THUMP! The resounding noise could have probably been heard several hundred feet away. Dust flew up from the force of impact. What made the noise, you ask? My scrawny 14-year-old body hitting the deep brown dirt beneath a tall, seemingly dying tree. Clutching my left shoulder with my right hand, I cringed in pain as I lay on my left side by the roots of the tree, not bothering to make a move to get up. My curly dirty blond hair covered the pain-stricken expression across my small face though, thankfully. But not my forceful grip on my shoulder. It was clear I was hurt. I knew that once Kody realized I was injured, he would be down to help within seconds. Simply because that was how he was, well actually, the both of us.
"Freesia!" I heard Kody's gruff voice show a little urgency, although he usually had such a calm, cool demeanor. I counted 3 seconds before the 5'7 16- year-old boy was at my side helping me up. Good ol' Kody. I smiled through the pain now recounting some of our memories as he pulled my 5'3 body off the hard ground. I leaned against his sturdy frame, grateful. He and I have been friends for years now, unfortunately the both of our families are of poorer status then nearly any family in District 11, so the both of us were sent to work in the Orchards at very young ages. Kody, however, was always more tough and took to the trees easier then I. We were both ordered to pick any remaining fruit off one of the oldest and tallest tree in one of our orchards, so I assumed that the tree was finally dying. I sighed deeply. Just my luck to injure myself the day of the reaping.
"Kody, I'm sorry about this." I breathed gently, as I meant what I said. I was always causing some sort of trouble for the 16 year old.
"Freesia," the brunette haired boy began. "Don't worry about it. Serriously." He smiled warmly at me just as we began to walk in the direction of my home. My good shoulder, and the rest of my arm for that matter, was slung around his shoulders and I realized my left ankle was weak with pain as well as my shoulder. Oh, Damn it all.
Realization crept through my mind as we neared closer to my small, two roomed house. "We're leaving before our work is done Kody! You have to go back, you will be beaten!" I didn't bother to hide the fear in my voice, remembering the last time I disobeyed the rules of District 11 when I was 12, I was whipped so fiercely I nearly died, and the injuries took many months to finally heal. Even now I still have deformed skin on my back that refuses to heal.
Kody remained calm. "I will drop you off to your mother and return before anyone notices I'm gone. I'll be sure to tell the peacekeepers that you ran to the bathroom or something and you'll return soon... But they might not be so happy. I'll do my best." The boy looked more serious now, trying to sort out a plan.
"I owe you one." Was the only response I could think of as we reached my front door. I was lucky I lived so near the orchards. Slowly, the boy began to move away from my grasp and I began to lean on the front door until he was several feet away.
"Good luck." I mustered a poor excuse of a smile as I thought of a possible beating we both might endure. I thought of going back, but we both knew my injuries needed medical attention as soon as I could get it.
"Won't need it." Kody winked and a grin spread across his lips, and instantly he was off running to the orchard before I had a chance to respond. I sighed. He was clever, and always kept a calm stature, maybe we just might get out of this.
Pushing open the door, I hobbled inside my dinky house. Inhaling slightly, I smelled the scent of stale bread. It was better then alcohol, that's for sure. I shivered. My dad was out working in a different orchard at this time of day so I had to attend to my own injuries. It was better that way anyways, he always drank when he returned home from working and when he was drunk, he was almost a different person. Cruel. And mean. And the money he made always went to buying alcohol, that's why I worked also. To support me and my 2 other siblings. My 14 year old brother, Casper, who in his spare time helped out the bakery, although it was odd enough for a place like District 11 to have one, for a little extra pocket change. And my 12 year old sister, Amelia. She turned 12 only 3 days ago, so today will be her first reaping. If I ever left the family, Amelia would be fine considering Casper would be there to take care of her. But it'd be harder without as much money from me working in the orchard. My mother also died of illness when me and Casper were young, so I hardly remember her. Slowly, I made my way to one of our cabinet's in the kitchen. Pain threatened to overtake my entire ankle. I didn't allow Amelia to take any tesserae, or Casper for that matter even though he was the same age as me and I couldn't exactly "protect" him like I could Amelia. But, I was first born, even if by only a few months. I almost felt as if it were my duty. I depended on no one, no one except Kody. And he depended on me. We were a team, the both of us. We both took out as much tesserae as possible, resulting in both of our names being in the reaping many more times then they should have been. But, our families needed the grain. He had a sick mother and a 5 year old brother. He needed extra food just as much as I did.
I shifted through the cabinet looking for a gauze. Luckily, I found some. I wrapped my ankle very carefully, and assuming from the pain, it was probably sprained. My shoulder wasn't as bad. Probably just a nasty bruise, but nevertheless, it hurt.
Hearing my shuffles from the other room, Casper emerged from a doorway rubbing sleep from his deep brown eyes. He had bright blond hair, cut short. He was muscular, for someone who never trains. But he was always moving box's and doing the rough labor at the bakery, so it made sense. My brother was taller than me, barely, standing at 5'5.
"What…happened?" He says, eyeing my gauzed up ankle and making his way toward the couch, a few feet away from where I stood.
"Just an accident at the orchard. Don't worry about it." I attempted to keep my troubles hidden, not wanting to worry my brother. We had a close relationship, even if he disliked that I babied him sometimes. I quickly changed the subject.
"Today is the reaping." I announced solemnly. I received a groan in response.
"You took too much tesserae out again this year." Casper's eyes looked saddened as he said that, but I chose to ignore the comment. Although my ankle felt somewhat better with the gauze, it still hurt as I walked with a limp toward a different cabinet, pulling out a few loaves of bread.
"Is Amelia still sleeping?" I asked, changing the subject yet again. "Yes." Casper replied plainly, than added, "want me to wake her up?"
"That would be helpful. The reapings start in about an hour and a half, and we all still have to sign in. Plus dad should be home any second now." I heard a sigh escape Casper as he walked back into the room he emerged from. Seconds later I heard Amelia yawn and the two returned to the kitchen.
"Let's hope dad doesn't drink so much today." Casper said to me. I nodded slightly as I handed Amelia a loaf of bread. "Morning!" I chirped happily as the short, 4'11 12-year-old took the food and began eating. "Morning." She smiled after finishing her bread. Amelia had brown eyes just like Casper's, but bigger and more innocent. Her dark brown hair cascaded down her back and ended at her butt. It was gorgeous, and she was cute, to say the least.
As if on cue, our dad burst through the door with a tired look on his face. I hoped he was in a good mood.
"Morning dad." I greeted him warmly and Casper and Amelia followed with their greetings.
"Morning." He grunted in reply. Good. He wasn't drunk. All three of us knew how to handle him drunk, and when he wasn't. Somewhat of a skill learned over the years.
"Today is the reaping." He stated to us all, as if it was news we didn't already know and went to find some kind of alcoholic drink in the kitchen. I scowled and turned to my brother.
"Casper, get in the bath please. Amelia and I bathed last night. Put on something nice, okay?" He rolled his eyes at me, giving me the are-you-my-mother look but nodded reluctantly. I took Amelia back into the other room to help pick out a dress as I saw my dad take a sip of something sure to be alcohol.
Once in the room, me and my sister shifted through our old dresses. None of Amelia's even fit her anymore so I was forced to give her one of my old ones. It was big, but it would do. I took her hair and braided it behind her head. Simple enough, right? Once finished, I looked at my handiwork. The dress was long and white, and It had a stain at the end of it but it was only noticeable if you looked hard enough.
"Gorgeous!" I nodded my head approvingly at Amelia. She grinned in return and gave me a quick hug. Now was my turn. Looking at few dresses laid in front of me, I picked up the light blue ruffled one I wore last year. I would be tight on my now taller body, but I slipped it on anyways. I took my curly dirty blond hair and threw it up in a bun and added a white ribbon to match the scuffed up shoes I would soon be wearing. I surveyed myself in the cracked mirror a few steps away. Good enough. It's not like I'd be chosen anyways and have to get on stage…right? A twinge of doubt enveloped my mind for a moment as I remembered the slips of paper with my name all on them. Amelia and I walked out into the kitchen bumping into Casper who was already ready to go.
"Ready?" Casper lifted an eyebrow.
"We both are!" Amelia exclaimed for me. "What about dad?" I quickly added on.
"He said to go ahead of him. He wants to take a bath." I didn't question further as the three of us walked out of the house, well, I limped more then walked. Amelia spoke up on the way to the town square.
"I didn't notice before Freesia…but you're limping. Why?"
I didn't feel like bothering my little sister with my troubles, like I did with Casper earlier, so I shrugged. She was smart enough to know I didn't feel like discussing it. As always.
As the three of us neared town square, I saw Kody just up ahead helping his sickly mother walk and holding his little sister Leelee in his free hand. I watched him intently as he turned around to say something to Leelee and I saw the gigantic bruise forming on the side of his face. I gasped openly and my hand shot to cover the solid 'o' my mouth was now making. What happened? Did he get hit on my behalf? What have I caused? Thoughts whirled around my head and I ignored the concerned looks of my siblings. I wanted to run to Kody but I knew I could barely walk, and with a limp to. Plus he was with his family. God, I felt like dying right then and there. Suddenly, I felt a tight grip on my wrist. I turned to see Casper.
"Freesia." He growled in a low whisper that only me and him could hear.
"Uh…Um..yeah?" I stuttered with my words.
Casper glanced to Kody, who was still walking ahead of us, and then back to me. "You have some explaining to do later." My brother whispered to me again and I felt his grip on my wrist recede. Damnit. My brother was intelligent, and I made it obvious. I nodded without argument as a voice in my head popped up, "If you even make it home." Another tinge of fear struck me and I pushed the voice away just as we arrived at the square. The three of us signed in quietly.
Kody was already gone and so was his family as the me, my brother and sister all separated to our different sections. In a way I was relieved, but immediately my thoughts turned elsewhere when the reaping began. The escort, Candy Shay, began with an introduction and quickly passed the spotlight to mayor Crown. Thus began the long speech of the hunger games' history and how we survived rebellions, and even a little about District 13 came up. Whatever. I turned to my own thoughts. Amelia should be safe. She's only entered once. The odds are in her favor. Same with my brother. And with thousands of other slips, I'll be fine to. I exhaled openly and picked at the ribbon in my hair. I looked at the stage and saw the soon to be tributes mentor. He looked almost menacing actually with a thin, tall body and long brown hair. His face stayed emotionless and I could only guess what he was thinking. I snapped back to the reaping.
I tuned in just in time. "Now, ladies first!" Candy cooed and thrust her hand into the many slips. I held my breath and glued my eyes to the escort. Please, oh please, not my family…
"Amelia Harison!" I felt my vision go blurry but I help to keep my composure best I can. I feel myself take a step back and step on someone's foot, but I don't care. I feel nauseas and I almost feel breakfast coming back up. No. Did I hear the name right? Amelia? The one tiny slip she had…in thousands of them? I look for Casper and I find a horrified look on his own face, but I'm not sure with my vision still blurry. I wipe at my eyes. No. No. No."No!" Wait, did I just shout? I look around and everyone has gone silent with their eyes placed on me. I wipe at my eyes once again returning my vision and run at the stage that Amelia had now made her way to. I don't care about the pain that's coursing through my body, starting at my ankle. My limp doesn't matter anymore. "Amelia!" I shout again without meaning to, my mind is letting my yell everything I'm trying to keep inside. The crowd of people are already moving away giving me space to the stage. I reach my 12 year old sister and push her back down the stairs leading up the stage. I can see tears well up in her eyes as Amelia realizes what I'm about to do.
"I volunteer! I volunteer!" I say the words twice, staring right at Candy. Her smile sickens me. I can hear Amelia behind me trying to muffle her sobs and stay close to me but eventually I see Kody lead her back to her section. I silently thank Kody in my head.
"Well, a volunteer! How rare for a place such as district 11! Tell me honey, what's your name?"
"Freesia Harison." I speak with newfound confidence.
"Ah, a sister." Candy nods with understanding and her pink wavy hair moves. It's looks ridiculous. "Well come on up then Freesia!"
I move to the stage silently, doing my best to hide my limp. I quietly hope I'm doing a good job and make it to an open chair.
"Ladies and gentlemen! We have our female tribute for the 82nd hunger games! Everyone, Freesia Harison!" At this point everyone is suppose to clap, and they do, the people of District 11. But as I look around at everyone's faces, I see no emotion. The people almost seem to have a sad air around them. I eventually spot my drunken father, who looks like he's barely able to stand by himself. I wonder what the asshole is thinking right now as I am merely weeks away from my death. I spot Kody in the crowd. His eyes looked glassed over, and I can tell he's not happy. We lock eyes for a split second, and he turns away. I can only pray he comes to see me at the justice building.
"Next up, the boys!" I hear Candy speak and focus my attention on who will be the boy that I will most likely die fighting beside me. Candy sticks her hand into the pile of slips and again, I hold my breath. I hope It will be a boy I don't know.
"Casper Harison!" Candy yells from the stage. I can feel my heart stop right then and there. My breathing…stopped. A second later, it resumes as I get the dreadful pleasure of watching my 14 year old brother walk up to the stage to soon be trying to kill me, Freesia, his sister. By now I'm breathing harder and I can feel tears sting at my eyes, waiting to escape. But I keep them locked inside, this will be on television and I must, MUST keep my cool. I wish I was Kody right about now. I hear Candy's voice saying how it's brother vs. sister. But the only thing I'm focused on is my brother climbing the stairs…to his death. I feel like shouting at the crowd for someone to volunteer. But there's no one. Casper takes his seat next to me and avoids my gaze. The next thing I know, I hear Candy's voice clearly now and I'm back on planet earth.
"…and may the odds ever be in your favor!" Casper gets up and I follow his lead. He turns to me with an emotionless face but I look into my brothers eyes and see the hidden terror and sadness. Candy and the Mayor tell us to shake hands, and I slowly reach out my right hand and he grasps it in his with a firm shake.
I feel my word tumble down as we are both escorted to the justice building.
-x-
What do you guys think? Leave at one shot? Or convert into full Hunger Games story? REVIEW I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER! Peeta/Katniss' actions have no affect on this fic, just sayinn'. lol :D
Disclainer: Suzanne Collins owns Hunger Games!