On The Verge - The Hunger Games Fanfiction

6. Training

I woke up kind of anxious. I didn't know what to expect at the training centre. I was kind of scared of meeting the Careers. Usually they're horrifying. Even the sight of them used to make me sick when I was younger. Fae came in smiling and supportive. She helped me squeeze myself in the skin tight suit for the training and braided my hair. I asked her ''Fae, do you have any kids?'' She took the paper slowly, her hands were shaking. She wrote yes, I have a son. Really? She's so young! ''What's his name?'' I asked. The name Cantor Everdeen appeared on the paper. Now Fae didn't smile anymore. I understood her. She must've missed him. Just then Serena came in. ''Come on Elpina, time to go!'' I waved Fae goodbye and went with her.

We rode in the elevator alone. It was so quick I almost didn't have time to quiestion where Orin is. I went to stand in line next to the other tributes. Finally, Orin came and stood next to me. We listened to the trainer who told us the rules. Number 1: no fighting amongst each other. And number 2: no killing. Then she told us all the skills we can learn here. In one moment, my eyes met the eyes of a little girl. She had to be 12. She was from District 8. Her skin was white, she had brown hair that reached just over her shoulders. Her eyes were blue, but full of fear. I felt so sad and sorry for her. She was way too young for this. She deserved better. We all deserved better. 

The first station I went to was general survival skills. I had to practise my fire lighting skills. In a few attempts, I actually did it. Then I went to the archery station. I maybe shouldn't show the other tributs my skills, but I would eventually anyway. My first shot wasn't that good. But they got better soon. I'm definately showing this to the Gamemakers. I looked where Orin is. He was practicing throwing knives. He was getting kind of good at it. I was impresed. He looked at me and showed me a thumbs up. I smiled, nodded and showed him a thumbs up back. I spent all 3 days of training at the archery station and the trainer praised me a lot. 

The next day were our presentations for the Gamemakers. I decided I'll show them my archery. I got dressed with Fae's help and she braided my hair. When I stepped into the dining room, Seeder was waiting for me. ''Hi Elpina! How did you sleep?'' she asked, smiling. ''Fine,'' I answered and smiled back. ''So have you decided what you're going to show today?'' she asked me. ''I think I'm going to show them my archery skills.'' Seeder looked happy. ''Good idea,'' she said. ''The trainer told me multiple times how good you got!'' I'm pretty sure I blushed. Then Orin came in. Seeder greeted him to and asked him the same questions. ''I'm going to show them my knife throwing. I improved quite a lot,'' he responded. Seeder told him he did a good job choosing too. We ate the breakfast and then went to the training centre.

I was really nervous before my presentation. I was watching tributes go but they never came back since they left at the other side of the presentation room. In time it was just the last 4 Districts. Aura came up to me. ''Hi, you're Elpina right? I'm Aura.'' She looked so calm, but still shy. ''Yes that's me. So what are you going to show them?'' I asked her. She looked at me ''I don't know. I can sing and work with a small scythe, so maybe that,'' she told me. Then she was called and she went in the room. Soon it was just me and Orin and the District 12 tributes. He didn't talk to me, he just stared at the floor. When he was called I remained alone with no company.

After some time, they finally came to get me. I stepped in. The Gamemakers were looking at me like a preditor would look at their pray. I took a bow and some arrows and shot. Three of my arrows ended up spliting as I hit the middle with all of them. The Gamemakers actually looked impresed. But then one asked ''Can you hit anything I tell you to?'' I nodded. ''Ok then,'' he said. He held up an apple. ''Hit the apple without hitting me.'' I concentrated and released the arrow. It landed right in the middle of the apple. Nobody said nothing for some time. ''Thank you,'' on of them finally spoke. ''You can go now.'' So I left.