Gone Too Far [The Hunger Games] Book 1

Chapter 6: Final Training Day

I wake up the next morning. I'm still nervous about what will happen in two days. Will Dimond and Kolton die? Will I die? At least if I die I get to be with Rue. I know I wasn't born by the time the 74th Hunger Games happened but I've watched recordings and heard stories about the girl on fire names Katniss Everdeen. Her rebellion failed but she's said to not be dead. Rue on the other hand is surely dead. She didn't deserve any of it. I'm the same age as Rue when she died. "Jasmine, Cedar!" I yell. I run up to both of them and hug them. "I don't want to die I just want to go home." I say, tears swelling up in my eyes. "Don't worry Rowan, me and Cedar will always be here for you. And even if we do die just know we'll always be watching with mom and dad." Jasmine says. "Rowan just keep fighting and you will win." Cedar says. I put on my training uniform and walk to the training center. We're sat on benches in District order. To think there's twelve tributes from each District and only two tributes from each District can win and then those tributes will fight and will die until only one is left. I'm just hoping Dimond and Kolton win this round for District Twelve. The twelve from District One finish and District two goes. This is going to take a while since it's usually two per District. It's probably night by the time Districts 1-10 are done. I'm the first one to go for District Eleven so I must be memorable. There's already sickles and scythes laying on racks. I look at them. These are exactly the ones they give us in District Eleven. I take one sickle and a scythe. There's targets in front of me. I remember in the past that after this it would be time for the interviews but they've changed it to have training at the end and then have a pregame feast to get our last meals in, then we'll be put into the arena to find food and water. We'll have to kill each other until only two from each District survive. So... four victors from each arena. There's targets in front of me. I'm going to try to get a low score so I'll be underestimated. I don't want to get in any of the violence. There were some of the older six tributes from District Twelve that seem to actually like killing. They say they trained for it and can't wait for the arena, they already have their targets. I throw one of my sickles and it purposely misses. I show my technique on swinging a scythe. I tried to make it look bad but end up gashing my arm. I drop the scythe and blood starts dripping on the floor. "Ok that's enough Rowan." A gamemaker says. A medic comes in and puts that Capitol medicine and then wraps my wound with a bandaid. "Rowan! Are you okay?!" Jasmine asks. "Yeah I'm fine, it'll heal soon." I say. I don't know how I'm so calm about this but I am. The career tributes laugh. I'm ignoring them though so I don't care. I walk to the hotel. I decided that's enough for the day, I might as well get some rest for my death day! I'm still laying on my bed when the tributes from District Eleven and Twelve come in the hotel. District Twelve goes to their side and District Eleven goes to theirs. I sigh and start having blurry vision. I think it's from blood loss. I look to my side and see the careers injecting something into my arm. I black out right after I hear them laughing. What did they inject into me is it... poison?