“Megan, wake up!” I hear someone shout. I open my eyes sleepily to see Aaron there.
“What?” I moan.
“We’re about to eat breakfast and talk about our strategy for Training.” Aaron says.
“Let me change and I’ll be there in ten minutes.” I answer and Aaron goes to eat.
I change into the outfit left out for me; a black jumpsuit with red and gray lines on the side. The number ‘10’ is on my shoulders, and I slide on the black running shoes.
After I put my hair in a fishtail braid and brush my teeth, I decide to eat.
“Finally.” Jackson says once I come to the dining table. I sit down silently and take pancakes with bacon and a cheese bun. I drizzle pink sauce on the pancakes as Dakota talks.
“So what we want you to do for the three days is to meet some tributes, maybe make an alliance, try weapons that could be good for you to use, and don’t ignore the survival skills.” Dakota says.
“Since Megan is good with a knife, don’t use any.” Jackson says. “Same thing goes with Aaron. Don’t pick up a spear.”
“Got it.” Aaron and I say, and we finish our food in silence.
At 9:55 AM, Sybille says, “Let’s go.”
“They can go by themselves. They don’t need to be babied like last year.” Jackson says. Right. Last year, District 10 picked a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy. They were both killed in Bloodbath.
“Fine.” Sybille says, and gets Aaron and I in the elevator, fretting over our hair and presses the button marked ‘B’, for ‘Basement’, I assume.
“Nervous?” Aaron asks.
“Absolutely.” I say.
“Stick with me and you’ll be fine.” Aaron says, putting his arm over my shoulders and pulling me to his side.
“I’ll stick with you if you promise never to do that again.” I say.
“Promise.” Aaron says. We get in our positions marked on the floor and wait for Atala to talk. I don’t pay attention, again.
I’m standing between the boy from 5 and the girl from 12. Aaron is on the other side of Atala, so I can’t do anything.
Soon Atala dismisses us, and Aaron and I group together. “Where do you want to go?” I ask.
“I want to learn about the edible plants.” Aaron says. We walk over to the edible plants station and learn for an hour about how you can tell if a plant is edible or not.
Caitlyn comes over to us once we get to the archery and we shoot the targets, but I’m not that good with an arrow. But she claims she is really good with a slingshot. But what is a slingshot going to do to all six Careers if they all attack her at once?
“I’m going to go and throw knives with Wayne.” Aaron says after Caitlyn leaves.
“Wayne?” I ask.
“The male from 11.” Aaron says.
“Okay. I’ll try and make fires.” I say. “Wish me luck.”
“I can’t use a knife for my life!” Aaron retorts and we walk away. I sit down at the fire station.
“Try making a fire with flint.” The trainer says, handing me flint. I try to copy what the girl from 4 does, but she leaves.
Fortunately, I get the fire starting twenty minutes later. “Now use what I told you to make a fire out of wire.” The trainer says.
Grr…flint was easier than wire. I’ve must’ve been messing with the wire, but to no avail.
Someone goes behind me and takes the wire and wood away from me, then sits next to me. They make the fire appear in less than a minute. I look up at their face and see the boy from 5.
“Hi.” I say.
“Hello.” He says. “Tyler.” He holds his hand out for me to shake.
“Megan.” I say, shaking his hand. “How did you get that fire so fast? I’ve been trying for an hour!”
“I’m from District 5. All wires there.” Tyler says.
“Oh. That makes sense.” I say.
“How old are you?” Tyler asks as he makes a fire with matches.
“15.” I say. “You?”
“I’m 17.” Tyler says.
“I feel like I’m one of the youngest here.” I say.
“Actually, you’re not.” Tyler says. “All the Careers are at least 16, Nina is 14, Wendell, her partner is 17. Gabriela, my partner is 15, Oliver and Macie are from 6, Oliver’s 16 and Macie is 14, Elliott from 7 is 13, and Taylor from 7 is 14. From 8, Alexander is 18 and Anna is 12. From 9, Caitlyn is 12 and Carter is 15. From 11, Wayne is 18 and Sasha is 13. And Jaron is 18 while Lilly is 16; they’re from 12.”
“Well, I am the middle age to go in the arena.” I say.
“Yeah.” Tyler sighs.
“Want to sit with me and Aaron at lunch?” I ask.
“Is that a way to say, ‘Allies’?” Tyler asks, a smirk on his face.
“Not now, but maybe in the arena, yes.” I answer, and he smiles, his pearly white teeth dazzling.
“I’m going to try sword-fighting.” Tyler says. “Care to join?”
“No thanks. I can’t even hold a sword.” I say, and Tyler gets up and goes to the trainer at sword-fighting, where both the boy from 2-Justin-and Alexander are.
Once I get up to go and try climbing, Aaron and Wayne are there, smiling at me. “What?” I ask, looking at them questionly.
“He likes you.” Aaron says, nudging my shoulder.
“No he doesn’t!” I say, turning red.
“I’m Wayne.” Wayne introduces himself.
“Megan.” I say.
“Heard you invited him for lunch.” Wayne says.
“Well if I have to eat with Aaron again, I’m going to need someone there. Plus worst comes to worst, I’ll have a backup ally.” I shrug.
“Wayne and I are allies.” Aaron says.
They call everyone for lunch, and the Careers take one end of the table, just to show they are boss. I sit between Aaron and Tyler at the other end of the table, with the male from 1 staring at me.
“So what are the Career’s names?” I ask, eating a piece of roast beef.
“Cody and Allison are from 4, Zoe and Justin are from 2, and then it’s Starr and Brantley from 1. Hopefully you notice the boy and girl from the districts.” Wayne says.
“They’ve been quiet. You know, not doing anything, not showing off, not practicing skills, nothing.” Tyler says.
“Actually, I saw the girl from 4, Allison, at the fire station, and the boy from 2, Justin, at the sword-fighting. But 1 has been mysterious.” Aaron says.
Perhaps they’re thinking of ways to kill us painfully. I add mentally.
“They’re saving what they can do for the private session.” Wayne says.
“Or the arena.” I mutter. Aaron nudges me.
“What’s wrong?” He whispers in my ear. I shrug in response.
“Nothing.” I mutter under my breath that only he heard.
Once lunch is over, we go back to training. “I need everyone in a line for the obstacle course.” Atala says, and I get in line behind Zoe and in front of Brantley, the guy that was looking at me before the Chariots. I’m standing between two Careers, yay! No.
“Have allies?” Brantley whispers in my ear. I turn around and see him smirking at me.
“Do you have allies?” I retort.
“Don’t worry, I’ll kill you in Bloodbath. And maybe that kid from 5 with your district partner.” Brantley says, and I turn around, thinking of him killing Aaron and Tyler with a spear, sword, knife, ax, anything.
I get the second fastest time in the obstacle course after everyone is done, only after Macie, the girl from 6, who has the fastest time.
Once we get back to our floor, Sybille is there, and Aaron, Sybille, and I walk to the dinner table where Dakota and Jackson are eating. We get food and start eating.
“So who did you talk to?” Dakota asks.
“I talked to the boy from 5, the boy from 11, Aaron, and the girl from 9.” I say.
“I met the boy from 5, the boy from 11, the boy from 3, the girl from 7, and the girl from 12.” Aaron says.
“Any alliances?” Jackson asks.
“The boy from 11 said he’d join the both of us. Same with the girl from 12.” Aaron says.
“The boy from 5 would be a backup ally.” I say.
“Okay, so there’s an alliance between you two, the boy from 11, and the girl from 12. The boy from 5 can be an ally if needed.” Jackson confirms, writing it down.
“Why are you writing it down?” I ask.
“So this way we know what mentors we’ll have to coordinate with.” Dakota answers. “So, Chaff and Haymitch?”
“Yeah. Chaff mentors the male tribute.” Jackson says. I vaguely remember Chaff as a past District 11 victor who lost his arm. And you can’t forget Haymitch, who won the second Quarter Quell.
The next day of Training consists of talking to Lilly and Wayne about the alliance, and I add Nina to the alliance.
The third day of Training is the Private Session with the Gamemakers. One tribute goes in at a time, district by district, the male first, then the female, meaning that I, the girl from 10, am going to wait for a while, since everyone gets fifteen minutes to show the Gamemakers something of use in the arena.
After the Careers are gone, the tension in the dining room lifts a little. We sit in order, meaning I’m between Aaron and Wayne.
Aaron goes in, and ten minutes later, I go.
What am I going to show them? I repeat in my head.
“Megan Roma, District 10.” I say to Seneca Crane, and he nods, signaling to go ahead. I take three knives and throw one knife at a hanging dummy fifty feet away, and the knife makes a home in the dummy’s heart. I see three Gamemakers nod. I take the second knife and throw it at the ceiling. Sparks fall from the light I hit.
I have five minutes left. I’ll try something I never did before. I climb on the net, hanging upside down from the ceiling, and aim for a target. I throw the knife and it hits the target’s head. I flip and land on the ground on my feet.
“Thank you, Megan. You are dismissed.” Seneca says, and I walk to the elevator, pressing the number ‘10’ on it.
I’m attacked by questions from Aaron, Dakota, and Jackson once I step out of the elevator.
“How did it go?”
“Did you impress them?”
“What did you do?”
“Did the Gamemakers pay attention?”
“Relax! I think it went well, at first, only three Gamemakers were watching, but by my last knife, all were paying attention.” I say.
“What did you do?” Sybille asks.
“I threw three knives.” I say.
“Let’s wait and see the scores.” Aaron says, and I resort to my room. I sit on the bed and watch Capitol TV, since there is nothing better to do.
“Everyone is anticipating the Hunger Games! Tonight the tribute’s scores are announced to all of Panem! Now, Seneca, who, other than the Careers, who do you think can win?” Caesar asks Seneca Crane.
“I see that Districts 10 and 11 picked good tributes. I’m not saying that they’ll win, but I think this year they’ll get far.” Seneca says. Maybe he directed it at me and Wayne. I don’t know what Aaron did, and Sasha has no chance against Cody or Brantley.
“MEGAN THE SCORES ARE ABOUT TO BE ANNOUCED!” Tavvy shouts, and I sprint to the couch, successfully getting a seat between Tavvy and Aaron.
“As you know, the tributes have been assessed after three days of close examination and have each been given a score on the scale from one to twelve. And here are the scores.” Caesar says.
Brantley got a 10, Zoe got a 9, Nina got a 6, Cody got a 10, Tyler got a 5, and Caitlyn got a 6. Those were the ones I paid attention to.
“And for District 10. Aaron York.” Caesar says, and his picture flashes on the screen with an 8 underneath. Eight! Queb, Tavvy, and Sybille cheer, until Dakota shushes them.
“We won’t hear Megan’s.” Dakota says.
“Now to the female tribute. Megan Roma.” Caesar says. “With a score of…ten. Ten!”
“TEN!” Everyone shouts in amazement. “Congratulations!”
“I say this calls for a toast!” Queb says. “To District 10’s tributes!”
“District 10’s tributes!” Sybille, Tavvy, Jackson, and Dakota chorus. We celebrate for an hour, then I go to sleep.