The Hunger Games: Entropy (A Clato Fanfiction: NTI Series, Book 2)

Chapter 15

CATO’S POV

I’ve waited for this opportunity for far too long.

It's finally time to settle the score with Clove’s psychotic mentor.

Enobaria has done nothing but mock and ridicule me since we first met. After all the name calling and verbal assault I witnessed, I finally have the opportunity to retaliate immediately and give her an above-average size portion of some well-deserved payback.

My fingers still hurt from ramming my fist into a solid metal block designed to outwit complete idiots. I’m still not happy with myself about falling for such a dirty trick. I’m pretty sure she wanted me to deliberately fracture my fingers just for her own entertainment.

I take the key that Titanius gave me and use it to unlock the weapon room at the end of the hall. The light automatically turns on as I step inside the dark room to find just about anything I’d need to go on a night-hunting killing spree. It’s exactly what I wanted.

But I didn’t come here to deliver any serious damage. I just came here to find something unpleasant, not completely harmful. I’m trying to play a practical joke on someone else, not execute a mass murder. I need something harmless, but I also need something deterrent.

I can’t use mace, but I can use a stink bomb. Perfect.

I head towards the back of the room and grab a stink bomb off the back shelf, making sure to take one from the section labeled “maximum strength.” This ought to do the trick.

I just hope Titanius doesn’t care if I “borrow” something from the storage.

I lock up the back room, place the bomb in my pocket, and head right back into the Victor’s Village with the intention of getting even as soon as possible.

Let me see, I live at fifteen, Clove lives at fourteen, going back would put me at…

...number ten.

I signal a hovercraft for house number ten and step outside.

To my amazement, there’s a window open on the left side of the home. I don’t even think there’s anyone here, seeing that the area is completely empty of life besides myself. This little stunt gets more and more excellent every step of the way. As long as I don’t leave this throw short, it’ll be the perfect prank.

Knowing that I can’t stay here for very long, I flick the safety ring off the bomb and gently lob it into the open window directly above me. A few seconds later, an odd noise emits from inside the room and a faint, green gas crawls out the open windowsill. I get back on the hovercraft and immediately leave the area without leaving anything besides whatever scent that stink bomb contains.

Victory is mine! That psychotic bitch can suck it.

There’s nothing better than the sweet taste of revenge. I’m going to keep this taste in my mouth for as long as I can make it last. Sticking around to watch that bomb all the way through would kill the moment pretty darn quickly, especially when I know that it’s going to last for the rest of the day.

That ought to teach her not to mess with me again.

CLOVE’S POV

Working with metal today has given me some of the time I need to relax and reflect upon most of my thoughts and concerns. I can almost think clearly again and focus on the present and avoid dwelling on the past. I still can't get over the fact that I lost it yesterday and tossed a knife near Snow's head as a threat.

Ever since we returned home, people have started looking at me like both a celebrity and a maniac--two conflicting identities crunched together into the same body. Enobaria doesn't care at all--she looks at me like I have some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder. At least Cato looks at me the same way that he did before we entered the arena. But why...?