Lauren Foxworthy
Just so you know, Foxie is not a tribute and don't worry, I am still working on my SYOT. This is just a piece I've been working on and thought I should post. READ AWAY!
A slim beam of golden sun hit the wall in my room. I looked at the clock. It was 8:15. Ugh. It was reaping day. Dangit. I was not looking forward to the reaping. I never got picked so what's the point. Most kids are like oh my gosh the reaping is today! It's so exciting! I'm like a pessimist when it comes to, well, everything. My name is Lauren. I hate that. I changed to Foxie. I was always the creepy kid. So I decided to change my wuss of a name. I got out of my bed. I dressed in a back tee with a skull on it that said "Led Zepplin" on it and black jeans with black leather boots. I curled my jet black hair with a thin light blue streak in it. I frowned and headed down to breakfast where a plate of hash browns and biscuits were waiting. I scarfed them down and went to the square where Lexie was waiting. "Hey Lexie" I said rudely. Lexie and I had accidentally become friends. When we were five our moms were really good friends. Lexie was a pink sparkly princess and I was still the kindergarten creep. Lexie was the only one who didn't find me scary. I learned to accept her gross princess attitude. She puts up with me every day; no one can do that accept her and mom. I love that about Lexie. We went down to the square. While the mayor explained the birth of the games, I yelled "WE KNOW! GET ON WITH THE REAPING MORON!" everyone was staring at me. I yelled "Stare all you want. I'm secure." They all stopped staring. Lexie rolled her eyes. My rebellious attitude got her into trouble A LOT. I get happy when she blames it all on me. I'm rubbing off on her. Her mom hates me. I fight with her a lot. First the guy tribute was called. Our district is backwards. Everyone knows mutation is weird. This district is really perfect for me. I like 5. The boy was...
"SCOUT FRINGE!"
Oh great, Scout would kill all these girls. If they didn't love him so much. That guy is the district Hottie. EW. He's just a hot air head. Then the girl was called.
"LAUREN FOXWORTHY!"
Oh great. I would destroy the games. I reluctantly let go of Lexis's hand and marched up to the stage. I grabbed the collar of one of the peacekeepers.
"Make sure precious President Snow knows that the games took a turn for the worse." I kicked his groin and I let go and marched to the limo.
Scout sat close to me.
"You exited?" he asked stupidly.
"No." I said meanly.
He put he arm around me and kissed me. I pushed his face off me.
"What was that for?" he asked.
I slapped him and kissed him myself. He looked stunned so I punched him in the stomach. He started to cry so I pulled his ear, and whispered to him
"You'll never make it through the games if you don't start acting like a man. I'm more man then you'll ever be." I said meanly.
He scooted to the other side of the seat away from me. We arrived at the train station. My mom and Lexie were there. Lexie was in tears. I got out and she ran to me. She pulled me into a hug.
"What if I never see you again? I would miss you. You're my best friend and I love you." she sobbed.
"Kill the scumbag that killed me. Hunt him or her down and rip open their spleen." I said as I started to cry.
"Oh Foxie, I've never seen you cry before." she said wiping her tears.
"I've never had something to cry over." I said sadly. "What's your reason to cry now?" she asked between sobs.
"I never thought I'd love anything, then again say this, my reason is missing you. You're my best friend and you're the only person I care about." I sobbed.
"What am I chop liver?" my mom said.
I walked over to her and hugged her. I kissed her cheek. I walked to Lexie; everyone was called to the train. "There's one more thing I need to tell you, I kissed Scout." I said.
My mom and Lexie stood there in shock. I kissed my mom goodbye and hugged Lexie never wanting to let go. I was called to the train again and I hurried off. Lexie caught Scout by the arm.
"Did you really kiss Foxie?" she asked.
"Yes. Then she slapped me and kissed me again." and with that, he hurried off.
On the train, he came up to me with a pale face and a weird look on his face.
"Hi F-F-Foxie" he stuttered.
"What do you want Scout?" I asked meanly.
"To ask you a question, wh-" he was cut off by the TV coming on.
The news was on.
"Hello Panem. I'm Gary Wilson; we captured many boring things in the limos coming to the train. Only one limo had very interesting drama! Take a look." said the newscaster.
A video of the limo in DISTRICT FIVE! It was me and Scout kissing! I looked around at everyone. Everyone gasped and stared at me. I punched Scout in the face tripped him at put my foot on his stomach. He beseeched for mercy and I kicked his face and stomped off. My trainer caught me in the hall.
"What was that?" he asked.
"I hate that guy." I snapped.
"I meant the hurting of the boy." he said.
"I wanted to show people I would kill with no mercy." I said.
"Well, save it for the games. That boy was wheeled away to the hospital wing." he explained.
"Whatever. That makes an easier target if he's weak." I went to dinner and then to shower. I hated that it washed yourself for you. That was awkward. I got into black silk pjs and went to sleep.
That night I dreamed I was in the games. Scout and I were the last two. I had to choose to kill him or kill myself. I took my knife and killed myself. And I woke up then breathing heavily and sweating insanely. What did that dream mean? That was my only thought the entire night. Did Scout really love me? I hate him. I hate him. I refuse to fall in love. With that I fell asleep with evil thoughts floating around.
I woke that morning and got dressed in my Motor head tee and jeans. I went to breakfast. That morning we arrived at the Game Center. The news came on.
"More drama in the district five story. Take a look"
It was me beating up Scout and him being taken to the hospital and him in his hospital room yelling he had to protect me. I stomped to his room.
"Really? Protect me? I saw that idiotic ignoramus Gary Wilson's broadcast. I can fend for myself. Stay out of my life!" I screamed.
Something inside me screamed Kiss him! So,
"I hate you Scout Fringe." I said softly.
Then I impulsively kissed him. I stormed out. A girl from 3 stopped me in the hall.
"How could you say you hate him?" she demanded.
"I hate him." I snapped.
"Then why'd you kiss him then?" she asked.
"I have no idea." I said.
I went to my room and sat on my bed. I wished Lexie was here. I wished President Snow was standing here so I could stab him. I heard a noise. I turned around. Scout was standing there. "What." I said meanly.
"What are you doing out of bed?" I asked.
"I came to see you." he said.
"Well you saw me. Now leave." I snapped.
Everyone was called to get off the train. The Game Center was very big. TONS of rooms. The game makers were looking around anxiously.
"Where are the District five tributes." shouted one of the game makers.
I shoved and tripped people as I walked toward them. They waited for Scout and the two younger tributes.
"I only want the older two." we were lead away by game makers.
"Whatever it is you want I don't have it." I snapped.
"No. We want to know what the deal is with Foxie." they asked.
"I hate everyone except two people." I said rudely.
"Would one of them be Scout?" they asked.
"NO!" I shouted.
"Then who?" asked a game maker.
"My mom and my best friend Lexie. I only love them." I snapped.
"Why did you kiss Scout then?" he asked.
I grabbed the game maker by the collar.
"Listen, I am going to sneak around and kill everyone if any of these questions are asked. If you lock me in my room, I have ways of breaking out. Don't push me too far. Understand?" I whispered.
"Yes." said the maker shakily.
I stormed out. I took Scout to my room and opened the healing remedy and put a drop in his mouth. "What did you put in my mouth?" he asked worriedly.
"Healing fluid. It heals bones and diseases 500% faster." I explained.
"You should be fixed in about a half an hour. You'll experience A LOT of pain." I said.
He sighed of relief. I scoffed at his cheerfulness and threw him out of my room. I heard groaning.
"Help!" called a painful voice.
I opened my door. There was Katrina bent over him. I couldn't help feeling jealous. I decided to help the guy and forget him. I threw him over my shoulder. He was all sweaty. I gave him some ice to ease the heat. He broke the fever. After a half an hour of my hand circulation getting cut off he loosened his grip. I guess that meant he felt better.
"Thanks." he said with a shimmer in his eye.
"Don't mention it." i said casually.
I got up to leave and forget him.
"Foxie, do you love me?" he blurted.
Did I? I haven't thought about it. I turned around to say no way very meanly. I looked at his hopeful eyes.
"What?" I said.
Why would he ask that? Was he insane? Or was I in denial.
"You heard me." he said.
I went over to his bed.
"I dunno." I said unsure of if I really meant I don't know.
I took his hand.
"Take your neck brace off." I said.
I slowly reached behind his neck. I ripped it off. He looked relived.
"I'll get a nurse to take that cast off." I said softly.
He should be training right now. So should I, I was about to get up to leave when Scout said
"My hands don't hurt anymore." he said.
Well duh! I was about to get up to leave again,
"I want you so bad." he said.
He grabbed me and pulled me toward him. He kissed me. I did the craziest thing, I kissed him back. I actually did. It felt right too. Then I got to thinking, I can't fall in love. It's not him, it's me. I kissed him until I had enough I got up and left. As I walked to tomahawk throwing I ached to be back in his arms. I needed his embrace; I put it out of my mind. I threw all the tomahawks almost on target. I was good at that. I caught Scout look at me, I exited the training session. I went to the other side of the building and did bow and arrow. I avoided him for another week and then came the games.
It was windy in the capital. We emerged from the training center. It was parade day. Then on to the interviews. We were stripped, waxed and violated of privacy. I was dressed in the weirdest outfit in the world. It was a long green dress, I resembled a DNA beaker. There were white streaks that outline the print of the beaker that was printed on my dress. Bubbles were printed in the beaker. I wore A LOT of green eye shadow and lipstick. I looked seasick. It was horrible. I wasn't as bad as Scout; he wore a robe with print of a squirrel getting injected with a needle filled with DNA. It was sick. There were other animals being injected with DNA as well. We really are a sick district. I love that. We were pulled through the capital. Every girl was looking at the district one tribute because they wanted to kiss him; every guy stared at him because they wanted to be him. His name was Atacis Crimson. He's such a knucklehead Hottie. Just like Scout. When Atacis and Katrina were taken off their carriages all attention turned to us. Every guy was staring at me all funny. Probably because I look disgusting. After the parade of staring and ignoring, Caesar was going to interview us. I was dressed in an emerald dress with green high heels and a denim jacket. After all the tributes from 1, 2, 3, and 4 were interviewed, we were called.
"Hello kids." said Caesar.
"Hello Caesar." replied Scout.
"I saw on the news updates you and Foxie have a thing going on." said Caesar.
"Well, I have to admit, ever since I met her in kindergarten when she hung me by my underpants from the flagpole, I was in love." said Scout.
"So it's true, you like Foxie?" asked Caesar.
"Not only to I like her, I love her." he turned to face me, "Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked me that directly.
He asked me that here so I would have to answer him. I hated him for that.
"I can't love you Scout, I'm not that weak" I said brusquely.
"Well then, why'd you kiss me?"
"Because I've been weakened and I've fallen in love. I have to push you away to stay strong. I only leave all my love to my parents, my cat, and my best friend who I love more than anyone else, Lexie. I love her even more than my mom, sorry mom. Scout, I love Lexie more than you any day." I said straightforwardly.
I leaned over and kissed him, like, REALLY kissed him. I needed to get it out of my system. I saw a girl from five start to cry. Scout wouldn't let go of me, I couldn't stop. I remembered I'm in public. I let go and kissed him one last time. I ran out of the interview.
"Well, you have an interesting girlfriend there sonny boy. Does she do that a lot?" asked Caesar.
I was still watching from my hiding spot.
"Yeah, as seen on TV, she does this." Replied Scout.
He had my green lipstick all over his mouth and neck. I chuckled.
"If you'll excuse me, I have a girlfriend to find." with that Scout ran off to find me.
After fifteen minutes, he found me.
"What was that?" he asked.
He looked shocked, happy and a little like he had to pee.
"I had to get that out of my system. I can't be weakened any longer." I said sternly.
"Look, you don't need to be alone to be strong. If anything, I can make you stronger." he said.
He sat down next to me.
"Oh all right, I can't live without you. Friends?" I agreed.
"Actually, maybe we can't be friends." he said.
I was shocked! I agreed to be friends with this knucklehead and now he doesn't want to!
"I can't be your friend. I love you too much. Do you still love Lexie more than me?" he explained.
"Does this answer your question?"
I grabbed his head and kissed him. He kissed me back. I wasn't surprised. He let go,
"So that's a yes?" he asked.
"Duh!" I said.
I kissed him again. We would be a team from now on.
We stepped into the elevator the next day well equipped with weapons. I closed my eyes and gripped Scout's hand tighter. I imagined I was back in my house in five. I was sitting on my now dead father's lap. I was singing.
Listen my child, you said to me.
I am the voice of your history,
Be not afraid come follow me.
Answer my call and
I'll set you free.
I sang crystal clear to my father. He kissed my forehead.
"Foxie?" asked Scout, awakening me from my daydream.
"Before we fight our way to safety and lose sight of each other, I want to give you this."
he pulled me toward him and he kissed me. It was a hot kiss and tasted like passion and angst and a hint of melancholy. It was an interesting flavor for a kiss. It surprised me a little. He kissed me until the elevator pulled to a stop and we were let out onto the arena. He pulled away, and sank his lips into me and a sharp taste of regret went through me. We held hands and walked into the arena until the go whistle was blown. It sounded off. We took off, breaking loose from each other. I was attacked by a tribute from seven. I quickly stabbed them with a knife. I ran toward the cornucopia and grabbed two survival packs. I pulled three tomahawks from my back and hit three people I quickly grabbed a bundle of tomahawks and retrieved my three bloody ones. I ran into a rainforest type terrain. I found a hiding place. I heard a rustle in the bushes. I nocked an arrow and got ready to shoot, I realized it was just Scout.
"You scared the crap out of me! I almost killed you!" I whispered madly.
"Okay fine, let's not split up so I can babysit you." Scout said arrogantly.
"Babysit me? I will kill you right now if you refer to me as a child again." I snapped.
Babysit me? Does he think I'm his innocent little girlfriend that can't handle herself? Oh, I am loathing him right now. I got up and went off to find a good place to build a hidden lean-to. I went over to the tree. I pushed on the tree to test the foundation's strength.
"Stand guard of the tree. I'm going to the Cornucopia to get a saw. Shoot anything that comes near here. Remember, don't shoot if I say 'Flabbergast' okay?" I instructed Scout.
"I will, you can count on me." Replied Scout nobly.
I scoffed as he puffed out his chest and saluted. I ran stealthily through the forest. I spied the cornucopia and shot down a tribute from 3 as he was getting the saw I wanted. I crawled across the dirt and snatched the saw. Then I crawled back to the camp. I was careful not to snap a twig or rustle the bushes to raise alarm. I quickly whispered,
"Flabbergast"
He stood down and I stepped through the brush. He ran toward me and hugged me. I had a puzzled look on my face. Why is he so happy to see me?
"I was so worried you had gotten shot down, I saw a tribute from 4 in the trees, I shot at him but I missed. I killed several tributes. One from 8, one from 9 and one from 1." He said.
"You killed Katrina or Atacis?" I asked.
"Katrina. Atacis was pretty ticked off about it. His face turned red, he shot a tribute from five and dug into him with his knife. It was pretty gruesome." Scout said proudly.
I scoffed at him. I went over to a tree and started chopping down branches to build a shelter. I heard a twig snap. I stopped abruptly. A tribute jumped out into out zone toward an unexpected Scout. I ran toward the tribute and I dug my saw into his back and killed him. I felt my blade hit his spine. I cringed at the feeling. I pulled it out of his back quickly. He dropped to the ground. My blade dripped with warm blood. Scout had a large gash in his arm. I gasped, he dropped to the ground. I dropped the saw and knelt by his side.
"Scout! Scout, are you okay? What can I do?" I asked nervously.
His chest was red. I gasped,
"Scout, Sit up a minute, c'mon…." I sobbed.
He slowly sat up. I supported him. I took off his shirt to find a ¼ in. cut through his chest. I grabbed my survival kit and sprayed him. He moaned in pain from the sting. I dabbed off all the blood and washed his arm and chest. I tried to sew up his arm. I actually did it! He was almost healed. I wrapped him up and gave him some pain killer. He lied down on the grass. He fell asleep while I stayed awake all night guarding him. I heard some rustling. A gang of about fourteen tributes came through trying to kill me. I went at it with my knife I plunged several tomahawks into about 5 tributes and cut into 3 with my saw. One came at me with a knife so I cut off his arm. That's 9 dead. Two of them tried to shoot me with an arrow. I avoided the arrows while slicing three on the ground. Then I shot down the two in trees. A large air horn went off. I counted off all the people I killed. The 14 in the gang, 4 at the cornucopia, 1 when I went back, the one that attacked Scout, and Scout killed Katrina. That adds up to 21. Scout, Atacis and I were the remaining tributes. Scout woke up to the sound of the air horn.
"What happened? Who's left in the games?" asked Scout hurriedly.
I knelt beside him. I put my hand on his chest. I was worried; I was to be the one to die not him. My dream on the train was right. We were one of the last people to be left.
"Atacis, You and I are left." I sobbed.
"Wait, that means…." He trailed off. He was thinking.
"I know what will have to happen. Go, live in the village. I'll die." I sobbed.
"No. I'll go. You have Lexie. I have no one but you. I could die knowing you had someone besides me." He said soberly.
"No. We both will. It'll pay Atacis back for killing Katrina." I cried.
I took a tomahawk, I sharpened it, and I pointed it at myself.
"NO DON'T!" screamed a voice. It had to be Atacis'.
Atacis emerged from the bushes. Shirtless and covered in dirt. He glistened with sweat. He Pointed an arrow at himself and he died. Right there, I watched and burst into tears. That just made it harder. Scout smiled.
"Go, be the winner." He said.
"Not without you." I said.
He laughed and shot himself with an arrow.
"NO!" I screamed hysterically.
I was the winner.
I was taken back to my District. Lexie was there. In tears,
"You won! I knew you would, I watched. I'm so sorry about Scout." She said soberly.
"It's okay. He was happy. I guess, Let's go." I said miserably.
I was the most depressed human alive. I went back to the District. Everyone was in the square celebrating my win. They asked me to join the party, I ran to my new home in Victor's village. I went to my room. I fell asleep. I never came out of that house; I pushed everyone away for years. The only one I didn't push away was my dear Lexie. I moved into my old house with Lexie and I grew old miserably without Scout. And I still linger there, awaiting the day I will die and this will end. Eventually, It will come.
The End