When We Drown~Finnick Odair {Book 1}

Chapter Twelve

•••

The Game Maker disappeared from the balcony, reappearing a moment later as he walked out of a side down in the Training Center.

The Game Makers were all now attentive, wondering what Autumn could possibly what with their peer.

The Game Maker walked over to Autumn and stopped next to her. He looked both fearful and excited.

"Who wants to see me throw knives at this man?" Autumn asked the balcony of Game Makers. They all looked surprised for a second before cheering erupted through the group. Autumn smiled. "Don't worry, I won't hit you," Autumn told The now terrified Game Maker standing next to her.

This did not calm his nerves as Autumn handed him a wooden plank from one of the obstacle corses. She told him to hold it out in front of his chest, which he did.

Autumn backed up to the middle of the Training Center, holding three knives in her hand.

"Now watch," Autumn told the Game Makers, who were now on the edge of their seats. Autumn took the first knife in her right hand and held it back next to her head with her left arm out to aim. As quick as a blink, she threw the knife at the wooden plank. Within half a second, she had thrown the other two knives the same way.

When it was over, the Game Maker holding the wood had his eyes squeezed shut and the three knifes were in a prefect row, each blade half cut through the wood.

Cheers from the Game Makers erupted around Autumn, including the one that had been holding the wood.

"I'm not done yet," Autumn told the now excited Game Makers. Autumn directed the Game Maker to stand in front of a target. Autumn then picked up two spears, one of which she put on the ground.

The first spear she held in her right hand. She held hit back over her shoulder, her hand by her head. She then threw the spear, letting it pierce through the counter of the target, inches away from the Game Maker's head. She then did the same thing with the other spear, throwing the spear to hit the corner on the other side of his head.

Autumn let the Game Maker go as she walked over to the small pool, dunking her body under water and holding her breath.

She was submerged under water for seven minutes and nine second, coming up and gasping for air. As she got out of the pool, she stood in front of the Game Makers and curtsied. They smiled and a few of them clapped, including the Game Maker that had been her target. She then walked out of the Training Center, dripping wet.

•••

"You threw knives at a Game Maker?" Tyson asked, making sure he heard Autumn correctly. Autumn nodded with a smile. Finnick then burst out laughing, astonished by Autumn's nerve. Amethyst, however, looked very unhumored.

"What, were you raised in a barn? Do you have no idea what the Game Makers could do?" She yelled at Autumn.

"What are they going to do, kill me?" Autumn yelled back. "They already are!"

"Well I think it's great! If she gets a high score then everyone will know she's a threat. If she gets a low score, then she'll have tricked the other tributes into thinking she's weak," Finnick shrugged.

"That is a good point," Amethyst mumbled as she sat down, huffing.

"I didn't go underwater," Tyson told the group.

"That's okay, I'm sure you wowed them with your sword skills," Autumn smiled at the boy who sat next to her. Tyson nodded, his attention being brought to the television as Caesar Flickerman came on the screen.

"Well we have a great night for you, folks. I'm Caesar Flickerman," Caesar introduced himself. "What an exciting Hunger Games this year! I am so excited!" Autumn rolled her eyes. She just wanted to hear the scores and go to bed.

"Can he just get on with it?" Autumn mumbled, impatient. Finnick looked at her with a small smirk before looking back at the television.

"Lest get started," Caeser held up his paper. "District One. Peter Esnar, ten. Gresla Feeson, eight."

"Watch out for that Peter boy," Amethyst commented.

"District Two," Caesar continued. "Arnis Wasla, Seven. Lavender Spensiv, nine."

The pictures of each tribute flashed on the screen, momentarily. They all looked serious, deadly. Autumn was not scared, but she could tell Tyson was.

"District Four," Caesar began. Both Autumn and Tyson leaned forward in their seats, their eyes focused on the screen. "Tyson Fringe." A picture of Tyson came up on screen. He looked determined, but still young. "Eight."

Small cheers went up around them. Autumn smiled and hugged the boy. Amethyst clapped for him and Finnick also hugged Tyson. He smiled, proudly.

"Great job, Tyson," Finnick slapped him in the back.

"Autumn Reeves," Caesar began and the cheers were gone. Tyson's picture was replaced with Autumn's. She looked determined and deadly. "And she has-" Caesar cut himself off for a second as he took a double take, looking at his paper. His eyebrows raised in surprise as he looked back up at the camera. "She has scored a twelve."

Amethyst yelled in excitement as she stood up, the glass of wine in her hand almost spilling. Finnick grabbed Autumn's hands and pulled her up, picking her up off the ground and spinning her around.

"A twelve!" Finnick yelled. Finnick eventually set her down and Tyson hugged Autumn, smiling very wide. He wasn't jealous at all. He was proud.

"Oh my gosh," Autumn mumbled in amazement.

"Now this is both good and bad," Finnick told her. "Everyone will want to sponsor you, but everyone will also want to kill you."