I can't help but bow. 

I set the ax back to where it was, listening to the chatter slowly fade away when I walk back to the Training room. When I get there, Johanna awaits us in the elevator. 

"Good job, you two. Mentors are allowed to see the tributes perform, and both of you did an amazing job. I have a good feeling about tomorrow." 

'Great, She just raised my nerves.' I think to myself.

-

The next two hours were spent waiting for the training scores, and by that time I was pacing the living room and Max was sat on the couch, enjoying a box of vanilla cookies an awaiting staff gave him at his request.

Ceasar goes through one by one, and my heart starts to beat faster as he gets to seven.

"Maxwell Hunter did an amazing job, and for that, we give him a score of," He pauses, "Nine." The room goes into a cheer and I smile at him, glad that he got the score he wanted. 

"Aspen Hunter, a talented young woman and a bright girl got a score of," His face falters, and I can't seem to place why. "Eleven." He smiles, saying that I've got the highest score so far. I tune out the rest of what Ceasar is saying because the others are congratulating me, even though something doesn't feel right. 

I spend the rest of the night saying goodbye to Johanna and Cinna, who fixes my necklace and tells me to stay brave. Max gets sent to his own room and I'm troubled as to why I have a pit in my stomach, but I wave it away as nervousness. 

-

The following morning, I'm up bright and early, showered and fed before taken on a hovercraft where all of the other tributes seem to be as well. 

"Give me your arm, please." I hear from the right of me. Max. A nurse lady is injecting him with some kind of glowing stick, and I can't help but think it's a tiny bit unsettling. 

"Give me your arm." She says it sternly to me, but I stick my forearm out and allow her to inject me with the mysterious glowing stick, too.

-

Once inside of the Arena's underground ready centre, I pace the room like I did waiting for the scores. 

"Relax, drink some water, Aspen." Cinna touches my shoulder, and I calm a bit. 

I chug down the two water bottles that the room had before we came in, and Cinna brings out my outfit. 

"It's thick, and has a lot of layers. My guess? Maybe a snowy arena with some kind of temperature below forty degrees. Keep your jacket zipped up at all times, do not remove it. the pants are thick as well, and can hold a lot of items. I customized the boots so they're fitted and comfortable, the socks are fluffy and big, too. I snuck in a pair of gloves to cover your fingers, and a beanie to cover your head. Use them thoughtfully, don't take them off as I said before. The first thing you need to do is find some water. Most likely, the lakes and ponds will be frozen so find a tree that looks right. Food might be hard to find but there might be something at the Cornucopia. Okay, you're all set. Do you understand what you have to do?" 

Cinna gives me a lot of information at once.

 I remember what I have to do. 

"Get to Max. Grab supplies. Stay out of sight, and good luck, Mother Nature." I nod, too afraid to speak words.

"Tributes on the platform, we are preparing to launch in twenty seconds." Once I hear that I turn back to Cinna, gulping and pushing my fear down. He fixes my necklace like he did the other night. 

I step onto the glass and it already feels cold, just from the arena above me. 

"Here we go." I breathe out.