The Hunger Games

Chapter 6

          I wake up the minute Mollie calls me for breakfast. I am sleepy and tired, and upset about yesterday. Then again, the past few days have been upsetting and miserable for me. I quickly get dressed in an outfit Joan left on my dresser for me. It’s a red shirt and black pants. I leave my room and walk into the dining room to eat.

          “Good morning.” Joan says, “We’ll be training today again at ten o’clock. So meet me at the elevator at that time.”

          “Okay.” I say and sit down across from Joan and away from Danny. If I want to make things right, I have to stay away from him. I think shooting a glance at Danny and look back at my plate.

          I take a piece of bread and nibble on it. I’m not that hungry, but I have to keep my strength up. After I finish my bread and hot chocolate, I leave the room, expecting Danny to follow, but he doesn’t. He just stays in the dining room sitting. I look over finding him with his head down.

          At ten o’clock I walk over to the elevator, expecting to meet Mollie and Joan. Danny’s already there. We walk into the elevator and go down to the training room.

          As I enter the training room, I decide to train with a coach this time, and listen to his rules, instead of just throwing knives and arrows at dummies in a station. First I call out for Danny to tell him the plan.

          Danny walks up to me, looking down. “What is it?”

          I look at him. “Do you want to train with a coach? We are training together if you remember.”

          Danny nods. “Fine, what do you have in mind?”

          I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe we can learn to tie knots of something. I’m not in the mood to use weapons really.”

          Danny shrugs and replies with a simple, “Okay.”

          After of about an hour or two of training, all the tributes leave to have lunch. The room was big and the table was huge. I sit down next to Danny, like I was instructed to.

          After eating, we all leave and continue training. Danny and I both agree to train with the spears next. I threw it straight through the dummy’s stomach.

          “Good job.” Danny says. He turns away and throws one through the head of the dummy.

          For the rest of the day, Danny and I continue to train, and the only talking we did was small talk. We kept saying ‘good job’ and ‘thanks’ whenever we did a perfect aim or something. Nothing like we used to do things. No high-five’s or anything like that. I miss him. I miss how we used to get along so well. And it is entirely my fault on why we don’t do that anymore. But, like I keep telling myself; it’s for the best.

          When the day is over, Joan takes us both back to the twelfth floor and we have five minutes to get ready for supper.

          I take that time to take a quick shower and put on something nice. I grab the dress my mother gave me for the reaping and put it on. I leave my room and head for the dining room.

          Danny was already there as I walk in. I sit down next to him, and he seems to smile as if he was back at home, in the forest. Once food is served, I grab my plate and fill it with corn, rice, beans and bread.

          “Are you guys ready for tomorrow?” Joan asks us.

          I look at her confused, “ready for what?”

          “Well, for one it’s your last day of training. And then after tomorrow, it’s your test with the Gamemakers. Then the day after that, you have to be tested for the interviews, and then you have the interviews the day before the Games begin. You haven’t forgotten, have you? And please don’t make me say it again.”

          I shake my head even though I knew I have forgotten. I finish eating and leave the table and walk upstairs to the roof. I walk on over to the edge, and look over at the Capitol. As the sun sets, the lights turn on, and light up the whole place. The cold air starts kicking in. I think about home, how Kati would cry because I was gone. I miss her so much. Right now, I’d give anything to just go home. If I ever want to see Kati again, it’ll mean that I’ll have to win, no matter what. It is what I plan on doing.

          “Hi Katharine,” I hear a voice say behind me.

          I turn to see Danny walking up. “Hi.” I reply.

          Danny stands next to me looking up at the view. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

          I nod, too tired to say anything. I want to lean in against him, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea. But he takes me by surprise and pulls me in, wrapping his arms around me making me feel warm. I rest my head on his shoulder.

          “I’m sorry.” I say. “I’m sorry for what I’ve been treating you like. I just thought it was for the best, to end our friendship so we won’t ever feel really bad about the fact when one of us dies.” I stop talking and wait for him to reply but he doesn’t. So I continue talking, “but I know no matter what, we’ll always be best friends. And nothing could change that.”

          Danny pulls me in closer. He starts humming the song my brother used to sing for us when we were little. I decide to sing along.

When the sun goes down, you know where to run.

When the moon rises, we all go to sleep.

You know that I will always be there,

Always at your side, no matter what happens,

I will always love you.

          I remember that song by heart. Even though it’s been three years since Jake died. Jake made up the song when I was three. He was eight and cared for me and Kati dearly, though at that time, Kati was one and still being nurtured by my mother. I’m surprised Danny still remembers the rhythm. I haven’t sung the song since Jake died. And Danny only heard it a few times before. The song is known as ‘Jake’s Song’ to those who know it.

          As it gets later, Danny and I both decided to go back inside and get some sleep.

          “Good night.” He says as we reach my room.

          “Good night.” I reply back and open my door to enter my room. I’m actually glad Danny and I finally made up, but that’ll just make things worse during the Games. I sigh and get into bed, and fall asleep, still wanting to desperately be home.