Dangerous Affection- The Hunger Games- A Cato Love Story

Chapter 10: Arrows, Knives, and an Unforgettable Sight

Chapter 10- Arrows, Knives, and an Unforgettable Sight

On the third day of training, they start to call us out of lunch for our private sessions with the Gamemakers. In order of the districts, first the boy, then the girl tribute. As usual, District 11 is second to last. We all linger in the dining room, unsure of where else to go. No one comes back after they have left, and soon it is just Ryder and me, and the boy and girl from 12- Acer and Camryn. When they call Ryder, I'm left alone in the room with them, and now the silence is awkward. I refrain from making eye contact, keeping my head down and low. After about fifteen minutes, my name is called and I leave without looking back at them. I smooth my hair back, cursing my wavy hair that never seems to lie smoothly, even when it is up. I set my shoulders back, and walk into the gymnasium. Once I'm in there, I know it's not going to go well for me. They all are bored, over half are drunk and not one takes notice as I walk through the doors. They've already had to sit through twenty-one other demonstrations, and wanted more than anything to go home.

There is nothing I can do but go forward with the plan, and so I head over to the archery station. The weapons! Ah, made from wood to steal to materials I can't even begin to name, and arrows with feathers lined to perfection. I grab a bow and a quiver of arrows, and notch an arrow to the bow. I pull back, aiming at one of the fake animals in the trees- I have no idea why they were there, I'd never seen anyone aim an arrow or anything at one- and I immediately know something is wrong. The string is much too tight, and I quickly turn to the bull's-eye, firing at it instead. I don't miss it, but I would have only hit a human's shoulder, and I am immediately met with a few snorts of laughter and I feel humiliated. I have lost any attention I might have had, and I am determined to win it back. I fire arrows like mad, skewering the dummy in the sword's station right through the heart, hitting the punching bag right on the 'X', stuffing and sand now coming out of it, and arrows are cleanly delivered to the light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, earning me a shower of sparks.

About half the Gamemakers notice, and even they barely give me a nod of approval or anything. Especially when their next course of steaming food comes parading through the door.

I am furious. I look around at all the weapons, deciding. I can use any of them I want, but only when my eyes fall upon the knives does an idea cross my mind. It isn't a very smart one, but I don't care.

I hold on to my bow and arrows, and jogg over to the knives. I grab four of them and stick them in-between my belt and pants, and climb up the fake tree they had in there for us to practice climbing. I hadn't touched it before now, already being skilled at climbing, and I climb it- thankfully- without any trouble. I stand, poised where the fake branches break so I have a clear view of the Gamemakers, but I don't stand out for them to immediately notice me. Now comes the stupid part.

While they now have their food in front of them, I pick out four that will be the easiest, since this won't be easy in the first place, and I don't need any knives bouncing around stabbing some of the people I am at the mercy of when the Games start. Not that this won't piss them off to that point in the first place, but still.

I take out a knife, twirling around in my hand a few times before taking aim. I throw it, a perfect shot, for it lands right in the middle of the first Gamemakers plate of meat. They barely have time to react before I whip out the next one, aiming and hitting a man's plate a few spaces over, and the last two find their targets just as smoothly. While they are shrieking and trying to locate me, I take my bow and an arrow from the quiver, and shoot it perfectly at the head Gamemakers high-back chair, the arrow piercing the plush material inches above his head. I then jump from the tree, and take a bow.

"Thank you for your consideration." The words are out of my mouth before I've even thought twice about them, and I leave without being dismissed.

I know what I'd done was a big offence, but I can't help but smile at the look on their faces.