The Games We Play

The Alliance

The first week went and I was sure that Spade was trying to sabotage me. He had Blank teach me about hand-to-hand combat while Cato worked consistently with Calla with his speed and strategy; his training was definitely easier than mine. By Saturday, my muscles were aching. Although I tried to get up, my body did not allow me to. There was no training today but I knew I had to move. I have to get used to overworking my body even with bruises.

I haven't had this intense training ever since I had just started throwing knives.

Spade wasn't happy about my training but he was satisfied with the fact that we agreed to have an alliance. Cato was back to his arrogant and carefree self, he would call me 'little Clove' and sometimes even get chummy with Spade. I, on the other hand, kept my eyes on the prize. I finally came to the conclusion that I wanted to improve myself and that I should be stronger.

My diet, along with my new training plan, changed. I was suddenly taking in protein and carbohydrates more than my usual lighter meals. Magdalena was all for improving me that she would put second helpings on my plate even if I'm already going to explode.

Getting weight was so much easier than losing them, Cato was having a hard time with his own diet. He had complained about it last Thursday and he went back to his old regimen, his training wasn't going to change though. He was getting more brain exercise than muscular ones. Spade was determined to have us good in all the skills possible.

When I managed to go downstairs, I heard sounds. My ears perked up in slight confusion, the house was normally quiet, so I walked around the house until I found where it came from. "No training today?" Was Magdalena's morning greeting to me. She was seated comfortably in a sofa in front of our TV, which was showing reruns of the previous Hunger Games. "Join me."

I said nothing and sat down beside Magdalena, my eyes transfixed on the screen. The Games showed a girl, who looked so much like me, and as though a bell rang in my head, I whipped my head towards my mother.

This was her Games.

"It's just starting." Magdalena took the wine glass from the table beside her, "Focus."Her eyes were on the tv too, as if it was the most important thing in the world.

That year's was focused on Magdalena, who apparently was the leader of the Career Pack. They were in a peculiar arena, an abandoned town with tall buildings, roads and cars. The Careers wiped out about half in the bloodbath, they were on offensive frenzy. What caught my eye though was Magdalena's district partner - he seemed so familiar to me. His eyes was so familiar that I was raking my brain for a name of a person gone before I was even born.

"Lena, he's such a drag, you know that. We're moving so slowly because of him. We have to let him go." District One whispered as they stood over the sleeping form of the boy from Two. The Career Pack agreed silently, their eyes on their so-called leader. "You know what to do, don't you?"

Magdalena's eyes narrowed, "He's not doing us any harm."

"If you're not doing it then we're taking you down with him. It's his life or yours. Both of yours. Two won't even have a chance for a winner." District Four sneered.

Two withdrew the curved blade she had from her vest, raised it up her head and thrust it in her District partner's chest. Magdalena repeated it again and again until his cannon boomed. "There." She said with a weak voice.

"Didn't think you had it in you." District One laughed, a cold one which sent shivers down every audience's spines, "Imagine killing off your twelve year old brother!"

"Brother?" I repeated with pure disbelief. Magdalena killed her own brother?

Magdalena's expression was detached, "We were reaped together. Father had himself betray the Capitol, he was punished by having his children reaped for three consecutive years." She explained nonchalantly. "Magdalena and Arthur for year one, Cassandra for year two, and Sophia for year four." And she was the only one who survived.