Behind Those Violet Eyes ▸ Hunger Games

Chapter Four: Cato

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a camera on the ceiling.

Give 'em a good show?  No problem.

I picked up a machete from the floor and sliced one of dummies' heads clear off.

I turned to Alia who flipped forward and kicked her dummy over, then stabbing it through the neck with her sword.

I then picked up two spears in my left hand, the machete in my right. I threw the spears into the 'hearts' of two dummies and cut the head off of another.

Multi-tasking.

I glanced around the Training Center to observe the other tributes.

Most of them didn't know a sword from a spear and couldn't fight to save their lives.

The other girl from Two, never missed when it came to throwing knives, and that Marvel creep was decent with spear throwing.

Several tributes collapsed from the rope-climbing exercise, wincing and groaning when they fell to the ground, gasping for air.

I couldn't help but laugh at their lack of skills.

"Seems like we don't have much competition," Alia muttered under her breath.

The one male tribute from Twelve whom I'd met earlier on the train, with dark black hair glared over at us. He muttered something under his breath, too low for anyone to hear.

"Is there something you'd like to say?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.

"Nope," he said, "Just that... you're making it a little obvious, aren't you?"

"Making what obvious?" Alia asked.

"That you're this year's most lethal Careers," he replied matter-of-factly as he picked up a bow and set of arrows.

I snorted. "And your point is...?"

He chuckled under his breath, "Never mind. Apparently, you're too ignorant to understand..."

With that, I knocked the bow out of his hands and slashed him across the face with the blade of my sword.

"And apparently... you're too stupid to realize that you shouldn't mess with me..."

He wiped the blood off his face, causing a group of medics and trainers to rush over to his side.

"What happened here?" one of the medics demanded as the others tended to the cut on his face.

"Nothing... just teaching this kid a very valuable lesson," I replied, smirking with satisfaction.

"You know the rules, Cato. No fighting with the other tributes..."

"I know the rules. They just don't always apply to me."

One of the trainers rolled their eyes. "Get back to your training."

I snorted and looked straight into the camera lens, feeling Alexis's eyes of fire watching me.

"Is that a good enough show for you, Alexis?" I taunted, folding my arms.

I can even hear her voice screaming from the control room, "CUT IT OUT, CATO! I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN ENTER THE ARENA!"

"Good luck with that," I quote and throw a spear into the lens of the camera, shattering the glass.

"Cato... Are you okay...?" Alia asked suddenly, raising her eyebrows at my actions.

"Perfect."