24 Years, 24 Tributes

Chapter 19

Sarla POV

I tried to keep my breathing steady as I started my private session. Daniel wasn't with me, and the room looked so big and empty. The Gamemakers looked at me expectantly.

I ran a few laps around the track and then sore a strip of fabric from my shirt to make a sling. I threw a few pieces of knotted rope, since I couldn't find any metal balls like the assistant used. I hit the dummy a few times. After that I didn't know what to do with myself. Then I saw a stick shelter leaning against a wall.

Timber, I thought. I didn't teach you everything.

I didn't need sticks to make a shelter. Shelters were everywhere. I counted the dummies in the room and saw there were six. I knocked them all over and piled them on top of each other in a triangle, leaving a gap for a door. I covered the top with a tablecloth from the weapons table and snuggled in until the buzzer rang.

Daniel POV

I picked up a sword and called for an intermediate assistant. I knew in twenty seconds I was overmatched, but I held my own.

Pretend he's trying to hurt Sarla, I thought. The very idea shot fire into my veins and I fought like a madman. The assistant accidentally nicked my arm, but that didn't matter. I charged forward like a bear and didn't stop until he was pinned against a wall. By that time my arm was oozing blood and I was bruised all over from other blows. My chest heaved as I glared at the assistant. He kept an eye on me as he scuttled away as the buzzer rang.

Nobody hurts my sister, I thought. You just keep running.

Dane Verity

I went through the motions, sparring with a few partners and dodging their blows like it was a dance. It was almost fun the way I could anticipate their moves and dart aside at the last moment. I hadn't even gotten a blow in before my partner was panting. I could tell he was about to fall over, so I tackled him and wrapped my hands around his throat. I did it lightly, since there was no need to actually hurt anyone in the sessions, but the Gamemakers didn't notice. They seemed impressed, so they must have also not noticed how nervous I was. All in all, I did pretty well for myself.

Celestial Yeager

I only had five minutes, so I couldn't paint my entire body. Instead I painted my hand so it blended seamlessly with my outfit. Before the buzzer rang I could tell the Gamemakers couldn't see where my hand ended and the shirt began. I looked like I only had one hand. They leaned forward and peered sharply at my work.

"Do you do makeup?" One lady asked.

"Uh… I never tried," I stammered.

"Give me a call if you win," she said.

I didn't know how to react to that. Gamemakers usually never talked to tributes. I must have really made an impression.

Spencer POV

Five minutes is a long time to sprint. I wasn't sure if the Gamemakers knew that, but at least they didn't look bored as I whizzed around the track. As I reached the finish line, a sparring partner got into position. I plowed into him without slowing and punched him across the face as soon as we hit the ground. Within seconds he had us flipped, but I slammed my knee into his stomach and continued running as he gasped for breath.

He who fights and runs away, right?

Hailey POV

I climbed up onto the rope course right away and looked around for a weapon. In the Session room the ropes seemed to blend straight into the wall, so no screws there.

Oh my goodness Hailey, you're sitting on a weapon! I grabbed one of the ropes that made up a level above my head and gnawed through it. It was gritty and made my teeth sore, but I got through it. I tied a loop into it and dangled it over one of the dummies. I readied myself to jump down, and as soon as I got the rope around the dummy's head I dropped.

I slammed into the ground and went limp to absorb the fall. The rope jerked tight and yanked the dummy up five feet above the ground, where it dangled limply.

From the Gamemakers' reactions, I could tell that was one they hadn't seen before. I hoped none of my opponents would see it either.

Thompson POV

I grabbed the nearest sword and charged a dummy, slashing it to ribbons. I made short work of the other five dummies, then dramatically whisked the sword around in complicated patterns. I finished with a war cry and glared at the Gamemakers.

They looked less than overwhelmed. I didn't know what they were expecting. I just made hash out of my opponents. I went back and stabbed each one through a final time for extra measure. There wasn't much more I could do after that.

Venus POV

I threw six knives. Six dummies had knives sticking out of their throats. I turned without a word and walked out.

Valencia POV

I looked at all the weapons and tried to seem competent. The only one I really knew how to use was the spear, but I was sure Royal was about to scorch through that, and I didn't want to look bad by comparison. Finally I turned to my oldest and most dependable weapon.

I pulled my shirt down until I was barely decent. I put on a voice that was even less decent.

"Excuse me, Gamemakers?" I said. They looked over and kept looking.

"Could you do me a favor? If I get a high score, I'll get more sponsors. If I get more sponsors, I'll be more likely to win. If I'm more likely to win, I'll be more likely to come back. Could you help me out? You know what happens to Victors. I'd be ever so grateful," I said.

The Gamemakers tried to consider that as they gawked.

"You got my vote, lady!" one screamed. Others whistled and cheered.

I walked out with my head held high. Royal may have the skills, but I had the sponsors.

Royal POV

I threw my spear into one dummy after another. It was too easy. I called for an assistant and asked him to put on a bulletproof vest. Then I had him run around the room while I hurled spear after spear into his chest. He didn't even look scared.

I wondered what Valencia had showed when it was her turn. She sure had looked pleased with herself. Maybe she was more than she seemed. In any case, she wasn't a threat. She was just a fringe benefit.