Earlier that Day the postman had delivered AC's most recent ebay purchase - a catapult.
It wasn't enough for him to be down in the garden all by himself - he needed someone to whom he could show off.
Within minutes he was back upstairs pleading for me to go down and play aswell.
I politely declined his invitation... about 20 times!
He changed his strategy.
He came and stood over me and watched me. A simple act of defiance which I find unbearable.
A risky strategy as he could have just as easily enraged me as persuaded me. In this instance I was persuaded to join him in the garden for some target practice.
As soon as I picked up the catapult, I felt like someone else. Like I was...Katniss Everdeen. As the weapon came into my grasp it was like a new skill descended upon me. Everything slowed down, the wind dropped and everything was still. With absolute focus I drew back the elastic. In my mind I projected the image of the targeted (Plastic) watering-can exploding with the devastation of my skill. The pleasure of this projection could only be matched by the thought of AC's face when he realised the universal awesomeness of me.
It took a few more shots than I'd planned to hit the target. Nonetheless I felt I'd demonstrated some degree of awesomeness and smugly handed the weapon back to Peeta... I mean AC. With his first shot he sent the watering can flying. Then to prove it was not a fluke, did it again!
Ironically I found this display of dominance to be of comfort.
As deadly as any of the career tributes, AC could take down any threat or intruder by way of catapult and stone alone.
Now, instead of popping to the supermarket when short of food, I can just send AC out into the wilderness to hunt down a meal for us.
The catapult will now make up a very important part of our (non-existent) survival pack.
 |
| Shemily and Lucy entering the wilderness behind our housing estate |
