NOTE: I do NOT own any character's or writings from the Hunger Games just my own characters. Please enjoy this fanfic. It is my first ^^
I'm running towards the spot in the woods untouched by the rain. I stumble over corpses of people who didnt make it out of the cross fire. Their bodies damped with blood of their own and others. I hear the screams of those taken by the Capitol, begging until their frantic screams are heard no longer. I hear the howls of the mutts running towards me. Their mouths slobbering longing to feast on my tender flesh. I unsheath my arrow and shoot one in the neck. It whimpers and falls limp onto the ground. I see the opening in the forest and reach my destination. The Meadow. I am surrounded by the fresh grass and tress. Then I see her, my mother, grasping onto the bodies of two young girls, unreachable and out of my grasp forever. "MOM!" I yell running to her hoping she will hear me. I hear the mutts foots steps and panting getting closer.
"MOM!" I shout again trying to grasp her arm to pull her away from this place to safety. Away from all this. Where nothing can harm her anymore. Where the nightmares wont reach her, where she wont cry, where she won't have to glance over her shoulder scared some horrid person will kill her, where she can be my mother again, but as I reach for her my hands go through her arms. I try to grasp her again, but to no avail. That's when I hear it. One click and everything has ignited before my eyes. My mothers cries of agony are no more. I am inflamed then left there as the mutts feed on my flesh. If only I could save her.
The sunlight peeking over the silent woods wakes me from my horrible nightmare. A place that mocks me on how my mother is lost forever. I fell asleep in the Meadow…again. The grass grazes upon my finger tips as I prop myself up on the palms of my hands and watch the orange and red hues of the early morning sky take over the shadows of the evening.
Deep in the meadow, under a willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise.
Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.
A song my mother would sing to me as a child. Her voice so beautiful that when she would sing it every creature in the woods would fall silent, and the mockingjays would listen. Soon that song is repeated through out the entire forest, but not the way my mother sang it. Here in the Meadow. With a hint of sadness.
My mother is convinced that I don't know the story behind this beautiful place known as the Meadow, but after playing here as a child, the various bones dug up by the rain, you start to catch on. This place of paradise and beauty has a tragic story behind it. The Meadow is a graveyard. Haymitch confirmed this. He told me nearly everything, the distruction of 12, the Capitol, parts of the rebellion, the reason for the Meadow, and even the Hunger Games, alot of what they don't dare to mention in school. Haymitch tells you alot of things when he's drunk.
I brush the grass out of my long braided dark hair and let it fall down my back. I brush my side swept bangs out of my royal blue eyes then I lean my weight on my bow and use it to help me stand. I slip back on my boots, the dark brown leather molding to my feet. Then I slip on my grandfathers hunting jacket that fits a few sizes too big. I sling my heavy gamebag over my shoulder and walk to the district through a place once called the Seam. Mother won't be pleased that I'm late. I think. Very late.
I need to make up an excuse and fast. I glance at a few people who wave frantically to greet me. I give them a slight wave back. I walk through the doors of an open market known as the Hob. It was once a warehouse that held coal during my mother and father's younger years, but it was the first to be burned down before the entire district 12 was bombed. The Hob is no longer a black market since there are no longer peace keepers who think it is a illegal issue, so it was rebuilt into a huge market place, but the name stuck.
While inside I am greeted by many different people. Not because I am me, but because of my mother and father. I walk up to Greasy Sae's booth, a bony old woman who's specialty always had been selling soup. I am suprised she is even alive. Greasy Sae was already old when she met my mother, but now she is twice as old, twice as skinny, and twice the joker. Or at least tries to be. "Hey old hag, you're still alive, how unfortunate." I say coolly as I drop my muddy game bag on her counter and place my equally muddy boots on it as well when I lean into the chair.
She shoves my feet off the counter and grunts. She stares at me and gives me a smile clearly trying to annoy me with that sweet sly smile. "Still as immature and rude as ever, Evermore. You're never going to find a nice young man like your mother did with that attitude." She scolded pointing a me with her butcher knife.
I huff and smile sweetly. "Will you forgive me after what I brought you?" I open my game bag and dump its contents onto the table and a whole wild dog falls limply on the counter.
Greasy Sae examines it closely and sniffs it. "Hm. It smells a day old…" She glances up at me and crosses her arms over her chest. "you fell asleep in the Meadow again dear didn't you?"
"Shoosh woman! Remember our bet?" I whisper covering her mouth.
My mother has her spies around here. They keep a 24 hour survallence on me just to get some kind of coin.
"I remember. I'll admit your just a good of hunter as your mother was." She said already skinning the poor beast. Our bet was that I could top my mother by bringing a whole wild dog WITHOUT making a mess. Success.
"I proved that I am better! Now that'll be 3 days worth of beef stew which should fill up two buckets." I hold up two fingers and smile triumphantly, but Greasy Sae bends those fingers back the wrong way and I scream in pain as I swipe my hand out of her grasp. "Ow…"
Greasy Sae turns to fill up the two canisters and seals them tightly. "How will your mother react if she finds out about where you slept all night. She will have your head." She smiles as she hands me the canisters. Heavy. How does this old woman do it? I think.
"You would love to see my head mounted on a wall... too bad for you. My mothers convinced I'm an angel." I smile sheepishly as I walk out receiving a few goodbyes when I hear Greasy Sae's rough voice echo out.
"When pigs fly dear. When pigs fly."
And of course, she's right… I'm doomed.
District 12 has changed alot since the rebellion. Markets grew and trade flourished between the districts. New buildings replaces the old burned down ones and the Victor's Village changed into hotels for tourists. Many memorials were built and population grew, but none of that changes all that was lost. So many lives under these shops and streets. Forgotten.
I walk through the woods following the trail to the lake where we made our new home when I was born. It is a small elegant two story home with a wrap around porch complete with outside table and benches. Primroses are lined around are house along the porch giving off a sweet fragrance whenever you go near. The lake by this time usually has two lawn chairs set out for my mother and father to gaze off into nothingness, but not today and I think I know why. Today is the day of their reaping. The day my mother volenteered to take her sister Primrose's place in the games and where she was reunited with my father. The day where both of their lives where change forever. I mount the steps to the house noticing a bright blood red rose laid across the matt. I push it away with the tip of my foot and tighten my hold onto the canisters. Something is out of place. The woods are quiet. There are no birds singing today. I push open the door lightly with my foot and the house is silent. Only the sound of the whistling of the wind and the rustling of the trees can be heard. I place my bow, hunting jacket, and gamebag into the closet under the staircase. They must be asleep. I think.
I walk into the kitchen and place the canisters in the pantry for the moment and turn the sink to wash off my hands. Her velvet voice startles me. "Evermore Primrue Mellark. Where have you been?" She says sternly with a slight raise of her right eyebrow.
My mother is Katniss Everdeen, but now a Mellark since she married Peeta Mellark, my father. Throughout my life it was as my mother was one big puzzle. One question after another that was left unanswered.
"Out." I look at her worn blue slippers refraining from making eye contact.
"Where exactly?" She questions loosing her patients.
"You saw the canisters. I was with Greasy Sae." I glance up her coal grey eyes clashing with my royal blue.
A frown crosses her face and I can tell by the look in her eyes that said "victory". She called my bluff. "You fell asleep in the Meadow again didn't you?" She raises her voice slightly.
"What if I did? Why does it even matter?" I look down at my boots.
"Damn it Evermore you know how I feel about you sleeping in that- that-."
"Graveyard?" I cut in attempting to find out more.
She looks at me and all the color is drained from her face. She had that deer-caught-in-the-headlight-look. "Who told you that?" She said in a whisper her voice quivering.
"I found out myself with Haymitch's help. He's the only one who tells me the truth in this god damn place." I mumble under my breath.
My mother seems taken back by this. "When have I ever lied to you –."
"Oh don't give me that crap! I'm tired of you feeding me lies! We both know very well that you are hiding something!" I cut her off raising my voice.
"I did it to protect you Ever!" She screams back. "All I ever wanted was to protect you!"
"You think lying to me is going to protect me!" I yell outraged.
I didn't notice how loud I was yelling until I see Sky peeking into the kitchen. Sky is my younger brother by six years. He's 10 years old. He resembles my father except he has my mother's grey eyes, but unlike hers, his are filled with life. His feature's are calm and lovely just like the bird for which he was named. Skylark. Everybody loves Sky. Its hard not to love a boy whos eyes smile for him and has such a pure aura emitting from him. He is dressed in his dark blue pajamas with his wavy silk blonde locks in a mess. He stares at both of us with those large, innocent, sparkling grey eyes.
"Go back to bed Sky. Everythings okay sweety." My mother says sweetly, but Sky ignores her and looks at me.
Sky doesn't listen to my mother. He looks up to me. Which isn't exactly a good thing, that is something both me and my mother agree on for once. Sleeping in a graveyard, killing animals, skipping school, and breaking the law isn't exactly what a mother wants her son to be. "We heard yelling." My father walks in and places his hand on Sky's shoulder. My father smiles sweetly making the laugh lines more noticable.
"What are you and mommy yelling about Ever?" Sky looks at me with a slight tilt of his head.
I look into those porciline grey eyes and I know nows my chance. If I want to learn the truth I must do it while we are all together. No more fairytells. Not for me or for Sky. I look my mother and father in the eyes and stand my ground.
"Tell me… what really happened…"