22nd Throw - [ voice ]

[shenevermisses]

There are some things you just can't teach. Not after a certain point.

[She doesn't sound frustrated or upset. Just... interested, in a way.]

It's weird, in a way. Trying to teach someone to be like me and finding out that's not possible. I mean, we're doing good. Great student.

[For Rue's sake more than anything, she's not going to name her over the journals, not going to divulge what they're doing.]

But there's just something different. How we were brought up. You can't teach that.

Which I guess is why they start us young. Start training us when we're five, where I'm from. Parents who think their kids have potential agree to send them off to the Academy, where they'll only see them maybe every weekend.

Usually less than that.

From there, they weed out the undesirable. The weak, the emotional, the nervous. Every year, there are fewer students your age. By the time we're sixteen or seventeen, there's only the best left.

At that point, only the girls who are stupid enough to get pregnant get sent away.

I guess I never really thought about it, but trying to teach someone else what I grew up with? You realize that some things just can't be taught. Not after a certain point.

Comments

[readytobe]

You do not have a choice?

[shenevermisses]

You get called in the Reaping, you're dragged to the Games. Unless someone volunteers. In my district, we're taught it's an honor to go to the Games, so usually 17 or 18 year olds volunteer.

[readytobe]

Your district has an interesting culture. I assume other districts do not share your feelings towards the Games? [Since only her district trains kids, etc. P.S. this sounds really messed up.]

[shenevermisses]

One, Two, and Four are considered "Career" districts. Our tributes are trained. Other districts don't. Because the Capitol worries they'd use that training to rebel.