This Is All Just A Game [The Hunger Games]

o3 - Aiming For The Heart & Truth

Chapter 3: Aiming For The Heart && Truth.

I watched Ivan, from the doorway, as he threw darts at a board. He hadn’t heard me come up, so I just continued to watch.

As he sighed and went to retrieve the darts, I decided to make myself known. “Your aim is good.”

Shocked at my voice, he dropped the 2 darts he had just retrieved and fell over when the train went over a particular bump on the tracks. He rubbed his side, glaring over at me. “How long have you been there?”

“A while,” I shrugged. “Long enough to know you have good aim. That will be useful in the Arena.”

“How would you know? I’ve never even touched a weapon or anything. I’ve only just learnt how to use these things,” he gestured to the darts.

“Just because you haven’t touched a weapon doesn’t mean you don’t have secret abilities with one,” I sighed, making myself comfortable in a chair angled to watch him. “Your aim suggests that you would be good with a spear or something like that.”

“A spear?” he asked, turning to me with a bewildered expression.

“Yes. Either that or a long range bow.” I eyed his thin arms, having barely any muscle on them. “But, to tell the truth, I doubt you would have the upper-body strength to use one.”

He stared at me, on his feet now, with his hands clenched around the 2 darts he picked up from the floor. “How do you know all this?”

I licked my suddenly dry lips. “Didn’t you watch the Games’? Every year we were all supposed to—“

“Of course I watched them,” he cut in. “But I didn’t see how they trained.” He paused. “You know something else, don’t you?”

I let way to a small smile, my long fringe brushing towards my nose as I cocked my head to the side. “You’re also good at reading people.”

“Are you a career?” he narrowed his eyes.

“No. Never,” I shook my head. “It’s just... once I saw 3 Peacekeepers training out in the hunting ranges. I snuck over and watched. I learnt a few things by that.”

“But nothing you can use?”

“No, nothing I could use. But... I did learn what aim is like. One of them had the exact position you did as he struck a target board, hitting just shy from the tiny red bit in the middle he was aiming for. He did it with a spear. That is why I think you would be good with a spear.”

He stared at me for a few more intense minutes, before he whirled around, dart in hand, and let it loose towards the board.

The dart flew exactly into the small red dot in the middle.

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That night I lay in the bed set out for me, not being able to sleep a wink.

I wondered if this was how every other competitor felt on their first night, wide awake with thoughts of death keeping their thoughts rushed.

My heart felt heavy, as with my eyelids. Yet I just could not bear to fall into a nightmare of sleep. I had to stay awake, but at the same time... I had to fall asleep and face the nightmare awaiting me.

As Kypro had told me... “that’s what I said”. He probably had been tired and hungry, denying what he truly wanted. And, though I had never seen the re-run of his Games, I guessed that he had truly paid for it in the arena.

So, with a breathless sigh, I forced my eyes closed, and let myself drift away into sleep.

What I wasn’t expecting was to have a beautiful, pleasant dream of my father and I when I was young and he still breathed.

I woke up with a tear-stained pillow.

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“We’re close to the Capitol,” Kypro informed us during breakfast that morning.

I nearly spat out the chicken I had just put in my mouth. “Are you serious?” He raised a single eyebrow at me. I guessed that he was always serious about these kinds of things. “Oh.” I swallowed my food, suddenly losing my appetite. “Wow. That was quick.”

“The Capitol keeps up to date with fast transport systems,” Emberrel beamed at us, wiping her manicured hands on a baby pink serviette.

“Which I’m glad of,” Kypro agreed. “Transport by train gives me the nerves.”

“I don’t see how it gives you the nerves. I find it convenient,” Emberrel argued.

“I don’t,” Ivan said under his breath. I barely heard him.

“And why is that?” Emberrel demanded, folding her arms.

“You wouldn’t understand...” Ivan whispered, head bowed. “This train is on the track to our deaths.”

Time seemed to come to an abrupt holt at that moment, though I knew it hadn’t.

Ivan was right.

The faster the train... the faster our destiny rose upon the horizon; lurking, waiting...

Right behind it death stood tall.

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There you have it, chapter 3.

Oh, and don't worry. The chapters do vary in size but usually they're really long... 5 pages give or take.

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