Make Him Pay For It
Life in Seven was good. It wasn't the best, but there were worse things. Seven was lush with forest, large trees that towered over the houses. Autumn was a favorite month, all the trees would turn color, the leaves bright red, orange, or yellow before they died off and turned brown. Returning to the earth in the form of dead matter. Life cycled. People worked, the sound of axes against the hard wood of tree trunks. Oxen were used to pull the carts of logs to various destinations. Some would go to the paper factories, others to lumber yards.
15 year old Johanna Mason loved the woods as a child. She lived and played in the trees with her older brothers Damian and Desmond, both 18, her older sister Elsinore, 21, and younger brother Shaun, 9. It wasn't uncommon in Seven for people to have big families, the more people there were the more income the family got producing lumber or paper or any other good. Johanna remembers long walks to the area where they were allowed to chop down trees, the family Ox, Benny, hooked up to a cart with her father walking next to him.
Jack Mason was tall, muscular man. He reminded Johanna of a traditional lumberjack. His skin was tanned from hours of work in the sun, his beard bushy looking, and axe in his hands. He was a gentle giant. Johanna remembers him telling her bedtime stories with Shaun before bed on various nights when she was younger, and how he taught her how to chop wood properly. His hair black and eyes hazel in color.
They would go home tired and starving
Ava Mason was a deep contrast to Jack. She had reddish brown hair and deep brown eyes. She was tall, like most people in Seven, about 5'7". Her hair cascaded down her back accenting her pale skin. She worked to make paper and bind books. She spent most of her days in the house making paper and caring for Shaun after Johanna was old enough to chop wood with the rest of the family. Whenever they came home after working, she would have dinner ready or close to be ready for them. It was always nice coming home to a home-cooked meal.
Elsinore, usually called Nora, helped their mother often. She was the oldest of the siblings with black hair and dark eyes like their mother's. She was the same height as their mother with a lean build. She was great at woodworking, she made many of the decorative pieces in the house. Johanna remembers playing chess many nights with her sister after dinner. Nora was smart, clever, and beautiful. The two were close.
Desmond and Damian were twins. They both were skilled carpenters. Desmond had black hair and dark brown eyes like Nora. Hair kept short and spiked while Damian kept his shaggy. Damian had reddish brown hair like their mother and hazel eyes. The two got into trouble together many times, mischief makers and pranksters.
Shaun was only 9, he liked to play with action figures Nora made for him. He had reddish brown hair like Damian and eyes that weren't real dark like Nora or Desmond, and not light like Damian. They were a perfect warm chocolate brown color. He was Johanna's only little sibling so she was very protective of him like how her older siblings were protective of her.
Everything changed during the reaping that year.
The worst part was
She thought the Hunger Games was over after she heard her name announced as the winner. When she was covered in blood laughing, when she was standing their with a bloody axe in her hand. All the hours she spent with her mentor Blight making sure that their plan to pass her off as weak worked. Blight had promised Nora that Johanna would get home safely as the previous victor was a good friend of Nora, they had gone to school together and were close friends. Nora had even covered for Blight a few times when he had a victor's breakdown. Usually getting him home from bars safely when he went out drinking.
Her family moved into the Victor's Village after her victory, and six months later she was sent to the Victor's tour.
She started in Twelve, then Eleven, Ten, Nine, Eight, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One. Seven was her last stop and by then she was tired. Tired of speeches and cameras, tired of dinners and people swooning over her. She was tired of going over to pre-written speeches for every district with her mentor, Blight, before she would be forced into another dress and up on a stage with many people looking on her. Some with eyes of fear at the District Seven Victor that was creatively deemed, "District Seven's Axe Murderess" by the Capital's tabloid monkeys. Tired of meeting other Victors like Finnick Odair, and that crazy Annie Cresta who won the year before she had. She just wanted it all to end so she could live her life again the way she had before the games.
Before going to Seven, she was meeting with President Snow.
"Johanna Mason," He greeted, a cold smile gracing his lips, "I must say you have become quite the favorite. How clever you are to act so weak. The Game Makers were just as surprised as that boy from two when you cut his throat out with that axe. Such a wicked ability to kill you have. And so pretty too, you are almost as famous as Finnick Odair from Four."
"Thanks," Johanna snorted, earning a laugh from the older man.
"Such a spitfire you are," Snow laughed, "You are quite a popular girl Miss Mason. I'm sure many men of the Capital would love to have you in their presence. Women too."
"Whatever"
"Won't you do them the honor?"
"Of what?"
"Honoring them with your presence, your body." Snow started, "I have a man now that is more then willing to pay to have your company."
"Do I look like a slut?" Johanna asked standing up, "Tell them to hit a strip club because I'm not doing their bidding."
"Really Miss Mason, That's not wise. I would hate to see something happen."
"I will not be a slut, there is nothing you can do to make me say otherwise."
She was wrong
She was proved more so after her speech when she tried to go home and was promptly knocked out by one of the Peacekeepers. She woke up inside her house, tied down to a supporting column. Her parents were already dead, hanging my their throats from the ceiling. Shaun was crying like crazy, his sobs echoing though the house as a peacekeeper walked up to him, effortlessly breaking his neck to stop his crying.
"Annoying kid," He grumbled as Johanna pulled against her restraints when she realized her younger brother was killed before her.
"Asshole," Damian chocked. The peacekeeper only smiled and walked behind him.
"Do you have any last words to say to your sister before you die? Remember you are to die because she failed to listen to President Snow. It's her fault you are here. You might as well tell her how you feel."
Johanna couldn't even defend herself, her eyes locked with Damian. He looked back at her like she was someone different. He didn't know why she had not listened to Snow, and he seemed to not know how to react. All of them looked beaten, bloody, even her parents and Shaun looked like they were beaten before their deaths. The smell of death was so strong that nothing in the Games could compare. Perhaps it's because it was more expected in the Games then in her own home. For the first time, Johanna felt like she would be sick. The scent was coming from the people she loved. They were dead, and it was all her fault. If she had known that they would kill her family, then she would have done anything to save them. Anything.
"I love you," He said before a peacekeeper pointed a pistol to the back of his head. A shot rang out as his body slumped forward, hitting the hardwood floors. Blood had splattered against Johanna's face. He told her the only thing he knew was true in that situation. Throughout anything, Johanna knew that her brothers loved her. That was the only thing that couldn't be questioned.
"Next" The peacekeeper moved the gun to Desmond's head. Desmond's eyes broke from his dead twin's body to Johanna.
"Johanna, no matter what you have to remember, we all love you. I love you, Damian loves you, Shaun loves you. Mom and Dad love you, Nora loves you. Do not let them tell you differently."
"How lovely," Another gunshot as Desmond's body falls. He turns to Nora, and she looks at Nora with something different, she looks like she herself it sorry.
"I told Blight not to tell you, I couldn't let you turn into a Capital puppet. Snow's a monster, we've known that. But he cannot and will not turn you into his play-thing. I love you Johanna, I thought I could stop them but I was wrong, I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me? Either way, you know what you have to do." Nora smiled before her face turned serious, "Make him pay for it."
The gun went off and Nora's body fell. Johanna sat there with blood that was not hers all over her. The peacekeepers dumped gasoline throughout the house before forcing Johanna out. The house lit up like a cheap Christmas tree and Johanna was left a few miles away in the woods, covered in blood and tied up.
She streaked her hair red after that.
It was a reminder to herself and Snow of what he had done to her. It was a reminder of the pain he caused and how he had taken everything from her. The streaks became as much of her as the pain that brought them on. It was to remind her of the promise she made to her sister.
She was going to make him pay for it.