Training grounds (naya)

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TEXT - 06431E
"SPEAK" - 828888
"LISTEN" - 422C5F
THINK - 576359

“Hey, honey.” Imolia greeted, as I walked through the door. I ignored her, I didn’t want to talk to her. Everyday, after school, my dog, Nemo always greets me. Not today, evidently. I place my thumb and my pointing finger together, and blow into it, making a whistle sound. A groggy, golden dog comes emerging from my bedroom. He didn’t recognize me at first, but then as soon as his eyes adjust, he comes charging towards me, jumping onto his hind legs and his front paws on my chest. He licked my face multiple times, until it was covered wet with slobber. I whispered a bunch of baby words to him, and scratch his face. Almost as soon as he was done his greeting, he jumped down and went into the kitchen where my Imolia, my mother, was probably making supper, even though it was only 3:30. We always ate late.

I go to my bedroom, and flop on top of my bed. I should be at the training center, working on my fire making skills. But, I was extremely tired. We had to crush open rocks for science, and examine the minerals inside. I related that Science to chocolate bars, often. There were some chocolate bars with no nuts or caramel inside. While, some chocolate bars had nuts, caramel, and peanut butter. It was the same with rocks and minerals. I’ve only had a chocolate bar once, when Marco, my ex-father (I’d rather not get into that story), brought it home as a celebration on my first reaping. Unlike many people in District 1, I’d rather not get reaped.

I was awoken from my daydreaming by the german retriever that goes by the name Nemo. He jumped on my bed, and scared the wits out of me. He reminded me that I really needed to get going. I almost leaped out of my bed, and changed into an extremely tight black jumpsuit (that showed off too much of my curves, which I didn’t like). I don’t even do physical exercises. Why do I have to wear this ridiculous outfit? I shouted down to my mom where I was going and what I was doing. Not that she cared, though. I often didn’t go to the training place. I usually stayed at my house to practice. But a boy at school told me they did more then weapons there, but just nobody went to the survival stations. So, i thought she would give it a try.

When I got to the training place, I headed straight for the fire-making station, where the herbs book was too. I looked at a birch tree. Obviously fake, but made so the bark did the same effects on fire as the real bark of a birch tree did. I ripped off the bark, and placed it over my little fire. Logs, check. Kindling, check. I took some matches from a pile, and lighted it. I placed a hand over the small fire from the match so it wouldn’t go out before I put it on the fire pit I had made. It successfully lighted, the flames bright orange, flickering over the burning wood. I smiled in achievement. But, that’s when I saw a boy. He approached me. It looked like he was watching me, but I couldn’t really see him. I didn’t recognize him at all… But then again, I don’t have very many friends. I pursed my lips, and just watch the boy as he took a sword and tried to swing at the tree, but it did no effect.

He looked angry that he couldn’t get it to work. He spewed a flow of words at it, like it was a real person. I almost felt like laughing. But instead of helping, my body reacted before my brain did. I walked up to the boy, and suggested, “Try an axe.” I didn’t mean to be sarcastic. Sarcasm really isn’t my thing. I walk over to the weapons, and haul the heavy weapon over to him. “They don’t really have the chopping axes here, but it will do.” My eyes begin to look over to the lodged sword in the tree. “And you might want to get that out of there.” I stifle a fake laugh at my own joke. It seemed I could never make any situation funny.

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TEXT - 06431E
"SPEAK" - 828888
"LISTEN" - 422C5F
THINK - 576359

I look at the boy as he laughs. Was I really that funny? I have no sense of humor, what so ever. This boy was the type of career to throw swords and knock of people’s heads. I could see it in his eyes. I was the type to look at herbs, and start fires to stay alive... Real survival skills. Killing everything in your sight won’t help you stay alive. The boy pulled the sword that was lodged in the tree out of the tree, and chucked it across the room. My eyes widened at the boy. He could have killed some one! I guess that‘s what they‘re trained for, though. “Is there something funny?”

"Wha wha wha what do you mean. I have used fire before. Just not as much as others. Any ways, you don't look like you can handle a weapon very good, so who are you to talk to me about judging." William stutters, although I don't know why - he doesn't really seem like he has a need to. I roll my eyes at this comment, mostly because I suck at coming up with comebacks. He was definitely right - I didn't know how to handle a weapon, and even if I tried I would probably break my arm. The parents I grew up with taught me to never retaliate, but it was kind of hard to not do that when you live in a district like District One, where retaliating is kind of the norm. Especially fighting in the arena, where nobody wants to mess with the big, tough, career kids because if you touch one little hair on their body, they'll kill you in a matter of seconds. I couldn't grow up the way my childhood parents taught me to, but I could most definitely try my best to impress them.

He nodded at the idea of me teaching him survival skills. But, William had a condition. it seemed like everybody had conditions now a days. It was just a friendly offer, why did there have to be conditions? I thought alone into my mind, until shortly after he offered that he taught me how to handle a weapon. This would be interesting. That is, if I ever got chosen to participate in the games at Reaping time. But, problem is, I'd break my arm trying to be pro at it. I know myself, I'll try and push myself into doing stunts and tricks with the weapon and severely injure myself.

"Fine. I'll do it." I say, looking William straight into his icy, blue eyes. While I did this, I took the opportunity to examine his features. He is talller then me, but considering my height is 5'1 feet tall. He is muscular, but so is everyone else in District One, even the females. William has dirty blond hair, kind of like the mother I grew up with's hair. In fact, when I think of it, he looks a lot like my mother. But I know, in no way, that he is related to her. "So, where do you want to start? Survival, or weaponry?" I say, trying to make as much detail into my voice as possible.

"Let's do survival. Since we're already here and you are a lot better then me at it. Also by the look of it, you will need a lot of help with the weapons. Remember survival is nice, but the blood bath is a career dominated area and you will need to win." William said, but I can't help to notice that he said it was a career dominated area. How did he know so much about The Hunger Games when he wasn't even in one? I don't really pay attention to them, but it's a mandatory watch so I am forced to watch it. I usually cheer for the underdog. I knew if I were in the Hunger Games, I would be an Underdog despite the fact that I live in District 1. I watched him as he walked over to the tree, and started to chop the bark full tree, mainly to get the bark off of the large tower. Interesting, I thought to myself, I wouldn't do that. I would usually just peel the bark off of the tree. Although it may sound more difficult, and I may get painful slivers, I couldn't handle a weapon if my life depended on it. And in The Hunger Games, it would.

"You going to stand over there or teach me something, I got the wood but from here I am stumped!" He yelled with a temper. I was examining the way he was working! No need to yell at me. "Oh, I'm sorry." I said out loud, but so quiet that it almost sounded like a whisper. William twirled the axe in his hands as a trick, and it made me look sort of amazed. I would never been able to do that. William put it over his broad shoulder, and I kneeled down towards the fire. "So, now, what you have to do is create a small, or big, pyramid like house with sticks. But first, you need kindling. Kindling can be anything, like normal grass or wood chips, but usually dry grass works the best." I suggest, and point over to a patch of dry grass. It was near our fire, so I just crawl over and pull some out, placing it on top of the patch of grass we decided would be our fire pit. "Usually small fires work best when your cooking something, if you're trying to warm up big fires are usually the best." I say while placing the kindling right on the small fire pit. "In this case, we're building a small fire." I say, and then I tell him to go collect some sticks.

"Creating a pyramid is a good thing to do to keep heat inside the fire, and it keeps it going much longer then just sticks lying on the ground would." I reach into my pocket and pull an elastic band out, tying my hair in a small pony tail. "And now, the matches. Make sure to hold the fire of the match close to you so that it will stay aflame, especially if you are in a winter scenery." I offer him a small smile, and strike the match against a dry rock. "Oh, and I forgot to mention, make sure you strike your match atop of a dry rock, or even if the match box has a dry and rough spot on it, do that." I feel like a teacher. Somebody that would volunteer to come into the training center and teach you stuff. Maybe I could do that, some day. If I survive my next 2 Reapings. Or I come home as a victor. But everybody knows that, that will not happen.

"Fire is dandy and all and can save you. But what about plants that can save you. Do you have any good knowledge on them. Say something to help get poision from tracker jackers or snakes?" He asked, and I looked over at the variety of plants. I couldn't remember! I was choking up. What was wrong with me, I study this type of thing every day! "U-um... well..." I looked over at a hand guide. Perfect! I stood up and walked over to the plants book. "I um, forgot. I guess." I flipped through various pages, which contained pictures of many deadly creatures while also showing a ripe purple berry known as Nightlock, that looks innocent enough but could kill you as soon as their juices touch your tongue. "Oh yeah!" I finally flip to page that shows a large, green leaf that kind of looks like a mint leaf. "To heal a tracker jacker wound, you need a large leaf called a glaitain." I almost slur on the word glaitain, as I sit right down next to him showing him what they look like. "If you just place the leaf on top of your sting, then it should heal. Of course, you'll probably be knocked out from the tracker jacker stings for a couple of days so if you were in the games, I would tell this to an ally."

I also remember that he was wondering what would help for a snake bite. "Usually arenas have glaintain, but they don't usually have what you need for a snake bite." She sighs, and looks through the herb hand guide. "Echinacea. It will usually help snakebites. Or, goldenseal. I have seen them in previous arenas, but there kind of hard to spot in a forest environment. If you can't find those, then glaintain will usually help, kind of - sort of." She shrugged to her shoulders, and moved closer to Will to show him the pictures of echinacea and goldenseal. Goldenseal often looks like a normal dandelion so it would be hard to spot in an arena full of that. Echinacea is real far up in the trees so it is hard to get and hard to spot as it looks like a normal tree leaf. "Anything else you need to know?" I ask, and look up at the much taller boy. "I can tell you about edible plants and poisonous stuff you'd find in an arena." A smile crept onto my face and she nudged him in the stomach, almost as if they were old friends. "And maybe you could give them to an ally." I was referring to the poisonous items that you could find. I had never seen an arena where the cornucopia was full of poisonous stuff, but it was very possible that suddenly the game-makers could put that in.

His face was suddenly as red as a fresh beet. I didn't know why it was, or the cause, but I'm guessing it wasn't of anger, or sadness, or even heat. Was he blushing at me? No, that's not possible. Nobody blushes at me. I guess it's a little hot in here. I try to pretend that none of that happened, and just that it was hot in the training centre and he needed a bit of relief. But this, was causing me to blush. Even though I knew it was 'heat'. I covered my cheeks in my arms to hide the redness of my face.

"Sure I would enjoy knowing what to use to slowly and secretly kill off my allies. Then I we can go to the weapons and I can give you a private training on weapons." I clapped my hands as if I were a school girl and the teacher announced that we got the day off the next day. But, all I could notice was his face. Still as red as a tomato. It made me feel sort of... what should I say... awkward. Given that I pretty much feel awkward all the time, my opinion was biased. My hands were still covering my face, and I looked over at him. Was it THAT obvious? I hope not. I always blush. So, it's kind of hard avoiding an awkward moment with me. The heat on my face made me almost sweat. William was making me nervous and awkward. And it didn't help that he put a hand on my arm, and tried to move it. "Why are you trying to hide your face?" He asked. I hope he didn't expect an answer, because I just shook my head as if I said 'I don't know'. But, I just let him move my arms, and it revealed the bright red cheeks on my face. It matched his.

He pointed to a picture in the book, and I looked at it. "Nightlock." I say, shortly. I'm too nervous right now to answer with a full sentence. "Well, u-uhm," I put the book closer to my face, as if I were having trouble seeing it. I never had trouble reading things. Well, sometimes I did. I have dyslexia. But just a very mild case of it. "It can k-kill you in a split second once the juices go into your body." I start to feel my arms to shake, and as if I were having a stroke, it spread throughout my whole body, and before I knew it, my whole body was shaking. It wasn't noticeable, but if Will touched me again he would see that I was shaking.

"Nightlock... uhm, looks kind of like a blueberry. It has a darker shade of purple then a blueberry would, so don't eat it if it..." I thought of the words to say. I was stumbling majorly on the words. It sounded as if I were in first grade, and I was reading a book in front of class for the very first time. "If... it looks darker then a normal blueberry would." I bring the book farther from my face and set it in Will's lap, so he can get a better look at the deadly berry. "I'm pretty sure you can find them in the woods surrounding District 1." That is, if you're brave, daring, and bold enough to even dare go into them. I think to myself. But, that wasn't really the problem. Was Will trying to flirt with me? I keep on doubting myself, because usually nobody flirts with me. But Will, he's kind of different. If I offered a different person the proposal that I did with Will, they would probably tell me off and beat me up. But something about that boy, made me brave enough to ask him that question. And if I hope either of us goes into the Games, we are not together. I could see Will and I being friends. I couldn't even think of being more then that.