Four Weeks to Live
Training
I was woken up by an Avox who presented me with some clothes. I quickly ate, showered, and dressed. Griffin and I met at the doorway. The morphling was nowhere to be seen.
“I hope you do well!” Griffin said, a smile appearing on his face yet again. I have the feeling he likes to smile. We rode the elevator down to the training center. Most of the other tributes were already there. I took my place in the large semi-circle we’d all formed around a woman called Atala, standing in between Griffin and the boy from 5. Atala told us what each of the training stations taught, and how we shouldn’t ignore the survival skills. Most people still didn’t bother with them. Griffin went off to befriend the careers. I went off to the camouflage station. A few minutes after I started painting my hand to look like muddy grass, Moss joined me. He wasn’t particularly good at camouflage. His hand looked a bit like the chocolate pudding we’d been served last night mixed with neon green peas. He asked me for help and I reluctantly accepted. He will, after all, be trying to kill me in the arena. After I was done, I left him struggling to recreate rocks, which he was much better at. I went to the knot tying station, where the District 4 girl was busy impressing the man. Moss joined me soon after. I was still trying to convince myself that it was a coincidence. I didn’t want to act too utterly insane in front of the Gamemakers.
We learned to tie a few different knots together before I changed to yet another station, this time for edible plants. Moss followed again.
“Why are you following me around like a lost puppy?” I asked him. This made him chuckle.
“Well, I find you interesting. That’s why.” He answered.
“I don’t see how I’m any more interesting than anyone else here.” I said.
“You’re different. You’re not depressed. You’re not cocky. You’re not superficially charming. You’re neutral.”
“I’m going to take that as a complement.” I said after a short pause.
“Good, because it was meant to be one. I happen to like neutrality.” I blushed. In District 6, complements weren’t normally given out to people you just met. They were saved for special people.
“You look cute when you blush.” He said with a real smile. I was smiling by that point too. A real smile.
“You’re very neutral too.” I said evenly. After we learned about plants, I realized what was happening. I was in the very early stages of developing a liking to this boy who was going to die in the next few weeks. We were both going to die. I smiled at him again when we sat down to eat lunch together. I was making a friend.
“I hope you do well!” Griffin said, a smile appearing on his face yet again. I have the feeling he likes to smile. We rode the elevator down to the training center. Most of the other tributes were already there. I took my place in the large semi-circle we’d all formed around a woman called Atala, standing in between Griffin and the boy from 5. Atala told us what each of the training stations taught, and how we shouldn’t ignore the survival skills. Most people still didn’t bother with them. Griffin went off to befriend the careers. I went off to the camouflage station. A few minutes after I started painting my hand to look like muddy grass, Moss joined me. He wasn’t particularly good at camouflage. His hand looked a bit like the chocolate pudding we’d been served last night mixed with neon green peas. He asked me for help and I reluctantly accepted. He will, after all, be trying to kill me in the arena. After I was done, I left him struggling to recreate rocks, which he was much better at. I went to the knot tying station, where the District 4 girl was busy impressing the man. Moss joined me soon after. I was still trying to convince myself that it was a coincidence. I didn’t want to act too utterly insane in front of the Gamemakers.
We learned to tie a few different knots together before I changed to yet another station, this time for edible plants. Moss followed again.
“Why are you following me around like a lost puppy?” I asked him. This made him chuckle.
“Well, I find you interesting. That’s why.” He answered.
“I don’t see how I’m any more interesting than anyone else here.” I said.
“You’re different. You’re not depressed. You’re not cocky. You’re not superficially charming. You’re neutral.”
“I’m going to take that as a complement.” I said after a short pause.
“Good, because it was meant to be one. I happen to like neutrality.” I blushed. In District 6, complements weren’t normally given out to people you just met. They were saved for special people.
“You look cute when you blush.” He said with a real smile. I was smiling by that point too. A real smile.
“You’re very neutral too.” I said evenly. After we learned about plants, I realized what was happening. I was in the very early stages of developing a liking to this boy who was going to die in the next few weeks. We were both going to die. I smiled at him again when we sat down to eat lunch together. I was making a friend.