Hunger Games: Death Call- Book One.

Chapter Three

I end up waking up at five am due to a Nightmare, so I take a slow shower get dressed and walk into the dining car.
I wasn't prepared to see Damon sitting at the bar with a cigarette to his lips. "What're you doing up?" He asks not bothering turning to me. "I think I could ask you the same thing," I say dryly cringing at the smell of his cigarette.

  He turns to me and shrugs, "I guess the same reason you are," I blink a few times before I walk over to the seat beside him and sit down. "That's not relevant," I defend, he laughs softly. "Sure, it is. Don't think I didn't hear your strangled cry, because it was very real and very loud," I stare at the wall before saying anything.
"I didn't know you smoked," I say which almost turned out as a croak, he shrugs inhaling smoke then blows it out.

  "People don't know much about me, that's what I like. I can be whoever I want in two, but when I come to the Capitol....I have to be this person I conveyed at the beginning of the games, don't make yourself something your not" He says, his Adams apple bobbing as he takes a deep breath in. "Isn't.... isn't that how it works? You...you remake yourself?" He nods, not looking back at me.

  "Me and you, there's no difference. We were both raised to think a certain way, we were raised to kill" his voice strains a little, I gulp. He seems....so vulnerable, it doesn't fit well on him. When he looks at me I see his bloodshot eyes and realize he was crying, but, I don't understand he seemed so strong...where did that go? "That doesn't mean we have to, it didn't mean you did either," I say solemnly, he shakes his head. "You know how stupid that sounded coming out of your mouth? Of course we have to kill! Every district knows this, you know why there's a Victor?" He muses, I raise an eyebrow.

  "Because everyone else dies," I furrow my eyebrows, this is to obvious there has to be a greater point. "If President Snow wanted to kill twenty three people all at one time he would, no one would stop him. It just wouldn't be as fun to watch, our whole life is a game Taylor. You just gotta play along," I snort, "What if I don't want to? What if...I'd rather die!" I exclaim, "Don't you see? It doesn't matter! You feel dead either way in the end, Taylor you have to try to win....you may not want to but you need to," I take a deep shaky breath in.

    "Today is training, and... I want you to try your absolute best, your score represents our district even before you could win, don't you think you can try?" He asks in a breathy voice, I think this over for a while. Come to think of it I've never really tried, I've always paid attention anything else would....scare me.
I guess I wasn't ready to be given the power to kill someone, and now that it's time to do that....I suppose it is.

  "I'll try, I will but I can't promise I'll win...all I've done in these past years was watch..." he turns to me, his eyes no longer as blood shot but in touch much of a panic state to even care about his appearance which is his hair sticking up everywhere, baggy sweat pants and no t shirt.

"That's enough, I know it is...the third day will be private sessions I'll work with you then... I promise...I won't let you die," I look away from him and to the empty drink bottles on the table. He's been drinking, he's drunk he won't remember anything when he looses consciousness.
"Come on, let's get you back to bed," I say softly guiding him up out of the chair. I guide him up and realize how drunk he really is he's stumbling over his feet and is about to fall so I sling his arm over my shoulder and pull him to his bedroom.

  I lay him down on his bed and pull the covers over him I'm about to leave when he catches my hand. "I won't let them get to you," he whispers before he falls asleep, I press my lips together in a thin line.
Who knew Damon Wilkins was like this.

***

In the morning I am the first up and the first to eat, there is this avox girl that served me my breakfast and I started to wonder what happened to her to become like this. I wondered if she had a boyfriend or a family she loved a lot, it makes me sad.
Sighing, I get up from the table the girl starts to collect my plate but I stop her, "Don't worry, I got it. Thank you." I say softly, she looks a little shocked by this but doesn't interject only gives a curt nod.

 
After I get done putting my dirty plate away I see that Keen is up and so is Maybelline. "Good morning," I greet, Maybelline she gives me a bright smile. "Good morning, Taylor. someone must be in a good mood!" She muses, "Oh, I am, it's the first day of training why not?" I say, she smiles. "Well...your training uniform is in your bedroom so go ahead and get changed," I nod and make my way to my bedroom but instead decide to wake Damon up.

   Walking into his room I see he isn't in bed but he does walk out of his bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. "I just...uh, came to wake you up but, you're awake so just come and eat breakfast when you're done ok?" He nods and I walk out of his room to mine changing into the grey and white sport pants and matching shirt with a two on the shoulders.
I put my hair into a pony tail and walk into the dining room where my prep team and Keen's are talking along with Maybelline.

  "Did you wake up Damon, Taylor?" Keen asks me, wait so he directly asked me a question? What a change in pace, "Didn't have to, he's already awake" I reply, "Today is the first day of training! You got thirty minutes to eat Keen!" Damon says entering the dining room.

   Keen looks at me and Damon weirdly before replying. "Alright," After Keen is done eating we make our way down to the training center, on the elevator Damon starts to talk to us. "In training, you have to be ruthless make them fear you, above all show your allies what you can do" We both nod the elevator opens to the training center and we see people standing in line waiting for the rest Keen walks in front of me Damon catches my arm.

  "Remember what I told you," he whispers in my ear, I stare at him for a moment but nod.
I walk to the line and stand next to a boy from district four. I guess it's good to get to know my allies now, "Alright, now that everyone is here....let's begin, " a woman says standing in front of us.

   "Today is your first day of training, during training the game markers will evaluate what they see and on the final day of their last evaluation you will be scored based on your skill level, remember no fighting while you're in here, you'll have plenty of time for that in the arena, good luck" The woman walks off and everyone starts to spread out looking over at the careers I see them at the swords, spears, and knives.

  Instead I gravitate towards the knot tying station, hopefully it isn't a waste of time.