Into Thin Air: The Forty-Second Hunger Games

Chapter 17

Rhoda Hamilton

The photoshoot was over. I couldn't win the Games with looks. Looks got me the sponsors, but it was my responsibility to give them their money's worth. Now that the cameras were off, I could get dirty. I was covered in sweat and my training suit was already ripped from practicing with an assistant. My hair was mussed and overall, I was a mess.

I had two skills to work on: swords and spears. Swords for when I wanted to kill something close to me, and spears for when I wanted to kill something far away. I found them fittingly symbolic of myself as a Career: a flashy sword for the part of me that posed for the cameras, and the impersonal, mundane spear for my practical side. In my heart, I favored the sword, but it was more because I was better at it than anything else. If I won, the pictures would be better if I was triumphantly holding up a sword, but whatever way I could win for my country was fine with me. Even if it was throwing a rock at someone.

There were poses in swordfights, but they weren't at all like modeling. Swordfighting put form before function. It took balance and agility, and it was much more defensive than people realized. There weren't many clashing blades and sweeping strikes in real life. Swordfighting was about the advantage of a longer reach and finishing the fight before the opponent could adjust for that. And while I knew the mechanics of advanced swordfighting, it wasn't likely I'd use them much in the Arena. Most people I'd be fighting were untrained. Fighting an untrained opponent had its own rules and techniques specifically designed to avoid beginner's luck or a fighter who so totally disregarded the rules that it caught you off guard.

Spears were easier. You chuck them at an opponent. That's pretty much it. It was about physics more than combat. Once I knew the correct way to hold the weapon, the rest was just practice. Nobody dueled with spears. There were no defensive moves. I just had to work on building accuracy and power.

I loved my fans, but it was nice to be in the training room where I didn't have to look pretty. Some days I wanted to wear stained sweatpants and eat potato chips. Instead of looking dainty and demure, I could make crazy faces while throwing a spear or end up in a very undignified pose while blocking a strike. Form doesn't mean anything without function.

Onyx Soul

I was playing the most delicate balancing game of us all. I hadn't gone to the Academy. It would look suspicious if I was suddenly good at everything. But it would look suspicious if I didn't look good at everything, since nobody volunteered for me. I had to look above average, but also as if it came to me naturally and I hadn't practiced.

I was already thinking ahead to the Games. I knew I could kill people, and I knew it was easy. But I was only here because I didn't want to kill people. Altruism only went so far, and I knew what I'd do if it was someone else or me, but I wasn't the same as the other Careers. I had the skills and the coldness, but not the heart.

I didn't know how many people in the Capitol knew about me. I'd never asked about the upper levels of the program, but we couldn't possibly have escaped Capitol detection for that long. The Capitol either started the program or was friendly with it. I was sure Snow knew about me, but I wasn't sure how far down the knowledge went. Probably to the trainers, I was just another Tribute. Maybe Azure and the other Career Victors knew. After what happened to Silken, it was obvious that the Capitol didn't want the word to spread far.

I was only playing pretend as I trained. I had plenty of time to look at the other Tributes. It was strange, but I envied them. They were all so different, and each one had a different expression on their face. I'd always been trained to be cold and collected. The other Tributes were acting like what we all were: a bunch of kids. Allecia and Socks were playing on the monkey bars, or at least Allecia was- Socks was still trying to pull himself up. Allecia was laughing as she tried to haul him on top of the bars so he could sit with her. Shane was swinging a stick like a madman and howling like a monkey. They were all so free with their emotions. They weren't controlled by them. I was the one controlled. I was never allowed to show my feelings like that. I had skills from the program that migbt let me win, but I wished I'd never heard of it. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the program. I might have been a jewelry designer with moods as crazy as my pieces, or maybe I'd be married. I would have been able to listen to my emotions as well as my brain. As it was, I was living half a life.

Tuesday Erelle

Pray was no help, but after some pleading, Ava broke down and helped me find a recorder. I'd been training for years and three more days wouldn't help me. I could do whatever I wanted with training time. Most of the Careers were practicing their weapons in order to intimidate the others further, but I had something else in mind. Gigdet was a willing subject, probably because I was a big scary Career. As she was taking a breather from practice, I set up the recorder.

"I'm trying to get up profiles for all my fellow Tributes. What was your reaction to be Reaped?" I asked.

"Scared," Gidget said.

"And what are your thoughts on the Games in general?" I asked.

"I don't think I should talk about that," she said. I was getting nowhere fast, so I switched tactics.

"Let's go for a more human angle. What kind of things did you do for fun in Three?" I asked. Gigdet finallu started to open up. She smiled with embarrassment.

"I used to be kind of a party girl. I liked the nightlife and my friends. But then, well..." she gestured at her stomach.

"I think maybe that came from having fun, too," I said. She laughed.

"Yeah. But I'm an honest woman now... sort of," she said, and she showed me her ring.

"Now that's a rock," I said admiringly. I'd forgotten all about the interview, and I snapped myself back to attention.

"Oh, yeah, the interview. You know what? Let's just wing it. I have a lot of questions I've been dying to ask the Tributes from other Districts," I said.

"Okay," Gidget said. She leaned forward as close to the table she could get with her shape.

"What do you think about us Careers?" I asked.

"Uh... we think you're super nice and we all love you," Gidget said.

"Okay, and now how about the real version?" I asked. Gidget fiddled with her hands.

"Can you just cut this part out? Because we're all terrified of you. We don't understand how you like this. You're the scariest thing we can imagine," she said.

I guess I don't know what I expected, I thought. I was getting some great stuff for my article, but I was making things harder for myself. I already knew I wasn't going to be able to kill Gidget now. I'd have to be careful not to get attached to my sources.

Jason Lenn

This was going to be the greatest adventure. There was nothing better than putting your skills to the test and putting your life on the line for the prize. I'd seen it so many times before on the screen. There were exotic locations I never could have seen otherwise, like tropical islands and frozen tundras. I'd seen fights that made my blood stir and I'd seen the change when a scared Tribute became a confident Victor. I wanted that, and I couldn't wait for the Games to start.

I looked forward to all of it, even the mundane things. It wasn't just the killing and fighting I wanted. I wanted to explore a new Arena and be with people just as devoted as I was. I wanted to see ferocious mutts and battle the elements and whatever else the Gamemakers threw at us. I'd been dreaming of something like this ever since I was little. I'd heard the stories and I knew right away I wanted to be a part of it.

Two was a proud District. We didn't waste our lives growing old. It was the best thing of all to end your life in a spurting blaze, when you were strong and independent. We couldn't understand why people clung to life until they were empty shells unable to stand up or turn over in bed without help. Better a short life with pride than decades of decay. I only wanted what we all wanted.

There was one other thing I wanted, but no one could ever know. It wasn't just anyone who told me those stories or sat next to me watching all those Games. My parents were supportive, but they weren't the ones who got the dream started. Someone else had that dream first, and then it was something we shared.

I want you with me. I'd dreamed of victory, but I'd wanted to share it with Valerie. As I went through the Arena, I'd though I would remember the girl who showed me the way. She was supposed to be behind the scenes, waiting for me to join her. We were going to swap stories about our glory days and our daring deeds. I wanted to hate her more than anything, but it was only because of how much I still felt for her. She broke my heart when she died. I tried to hate her so I wouldn't have to think about how much I missed her. If I could see her again, even for a second, I'd forgive everything. I just wanted her back. The only place I knew to look was the Arena.

Rain Odessa

I had three days to fix the biggest mistake of my life. Three days wouldn't get me good enough at chucking spears or mixing poisons to put me in the same league as the other Careers. My only hope was a smart mentor.

"The Careers say they want me in the pack," I said. A few days ago, I would have taken that for granted. Now I knew I didn't know anything.

"They want your sponsors. They'll keep you around a few days because you're cute and they don't want to look bad. Sponsors don't care if they kill other Tributes, but killing allies without need is bad form," Careen said.

"Should I join?" I asked. I'd asked a million questions already. One of the few things I did know for certain was that my judgement sucked.

"They'll kill you at the Bloodbath for sure if you don't," Careen said. "Join up and lay low. Act respectful and willing to learn, and wait until the second day to split. They'll be expecting you to leave at the Bloodbath or the first night if they think you've figured them out."

"How do you fight someone who's way bigger than you?" I asked, thinking less about Shane and more about the other Careers, since he was my District partner.

"I'm not an expert on that. Ask the assistants and in general, try to stay out of reach," she said.

"How did you win? You have to be more than just a Career, since there are usually six of us. What's that extra element?" I asked. She shrugged.

"It was a bit of luck, a lot of knowing what I was doing, and mostly adapting," she said.

"Do you think I can do it?" I asked.

"I've seen stranger things. If it was only about skill, we'd always win. The Victor isn't decided by who's the strongest. It comes from inside. You gotta have heart. It's hard to explain, but look at the others. Look at Tillo and Nubu. They weren't the strongest, not by far. But they had the heart. It's about how many times you can get back up. And you'll have to get back up a lot, a lot more than most Careers. I don't know if you have it yet. I haven't seen you fight. But you're learning and you're getting better. You're getting all you can from me. The rest is up to you."

Shane Donegal

None of the assistants knew how to use a shillelagh. I was on my own. I must have looked pretty cool training all by myself, swinging my weapon like a true warrior. I wouldn't

It was boring fighting by myself. I moved to the hand-to-hand combat station and tried my... hand. I wasn't so good at offensive, since I just started, but I could take a hit. I'd keep working on the other half. Then I took a few laps around the track to make sure I was still in shape. Even the best warriors have to run sometimes.

As I looked around at all the other Tributes, I wondered who my greatest opponent would turn out to be. Most likely one of the Careers, but I didn't want to start with them right away. We were allies, and I couldn't fight them all at once, which was what would happen if I took one of them on. I also didn't want my first fight to be with someone way smaller than me, like the little girl from Twelve. My money was on Jason for the last fight. He seemed pretty strong.

I trained as long as I could, but I was just a restless sort of boy. I already knew my stuff. This was basically just a dress rehearsal for me and the rest of the Careers. I needed to cut loose. All work and no play, you know? I was going to have to be on alert every moment in the Arena. This was my last chance to have some fun. I wanted to see what else was in the Capitol.

"Hey Jason, what do you say we blow this joint?" I asked.

"Nah, I gotta keep training. Early bird and all that, you know?" he said, still swinging his sword.

"Hey, Tuesday. Wanna come wreak havoc with me?" I asked.

"That sounds kind of fun. I can get some outsider input from the Capitolite audience," she said.

"Yeah, sure... or we could have fun," I said.