Fear or courage? Happiness or sadness? Shame or pride? I don't know which one of these emotions I felt as I walked up the steps and stood in front of the entire District. What they teach you in the academy is that when you are reaped or you volunteer for the Games, you must do so with honor and pride. That's what the entire district expects me to do so I do it, I fake it. Because that's what I've been doing my entire life, pretending to be a part of the crowd down there when I'm really not. In the Academy, they tried to make me a part of it, but it quickly came to their attention that I didn't want or need to.
That should offer up the question – who is going to come and say goodbye to me when nobody in the District truly knows who I am? Half the instructors hardly know what my name is. They only know I'm good with the bow. There is no decent friend in my life, no family by the name of 'Skye' that have come to associate themselves with me. The only companion I've ever had hasn't even been human. It's been a silver-grey wolf belonging to the only instructor to ever actually instruct me – the Academy's Master Instructor in Archery.
As I just sit here and wait for the time to go, I hear something or someone try to pry the door open with its claws. A slight smile spreads across my face and a warmth appears inside my chest as I open the door and I hear Silver, the wolf bark in happiness to see me. I close the door as I go down on one knee as he's still not his full size. "Hey, Silver! Hi, buddy..." I let out as he buries his face in my chest. I'm rubbing his fur just behind his ears before he starts licking me in the face. "I love you too, you know..." I let out smiling before he stops and I hold his head firmly in my arms. "I'm gonna be gone for a little while. I'm gonna go and...bring pride and honor to my district."
My voice is monotone as I say that. It's almost like I don't believe it. "Don't worry though, I will not forget about you. I will make you proud too." Silver is the only true companion I've ever had. He makes me feel special and appreciated. He always sits next to me when I practice with the bow and arrow. When I'm finished, he runs over to the targets and bring back the arrows, one by one. I can almost be an actual normal person when he's around, probably because he doesn't talk, but only barks or purrs.
After a while the Master Instructor of Archery steps inside the room and I turn immediately more withdrawn. He's the only one who has ever said a word to me, the only one who has learned my habits, my strengths and my weaknesses. "I know you never volunteered for this, but it seemed as though the odds wanted you in those Games, kid." He never calls me by his name. I hardly respond to that anyway. When other instructors talk to me and call me by name, I almost forget to respond.
The Master Instructor sits down on one of the chairs while I'm still on my knees down on the floor as Silver lies over on his back and I scratch his tummy the way he likes. It makes him purr in return. He truly is the most special wolf in the world. At least to me he is the truest companion I've ever had. The only thing in this place that can make me smile.
"Here's the thing: your tribute-partner isn't much to look at. He will most likely be dead by the end of the countdown. You will be the one we depend on to defend the honor of District 2." He says. I hear every word that he's saying, but I keep my eyes on Silver. The Master Instructor is used to that so I know he's not offended. I've never missed a single word from his lessons. I don't look people in the eyes no matter who the person is, I look at them once and remember it for the rest of my life. "I know you will manage that just fine. You are, hands down, the best archer to ever come through the Academy."
I hear a slight knock on the door after a while and it slightly startles me. I will have to say goodbye soon...but who do I even say goodbye to? The Master Instructor? He's just an instructor here to see me off. I'm his little pet that knows how to use a bow and arrow. He's not going to miss me if I die, he'll easily move on. The only one that I know will notice my absence is Silver. He will sit by the targets and wait for me to come and fire my bow like I always do in the mornings.
The knock on the door signalizes that there are only a few minutes to go before the Master Instructor and Silver has to leave me here. The first minutes after the knocks, nobody says a word. I'm really good at that, not saying a word at all. I've barely said any words through my life, only the ones I've needed to say in order to survive. However, in these last couple of minutes in District 2, I might actually need something else than silence.
"Do you..." I start as the Master Instructor looks my way. I don't look at him when he turns towards me. I'm more comfortable watching a person's shadows whenever I speak to someone. I'm comfortable in the shadows, with the shadows. That is how I'm going to make my way through the Games I've decided. "Do you have any last advice, Master Instructor?" I finally manage to ask him as he takes a deep breath. "I would tell you the motto of the district, 'strength and honor', but for you I believe only honor would count considering your lack of muscles, kid..."
I can see through his shadow that he's turning thoughtful. I hear Silver breathe in his normal rapid pace as I wait for the Master Instructor to say something. "...word of advice..." He goes on before I catch him chuckle lightly to himself. "...make sure to keep your bow-arm relaxed, even when you're under pressure. If you're too tensed you'll be as good as dead..." He starts. I almost smile to myself because I cannot count the amount of times he's told me that.
"Relax, take a deep breath and let the bird fly. If you must, you know how to use the dagger in close combat. If you have no dagger, use the tip of the arrow, it's just as useful and painful as anything with a pointy end." He stops for a moment and he makes me look at him by tipping my head and eyes up towards me. "Most importantly, kid, you will need many allies, strong allies." I nod weakly before I look down at Silver who's waggling his tail and licking me in the face a few times more and it makes me smile a little bit.
"The time has come, kid. We must be going. Strength and honor." He says as he gets up on his feet. Silver licks me once more as if he's realizing that he has to leave to possibly never see me again. "Strength and honor..." I let out whispering before I look down on Silver who's whimpering slightly. "I will miss you too, buddy, I will miss you too."
A/N: Basically writing about the tribute saying goodbye to a loved one. My tribute didn't really have any loved ones if you read the form of her, but at the same time, it wasn't hard to come up with anything. It's supposed to be a locked task, but all entries are being posted here so. Also we had a word-limit of 1500. This task reached 1309 ;).