Against All Odds (Finnick Odair love story) (1)

Chapter 13

Alexander ^
The next day consists of me and Finnick training a extra hour. We work vigorously on escaping an attacker. I can rarely fight him off successfully he teaches me the weak points of the body.
He doesn't hold back with training this time. By the time we finish I'm almost drenched in sweat. He takes sympathy on me and lets me take the elevator today.
Being the last day of training in a group I heavily rely on learning plants and different snares. I end up quite good at both. I take Hazel up on her offer and get a brief sword lesson from her. Defense against someone with a sword and a quick run down on different poisonous plants being from the agriculture district gives her that advantage. After I leave Hazel I feel the boy from district 3 following me to each station and hovering. I have no intention of speaking to him he frightens me there is something about the way he looks at me it's almost predatory. My nerves are sent to over drive I want to get away. I go to random stations even crowded ones just to try to get him to go away. This happens leading up until it's time for individual training. Realizing the order we are in would make him sit next to me I quickly stand up and go talk to Gina, Hazel and Floyd.
They look at me surprised noticing my intentional avoidance of the district 3 boy but they don't comment.
I stand there until my name is called I breathe out softly getting a nod from Hazel and a smile from Gina.
I walk into the training center slowly stopping before the game makers.
"Karaline Mathis District 4." I say proudly trying not to let my voice show my nerves. I walk to each station. I grab an axe, a belt of knives and walk towards the bow and arrow station. I look to see the game makers eyes staring with interest.
"Stomach" I call.
I take the axe before throwing it as hard as I can landing it in the stomach. "The neck." Then I get the bow and just as Finnick taught me shoot the arrow.  hit the figure in the neck it's slightly off center but I don't have time to dwell on it.
"Head." Then I take three knives the first I throw it lands in the head almost completely bullseye. "Crotch." Then I throw the next hitting the target in the crotch.
I turn to the game makers.
"Now the heart." I turn around and quickly throw the knife burying the knife deep into the chest where the human heart would be.
They look surprised.
"Thank you very much Miss Mathis." One man says.
"Thank you for your time." I give them a fake smile leaving the room going straight upstairs.  I can't believe those are the people who in a few days are going to be trying to kill me. I take the stairs up quickly when I reach my floor. Mags is sitting in a plush chair near the window when she sees me her face brightens.
"Kara how was it?" She asks patting the chair across from her.
"It went well I think." I say sitting across from her.
"Where is everyone?" I ask sitting across from the older lady.
"Jasabell went to visit her family, Randy is eating dinner with the Careers and Finnick went to handle some business." Mags says.
"Does his business have to do with Vimillion Luke?" I ask before I can filter myself I blush harshly.
There is a silence in the room before Mags start giggling.
"This is why I like you. You never let him get away with anything." She sighs.
I raise my eyebrow at her.
"Dear I wouldn't look into what Finnick does in his free time. Nothing good can come from it." She warns softly.
"I'm sorry. I know it's none of my business." I say breathing out.
"Just don't stress your pretty little head about it." She advises smiling gently patting my cheek.
"Neither of us want you to worry about anything but the games and winning." She reminds me as we sit there quietly.
"I don't think winning is going to happen Mags." My voice drips with unintentional worry and fear
"What have you seen from the tributes that has you shaken?" Mags says worried
"I'm not a scared person by nature but the male tribute from 3 frightens me." I tell her feeling ashamed. I shouldn't be afraid of some creepy kid.
"What does he do to scare you Kara?" Mags asks in concerns.
"He follows me and hovers over me. He stares watching my every move. He glares aggressively at everyone but with me it's like he knows he scares me and he enjoys it." I say glueing my eyes to the floor.
"I saw that he was disturbed from his reaping. He smiled as it made him happy. He looked giddy." I tell her finally meeting her eyes.
"I'm not afraid of the careers. They are just proud and trained you can guess their actions they are predictable. I can work with predictable. He's a wild card a loose cannon." I explain my hand shaking.
"He's the most dangerous person in the arena." I finish.
"He's absolutely insane Mags. He's dangerous and I'm scared." I say my body shaking.
"It's okay to be scared Kara." She repeats Finnick's words that seemed so long ago.
"Don't tell Finnick about this. He is working so hard for me to win this. I don't want him to have to worry about my silly fear of some creepy boy."I beg her softly looking her in the eyes.
"If something else happens you have to tell him. He's just trying to protect you. If this boy is a threat he needs to know." Mags tells me. I sigh knowing she's right.
"I will tell him. I just don't want him to think I'm being stupid and paranoid." I admit.
"Fin would never think those things of you. Give him some credit he's a good mentor. I mean he did learn from me." Mags jokes trying to lighten the mood.  I go get us tea and start talking about her games.
"I won the 11th hunger games when I was 16 years old." She tells me.
"Really? So you remember the first ever games?" I ask amazed.
"Of course I remember the rebellion too. When I was a baby they bombed district 13. But I was 5 when the hunger games started. There weren't careers back then. There was just scared children." She says neutrally.
"That's interesting to think about." I say out loud.
"What was District 4 like when you were young?" I ask her softly.
"Very small. The market was almost a quarter the size it is now. The fishing industry was booming due to not over poaching. There was a majority middle class even the business owners were middle class like fishermen. The academy didn't exist and most of the children were orphans from the rebellion. I was one of them. The district 4 orphanage wasn't as bad then as it is now. The conditions there now are worse than district twelves poorest people. Kids die everyday in the orphanage. There just aren't enough kids now for it to be a big deal." Mags says her eyes growing a distant look.
"I've seen them." I tell her agreeing with her.
"I give them food from my lunch sometimes or give them clothes that don't fit anymore." I say getting the biggest gums filled smile I've ever seen Mags give.
"Finnick is right you are the most fascinating person I've ever met." She muses to herself shaking her head.
"If you were around when I was a child we would have been the best of friends." Mags says sweetly.
"I think we would have too." I say smiling back at her.
"Like I was saying I was reaped at 16. My boyfriend and I were preparing to move me out of the orphanage. He and I were very close as children and we fell in love. He was one of the very few wealthy people and I was an orphan. I was 6 months pregnant with a little girl. I lost her in the arena due to stress." She tells me looking at my face.
I let a small gasp and cover my mouth.
"I'm so sorry Mags." I tell her my chest feeling tight my eyes tearing up at the thought.
"Darling it's okay. It was very long ago. It hurts losing my only child but I'm glad she didn't have to live the life of a victors daughter." Mags tells me sadly.
"It's a very lonely sad life to live." She tells me softly.
"I always loved children but I could never bring myself to have anymore."Mags voice wavers.
"I didn't mean to upset you like this." I shake my head.
"I shouldn't have asked." I ramble not knowing how to help Mags' pain.
"No dear it's okay. We always miss those we have loss. I have learned to not let the pain take over my life because if I did then I couldn't have helped Fin." Mags says happily wiping tears from her eyes.
"That's a beautiful way to think of it." I tell her drinking the warm tea.
"Thank you little flower." Her voice warm and soft.
"I didn't do anything." I say confused.
"It's been a long time anyone was ever interested in what I have to say. They think I'm senile and crazy. You are such a sweet girl." She tells me fondly.
"Go get out of your training clothes dinner will be ready soon." Her voice almost tired sounding.
I kiss her cheek my heart almost swelling with love towards this woman. I couldn't imagine what it's like for her she's mentored 116 tribute and only two have made it out alive. All those children she watched die. I can't even wrap my mind around it. I know one thing for sure I will never be as strong as Mags Flanagan for as long as I will live.