The 70th Hunger Games: A Little Love

Chapter Five

Dear Diary,

Today is my first day of training. Percy and I have a rather boring breakfast of eggs and toast, where Finnick and Trident join us, giving us possible tips to use during the training:

"Use a sword. Intimidate them"

"No no don't do that! Fly under their radar, don't show them your talents until the time you have alone with the game makers."

"Try and make friends, they'll help you in the games"

"Don't try and make friends, you'll just be upset when you have to kill them."

They couldn't seem to agree on what we should do in training. And soon enough it was ten, and we had to go in and start practicing our skills. Percy and I waved a shaky goodbye, stepping into the elevator.

"You ready?" I ask him, my eyes looking around the elevator nervously as we zip down from the fourth floor to the basement.

He nods his head, and folds his arms nervously over his chest. Even though he said he was fine, I knew he was worried. I was too. Today could make or break our lives in the arena. We could meet potential allies, or make potential enemies. I could already feel myself getting dizzy with nerves.

I think about my family back home, all the anxiety they must feel, watching my training and the tribute parade and my interview later on this week. I think about how back home, I normally wouldn't be paying attention to this. I'd be studying, I'd be working, I'd be going to swim team. But now, my family is hovering around the small television in the living room. Focusing on the screen and any time my name came up. Now, instead of my family creating a small care basket to give to the family of the tributes, there are families giving care baskets to my family.

Because I was going to die. And this was my first day of training.

Percy gives me a small push off the elevator, dragging me out of my mind and into reality. The people already in the training center, mainly the tributes of districts one and two, don't turn away from what they're doing as we enter. There is a heavy air of hostility in the room, pressing down on my chest and making me feel as though someone was sitting on top of my shoulders.

I look around the room, turning in a small circle as I view all of the possible stations. This room was so huge, I couldn't imagine having time to try everything here before the games. Nor could I imagine wanting to.

My eyes zone out of focus as I begin thinking. The games. They weren't far away, there was about three days before we went in. And I'm not ready for it. I can't be ready for it. For after all these years of life and hard work, just to have it taken alway.

Why does the capital even have to do this? We're reminded enough of the dark days by the poor children in our district that live in poverty. We don't need any other reminders, seeing those sad children is enough. And in some districts, everyone lives like that. In some districts they don't have a "poor section" because everyone is poor. That's reminder enough.

My eyes focus back in as I shake my head. The people in the room seem to have multiplied, filling up almost every station. I see Percy, with another girl from a different district, bent over something at the fire making station. I guess I could use some practice on how to make fires, as I don't want to freeze in the arena.

I walk over to them, bending down beside Percy. "Hey Percy who's th—" I cut myself off mid-sentence as a face that is not Percy's looks up at me.

"I'm so sorry, you just had the same hair, you looked like my district partner, I'm sorry," I apologize, backing up slowly. Great. I had talked to one person and already made an enemy here. I am going to die.