The rest of the training days had gone by in a blur, I had spent three-quarters of my time training with Beck, Elsie and occasionally Viva and Tiberius. The other quarter of my time I was getting death stared at by Sage the Knife thrower or getting followed around by Clovis. I didn't particularly like Clovis, he was cocky, ruthless and clearly only wanted Thorn on his team to get to me. It wasn't working, as soon as I reached the arena, I was going to get Thorn out of there and to the safest place possible.
Sylvia had spent some time helping me with my self-presentation at the interviews, I had learnt a bit about it from Finnick but Sylvia and Mags had both decided that playing 'the hot girl' was not my move. My outfits from the train and the parade had both portrayed me as something of an angel, Sylvia wanted me to keep playing the role of 'Capitol's Sweetheart'. Innocent, soft and smiley, it was a small part of me that I didn't really unlock unless I truly liked a person. Very few people had seen that side of me and now I was expected to show it to the whole world. No.
That girl was reserved for Finnick, for Addison, for the rest of my family, not for crowds to excited Capitol citizens ready to watch me die. I couldn't disagree, it didn't make sense for me to change my game now, especially considering they thought I had something with Finnick, a softer nature would balance out his charismatic personality. I was against using my best friend's fame to my advantage, but Finnick had surprisingly encouraged me to go along with it. We were practising walking in heels when a knock sounded at the door, an Avox handed Sylvia a small piece of parchment paper that she read. I could see the dread curtaining her face as her eyes scanned the page. "Sylvia is everything ok?" I ask, as much as I hated the Capitol, Sylvia had become a friend, she was actually a lot of fun to be around.
"It's the president, he wants to see you," She says in a vulnerable voice.
They wouldn't execute me, not now, it's too much effort to find a new tribute this close to the games. As far as I was concerned, I hadn't done anything wrong, it scared me to think of what was about to happen. Two peacekeepers escorted me as I racked my brains for anything that I could have done that was remotely illegal. I think back to the day on the pier, the execution of those three men, that wasn't going to happen to me, was it? I had lived in District Four all my life, I loved to swim, the water was a safe place for me and yet I still feared drowning.
It's such a formidable fear for me, I can't place an experience that I feel rooted in that would cause such a deep phobia. I think it's just the feeling of failing something that I know I'm good at. I've been swimming my whole life, to die caused by failing something I usually feel strong at sounds terrifying.
I'm led to a white room full of perfectly polished wooden furniture, the peacekeepers slam the door behind me. I'm left alone in this windowless room; a pungent smell of white roses fills the air. My eyes catch President Snow who stands by a bookcase on the left side of the room. Should I clear my throat, announce my presence, bow and beg for mercy. A sick side of me is tempted to garrotte him with my shoelace while he's unaccompanied. Instead of carrying out any of these terrible ideas I shuffle my feet awkwardly and wait for him to break the silence.
"Miss Hartley, please take a seat," The President doesn't even turn to face me, instead he pulls out a book from the shelf and flicks through some of the pages. I tremble forward into a plush seat that sits in front of a mahogany desk. President Snow turns to face me and it's now that I see his snakelike eyes in person, a wave of intimidation passes through me. I break eye contact, looking down at my hands, my nail pressed into the palms of my hands. "Tea?" He offers me, holding an intricately painted teapot.
"No thank you, sir," I say as politely as possible, I regret it as soon as I've said it, I just refused something from the President. It's like I can feel Sylvia smack me up the back of the head.
His eyes darken slightly, but he says nothing further on the matter, pouring himself a cup and taking a long sip of the drink. He sits across from me and I notice a blotch of red on the corner of his white beard, did he forget to wash his face after eating someone's heart? Does he drink the blood of his enemies like Finnick had joking suggested many times? I'm too afraid to ask, I don't get the chance as he speaks again, "Are you nervous for your individual assessment?" He asks, crossing one leg over the other.
No, this is not a comfortable conversation amongst old friends, he clearly wants me for something But why is he speaking with me like we've known each other all our lives, I regret not strangling him with the shoelace as I respond, "Sir, I don't think you asked me here to speak to me about my training,"
I regret it as soon as I said it, but President Snow merely lets out a chuckle that causes my blood to freeze over, "Clever girl, I can see why Mr Odair is so attached," He says, tucking his chair in and leaning forward, I can smell the metallic blood in his mouth mixed with the scent of the white rose that's pinned to his suit.
"Is that what this is about, Finnick?" I ask him, what does he want with Finnick? Hasn't he already manipulated him enough, is he really going to stretch him further? How far does he take the games, must he break every single one of the victors?
"Unfortunately so, Miss Hartley, Finnick has a lot of admirers in the Capitol, you can imagine why," He explains.
Get on with it, I hiss inside my head.
"You can imagine how upset everyone will be if they find out he's taken by some common District girl," He continues, I almost laugh out loud, Common District Girl? Is that really what he thinks of us?
"It's not like that with Finnick and I," I try and defend him, as much as I wish it were like that, I know it's not. It never will be, he'll be swooped up into the rich arms of a Capitol woman and I'll be dead. That's our reality.
"I know it's not," It's like he's teasing me with the way he says it, "All I need is to make sure you won't make it like that on the night of your interview, can you do that for me, Miss Hartley?" He leans forward again.
I want to ask him what he wants with Finnick, why it's so important I don't exclusively proclaim my love for him or something. I hate the control Snow has of him, instead of saying anything I'll regret I give him a soft nod in response. I try to hide a sigh of relief when a pair of game makers arrive at the door and inform me it's time for my individual assessment.
I'm led down to the training centre, meeting the eyes of Thorn as he exits the training room. He passes me a look to ask if everything's ok, I respond with a subtle nod, still trying not to show my obvious fear after the interaction with the President. Never have I felt so intimidated by one person, the fact that someone so vile can control who lives and who dies with a snap of his fingers makes my stomach clench in anger.
I have ten minutes to perform my chosen skill to the game makers, I had barely even thought of what I was going to do. The training centre has been completely altered to my confusion, my eyes flick around at the new centre I've been holed up in. The game makers sit about me and I notice the screen over on the wall, my time will start when I pick what skill I'm going to perform.
I pick up a beautiful silver trident that sits on the ground, waves are carved in the silver on the staff part of the trident. The end without three points has been fashioned into a spear, it's a beautiful weapon, I'll be sad to let it go at the end of the session. I pressed the trident application on the screen and a countdown from five starts as I move to the centre of the floor.
A beeping noise sounds as my ten minutes begin, orange holograms form out of nothing, twenty-three human-shaped holograms each holding weapons. I dive out of the way as one shoots an arrow at me, slashing two of the holograms with opposite ends of my trident I watch as they seem to dissolve into thin air.
I begin to slash through a number of holograms, watching as the neon colour glitters around me like a cloud of metallic dust with everyone I strike. I hate how magical it looks, it seems like they're glorifying what death is like, surely murdering someone can't be this satisfying. I duck as a spear flies my way, stabbing the thrower in the chest. I spin the trident around my hand in the way that Finnick describes as weightless. The way it moves in between makes me feel completely in control, the power I feel with the weapon in my hands motivates me to strike three more holograms, neon dust clouding around me.
There aren't many left, another one charges at me, with a spear, I block the spear with my trident. carefully, I disarm him by putting the trident in between his arms, twisting the weapon I flip him in a full circle and bring the triple pointed side down on his chest. I blow some hair out of my eyes when I notice the final three holograms running away.
The final minute is pure patience as I hope and pray for a miracle, letting out a silent cheer as it arrives with half a minute to spare. The three-hologram file into a perfect line and I let out a calculated breath, throwing the trident in their direction with a combination of momentum and strength. The movement turns the final three to dust within a matter of seconds, I run over to the trident with fifteen seconds to spare. In a pure moment of instinct and adrenaline still raging after my meeting with Snow and near-perfect run with the training program, I hurl the weapon at the screen on the wall. All the lights shut off instantly, a shattering sound is heard as the weapon collides with the screen. I tiptoe through the glass and pick up the trident, spinning it around my hands and looking up at the shocked audience of Game makers.
Clearly, they didn't expect the sweetheart to pull anything mildly aggressive, I don't even hold in the smirk as they stand motionless. I don't say thank you, I don't bow, I don't give them the satisfaction of my acknowledgement, instead, I stalk out of the training centre, a smirk still plastered on my face. I don't even put the trident back; they'll remember me more if I don't. The rest of the tributes waiting for their assessment looking at me in confusion as I leave the centre.
Beck catches my attention before I've left the building, moving over to the door to block me from moving. "What the hell happened in there? All the lights flickered before left the room." He asked, folding his arms.
I give him my best smile a respond in a perfectly friendly voice, "They're lucky District Five's going in next, maybe one of them can fix their power issues," I leave without giving him the gratification of explaining myself, trident still in hand. I'm going to have fun explaining this one to Sylvia.
The reaction I got from the woman was very unexpected, she lets out a surprised laugh and pulls me into a hug, "Well you've certainly made an impression for yourself darling," She comments.
"You're an idiot," Finnick shakes his head, but I can see an amused smile forming on his face, he pulls me into an embrace, ruffling my hair and kissing me on the head. I scrunch my face up and try to flatten my hair down causing the rest of the team to laugh.
"Were you planning on returning that?" Thorn asked, pointing to the trident I had stolen from the room.
Finnick shakes his head, "There's no going back now, only the game makers have seen that side of you, it'll make the score even more impressive,"
Gaia and the rest of the prep team meet us later in the evening over dinner when the scores are to be announced. I snuggle myself into Finnick side as we sit on the lounge, Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith make a few jokes to get the audience going and the scoring begins. Clovis earns himself and ten along with Sage, the other two careers earn themselves eights. The girl from three unexpectedly earns herself a nine, I from, I think her name was Toni, I don't know what she was good at but it was impressive enough to get herself such a high score. I'll have to watch out for her.
Thorn is next and pulls himself a nine, the rest of the team dances around in excitement. Mags pulls him into a bone-crushing hug, followed by Sylvia, Finnick gives him a strong high-five and I smile at the interaction, glad they're getting along again. My heart stops when I realise that I'm next, the suspense eats me up from the inside as Caesar opens the envelope. I almost believe I've misunderstood his Capitol accent when he utters an "Eleven,"
Sylvia begins to cry with excitement and wraps her arms around me for the second time today, Mags follows with a strong hug. The prep team and Gaia give me hugs but I haven't said anything yet, I don't know what to say, is this Snow's way of putting a target on my head. Is this his way of threatening me into not messing with his prized victor?
Finnick seems to be thinking the same thing as me, he doesn't' say anything either, instead, he brings me into a hug and I try not to think about tomorrow when I'll hug him for the last time. He's afraid, I can feel his heart beating rapidly against his chest. He knows I'm a target, Thorn seems to realise the same thing when he congratulates me a nervous edge to his tone.
Viva scores herself an eight, Tiberius also coins an eleven- the plan running smoothly for now. Beck pulls a ten for himself, "Impressive, for a District Twelve tribute," Sylvia muses.
"Just wait till you see him in action," Thorn shudders.
Little Elsie scores herself a six, it's not impressive in comparison to some of the other scores, but for her size, it's almost astounding she got anything over a three. I wish I was there to see her reaction, to see Beck throw her into a brotherly bear hug. I wish I had scored a six, then I wouldn't feel the overwhelming sense of dread that's coursing through my body.
I have a bloodied target circled on the back of my head and Sage's knife is aimed directly at it.
I reorganised my bookshelf today, it might be the most productive thing I've done in months but baby steps.