The Third Everdeen

Chapter 5

Dinner was silent. Afterwards, I got changed and went back to my bedroom to wind down for a minute before going to sleep. The bedroom has a very distinct hotel-like feel. Very different compared to my small damp room back home in 12 that I shared with Katniss. The bed was smooth. There was a window on the right side of my bed. On my bed-side table there was a remote. I pressed a few buttons on and and each time I did the view from my window changed. First it was a view of the people walking around the city. Then it was a view of the desert. Then...a forest... one like the one I would be in back in 12. It was so beautiful, I could even hear the birds chirping. I stood up and soaked it all in. It reminded me so much of home. I always loved being in the forest with Katniss and Gale. I missed them so much. I blinked back into reality and changed the view back to its original, the overview of the city buildings. With a sigh I climbed back into bed and went to sleep.

~

"In two weeks, twenty-three of you will be dead. One of you will be alive. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention over the next four days," Atala explained to us on our first training day. I looked around and saw that District 2 boy looking at me again. I looked away and continued to pay attention. I couldn't afford not to, "Particularly to what I'm about to say. First: No fighting with the other Tributes. You'll have plenty of time for that in the arena. There are four compulsory exercises, the rest will be individual training. My advice is, don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Exposure can kill as easily as a knife." 

I looked over at Peeta nervously but was relieved to see we were in the same boat. Once Atala was finished, almost everyone scrambled to the weapons, so they were all forced to go in a single file line. At the "monkey bars" area, the District 4 male tribute fell and hurt his ankle really badly, some of the other Tributes started laughing at him.I was on line to practice with a spear, I'd never had to hunt with a long weapon before. Suddenly the District 2 Tribute started yelling.

"Where's my knife?!" 

"I didn't touch your knife!" one of the other Tributes responded.

"You took my knife!" 

"No I didn't!" They were squared up, ready to fight but Peacekeepers got in between them and stopped it before anything started.

I rolled my eyes, looking up at the rafters, I saw the little girl from 11 hanging from the rafters holding a hunting knife. The boy from her District was smirking taking a peek up to where she was hiding. I had to fight to hold back a laugh.

Looking back at the commotion the District 2 boy wasn't done, "You better watch your back, cause you're the first person I get!" he threatened.

~

That night I asked Haymitch about him.

"He's a career. Do you know what that is?" he asked me.

"From District 1?" I guessed.

"And 2. They train in a special academy until they are 18, then they volunteer. By then they are pretty lethal." he told me, taking another bite of his dinner.

"But they don't receive any special treatment," Effie piped up as if it mattered, "In fact, they stay in the exact same apartment you do. And I don't think they let them have dessert. And you can!" she smiled.

"So how good are they?" Peeta asked.

"Obviously pretty good. They win it almost every year but...."Effie interrupted him.

"Almost." she emphasized.

"They can be arrogant. And arrogance can be a big problem." He finished. I looked at him as I chewed my food, "I hear you're pretty good with knives," he stated as he took another bite.