The First Hunger Games

Chapter 5: The Training

Me and Kaleb got dressed in our training suits. "Now remember," Cory said. " This is public training. You will learn how to survive the Games. Then the rest will be private. Save what you do best for the private training. Good luck." Cory pulled open the door to the training center. I gasped. I saw a girl throwing knives into plastic fake dummy's. Then I saw a boy, about the age of fourteen years old, climbing the monkey  bars. Over in a corner, there was a woman instructing some tributes about the training. "Let's go there," I suggested. "Okay." We walked over to the corner and sat down. "Public training is different from private training," the woman instructed. "Since this is the 1st Hunger Games, you will need further advice. So go pick a center that you enjoy." Then the tributes stood up and walked away to a center. But me and Kaleb stayed put. "Aren't you guys going to go to a center?" The woman asked in a very polite voice. "We didn't here all of the instructions; we were late." Kaleb explained. I nodded. "Well, if you were late, I'm sorry, but I can't reexplain the rules. You should've been here earlier." I could feel my cheeks getting hot. I am very sensitive, and I get mad easily. But to be honest, this wasn't fair. We were only a couple minutes late, and this woman wasn't giving us the instructions! "Uh.. Chloe?" Kaleb asked me. "You're making me nervous here!" "Well, sorry, Kaleb!" I snapped. "This lady isn't giving us the instructions!" I yelled. Then everyone stared at me. "Whoops," I whispered. "Sorry. I have a bad temper, and I lose it easily." "That's fine, but try to keep quiet. We want the tributes to focus." I nodded. "I will tell you a few things, at least," she said. "First, if someone throws a knife at you, duck. And if say the knife is going left, turn right and run. Same with the other side. There is tricks to the whole arena. But some are dangerous. A fire made by the Capitol can start any time where you are. Poison could draw near disguised as fog. Run away and turn the other direction when you see it a mile away. That's pretty much all I can give you." "That's..... OK advice, I guess," I said. "But what about the start? What if you step of your stool before the dong goes off?" "Then they'll blow your legs off, and you'll die anyway." "Oh." "How will we know when the dong goes off?" Kaleb asked. Good question. I didn't even think of that. "There will be a noise everyone will here," she answered. "It's like a bong sound. It's not that bad. And there will be a countdown. I think that's the most scary part." "Thank you for your advice, Lady," Kaleb said. Lady laughed. "Oh, you don't have to call me that," she told him. "My name is President Kelly." "Another President," I said. "Related to President Snow?" "Of course, yes," Kelly replied. "All the Presidents are related. Why do you ask?" "Just wondering." I answered with a smirk.

"Heave!" I yelled. I was throwing some barrels at a target. "Chloe, for the last time, be quiet!" A boy whisper-yelled in my ear. "How do you know my name?" I asked. "I heard your brother say it," he replied. "What's your name?" I asked. "Kennedy," he responded. "I know it sounds like a girl, but it's what my parents named me." Then I took a break from barrel-throwing and I went over to the monkey bars. Kennedy followed me over. I climbed up on the stool and held my arms up. Then I swang my body up and grabbed the first monkey bar. I'm very good at the monkey bars. I know it sounds kiddish, but it's good for your legs and arms. Then I reached my right arm over to the next. I saw Kaleb hanging out with some other male tributes. He was laughing and chatting with a few boys and one girl. He makes friends easily. Maybe they'll become friends in the Games. I was almost towards the end on the monkey bars. I had almost reached the last bar, but then someone pushed me and I fell to the floor. My elbow hurt. "Ouch," I heard someone say. It was Kennedy, obviously. I should've known. "What district are you from?" He asked. "7, why?" "District 4." He answered. "Why did you ask me?" I asked. "Just wondering," Kennedy blushed. "Maybe we could become allies." "No thanks, I'm becoming allies with my brother." "Oh." "Well, I'll try not to kill you, Chloe," Kennedy laughed. "Nice joke," I said sarcastically. "Hope you get a good score on your private training."