the 1000th annual hunger games

Chapter 42: Training day Two

Ethai sends an apologizing look before running away. I chase after him.

"Wait!" I yell after him. He ignores that and runs into his room. He slams the door in my face. I hear a mixture of tears, anger and pain in his room. I bang on the door, screaming for him to let me in.

"Let me in, let me in, let me in!" I scream over and over, refusing to let myself cry. And not just because of him. Because of this whole barbarous thing. My family taken away from me, Hawk being controlled by the capitol, the games itself. I back away from the door.

I run up and kick down the door with such force that it flies open. He sitting on his bed crying mumbling to himself. I can't make out much of it, but I still hear some of what he says.

"Ethai Instrusing."

"Love Amaranth Olivier." I mute my gasp at this. He... he loves me?! I feel so full of happiness and love. But, then again, he could mean as a friend, as a performer.

"Allies are friends."

"Stitch and Capitol bad." He looks up. His eyes flicker ocean blue and cobalt. It soon steadies to a cobalt blue. He mumbles more and I've noticed the tears have stopped. This is not normal.

"Ethai-" I start, reaching out to him. He smacks my hand away. Instead of barely audible mumbles, he starts to scream.

"Amaranth Olivier Foe."

"Allies enemy."

"Stitch and Capitol saviors!" He slaps me.

"I WILL KILL YOU- Amaranth they did- AND WATCH YOU BLEED- it to me to, I'm manipulated- TO DEATH WHERE NO ONE CAN SEE YOU AND MAKE SURE YOUR- I need to stop this! -SOUL IS SUCKED OUT!- Amaranth, go away, just run, you need to stay away from me. MURDER YOU! I need control." He seems to have the same fight as Hawk did, but with more control. His eyes slow to more of an ocean blue, as now I can tell he's in control.

"Capitol did it to me as well. I can control it more. They did it you too. Your eyes will be dark green. You will lose your sense of control. It's unbearable. Just, uh, go check on Hawk. I need full control before I can feel comfortable talking to someone so uh, special." He stutters at the end.

"Yeah, uh,sure." I say and leave the room. I understand he probably needs some alone time to figure himself out.

WhenI get back to my room, Hawk and Cricket sit on the bed, talking. I clear my throat.

"Do you want me to leave?" Cricket asks and with no answer, she leaves.

"I should go to. I need to figure myself out since that last attack." Hawk says and struts out the door. I lay in my bed, trying to sleep.

The next morning, Dixie wakes me up and we follow the same pattern as yesterday. The train is half as crowded as yesterday, whom is gone, I suspect are from 7, 10 or 14.

At the training arena, I get to know Olivia. She can climb trees, run fast, swim fast, anything like that. Olivia and bonded well, like sisters. We decided to do the tree climbing challenge. We go to the 150 tall tree and the instructor tells us that whoever reaches the top and back fastest wins. We start climbing, her faster since she's smaller, leaner. Her foot slips a bit but regains control. Soon, she slips off the branch and is falling. I quickly go to the edge of the branch and grab her arm. Her other arm grabs a branch and climbs up to hop on my back. I carry her to the top and back down safely.

At the bottom, she profoundly thanks me. It was ready nothing. Just an innocent life being spared for a few more days.