Sweetest Downfall

I sucked in a deep breath as I laid in my plush bed. Training today went well and I followed Mags’ instructions exactly. Let the other tributes and the Gamemakers see that I could handle blades, but then my next move would be purely my own and I made sure to only tell Mags and I knew Herring had no idea.

I didn’t trust Herring, well I didn’t trust anyone except for Mags, but I especially didn’t trust Herring. Even before Mags’ directions to act cocky and full of himself, he gave off a murderous atmosphere and it chilled me to the bone. I shook my head and snuggled myself deeper into the covers, my game plan was to act as innocent as I could tomorrow at the second day of training, but I still needed to show the Gamemakers and the other tributes to back off.

The weak ones always got killed first in the Cornucopia and I could not afford to be one of them. I felt myself drift into a dreamless and exhausted sleep. When I woke I felt my muscles tense up, sore from the day before. I did a mental recap; I had worked mostly with those daggers, my weapon of choice. I was one-hundred percent positive that the Gamemakers had seen me using them, the innocent blonde, in the most deadly fashion.

“Not today, Shay,” I said out loud to myself. I tried my best stretch the sore muscles and I got up and threw on the training outfit that Lomet had made for me. It was different then the first one, that had made it easy to flex my arms and legs but this one expanded my range of motion to the fullest. I slipped it on and looked at myself in the mirror and opened my mouth in shock.

The top was a skintight navy racer tank with the number four big and white right in the middle. The shorts were about an inch or two below my butt and they made me look pale. I’d thought Lomet understood my plan, look innocent and likeable, and this outfit made me look sexy and strong. I shook my head and frowned, I’d have to work with it regardless. I trusted Lomet, but I undoubtedly questioned his thinking; I turned my head and saw one last thing set out for me, a white pair of running shoes. I put them on, tied my hair up in a ponytail and looped the ribbon into a bow. With one last look-over in the mirror I walked down to where the food would be served. Mags was already there and I smiled at her. She got up and gave me a hug then looked at what I was wearing with her eyebrows raised.

“I don’t know either,” I simply stated before I walked over to the serving table. I grabbed a plate and loaded it with eggs, ham, toast, fruits and grabbed a blended drink that was a pale yellow color. I sat beside her and started eating. “Where’s Herring?”

“Right here,” He said as he strolled into the room. He was in a similar outfit to mine, tight navy pants, tight navy racer shirt, white shoes and his token gleamed around his neck. It was a tag with a fish on it, I had seen him walking around with it on back in District 4, but I didn’t think anything of it until now.

“Where did you get your token from?” The look he gave me could have killed me right then and I quickly hushed myself. “N-nevermind.”

“What as with you and District 1 boy? Are you going to form an alliance or something?” Herring asked, nonchalantly might I add.

“No, he just can’t keep his eyes to himself,” I felt my muscles tense as I looked at Herring, the eyes of a predator were left where his once were. “And neither can you.”

He raised his eyebrows at my comment and chuckled. He moved to the serving table and filled two plates worth of food. I finished before he did and waited by the window for him to finish. Mags led the two of us down to the training area and reminded us that she couldn’t come to training to watch us anymore, that was only for the first day. I gave her a hug goodbye and Herring shook her hand. The two of us were one of the last to walk in and the other tributes all gave us looks and Herring returned them immediantly.

They were all dressed just like we were, but instead of navy, they all had a different color for each District. District 2’s tributes had on a dark grey, the color of stone; District 8 had brown, the color of a freshly woven basket. I felt eyes burning into my back and I turned to see the boy from District 3 hungrily staring me down. His green eyes surveyed my muscles, counting how many steps it took for me to walk from here to there, my speed, everything. I blushed and looked away from him only to find the boy from District 1, Emilyn staring me down as well, but the second I moved and he saw the District 3 boy looking at me he backed down.

I felt a small weight lift, the day before Emilyn and I had locked eyes, he filled my chest with an ice I couldn’t shake off. He scared me, it was like fate was telling me he’d be the one I’d see last, the one that would kill me. I had looked away first, because when the thought crossed my mind I became extremely trapped by his eyes and I had to escape. I felt myself walk a little faster to the closest station; trapping.

I wasn’t very skilled when it came to traps, District 4 didn’t have anything to trap except fish, and they were easily caught with nets. I spent almost two hours trying to learn the craft until Herring got annoyed and left a spot open for another tribute to take, and the District 1 girl took it. Her intimidating gaze made me flee immediately; it was like I was the number one target already. I felt my heart beat a little faster as I felt myself being watched as I hurried to the free station. I stretched my muscles as far as they could go, which was quite far. I pulled my right leg up to my cheek and did the same to my left, my arms pumped as I did a good few pushups and arm circles; I lastly went running around the designated track. The running shoes the Capitol had provided were nice and they helped me get a good grip on the track’s surface. When I saw that it started to get dark I went to the station I knew I needed the most, camouflage.

I spent the last four hours working on blending the body paint the trainer provided and by the time I was finished I did a pretty good job. On my way out I noticed that only Herring and I, the District 10 tributes and the Careers were left. I felt the burning on my back again as I walked out and I knew it was the Careers. I saw Herring look behind us and glare at them and he pulled me into him using his tree like arms. He kept it there until we were clear of them and he dropped it.

“I might not like you, but you’re still from District 4 and I figured we’d ally.” He looked down at me, his words weren’t formed like a question, but there was one there.

“Sounds good to me, but why don’t you go with the Careers? You’re one of them,” I felt my voice get soft as we walked by open doors and it came back to a normal volume when we reached the dinner table with Mags.

“You kind of remind me of my mom in a way, you two have the same personality. I’d do anything for my mom,” His voice drifted off and he put his hand over his token. I nodded, I understood what he meant. By allying with me he knew he’d have a chance to keep his sanity for as long as he could and I’d have protection.