87th Games

Animal To The Slaughter

It was still dark as I stumbled outside onto the balcony. I let out a sigh. I didn’t sleep at all last night. I use to think I could easily sleep anywhere at any time but I guess had been wrong. I tossed and turned all night and my eyes were still red from crying. I shouldn’t have cried but I couldn’t help myself. I never even got to say goodbye to my family.

“Can’t sleep?” Avery appeared.

I looked at her dryly. She laughed.

“I didn’t sleep on my first night either.”

We stood in silence for a long time watching the sun rise slowly from the west.

“Avery?” I asked softly.

“Did you ever think you were going to die in the games?”

“Every single hour” she replied instantly.

I was a little surprised. I remember watching the 85th games a couple of years ago. It was one of my favourites. The very first day of the games Avery started to build a secret tree house. It kept her away from the tributes and the roaming jungle animals. The sponsors immediately loved her idea and sent her all kinds of tools to build it. I remember watching her in awe. She never rested, never slept and never even wiped the sweat from her brow. In the games, she was set in her ways and rarely seemed fazed. Part of me was glad to know she was just as scared as I am now.

“You ready for the training?”

I smiled weakly, shrugging my shoulders. Three gruelling days of superior people telling me I have no skills. “I suppose”.

She had spent a good part of the evening trying to teach me how to sit ‘like a lady’. Magnus refused to help and seemed to hate me meanwhile Arrow would just sit there snickering at my desperate attempts. It took every effort not to attack the ignorant boy, though I did land a few good punches before Avery would pull me off him.

Even though the interviews were three days away she stressed their importance. She waited patiently for me to understand each instruction and then coached us on how to talk to Caesar, how to engage the crowd and how to keep the air of mystery around my connection to Arrow.

I noticed the sun had almost completely risen. I knew I should begin preparing for the long day ahead. I turned to leave.

“I’m sorry about last night” Avery burst out. I was a little mad at her for springing the horse riding idea on us JUST before the ceremony had begun, but she was my coach and she volunteered to help us for a reason.

“Is President Snow mad?” it was barely a whisper. I already knew the answer and it scared the hell out of me.

“Yes and no” she admitted awkwardly. “He’s mad that every stylist since Katniss and Peeta’s year has been trying to top ‘the girl on fire’”.

It made sense. And I suppose we did top them, but who was now destined to die because of us? The last time Panem rebelled against the capitol - the hunger games were invented. Was Phoenix going to die because of me? My entire prep team? Avery? I shook my head, not wanting to think about it. Avery had never coached tributes before but she at least has to keep us in the loop. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so miserable.

“Next time” I walked over to the door and slid it open.

“Tell me when you change the game plans.” I grumbled.

~

“Ah this is stupid” I snapped, tossing a tangled knot onto the ground.

This was my first day in the training centre and I couldn’t even tie a simple knot. I suppose I can’t expect to make any traps or snares if I couldn’t tie a rope.