District 10 has always been underestimated. Always. I don't know why, but it always has. We're the nature district-with open land and animals. We are different. We aren't their slaves-not completely, not yet.
My sister Allison lays on the mattress immediately next to my mother. We're twins-nearly identical, with the only discernable difference being my ice blue eyes, empty and cold, against her chestnut brown eyes, warm and happy, just like my mother's, so unlike mine and my father's.
My father. The Avox.
My icy eyes stare directly into the dying coals-unable to look anywhere but here, away from the nightmares. My nut brown curls are messily pulled up with a French braid running along the front like a headband-a seemingly messy style, but my mother's hand work magic. Allison's hair is always braided into pigtails, making her look so much younger than her actual age of 15. And honestly, I'm fine with that. On reaping day, my mother does our hair exactly the same. Identical.
My mother is awake, but she does not move away from Allison. She knows that if Allison awakes alone, she will freak out. I'd probably do the same, but I wouldn't be the one to admit it.
I hear my mother's voice whisper out, "Azlyn, go finish getting ready. Allison will be up in a moment."
So I get up, albeit reluctantly. I dress myself in a dark blue dress, with a velvet belt in the same color-but it looks darker, because it's velvet. I wrap around my neck a simple silver chain, adorned with my father's wooden beads-my father loved to carve wood, and he would sing to us while he worked. But never again will he be able to sing.
Before they came to take him, because he knew they were coming, my father pulled me aside and told me, "Azlyn, you must be the voice of this family now."
I should've asked what it meant, but at this point, I couldn't see anything but red hot anger of a little girl who's father was taken away. Allison's the one that talks, the friendly one, the one that people would do things for. Me, I'm the sullen girl with nothing but sadness in her eyes, so different from the girl they love…
I snap back to reality as Allison tugs on my arm, dressed and ready. "Come on, Azlyn, it's time to go." For once, Allison's voice lacks its cheerful tone.
Slowly, quietly, I walk out the door after my sister.