Catoniss: Frozen Embers

Chapter 31: Up the ranks

ALL RIGHTS TO SUZANNE COLLINS!!! 😝😝😝

Katniss' POV:

"Katniss, district 12" the peacekeeper finally called me. I was the only one left in the room and I felt very, very anxious. I had to watch everybody go by. I really just wanted to finish with this because I've been sitting here for the last 2 or even more hours.

I stood up, taking a deep breath and followed the peacekeeper into an immense room. I quickly noticed that the game makers were sitting in a room way above ground in what seemed to be "the center" of the training room. In the center, there were many tables with plenty of weapons. My eyes were searching for a specific one though: the bow. 

When I walked over to the table and grabbed the bow, I caught a glimpse of the head game maker, Seneca Crane, making signs to the other ones to stop talking and pay attention to me. 
It was quite known who I was by that point. I mean, me making all the drama, winning the competition, the parades, the circus with Hadley. And the game makers have seen me at the training session. They have probably thought that I would be one of the main competitions this year and that's why they are going to pay attention to me. Imagine if I hadn't show my skills during training then none of the things that happened to me would've actually happened. And nobody would've known who I was, I wouldn't have gotten that much attention. Or maybe I would've? Guess I'll never know. 

I slowly ran my fingers through the string of the bow and pulled it backward, aiming at the first dummy in front of me. But I immediately sensed that something was wrong. The string was a lot tighter than the ones I was used to. But it was too late.

I had already lost hold of the arrow and sent it flying toward the dummy. I missed the target by a few inches! An overwhelming wave of shame took over me. The shooting was what I've been doing my whole life, or almost. How could I miss when I needed to prove my worth the most?!

I quickly looked at the game makers. Some of them seemed to let out a few laughs and began talking to each other. Seneca Crane hadn't given up on me though. Or at least I hoped so.  I knew I was losing the game makers' attention and I had to do something about it. I grabbed another arrow and positioned it on my bow, pulling it back. I aimed again. You can't miss Katniss, come on!

I shoot!

And yes! Bullseye!

Right in the heart of the dummy. 

I looked up again, impatient to see what their reaction would be to my success. Some nodded, some did not. A few hadn't looked. I shot 5 more arrows, but not all of them landed in the bullseye. I wasn't very satisfied with my results. I knew I could do better. And I had to show that because this score was my last chance to get up the ranks.

Just when I was about to restart and shoot more arrows at the dummies to prove that I can do a lot better, the game makers' attention turned to a pig that had just been brought to the room. Overwhelmed by its amazing odor, Seneca Crane announced:

"Thank you, Mrs. Everdeen, you are dismissed"

"But I'm not done" I protested, still holding onto my bow.

"You are dismissed" he repeated, annoyed and turned to the pig. 

Anger began shooting through me. My life is on the line and they won't even give me a chance to show what I can do?! A dead pig is more important than my life! I felt my palms heat up and without thinking, I pulled out another arrow and aimed at the table that the game makers had surrounded. I sent the arrow flying in their direction and a few alarming shouts of surprise followed as the arrow pierced the apple in the pig's mouth, pinning it to the wall behind.