The 62nd Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 11: Axes

I am standing alone, in the middle of the huge room, taking in my surroundings. They are training us here in the Capitol for a better show, that's all. Maple and Barker are together at the sword and spears station. Some talent there. They seem to be having fun. Are they a couple? Ashton is at the poisonous foods and traps station. I wonder why they group those two categories together. I turn to the archery department just in time to see Corala's arrow impale the middle of the moving target. The careers are at the agility and speed section. The other tributes are scattered around. All but one of us will be dead in two weeks. I think. And I am that one, the Victor. I head over to the department dedicated to axes. Digit, the girl from three, and Turbo, the boy from five are here too. They aren't that good, but I can't underestimate any one. I greet the instructor and he returns with a huge Capitol smile.

"Grab an axe, let's get to work." He says.

I grip an axe with a black plastic handle and a gold blade. It's pretty light.

"Nice choice." The instructor says, grabbing his own. "Let's start with the basics."

After ten minutes of learning how to properly grip the axe, proper cuts, and how to block, I am ready for a robot. He sends one in, armed with another axe, rushing towards me. I anticipate the robot's offensive move and immediately duck and roll to the side. His axe impales the patted ground where I just was, and while the robot is recovering from the balance shift I slice him, right above the hips.

"Good!" Calls the instructor."Again, two axes now."

My sweaty palms pick up an identical axe to the other. Two robots come in, one with a long, curved blade and one with a mace. The first robot makes a rather stupid offensive move, raising the blade and crashing it down where my head would've been, if I couldn't read his movements. The blade slips from the robot's fake hand, and I kick it to the side. The other robot comes in full speed, charging with it's mace. I block the swing with one of my axes and knee the robot in the gut. This makes him fall backwards, and my axe slices it's throat. The other robot has retrieved it's blade and is gashing at my face, but to my surprise, I don't feel it's blade at all. It is definitely touching me, but not cutting, must be some Capitol invention. The gash wouldn't be enough to kill me, that's why the instructor hasn't stopped the robots. I pull my axe over my head, piercing it's skull. Turbo is clapping. I reply with a friendly smile. It's so stupid, the Games, sending twelve year olds into a death-match, expecting them to kill other kids for a good show.

"Hello?" Asks the instructor.

"Yeah? Sorry. I must've spaced out. " I reply honestly.

"Okay. Nice job anyways. Want to start throwing?" He asks.

"Yep." I say, but I can't help but notice Digit is glaring at me.

I ignore her, but it's definitely hard. Peara comes over now and starts to talk with Digit. It seems like there's too many twelve and thirteen year olds this year. I count in my head. Ten of the tributes this year are aged twelve and thirteen. It's always too many, even if there's just one.

"Hello? Come on!" The instructor calls.

Oops. I spaced out again.

"I'm so sorry!" I say sincerely.

He starts over, talking about what direction the axe should face, how to aim, and some stuff on release points.

"Got it?" He asks after the explanation.

I nod. He points to a target ten meters across the room. I remember what the instructor taught me, I aim accordingly and release the axe from my hand. Instead of hitting the heart target where I was aiming, it lands in the middle of the targets forehead. He claps loudly. I pick another axe from the wide selection on the rack, and go again. This time my axe landed in the sternum of the target, a few inches off the heart. He claps again, louder this time. I reach for an axe and select one with a red handle and a gem in the middle. I Aim..... I release..... And I watch as my axe hits the target's heart.