The 62nd Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 14: Poisonous Foods and Traps

I say bye to my 'classmates' and Sheffley and head over to the PFT station (poisonous foods and traps). A lot of people are here, maybe five. No Careers though. The station is divided into three sections with different instructors for each. At the first one Digit and Spark are talking to their teacher. Cove and Lacey are at the second one. Poor Lacey, she seems frightened of Cove. Then at the last section Thorn sits quietly, listening to the instructor. Although I feel bad for Lacey, I head over to the third section. Too nice? Maple's words haunt me.

"Hello. I am Missy." Says the instructor.

"Hello, Missy. Hello, Thorn." I say, grinning but not being too nice.

She sets huge books in front of us.

"I want you to review this tonight, try to memorize it and tomorrow we will have a little quiz."

I nod. This is too much like school.

"We will go over the poisonous foods more tomorrow. Today let's focus on avoiding traps and maybe setting your own."

I nod again. After Missy explains the basics of traps and answers all of Thorn's questions (trust me, there was a lot) we are sent into a room alone. The room has anywhere from two to five traps hidden in it. You have five minutes to find them all. Of course, you can get caught in the traps. That's why they provide you with a back pack, full of items commonly found in the Cornucopia. I secure the pack around my shoulders and open the door to room two. I take a step in, check my backpack, grab a knife, and when I look up, I immediately spot one. An unnatural pile of leaves around the base of a large tree. I pick up a stone and toss it onto the pile. As I suspected a net falls down, entrapping the rock. A few moments pass and I find a gold wire hanging from the tree. I point for the security cameras so they know I have found it. I take a step back from it and head the other way. As soon as I notice the leaves I am on the ground, trapped. I use my dagger to cut a hole in the net. As soon as I am out I check my surroundings and start at a run, deeper into the forest/room. The timer rings and I start my way back to the door, not startled at all by the loud noise this time. I didn't realize how far I had traveled, it takes me two minutes at a steady run to get back to the main room. Once I am free from the fake arena Missy and Thorn are no where to be found. After a thorough area check I decide to ask the other instructor where they went.

"Thorn got stuck in a net." He says. "Come join me."

I nod and sit down next to Lacey who is now trapped between Cove and me.