DISTRICT 5

TRAINING DAYS

I roll my eyes as I see Posi throwing a tantrum because his bug has been missing ever since the parade. I wait by the elevators, dressed and ready for the training. I don't know why, but I actually have the feeing that I might need swimming and climbing skills and I am thankful I had some swimming lessons back in the district and I still remember what I learned when I used to hang out with gangster boys and climb trees and walls to have fun. Anyways, back to Posi, who is still being annoying about his bug. He is literally the most annoying kid I have ever met. We get into the elevators. As we are standing in silence, he tells me he is feeling sick and won't be able to attend full training. I look at him, stunned, but give a fake sigh of relief. It makes me worried though I seem to be hating him. We stand in silence for a long time when we finally get out of the elevators and reach the training center and find other tributes practicing already. Some turn to look at us, whereas some don't even know we have arrived. The Careers smirk at Posi, who is leaning on my shoulder. I roll my eyes at them, trying to resist a strong urge to strangle them. I don't know why I want to do it. I don't even like Posi that much. 

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We begin the training by practicing some survival skills. We tie knots and learn to light a fire. I see Posi feeling more sick as we learn to identify edible plants and fruits. I look at his terrible expression as he is leaning in my shoulder and tell him that he looks as if he is going to vomit. It  worries me. He chuckles and manages to say it was because of my face. He doesn't even look as if he is scared of me.

 

"Oh please. My hair straightener is hotter than you", I finally say trying to not make him feel offended. How dare he call me ugly? 

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"Maybe if you stopped staring at me and focused on this module, you’d learn a skill or two. You’re as sharp as a sphere right now.”, he replies with a smirk on his face. Fortunately for him, he was due for a shot for his Crohn’s Disease then. He went away, leaving me alone with Rhys and the other District 11 tribute. I practice more survival skills, asking the trainers for advice in as many situations I imagine I would be able to face. I see the Careers in the weapons section all the time. Do they have a special attraction to them? Or have they been crushing on just weapons for decades? 

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During the break, Posi comes back to have lunch. We still maintain a distance with the District 11 tributes. Chivonne approaches us and asks to sit with us. Seeing she wants to form an alliance, we let her sit with us and we talk about our home for a while. Posi, who still needs time to get recovered, leans on my shoulder again and I see Chivonne looking at us. She feels as if she is the third wheel. When she realizes it is because if Posi's illness, she exhales. We decide to make a truce to not kill each other in the arena. During the break, I see the Careers laughing at a joke the nervous-district-two-dude-who-volunteered told them. They look as if they don't even care and have forgotten that maybe only one of them will be able to survive in next 15 days. Posi leaves after the break to his room to rest.  

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He is missing for the second half of the training. Rhys and me decide to split up for a while to avoid showing everyone that we are too attached to each other. I decide to go to the weapons section since I will need to learn to defend myself, too. I go near the station where spears are kept. They look long and heavy, but if held or gripped properly, they are easy to use as long range and short range weapon all the same time. The trainer is amazed as I cut the dummies neatly. I decide to learn more moves and tricks from the trainer and head toward the daggers and knives. I pick up the nearest dagger and throw it at the center of the dummy. It hits centimeters away from the target and falls down with a thud. Anderson laughs at me and throws the dagger, making it hit the target perfectly in the middle. I scowl at him, admiring his skills from inside. I try using his moves and stance. Inhale... aim... exhale... throw... I practice this way and manage to hit the next three daggers at the target, shutting the District One tribute up. As we still have some hours left, I go to the camouflaging section, which isn't occupied at the moment and learn several tricks and ways to hide and hibernate. The trainer is kind and gives me I-don't-tolerate-any-crap vibes. I continue learning several skills for the next few days and I finally feel I am ready to fight at the end of the training. 

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I spend the night before my private session with gamemakers thinking about what I have learned back in my district. 

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PRIVATE SESSION

I hear a blasting sound from inside as I sit outside waiting for my name to be called. It must be Posi doing his bomb trick. I hope he does well. I become more nervous as I hear another explosion from inside. The next few minutes pass in silence and my hands are already sweating. I know what to do and how to do. Finally my name is called and I get up, gathering all my confidence enter the room where I will spend next few minutes trying to impress people. The doors close and I am stuck inside, knowing what to do. I take a look at the gamemakers. Some of them nod at me, whereas some don't even notice me. I go to the centre of the room and taking a bow, announcing myself.

"Tesla Watt, District 5".

 

Some of the audience nods at me, while some just stare at me hoping I would do something. I feel the same. Encouraging myself to go ahead, I tie some knots making them into traps. I am thankful I learnt some good ones in the training. I start up a fire, which is pretty easy for me. I stand up hoping to see amazed faces because I lit a fire in first attempt. Instead, none of them even looks at me. I clear my throat which doesn't get any attention either, as expected. Why can't they just stop eating and having fun for a while and see what i am doing? I show some climbing skills and then go near the weapons and pick up three daggers. Without wasting a moment, I aim and throw a dagger aiming at the centre of the stomach of the dummy. Instead, the dagger flies in air and falls down on the ground making a loud thud. I hear people laughing behind me. I sigh in frustration and disappointment and deicide to try once again. I pick up three more daggers. I aim the first one and repeat it to myself. Inhale... aim... exhale... throw. And I throw the first dagger. It hits the centre and this time, without looking back at anyone, I throw four more hitting at the middle of the chest, forehead and on both shoulders respectively. Satisfied with my work, I switch to spears which is my greatest strength, especially after practicing and learning different moves in the past few days. I take a spear and slash the nearest dummy and stab is using the sharpest front end of it making it crumble into pieces. Satisfied with the basic move, I exhibit some complex moves like using the rear part to hit in the gut and some more. At last, I aim the spear at the farthest dummy and throw it like a javelin. This time, it hits right in the centre. Without wasting a lot of time, I pick up a knife and go and quickly camouflage myself in such a way that it looks like I am a rock. Two minutes pass in silence when finally, the gamemakers look around, searching for me. I like the sudden attention. Taking the moment for granted, I rise partially out of my camouflage, still invisible and throw the knife at a dummy which hits it right in the heart. I rise gracefully and as the gamemakers notice me and say, "Thank you for your attention. I hope to see you soon" and exit the room, my head held high with a satisfactory smirk on my face. I quickly run to my room and get Heron, the robot I had made, which can tap dance, and go to meet my mentor.