Drowning// Finnick Odair

Training

Angus left my side as soon as we walked through the door of the training center. I should've known he'd be like this. He was eighteen and strong and handsome. He could really make an impression on the capital and his fourteen year old district partner would only drag him down. 

I was told though that the capital loved my performance in the tribute parade which made me feel a little hopeful. It was an act I had to keep going. Hope was dangerous though. A little bit of hope was good but a lot of hope was not. If I have a lot of hope I could become careless, reckless and cocky and that will get me killed. 

I trusted that Angus wouldn't give me away and tell everyone that I wasn't this bubbly fun girl. I needed to convince not only the capital but the tributes as well especially the career districts one and two. Four was also considered a strong district not a career district. The careers always gravitated towards district four. 

I knew they weren't gonna bother with me because of my age. If I was a year older perhaps they would consider me a threat. Finnick's win was a fluke that's what this years tributes were convinced of. A fourteen year old beating seventeen and eighteen year olds just didn't make sense. 

I walked immediately towards the fire building station. A man stood there. He turned towards the fire and immediately started showing me how to produce a fire out of the bare materials that may be presented in the games. I stayed at this station for a good half hour trying to create fire and once I did I was told to do it three more times to make sure I knew for sure how to create one. 

The man gave me a small nod and I stood up and nodded my head. "Thank you" I say and he turns away. I then look around me. The training stations were full. An agility station was in front of me. A women was throwing what appeared to be knives. I almost gasped when I saw one hit the male tribute from district eight. The knife however bounced off his skin and onto the floor. Rubber fake knives is what she was using. 

I began to walk towards the station. I sat in line behind the district 6 female. She was a bright blonde her hair was long and flowed down her back as she spoke with her tribute partner. She turned her head and looked back at me when she felt my presence. 

Play the part 

"Hi, I'm Mable it's so nice to meet you I love your hair it's absolutely stunning" I say with a smile. the district six girl looked at me a bit confused and rolled her eyes. "You're a joke you know that right?" 

She then leaned into her district partner and whispered something in his ear. The boy laughed and she did as well. She didn't turn around again and waited her turn. I watched as she ran all through the obstacle course trying not to get hit by a knife. A knife hit her in the leg and she was told to stop by the women. 

"That knife hit your leg and you would have fallen if it was real and then been stabbed repeatedly by the other tribute." The instructor says and the district six girl rolls her eyes and walks off. I stepped up to the obstacle course. 

It was almost like a rock wall. The wall was tall but it looked like it was made out of rocks you would find on a mountain. You had to quickly climb and run up the wall and not get hit by the knife. If you made it up to the top then you would be determined a 'winner.' 

I stepped on the first rock and felt it was hollow in the middle. It was a plastic material and when I stepped on it it made a sound almost like my step was causing an echo through the rock. "You have fourty-five seconds to make it to the top without being hit by a knife." the instructor says. Her skin was dark and her hair was tied up in a sleek bun. She had gelled it back probably to make sure it didn't get in her face today. Her eyes were bright and a purple almost a lavender color. She was wearing contacts in her eyes giving her eyes the allusion. 

She wore a black uniform like the other instructors with the word Director on the back. I took a deep breath and looked up towards the top. It looked a lot farther when I was right next to it then when I stood farther back in line. The other tributes looked at me and I realized I had a target on my back since the capital liked my performance at the parade. 

I felt myself almost crumble under their eyes watching me. I decided to play the part and smiled confidently almost like I was excited to climb up this wall. 

On your mark. 

Get Set 

Go! 

I scaled up the rock wall and my back turned towards the instructor. I realized I had to use my ears as she threw the knives. She threw a knife and I quickly climbed the wall. It barely missed me hitting right beside me. I tried to focus on using my feet the most and tried to breath trying not to get winded. 

I needed to prove myself to not only the other tributes but the game makers who were currently also watching me. 

I was doing well and keeping a good and fast pace that the instructor was having a hard time hitting me. She was far back and her aim was getting worse and worse as I quickened my pace. I was already half way up the wall. 

I wondered what everyone was thinking in the room. Were they impressed that I made it at least half way up the wall without being hit. No one had been able to complete the course yet. 

My hands began to ache as I grabbed the strong rock gripping on to it as best I could. I heard another knife zip past me almost hitting my left foot. I realized I had to quicken the pace because she was catching up to my rhythm. 

 I held my grip as my hands began to shake. I felt sweat begin to form on my forehead. I took a deep breath and felt my hands reach the top. I pulled myself up and smiled to myself. I then turned around and sat with my legs dangling off the wall. 

I then stuck my middle finger up towards the district six girl and she rolled her eyes. 

Hey hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please comment I love seeing them and responding to them! 

I am planning to make Mable somewhat like Annie... Her games will be similar not the same but similar. Thank you all so much for reading. It's crazy this book is already almost at 100 reads!