NINE
TIME BOMB
Talia Riverthorn sat with a calm and collected look on her face, but inside she was riddled with nerves. She had no idea what this private session would be like, but she could feel her palms getting clammy and she knew in her mind that that was no good, especially if she wanted to demonstrate using a trident.
Beside her Ethan Bomer was sitting his his arms folded, as if bored of waiting, Talia had no doubt that he'd get a high score today, no matter how boring or basic his performance- he had the look of a Victor.
"Talia Rivertorn, District Four," An automated voice echoes around the room and she closes her eyes and breathes in deeply, standing up and glancing around the room, the District 6 male, Darius, was grinning at her. She tears her eyes from him and sees Archer, smiling hopefully towards her.
Talia stands up and heads for the elevator, her hands clenched into fists to stop them shaking as she steps inside. It takes her a few floors up and opens to reveal the training centre. She knows already that whatever performance she gives here will be undermined by Ethan's right after her. Her boots carry her quietly across the empty hall and she doesn't look up to the game makers until she's stood directly below them.
"Talia Riverthorn, District Four," She announces, scanning the faces of the gamemakers, they were all drinking from tall flute glasses and behind them, a table full of food, including fish, which Talia knew was from her beloved District.
She turns on her heel and glances at the weapons stand, she sees the black trident sitting there waiting for her, but for now, she ignores it and walks to the collection of materials resting on another stand.
Within a minute she has constructed a net trap that could capture a person, and she climbs up the rope station and demonstrates its ability to work with one of the dummies. She earns a few claps, to which she rolls her eyes and climbs down from the ropes as fast as she can, grabbing the trident in her hands. In the last training day she hadn't touched the trident as Finnick has requested, and now, as she felt the balance of it in her palms, she regretted it.
She paces across the hall, glancing at the gamemakers, the head gamemaker, who she recognised from Caesar Flickerman's interviews, sat at the front, eyes fixed to her. She sends him a smirk, before holding the trident above her, like a javelin. Some of the gamemakers whisper that she will never make such a throw from where she's stood, and as she readies her stance she pulls in a deep breath.
Her fathers words echo in her mind, take a breath, fix your shoulders, keep your eyes forwards, and as you throw the weapon, breathe out, follow it through, and don't miss.
She takes a step fowards, throwing the tri-pointed weapon through the air, the breath falls out of her lips and she watches it spiral, it pierces through the netting and into the dummies chest. She smiles to herself, turning to view the game makers, most of them are gawping in awe at how such a small, fragile little girl managed to throw a weapon of such weight, with such force and precision.
She walks forwards under the lights and looks up at the gamemakers, "Thank you for your time, I hope you enjoyed my performance," She smirks again, eyes fixed on the head gamemaker, before she turns swiftly on her heel, causing a loud shriek against the floor, and walking to the elevator. Her head held high, her clammy palms gone, and her hands resting calmly at her sides. She had executed her performance perfectly, and as she steps into the elevator and finally looks back to the gamemakers, she sees them all talking, applauding her skill, except for the head gamemaker, who sits silently, staring after her, sipping on his drink.
Talia Riverthorn and Ethan Bomer sit between their mentors on the sofa of their living quarters, waiting for the scores to be publicised. Ethan had not stopped talking about how the head gamemaker had clapped and smiled at his displays of strength and might, and that caused Talia to worry- perhaps her display was not so perfect after all.
Thelan comes back with their stylists- Aldar and Scarletta, and they get their drinks and settle down on the sofa too, waiting for the Caesar Flickerman announcements.
Finally, the TV turns on and Caesar appears at his usual desk, papers in hand- the scores. Talia shifts to the edge of her seat and she feels the hairs on her neck rise as Caesar smiles.
"In my hands I have the scores from the private sessions of this years tributes for the annual Hunger Games, and might I say, we have a fine bunch this year," He grins, and Talia wonders if he ever stopped smiling, "So lets jump right in with District 1's male tribute, Marcus Hammersmith- 7,"
"Only a 7?" Coral mutters, leaning forwards on her elbow.
"Diamond Ross, 7,"
"Two 7's from District 1?" Coral scoffs, "Usually they at least get 9's,"
"Maybe they just weren't up to par this year," Finnick responds and Coral frowns, it was as if she wanted District 1 to get better scores.
"Now to District 2, Mason Stone, 9," Caesar says, "Samantha Kiln, 8. District 3's Harold Fawn, 5 and Rosanne Adams, 4,"
Talia feels her throat clench as Caesar pauses for a moment, glancing at the scores and back to the screen, "Onto, District 4, Ethan Bomer, 9,"
A cheer errupts from Coral, Scarletta and Thelan.
"Well done! That is excellent!" Coral grins at Ethan and Talia's fingers tap her knee.
"Talia Riverthorn, oh wow, this is impressive, an 11!" Caesar grins, and the room falls into a silence.
"11?" Talia asks, her body was tense, completely frozen.
"That is...Amazing!" Thelan yells, standing up and clapping his hands rapidly.
Talia can hardly believe it, she turns and looks at Finnick, "Is that...It can't be right,"
"Well done Talia," Finnick smiles to her, he places a hand on her shoulder, "You've made District 4 proud,"
"How did she get an 11?" Talia hears Ethan mutter to Coral, who glares towards Talia when she looks towards them.
Talia gulps back her sudden happiness and turns to the screen, watching the rest of the scores.
"So to finish it all of, the highest scoring tribute for this years Hunger Games is Talia Riverthorn with her impressive score of 11, and in fact, the only other District 4 tribute to ever score an 11 was Finnick Odair, her mentor- there must be something magical about that man!" Caesar grins, "I'll see you all tomorrow for the tribute interviews, goodnight Panem,"
The TV screen turns black and Talia turns to Finnick, a small smile on her lips, "You got an 11?"
"I did," He says and Talia shakes her head.
"The head gamemaker looked so...Unimpressed with my trap and trident throwing display," She says and Finnick laughs, causing Talia to frown, "What?"
"You did a trap and trident display?" He asks and she nods, "Thats what I did during my private session,"
"Oh...Oh wow-"
"This is all wonderful and joyous and all, but me and my tribute have to discuss where we go from here so we'll be leaving," Coral says, standing up, Ethan follows and the both head for Ethan's bedroom, Scarletta quickly following.
Once they're gone, Finnick and Talia turn to each other and burst into laughter.
"Me and my tribute," Talia mocks, only causing Finnick to laugh more. Aldar laughs too, shaking his head.
"This isn't funny," Thelan frowns from his seat and Talia rolls her eyes, turning to face him.
"I'm sorry, Thelan, but which one of us is going into an arena with 23 other people to try and survive?" She asks and his lips press firmly together, "I'm allowed to have a laugh, it'll probably be the last one I ever have,"
"Don't say that!" Thelan says, he stands up and takes Talia's hand, who's eyebrows furrow at the gesture, "I believe in you, Talia, you might think these words are false, but I just saw your score, and you have proved to the nation that you are a ticking time bomb, and it is only a matter of time before you explode,"
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yeet
one think i didn't want to change from the original book was Talia's score and how she got that score
thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed!
~lachys-loch
❤️