The Siren's Call
Sitting on our old, battered gray couch and watching the 75th Hunger Games, I can't help but admire the tributes in the tropical arena. They are so courageous, and have an undying will to win to get back home to their loved ones - if they even have any. I am astonished at how Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the star-crossed lovers of District 12, are always there for each other, even throughout the Games. You'd have to be a fool to not see those two belong together. Even though they both won for our District last year, it's horrifying for them to be sent back into the Games a year later, especially with Katniss' child on the way. I can only hope that the odds are in their favor. Although I don't know how the end of these Games will resolve. The outlook does not seem promising.
Carefully, I stroke my daughter's black hair as she lies on my lap for comfort during the Games. Her toned skin and gray eye display the look that many people in the Seam have. I, however, have muddy, brown hair and pale colored skin with blue eyes. Those characteristics are rare in our part of District 12. My little girl only shows the appearances of my late wife, Dianna, who died while giving birth to Melanie. I miss her very much, but I have to remain strong and stand firm for my daughter, who is only nine years old. I am all that Melanie has left for family and support. Although sometimes, I still get lost in moments remembering my wife. I love and miss you, Dianna. Rest in peace. You'll never be forgotten. You know, our daughter is just like you; it's like you never really left.
Dianna passed away young at only eighteen. I was nineteen at the time. Now at the age of twenty-eight, I have to work in the coal mines and feed two stomachs, when it is all ready hard enough to feed one. I don't know how other families do it. But no matter what, my daughter eats first. She comes before me, always.
I notice Melanie's body is starting to shake. It's summer time, so the temperature has nothing to do with it. It's pure fear. It's the horror knowing that one day she has a chance of being chosen to kill other tributes in the arena on live television. I tell her she won't be chosen, that there is no chance, but it is more reassurance for me rather than to comfort her. Melanie may be young, but she is definitely not stupid.
Comforting people isn't really my specialty, but I'd attempt it for my daughter any day. I lean down and kiss Melanie on the forehead, just like I used to do with Dianna. The shivering rate went down almost automatically. Her body seems to release all the tension while a small sigh leaves her mouth. She then moves her body more towards mine a little more, and I put my arm over her as if it was a shield from the Capitol. They're not taking my little girl away from me. If they laid a finger on her, I would pulverize them, one by one.
Lost in my thoughts, I can tell I've missed something crucial in the Games. Peeta Mellark had just killed a tribute, and Katniss Everdeen now has a blood-drenched arm. I'm guessing someone got a precise shot at her. With an injured arm, she won't be able to use that bow and arrow as efficiently as before. But then I see a bow poised to fire. An arrow is soon cocked and aimed at a target. The angle of the camera prevents me from viewing what Katniss is preparing to assault - possibly an unsuspecting tribute?
But then the arrow is launched from the bow. Unexpectedly, Melanie and I sit straight up staring at the screen. The arena has just been engulfed by a high energy explosion. Flames seem to infect the camera lens. I look at my daughter seeing she is shaken to her core and broken inside. However, I don't have time to comfort her after what happens next.
The television screen turns black. Not a single sound can be heard throughout any of the Districts at the moment. I stare around the room in anticipation. My heart beat is amplified. It's as if blood is pumping through my ears. Panem has just been silenced by flames. I know as well as anybody, the Capitol won't stand for someone destroying their arena and basically being humiliated on live TV without brutal response. They will want people punished. District 12 has just been targeted as lamb for slaughter. And it will only be minutes until all hell breaks loose.
I remain frozen for a moment. I'm not sure of what I can do. I've never left the boundaries of District 12 before, but it is clear that is the only way to survive the Capitol's fury. Beyond that fence is a world completely unknown to me. But Melanie's life must be saved. And she needs my help to escape this area, targeted for attack by the Capitol.
Without a second thought, Melanie is clutching on to me for dear life as I hold her close to my chest. Her tears confirm that she knows about as much as I do about what apocalypse is to fall upon us. I've taught her to never under estimate the Capitol. Their savagery has no limits. They thrive on our misery. And that with every action comes a consequence - that with rebellion comes punishment.
With Melanie in my arms, I hastily run and grab the necklace Dianna always wore. If we are breaking free of our District, I want a memory of my wife with me. Leaving that piece of jewelry would be like leaving a part of me in the fire, soon to bring on devastation. Her memory will not be left to burn in the ashes of District 12.
I kick the door open to the streets of the Seam. Groups of people are assembling outside of homes. Others are scurrying around; I assume to gather larger numbers. A young guy with black hair and pale skin runs up to Melanie and me and begins to speak in an intense, hurried manor. "We are grouping as many citizens of District 12 as we can to escape before the Capitol assaults us. Hurry down to the group near that pine tree over there. Once we have all that we can, we will move to the woods." Without questioning a single word, I nod and walk towards the group of Seam citizens. There are a good few hundred people here.
Melanie begins to cry so much that her tears soak my shirt. She's terrified. I'm not sure if I can calm her down this time when I'm not even calm myself. I'm broken. In minutes, we could be incinerated, and disappear from this world forever. But I have to stay strong for her. Melanie can't be touched by the Capitol. I promised myself that when she was born - even if my life depended on it. It was what Dianna would want.
I place Melanie down to the ground and wipe the tears from her eyes myself. Attempting to stand tall, I can tell she is fighting to hold back from breaking down. My little girl is trying to be strong. She's growing up. I can't help but give a little smirk at the thought. "You know we are going to be all right," I say. Her eyes are consumed with tears again. "The Capitol will not get to you. Their bombs will not leave even a scratch on your skin. Do you know why? Because we are going to leave this place before they attack."
"But I'm so scared. I don't want to die." Her voice is shaky from all the grief.
"You're not going to. I promise," I respond. Gently, I kiss her on the forehead again, but not pulling away as fast this time. I am comforting both of us now. She knows I am there for her, and I know my little girl is not leaving me.
I open my eyes and notice everyone has started to move. I throw Melanie over my right shoulder and carry her to the back of the group moving towards a meadow that neighbors the Seam. There must be a chink in the electric fence that we can get through. The boy that recruited us seems to know what he is doing, so I trust him. I don't have a better plan anyways.
We walk for a couple minutes. Looking back, we are a good distance away from the Seam and half way towards the fence that will lead us to life outside of District 12. This actually is a beautiful meadow. We are going to make it. I'm going to live, and more importantly, so is my daughter. Nothing matters more to me at the moment.
I collapse to the ground with a sharp pain in my leg. Melanie rolls off my shoulder and fumbles with me. I shout a cry for help automatically out of shock and angst. Everyone is running away though. They aren't coming to help me. Why aren't they helping me?
Then I hear the gun shots. The citizens of the Seam are panicking and fleeing towards the gates as fast as they can. Screams of men, women, and little children haunt the atmosphere. Looking ahead, I see people drop down out of nowhere. One by one, they fall down. Turning my head back towards the Seam, I see Peacekeepers. A group of them are in the far distance, aiming their guns right at us; they are closing in while bolting towards our group and shooting at us simultaneously.
Melanie is on the ground regaining her thoughts. She glances at my leg. Her eyes widen as she screams, "Daddy, you're shot! Daddy!" I feel the blood oozing out of my leg and soaking my pants in red. Realistically speaking, I can't make it to the fence in time. And Melanie can't stay with me. With every step the Peacekeepers take, is a step closer to the Capitol hurting my little girl.
"You have to go, Melanie," I'm being too soft, I can tell as the words leave my mouth.
"No! I'm not leaving you," She argues.
"You have to go," Now I'm shouting in a stern voice. It's hard to hear over the gun fire and holler. "I'm not going to make it! Please, just go," She's shaking her head; I can tell I'm not getting through to her. "Melanie, please," I choke. Tears begin to leak from my eyes and onto the grass of the meadow. I grab her hand as tight as I can. "Melanie, all I have ever wanted for you was a better life. Staying here, you will be killing both of us. Outside of those fences is a better world – a better world for you – a world that you were meant to live in."
"But dad…" She's weeping hysterically. The gunfire almost covers her voice. Peacekeepers are closing in quickly, and the group of people from the Seam are getting away.
"I love you, Melanie, so much. You're my daughter, and I have loved waking up every morning and seeing that face. I love tucking you in every night. You were all I had to live for. You're my little girl," The pain in my leg becomes so immense that I start tearing out pieces of grass with my other hand, "Don't stay here to die with me. You're going to leave District 12, and you're going to go on without me," I loosen my grip on her hand, but hers' is as strong as ever, "It's time to let me go. Let me go."
Sirens start to wail back at the heart of the District. Their high pitched howl seems to echo for miles and creeps along the air. The Capitol must be closing in. Peacekeepers have ceased fire, probably wondering what was happening. My time is short.
The same boy with pale skin and dark hair sprints in our direction. He must have taken the chance when the gun fire died down to check for stragglers. Spotting us, he kneels down and checks the conditions of my wound. "Leave me alone," I'm enlarging my volume with every word, "Take her! Take Melanie!" He obeys my command and picks up Melanie.
While he turns around and runs back towards the fence where everyone is escaping, I catch Melanie's eyes. They are over flowing with tears. I can just hear her scream over the sirens, "Daddy!" repeatedly.
I gather up all my strength into one yell, "I love you!" Then my head drops to the ground. I've lost a dangerous amount of blood, and I don't know how much longer I will survive. After seeing Melanie fading into the forest, and I turn my head back towards our District. Capitol hovercrafts have now assembled the entire area. Bombs are now being released and dropping at a rapid face.
One. Two. Three.
I begin to count the explosions in my head. With each detonation, the ships get closer to me. I turn my head back towards the woods. Remembering my wife Dianna, and my daughter Melanie, I can't help but cry into the ground.
Four. Five. Six.
My lungs become packed. The temperature around me increases because of the heat from the fires, and my thoughts are all over the place. One of them is how these bombs came to be. Katniss Everdeen has set off a bomb that his reached over towards District 12, and soon possibly, all of Panem.
Seven. Eight. Nine.
My last breath in me is fading. My vision turns darker with every blink of my eyes. As I depart this world, I imagine my wife and daughter standing in front of me smiling. The two most beautiful girls in the world. The words leave my lips as I count the last bomb, which I'm sure is the bomb that is going to encompass me in fire. "Good bye, Melanie."
Ten.