The 70th Hunger Games- Fliss' Story

11

Dinner consists of chicken in an orange sauce and jellied vegetables. There are some small prawns. There is a cake for desert that has warm melted chocolate in the middle. Our stylist join us, Laurette drinks a glass of what I think is cider. "Can I try some?" I ask, as there's only so much time I have to drink alcohol. She passes over the glass. It is quite sweet. I keep hold of the glass but I don't drink anymore. There is small talk over dinner but I don't join in, I want to enjoy my meal.

I'm not sure how late it is when I wake up in bed feeling sick. I've had another nightmare. This time of someone killing Ash. I run to the bathroom. Someone grabs my hair and pulls it behind my back as I'm sick for the second time. I glance behind my shoulder and I see Ash. I start to cry, I'm a mess. I've tried to be strong but I really haven't coped well with the past few days. I keep thinking about how, at the end of the day, I couldn't protect him, I couldn't protect my brother. Ash pulls me back into his arms and holds me tightly. I bury my face into his arm so he can't see how much of a mess I am.

"Ssh, ssh its ok Fliss, you're going to be ok." He comforts me.

"I've tried so hard to protect him, I've tried so hard to be strong. I don't think I'm going to make it home." I sniffle. He holds me tighter and rocks me from side to side.

"You've done well Fliss. You have looked after Kris for most of your life. You're strong and you will get home. I believe in you."

"Really."

"Truly."

We sit there on the floor for a while until I start to shiver. Ash picks me up and carries me back to my bed. I drift back off to sleep.

I make my way down to breakfast and get a full fry up. When Ash walks in I glance down and blush thinking about last night. When he sits opposite me I have the curtsy to look up. "I just wanted to say thank you for last night." I say quietly.

"No problem." He says with a smile.

"I don't know what happened to me." I say.

"It's ok. I didn't mind."

Finnick and Mags walk in and we stop talking.

We head off back down to training with strict instructions not to muck around.

We work on some different skills until I'm approached by the district one tribute, Crystal.

"You're from district 4 right?" Crystal asks with a hard tone to her voice.

"Yes." I say. She gives me the 'up and down' look. For some reason she doesn't like me much

"For District 4 you're very weak." She says in a, what you could call, friendly tone.

"Don't underestimate me." I say with a hard tone to my voice. For some reason I don't like her talking like this to me.

"Actually, I didn't expect much from you at all." She continues.

"Why?"

"Nothing from that poor little girl who couldn't cope with being reaped into the games. Oh are you going to cry again?" She asks with a bitterness to her voice. Then she starts to laugh. "And you couldn't even save your stupid brother," I feel my hands start to curl into fists, "It took someone else to do it for you. Yet you stole the show. How unfair it was for you, how wonderful you looked at the opening ceremony."

"So what? It's not like you're going to win. All you've got going for you is good hair." I couldn't help fighting back. A flash of hurt flickers across her face before it knits itself into a frown.

"Oh believe me I will win. You're just a weak girl who hides behind Ash for protection. You couldn't do anything. I bet you couldn't even beat me in a fight."

"You sure about that."

"Oh I could take you any day."
"Want a bet?" I say with a glare.

"Oh trying to be brave are we? We'll see. After lunch at the wrestling station, if you're brave enough to show up, we'll see who's the strongest out of us two," She starts to walk away, "Well it's going to be me obviously." She saunters off.

I walk over to the wrestling station. I hate to say it but I've never wrestled in my life. What have I got myself into? I wasn't going to let her bully me though. I get the trainer to go over all the basics and by lunch I have a basic knowledge and skill to stand a chance against Crystal.

I sit with Ash at lunch pushing my food around my plate.

"What's up?" He asks.

"I kind of agreed to fight Crystal."
"What! Why?" He asks shocked.

"She was being mean about Kris." I say in a quiet voice.

"Fliss, you know you're not allowed to fight other tributes."

But there was nothing I could do.