Chapter 8

Two years had passed, Blake was at her after school training session. She had recently turned 16. Blake was thankful that she hadn't been picked in the last three years. She was hoping she could pass the fourth. Glenn was super happy that his training was over and he could no longer be reaped. Blake had a spear in her hand, she threw it at one of the moving dummies in front of her. She grabbed another and did the same. Blake grabbed a pair of Kunais. She launched it straight at the head, right between where the eyes would be. She threw a few more and then went to the obstacle course. She grabbed a hold of the monkey bars and used her upper body strength to get her across. Blake jumped to the ground, landing swiftly. She then moved to the weights, she had been able to lift her own body weight now. Her training coach had arrived at the training center. He watched her from a distance, she lifted the weights so she could bench press them.

"How many?" Blake turned around, she knew her coach arrived.

Her coach smirked, "Let's count. You're getting good with your sixth sense."

Blake scoffed, "It's not a sense, it's knowing that someone is watching you. You taught me that yourself."

"Start benching, you won't win the Hunger Games talking like that" he smiled, knowing he taught his student well. She laid on the bench, picking up the weights. She dropped it to her chest.

1, up

2, up

3, up

4, up

5, up

Blake struggled with the sixth. "Come on!" she said in her head. She couldn't push it up.

"Lets go Grey, your brother can do better."

6, up

She struggled yet again, but knew she could go for another.

7, up

"Miss Grey, we don't train quitters; Let's go!" her coach spit in her face.

8, up

"Coach, I'm gonna drop it!" her hands slipped, thankfully the coach caught it. He displayed disappointment on his face.

"Miss Grey, I taught you better than that. If you have to lift someone heavier off your body, I expect you to do so; it could save your life!"

"Coach! I have been training here for six years! I will be ready if I am reaped. Just because I can't bench press my own body weight as many times as you'd like, doesn't mean I won't win the Hunger Games. Besides, people will volunteer; there is always someone ready."

The coach snapped as she said this. He ran over to her, spitting in her face.

"I trained you better than to act like that! You are a career, act like one. You could still get chosen! I could get fired because one of my students didn't survive the bloodbath. You don't realize how much of my life is on the line! Act like you are going to get picked every year, that's the confidence and courage I need from my students. Training is over, go home and get prepared for tomorrow's reaping. Good luck Miss Grey" Her coach walked out of the room with disappointment written on his face.

Blake awoke the next morning, realizing it was reaping day. She slipped on her dress and pulled her hair back. Every year she thought of Finnick, they hadn't spoken to each other since the day her foot was stuck in the bear trap. She still liked him, but wished for her friend back. Clay had to make new friends; he did, but they didn't compare to Finnick. Blake preferred to be alone than with other people. She walked out of the house with her siblings, their parents stopped going to the reapings. They also stopped watching the games, so did other families. Some parents couldn't bear the thought of their children being in the tributes' place.

Glenn watched the reaping from the back, waiting for his siblings. Blake was pricked and went with the other 16-year-old girls. She stood there, looking at the other girls. She then saw the victors and Mayor walk onto the stage. Then, the mustard lady walked on stage.

"Welcome to the 68th Hunger Games reaping! The mayor has requested that we skip the video from the capitol, so let's get into the reaping! Let's do it, boys first!"

She reached her hand into the bowl and pulled out a paper. She walked up to the microphone.

"Koland Elrod!" She announced. A black haired, scared, 16-year-old boy walked up to the stage. His hair was in his face, to hide his tears.

"Now, for the girls" she walked over to the other bowl. She dug her hand in there for a while, then pulled out a slip of paper. She walked over to the microphone, yet again.

Blake felt her heart stop, she felt a bad gut feeling. It was worse than the last times, she guessed it was her name.

"Blake Grey!" The mustard lady yelled. Blake looked up, fear fell to her mouth. "No, no, no, no!" She yelled in her head. Everyone backed away from her, as if she was a disease. She walked to the pathway made for them to walk down. Two peacekeepers grabbed each of her arms and escorted her to the front. She could hear yelling from the back.

"No! NO! Don't take her! You can't, stop!" It was Glenn. He ran towards Blake, but the peacekeepers from the side of the stage grabbed him. They pulled him out of the hall, Glenn tried to fight back. Before he was out, Glenn screamed.

"Finnick Odair! You help her, you hear me? If she dies, I will kill you!" The gates slammed shut. Blake turned back around, towards the stage. A stream of tears went down her face. She got on the stage, facing Koland and the mustard bottle.

"Well, I'm guessing that was your brother..." She spoke softly. Blake nodded, wiping the tears off her face.

"Here are your tributes for the 68th Hunger Games! Shake hands you two" Koland gripped Blake's hand tightly, as a sign of good luck and empathy. The tributes were then separated to their own room, to talk with family and friends. Clay walked in with their mom and dad. They all hugged each other, Blake noticed Glenn wasn't here.

"Where's Glenn?" she asked. Her mother wiped a tear from her eye.

"He's being whipped in town for threatening Finnick..." Her dad's eyes were now focussed on the ground. Blake gasped, she knew her brother was going to die after these games. He wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of watching his sister in the arena.

"I can survive and win, don't worry. I have been training since I was 11, I will have Finnick to help me too" Blake smiled.

Clay kissed his sister on the forehead, "good luck. Goodbye Blake-O-Phile." She gave his sister a big hug, she cried in his arms.

"Times over!" The peacekeepers grabbed them and shoved them out of the room.

End of Part 1