I hate to be doing this but my stupid best friend (winx51 AKA Liz) asked me to. So I'm advertising her stories Dear Anonymous and If Only I Hadn't!! Thanks for reading guys!
P.S. If you're reading this Winxy (can't erase it now, huh?;)), you need to update your books please!!
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Chapter 12- Game on!
Buzzzz
I growl and roll over. I don't want to answer my cell phone right now.
Buzzzz
Who could be calling me this early? I cover my head with my pillow, trying to ignore it.
Buzzzzzzzzzzz
It starts getting louder and I sit up, my hair sticking in every direction. All at once everything comes back to me, knocking me back and bringing tears to my eyes.
I'm not home. That's not my phone. I fell asleep on the roof. How did I get down here? Unless....
I look over and see the object making the loud buzzing was my alarm clock. I see a big red button and press it hesitantly. I sigh in relief when it turns off. There's no telling what big red buttons in the Capitol do.
I roll out of bed rubbing my eyes. Was that amazing dream true? I've never felt that good in my life. It can't be true.
I groan and go to take a shower. I carefully press the buttons from before. About the middle of my shower, my thoughts drift elsewhere. There's something nagging at me, something at the back of my brain, begging to be heard. It's like there's something in the air that I'm missing. It seems so obvious.
When I'm about to turn off the shower, without thinking, I hit the big red button. I'm shouting before it even reaches me. I'm overwhelmed by lemon smell again. I jump out, coughing and trying to fight away the yellow mist. I growl and run into my room. I'm planning on wearing my clothes from last night because I don't feel like trying but I see something set out for me. I pull them on, fitting nicely. I walk back into the bathroom and dry my hair in ringlets. I put it in a high, curly ponytail and leave to face the world.
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I walk into the dining room to find Katniss. It looks like she's not having a very good morning either and she's wearing the same thing as me. She's getting her own food so I walk up and grab a plate. I get eggs, sausages, something that resembles a donut, and an orange. When I slice the orange open, the smell adds to my own that I'm so overwhelmed that I have to put it down.
"How much do you like oranges?" Katniss asks as I'm draining my hot chocolate. I gulp it down and swipe my lip with my arm before I answer.
"Not that much. The showers seem to like them a lot though."
"Yeah. I think I smell like lemon. Wouldn't you have saw that coming great psychic?" she teases.
"That's the bad part of the deal. I can't see my own future." I shrug trying to not sound like I'm lying. I'm a bad lier.
"That must suck." she says. She sounds like she believes me and I'm surprised. She turns back to her food as Jay, Haymitch, and Peeta come in at the same time. They must have been having a "guy talk". Jay piles his plate with everything and sits down beside me.
"Excited about the training?"
I stare at him as if he's gone crazy. Heck, maybe he has.
"Of course I'm excited to show them how much of a target I am!" I growl, biting into the donut-looking thing. My mouth fills with lemon creme and I gag. I spit it into my napkin, making everyone laugh at me. Good thing Effie wasn't here to see that.
"What's wrong with you?" Jay asks between laughs. "I thought you loved citrus."
"After getting chocked by it twice in the shower, I'm a little tired of it."
"I still smell like I've been frolicking through flowers." I laugh and sniff him. I stop laughing and freeze. I can't move as I smell what I think I've been forgetting. Lilies.
"Dot, are you okay?" Jay asks, now concerned.
"You smell like lilies." I state.
"I thought you liked lilies. I told you my shower was nuts too." He shrugs.
Haymitch sighs, pushing his food back and taking out his flask.
"Let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now."
"Why would you coach us separately?" Katniss asks.
"Say if you had a secret skill you might not want the others to know about." Haymitch says.
"I don't think I do," I say. "Do I have any secret skills, Jay?"
"No. I don't think you have any skills period." says Jay. I slap the back of his head while he laughs. "I don't think I have any secret skills either."
Katniss looks at Peeta. "I don't think I have any secret skills," he says. "And I already know what yours is, right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels."
"You can coach us all together," Katniss tells Haymitch as we all nod in agreement.
"All right, so give me some idea of what you can do," Haymitch says. I can feel myself start to turn red.
"I can't do anything," Peeta says. "Unless you count baking bread."
"Sorry, I don't. Katniss. I already know you're handy with a knife," Haymitch continues.
"Not really. But I can hunt," Katniss says. "With a now and arrow."
"And you're good?"
Katniss thinks about it for a good minute. I try to remember what she's thinking about but I can't remember anything.
"I'm all right," she finally concludes.
"She's excellent," Peeta says like any boy in love with her. "My father buys her squirrels. He always comments on how the arrows never pierce the body. She hits every one in the eye. It's the same with the rabbits she sells the butcher. She can even bring down deer."
Katniss looks taken by surprise. I don't have to be an actual mind reader to know she's thinking about what I said about Peeta.
"What are you doing?" she asks, suspicion in her voice.
"What am I doing? If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of. Don't underrate yourself," Peeta says.
"What about you?" Katniss starts and I smile. "I've seen you in the market. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. Tell him that. That's not nothing."
"Yes, and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people. It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't." Peeta shoots back at her. I think I remember this conversation going on a while.
"He can wrestle," she tells Haymitch. "He came in second in our school competition last year, only after his brother."
"What use is that? How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?" Peeta shoots back. They're voices are getting louder and louder, and Jay, Haymitch, and I are just sitting there watching.
"There's always hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife, and you'll at least stand a chance. If I get jumped, I'm dead!" That's probably what's gonna happen to me...
"But you won't! You'll be living up in some tree eating raw squirrels and picking of people with arrows. Yo know what my mother said to me when she came to say goodbye, as if to cheer me up, she says, 'Maybe District Twelve will finally have a winner'. Then I realized, she didn't mean me, she meant you!" screams Peeta. I can see the sadness in his blue eyes.
"Oh, she meant you."
"She said, 'She's a survivor, that one'. She is," Peeta says.
Katniss is quiet for a minute and her voice sounds different when she says, "But only because someone helped me."
Peeta shrugs, looking down. "People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you."
"No more that you," Katniss says back.
Peeta rolls his eyes at us. "She has no idea. The effect she can have." I nod my head slightly back at him.
Katniss thinks for a minute before she starts glaring at him. I catch her eye and shake my head ever so slightly that I'm sure no one saw me. She looks startled and confused as she stared back at Peeta. I look up from them to see Jay watching me. He looks away when our eyes meet.
"Well, then. Well, well, well. Katniss, there's no guarantee there'll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?"
"I know a few basic snares," Katniss mutters, obviously in thought.
"That may be significant in terms of food," Haymitch continues. "And, Peeta, she's right, never underestimate strength in the arena. Very often, physical power tilts the advantage to a player. In the Training Center, they will have weights, but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The plan's the same for all of you. You go to group training. Spend the time trying to learn something you don't know." he sneaks a glance at me. "Or something at all. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?" Haymitch says and everyone nods but me. I'm too busy trying not to rip his head off.
"One last thing. In public, I want each of you by each others side every minute. Katniss and Peeta. Jay and Blye."
"Dot!" I have to shout as everyone starts to object. Haymitch slams his fist down on the table, making me jump.
"Every minute! It's not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. That shouldn't be a problem for the two love birds over here." He points to us and I start to get up and get him. Jay holds me back and I growl. "Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training."
I get up and as I do, smell Jay again. Lilies. I smelled it right before I fell asleep. Right before the dream I'm not sure is a dream.
Jay and I walk back to my room, hearing slamming doors. We sit on my bed, both of us in deep thought. Finally I just decide to say it.
"Jay?"
"Yeah?" he asks, golden eyes burning into me.
"Did you carry me back to my room last night?"
"Yeah," he says as my heart goes into overdrive. "I found you on the roof and it was cold, so I brought you to your room. Why do you ask?"
"Oh! Uh..." I scramble to cover up. "I just wanted to make sure I didn't get picked up by one of those Capitol people."
He nods, excepting this answer. I lay on my back, waiting for ten. So it wasn't a dream. Then I remember my promise and I plan to keep it. Jay lays back next to me and we stare at the T.V. on the ceiling. It's turned to a channel of a forest. I close my eyes, imagining I'm back home, sitting in my backyard listening to the birds.
I open my eyes. I can't pretend I'm back home. I look at my clock and see its almost ten so I get up and brush my hair though to see its surprisingly still curly. I make sure it's all pulled back out of my face again as I pull it into another high ponytail. My hair is so long that the ponytail goes a little down my back.
"You're hair looks fine." He can tell I'm nervous. "Cato can't hurt you in training."
"I'm also nervous about people seeing I have no talent."
"You do have talent," he scoffs. "You just have to find it."
I growl at him as I walk out of the bathroom and stop by the door. He pushes me out and we walk to meet Effie, Peeta, and Katniss in the elevator. Katniss is biting her nails, Effie is looking excited, and Peeta just looks nervous. Jay holds my hand as we zoom down.
When the doors open, I'm not surprised to see how big it is. It wouldn't be Capitol if it wasn't big. I can see everyone's here already, as I guessed. I see weapons everywhere and start to get freaked.
The rest of the tributes are gathered around in a circle, not talking or looking at each other. I can name a few of them. Cato, Clove, Glimmer, Rue, Thresh... All of them ended up dying. All of them. I start to feel sick. Someone pins a number 12 on my back while I scan over everyone. It seems Katniss, Jay, Peeta and I are the only ones dressed alike. Represented as a team. Hopefully we can be a real team.
We join the circle and Atala, the head trainer, begins to explain the training schedule. I listen carefully as the book never told exactly what she said. She starts to read the skill stations and I examine the people who I haven't read about. I know they won't be a problem, but...
One boy stands out. He's bigger than the rest with dirty blonde hair falling in his dark brown eyes. He would be handsome if he wasn't a killing machine. He looks like he could be Cato's brother. There's a huge board behind us, telling the names and districts of the people with a picture. I find him and discover he his Cato's brother. It must be hard for them. His name is Atlas.
One girl also stands out. But it isn't because she's bigger. It's because she looks the most dangerous. She looks like the devil with her long brown hair streaked with purple. Amazingly, her eyes look purple as well. They're narrowed, examining each of us carefully. Her strange eyes lock with mine for one second before she dismisses me as weak. I glance behind me to the board to see she's also a Career. Her name's Vibia.
I realize this could be my only chance to learn FoxFace's name so before Atala releases us, I glance behind me. Minda. It's of course an unusual name that belongs in the Hunger Games. But I like it better than FoxFace.
Jay taps my shoulder and I jump. Katniss, Peeta, and Jay are waiting on me. Oh, yeah. Haymitch told us to stay together.
"Where would you guys like to start?" Peeta asks. I look around at all the people trying to get the deadliest of weapons.
"Suppose we tie some knots," Katniss says and I nod my head rapidly in agreement.
"That sounds great," I say as we cross the huge gym to one of the only empty stations. He shows us a few simple traps that we master in about an hour. We then move on to Peeta's choice, camouflage. I eagerly watch him as he make him arm look like it belongs in a forest.
"I do the cakes," he tells us.
But, instead of listening to him, I watch as Cato spears a dummy through the heart. It feels like he's spearing me right through the heart. Atlas may be bigger but I know from the book that Cato's the one we have to be worrying about.
Over the next three days, I stay in starting fires (burned my finger once), knot tying (got stuck twice), and camouflage (got my fingers stuck together once). On the third day, Jay comes up to me, totally frustrated. I try to figure out why before he grabs my hand and pulls me over to archery. Peeta and Katniss stay together and Jay and I do.
"Dot, you really need to practice with a weapon. Who knows, you may be good." Before I can answer with what the crap is going on, he marches over and era his own now and arrow. Almost making me faint in surprise, he quickly loads the bow and shoots the dummy right on the target. Bulls eye. I gape at him as he hands it to me and gets himself another.
I can do as good as Jay. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. Two minutes later, I had gotten tackled for trying to shoot a Peacekeeper. I wasn't actually trying to shoot him but that's what they thought. So as I stalk past Jay, massaging my shoulder, I say, "I'm checking archery off my list of skills."
The next day, he drags me to knife throwing. I throw the knife in one direction and I'm hopeful for a second as it flys through the air. I can then see everything in slow motion as it starts coming towards me like a boomerang. I don't even know how it's possible. I shriek as I jump out of the way, right when it reaches me. Everyone stares at me as I just glare at Jay. It's not surprising that he's about to double over laughing.
The last day, is more surprising than the rest. Jay drags me almost kicking and screaming towards the swords.
"Jay, please don't make me do this! I'm not good with sharp things! You've seen that over the past few days!" I plead. He just shrugs and tosses me a sword. I catch it as Jay gets him one. The only thing I'm good at. Catching things. But that's not gonna help me if Clove throws a knife at me. Ouch.
Jay puts his sword up, waiting for me to make the first move. I take a deep breath and launch at him. I'm sure this is against the rules but nobody stops us. Jay blocks easily and I swirl around and duck as I aim at Jay's legs. He, of course, blocks and aims at my legs. I jumps up and start moving forward, forcing him to move backwards. I try a move I've read about. When our swords touch, I swings my hand around, making him drop his. Before he can get it, in a lightning quick move, I have the sword at his neck.
Instead of being scared, Jay just smiles at me. I smile back at him and kiss his cheek, moving my sword. Looks like I am good with weapons. I turn around to see everyone watching us. I close my eyes, my cheeks heating up. Everyone saw that... Hopefully it'll make them scared. I look up to see the Gamemakers watching us too. I see a few smirking at us. So strange...
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I find out Peeta and Katniss have seen Rue. I watch her, so small she looks nine or ten. She climbs really good, and is great with a slingshot. I bet she could use a bow and arrow, too. Some way...
Haymitch and Effie are driving us insane. They ask us everything about our day. What we said, what we did. I wouldn't be surprised if they asked us when we used the bathroom. They also give us constant directions on how to act. Always be polite to each other and act like friends. Stay away from this and that. Don't mess with him or her.
One night after dinner, I'm exhausted when Jay comes in. He sits down on my bed and sighs.
"Effie and Haymitch have lost it." he groans.
"I know. Jay, have you noticed Rue?"
"How could I not notice Rue? All I can think about is how she's so little and sees going to die soon."
"Maybe she won't die..." I whisper.
"You can't interfere. Haven't you ever seen one of those time travel movies where the people try to save the person who's supposed to die and they do at first. But they're destined to die so death follows them until they finally except it." this annoys me.
"Everything hasn't been exactly like the book said so far. Maybe we were put here for a reason! What if we can change the fate of everyone? What if nobody has to die?"
"Dot, listen to yourself. We're being put into that arena whether we like it or not. People will die before we have a chance to stop anything. What if the Capitol decides to just kill us all?"
"They can't. Remember the berries? They would have killed them but they have to have a victor."
"Like you said, the book is wrong about a lot of things."
I fume for a minute. "Who even says we're gonna make it out alive?" Jay continues. "How will we even get home? We haven't been thinking about this. We need to focus on saving ourselves. We have to let fate have its way."
"Both of us and Katniss and Peeta can't all make it out alive, Jay." I whisper. In an un-Jay-like fashion, he storms out of the room.
"But I plan for one of us to get out," I whisper to nobody. What's with Jay lately? He's been acting so different. It must be the pressure from the Games. But that's another thing I just tell myself. I don't know if it's true.
I fall asleep thinking of ways to get Jay out alive.
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Crying. I hear crying. In the darkness I can see Lily crying on her bed. She's looking at a newspaper that show Jay and I's faces on it. 'Still missing' is printed at the top. I read the newspaper which is saying they don't know I'd we're dead or alive. Runaways or kidnapped.
Lily starts to blur as I scream to her that we're okay. Her head jerks up and her pale tear-stained face looks around. She heard me.. Is that even possible. I'm thrown back into darkness as I hear another person crying. I can see my mother and father looking at the newspaper too. They're both crying. I don't understand. Why are they crying for me? They wouldn't even know I was gone.
"Mom? Dad?" I whisper. They hear me and see me. My mother gasps and runs towards me. Before I can hug her, I shoot up in bed, gasping for breath and sobbing. I think I screamed, too.
I hear a knock on the door as I get up and Jay hugs me, warmth spreading from his fingertips. That's the last thing I remember.
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My eyes are puffy as I wait for my private training. It takes a long time before Peeta is called.
"Good luck," I tell him. He smiles at me and disappears beyond the door. Katniss, Jay, and I sit in total silence. Next they call Jay and before he can leave, I grab him in a hug. He's been there so much for me and I try to give all my thanks in that one hug. He nods at me before disappearing.
"Anything you can tell me about how I'll do?" Katniss asks, breaking the silence. "Or is that too much information?"
"No. I just don't want to tell you or it might change what you're going to do." I smile a little, wishing I could see they're faces. Hopefully Jay and I's presence isn't going to change her shooting that arrow. Before Katniss can say anything else, I'm called. She nods at me and I walk towards the door. It shuts behind me and I know I'm in trouble.
If the Gamemakers were tired in the book, you know they're definitely tired after double the people. What could I do to get their attention? A trainer comes out as I get a sword. He bows at me like someone out of a Japanese movie and we begin. After a few minutes of fighting, I glance up to see the Gamemakers not even watching me. What can I do?
I run over to the climbing wall, screaming like a maniac, hoping to get their attention. I hold the sword carefully as I start to climb and the trainer comes after me. I glance back to see most of the Gamemakers watching me with interest. They probably think I'm going to kill myself before I even get in the Games. I can just guess they're thoughts. 'Ooh! Let's get popcorn!'.
Saying my prayers I let go of the climbing wall and flip over. Again everything moves in slow motion. It's kind of creepy as I get my sword and knock his out of his hand. Before I hit the ground, I grab his sword and point it at him. When time starts right again, he's looking scared and if he moves, I could chop something off. I think I even hear a few claps behind me.
"You are dismissed, Miss Ivory." I hear one of them call in a deep voice. I turn around to see most of them looking shocked. The rest are scribbling on a notepad.
I return the swords and smile at them as I walk towards the exit. Wait until I use those moves against another tribute. I can protect Jay. I can save Rue. I can make it. Just wait Cato...
Game on!
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Real or Not Real Fast Fact #1- I made Dot hate the smell of oranges because of the shower based on my love of oranges!!:)
Thank you guys for all the reads, comments, and votes!!!!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!