Cerise jolted up in bed to a scream. She threw the covers away and ran to her sister on the other side of the room. Her brother ran up to her and clung to her skirt.
"Scarlett's doing it again." his eyes grew wider as his twin thrashed about in her bed, her eyes wide open.
"It's okay, Cardinal, it's fine." Cerise wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
"Help!" Scarlett yelped as she sat up fully, waving her arms around her head. "Please don't let them take me! Cerise!"
Cerise's heart grew heavy as she knew when having a night terror, Scarlett is inconsolable and almost untouchable. Tears fell down the young girl's face as she yelled and screamed.
"Cerise! Cerise!"
Cardinal buried his face in Cerise's nightgown as all they could do was watch. After a few more minutes, Scarlett's breathing slowed and her eyes closed. She lay down amidst the jumble of blankets. Immediately, Cerise ran over and wrapped her arms around the small body, gently stroking as the heartbeat slowed and the sweat cooled. She wiped tears from the cheeks and tucked her under the blankets.
Cardinal tottered over from where he had curled up under his blanket. Cerise scooped him up and tucked him in with his twin. He sleepily reached out for her, playing with her rosy gold hair. She pulled away wearily and his hand fell down into the sheets.
From the cupboard, she drew out wool and needles and curled up in the forlorn armchair next to the window and with the rising sun's light, she continued with the sweater for the young woman downstairs. For the next few hours she worked, her hands deftly working the needles so that the clothing grew and grew until it was finished. Then she moved onto another piece for another resident of District 8, a routine that she had done for 4 years ever since her parents died when she was nine.
When the sun shined fully through the window and her fingers ached too much, Cerise packed away her wool and needles and gathered up her garments into a bag. She then got ready for the day, slipping into a blush coloured sweater and jeans to protect against the District 8 winter. By now, Scarlett and Cardinal were up and eating their meagre breakfast.
"I'm going out to deliver these. While I'm gone, could you too please work on your clothes?" she said as she put on her coat and pulled on her black boots. The twins nodded. "Thank you so much, I'll try and get something nice for us while I'm in town, okay?"
With that, she left the apartment and locked the door. The first stop was a floor down; she knocked on the door and heard a baby crying. A frazzled young woman answered the door with a pained expression but it immediately softened.
"Oh, Cerise, thank goodness." she sighed. "Brandy's so cold and she's been up most of the night."
"Oh dear, Amber, well I'm glad I came then." Cerise smiled and pulled out a tiny romper.
"Thank you so much!" Amber exclaimed. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Here you go." She handed Cerise a small pouch of coins.
"Have a good day, Amber." Cerise turned away. "I'll see you later."
Cerise walked out of the apartment building and continued her run of District 8, her bag getting lighter and lighter, but her pockets heavier and heavier. When the sun was directly above her, she walked the unusually silent and empty streets, the windows of the tall, derelict buildings covered by curtains to help people savour this uncommon sleep-in. Finally, she reached her final stop before the markets, a cosy home in the Victor's Village. She knocked and was immediately thrown back by the door and a large mass of curly black hair being flung at her.
'Cerise!' said the mass.
Cerise de-tangled herself from the curls and found her friend Cedar beaming at her, her satiny skin glowing the winter sunlight.
"Cerise! You're getting so big!" the tall Cedar rested her elbow on Cerise's head. "You'll be as big as me soon."
Cerise threw back her head and laughed. "Yeah, right! I highly doubt I'm going to grow an entire foot in the next few years. There's no way I'll be tall like you."
"You never know." Cedar winked. "Anyway, what have you got?"
"Well, your mother ordered a few sweaters, stocking and a winter dress," Cerise replied, pulling out the corresponding items of the bag and handed them to Cedar.
"Thanks, mom'll be thrilled. I swear the weather is getting colder every second,' Cedar tucked the clothes under her muscled arm.
"How is Cecelia?" Cerise put her hands in her pockets. "I can imagine fairly stressed about the upcoming Games."
"Yeah," Cedar replied. "She's been taking care of Woof a lot more and I think she's going to end up mentoring both tributes this year."
There was a solemn silence between the two friends before Cedar checked her watch.
"Oh! It's one already!" she exclaimed. She wrapped Cerise up in her arms in a quick embrace. "Good luck!"
And with that the two friends parted ways, Cedar disappearing into the hard wood floored lush house and Cerise turning back into the grey dirty streets.
Welcome to my first fanfic! Any constructive critism is greatly appreciated! This was a just a set up chapter for Cerise and her situation before the reaping. In case you didn't get it, Cedar is one of Cecelia's children from Catching Fire. Thanks :)