Author's note: So this is my first fan fiction ever and I'm very excited about it. I love reading fan fiction but decided to try it myself and I hope you like it. Also, this is a Finnick/OC story, so there will be no Annie. Or maybe there will be (not sure yet) but it won't be Finnick/Annie. It's not because I don't like them as a pairing- quite the opposite really since they are my favourite couple, but this is just not that story. It's rated M because I'm paranoid and don't really know what's coming in the later chapters hehe.
Anyways - I do not own anything except for Lily and her family.
I smiled as the arrow hit the bird and it fell to the ground. This was my fifth one today. It was a lucky day, I could tell.
I trudged through the forest for a few more hours to check on my snares and set up a few more. I managed to catch four rabbits. I skipped home with a smile on my face, my bag heavy on my back with the animals and herbs I picked up along the way.
This was my biggest haul since before winter. The flowers finally started to bloom about a month ago but the most important herbs don't start until a bit later - and I finally found some today. Just one more week and they will be everywhere.
Sally will be happy today with all the meat I managed to get. Of course I will sell some but I will keep some for us to eat. We didn't have so much fresh meat in a long time. Over the winter I usually manage to catch a few birds a week but half of them I have to sell because we need money to buy other stuff.
The same thing applied with herbs. I would sell half and keep the other half.
I arrived at the fence after a while and squeezed myself under it. I will have to make the hole under the fence a bit bigger since I did grow up a bit more in the last couple of months.
The hole was there as long as I can remember but it was only a couple of years back when I realized that I can use it to climb under the electric fence. The fence was almost always on so I always had to be careful when going under it. I would push my bag under first and then follow it.
I lived at the edge of District 4 among the poorest families. Yes, district four was one of the wealthier districts in general but there were still poor parts. In these parts lived people like me, my sister and aunt with her son. People that struggle to find something to eat and to survive.
It wasn't far from the fence to my house and so I left my loot in the empty house, got my nets which I put into my a bag and trident and made my way to the beach. It was very nice outside today with the sun shining which improved my mood even more. I arrived at the full beach. There were about ten Peacekeepers there, like always, looking at people trying to sneak out some for their families.
You see, every fish you caught had to be paid for if you wanted to take it home, or you could sell it to the market. That was how many people made money here. The thing was though, that you had to also pay a monthly permit for the fishing - which meant that the profit was not big at all and sometimes there was no profit because there might not be that many fish around and if you catch nothing, you still have to pay for the permit.
My permit got paid for by my 'boss' who I work for. He would pay for my permit and take it from my salary which I got once a month.
I didn't have working hours. I just had to catch fish and bring them back so that they could sell them. Different fish have different values on the market and it depends on how much of which kind of fish I catch, how much money will I get.
I showed the Peacekeepers my permit which I had around my neck as they let me on the beach.
I loved the fresh smell of the ocean. It meant home.
I smiled and waved at few people that I knew on my way and soon enough I reached the end of the beach and the cliffs. There were not many people at this part of the beach because there weren't many fish to catch here.
I quickly looked around to see if anyone was looking, took a deep breath and dove into the water with my trident and bag of nets.
I swam around the cliff underwater so that no one would see me and a bit along the cliffs until I came upon the cave.
It was quite a long cave with rocks at the edges. I climbed onto the rocks from the water and untangled my fishing nets.
I was there for a few hours and caught a good haul of fish.
Yes, definitely a lucky day.
I put the fish into the bag which I lined with some seaweed and leave it on the rocks and dive into the water.
I just swam under the water for a few minutes. I always loved the feeling of freedom as it always felt like I could do just about anything under water.
I then caught a glimpse of a few crabs and so went back up to get my trident to catch them. Crabs were always worth good money. I also collected some seashells, hoping that there will be some pearls in them and then got back to the beach, soaking wet, but happy with my catches.
I made my way to the centre of the district and arrived in front of a worn down building. I signed in as I made my way into the 'office', as we like to call it, to sign in my catches. I filled out the form and handed it over with the fish to the girl over the counter, Melanie - I think, who checked that I had written them in right and gave me a receipt. I took it, folded it carefully and put it in my pocket.
I would then take all the receipts I have at the end of the month to take out my money, so they were really important.
I then hurried home to find the house still empty. My aunt worked at the local clinic - which was not really a clinic but a small, old building that they used for the sick. And the kids were still in school but they would be coming home soon. I had to hurry.
I quickly skinned the animals I caught earlier and left two rabbits and a bird at home while taking the rest to the black market. It didn't really have a name but everyone knew where it was but none of the upper class really cared about it as long as it didn't harm them in any way.
I sold all of my haul for a good price, especially the herbs because as I said earlier, they couldn't be found anywhere in the last couple of months.
I then bought some bread and a bit of spice and made my way home.
I used the spice on the meat to make dinner and got it ready on the small table.
Sure enough, just as I put the bowl on the table, the door bursts open.
"Arrrr…You will give me back my treasure or you're going dowwwn…" I could hear the clanking of wood as two little figures came jumping around to the small kitchen.
"I will never give it back…it's mine now and there is nothing you can do about it…" Said the other one with a playful growl.
"Guys! Guys! Calm down or you're going to break something!" I yell trying to look angry but can't really as there is still a small smile on my face.
They ignore me as they yell at each other, still having a sword fight. I roll my eyes.
"Dinner's on the table." I say in my normal voice and the fight stops as the two figures run to the table with oohs and aahs.
"Wow Lily! Where did you get this" said the Allie.
"I made it." I say, still smiling as Rem tries to put his finger into the food to taste it and I stop him.
"Wash your hands first!"
They both roll their eyes and go outside to the water bucket to wash themselves.
I look outside and smile as they splash the water at themselves, laughing. I will have to get more water later but it's kind of worth it. I loved that they were still carefree and didn't have to worry about anything.
They were both eight and so they got on with each other very well. Allie had the same hair as me, our mother's hair - curly and red. I however had my father's green eyes while Allie had my mother's ocean blue ones.
Rem was my aunt's son but I counted him as my brother. You could see that he was her son as he had all her features - the blonde hair and blue eyes.
Me and my sister were kind of different in our looks since red hair was quite rare here - blonde or really light brown were the norm here. But we never had problems with it.
I then started thinking about my parents. My mum died when I was ten, giving birth to Allie, so Allie never knew her.
Father then had to make money on his own and was always working but he still took care of us as well as he could at the time, with aunt Sally's help. He died of pneumonia four years ago during winter, when medicine was scarce. At first it was a cold but apparently, the germs got into his lungs and there was no way to treat it at the time as winter was harsh and we didn't get supplies for another few weeks.
Sally then took us in and I started hunting after school. I dropped out of school a year later to get a job because Sally could not support us all with her alone. And since then, this was what I was doing. A few times a week, I would stop at the clinic to help out and sometimes I would try to teach myself from the books I would borrow from neighbours.
Sometimes I would get lonely as I don't have time to hang out with people my age. Sometimes I would talk to some kids when on the beach or in town but I would consider them acquaintances rather than friends, even if I am friendly with them.
I was more likely to be found chatting to adults though. At the market, in the shops, trading, at the clinic. Sometimes I wish I could be like all the other kids - going to school, even though I would be finishing this year, hanging around after school or when working, but I did prefer to work alone most of the time as I have my special places, like the cave.
I guess that loneliness was part of my life, but at least I had the two little monkeys and Sally - the three closest people that I could talk to about almost anything.
Sometimes I would get depressed but I'm good at hiding it. I put on my smile and move on because I know that moping around won't help. I try to be positive on the outside even if I feel the opposite way on the outside because I know that the positive energy will help people.
To say the truth, I got used to it - the loneliness, the smiling but I still can't help but think about how it would feel to have friends and to be normal.
I am broken out of my thoughts by Rem and Allie who came back with grins on their faces.
"Get to it then." I say and they run to the table.
"And don't forget to leave some for me and Sally." I say, watching them load their plates.
After they are done, they go outside to finish their 'battle' as I start washing some clothes.
Sally gets back from work when it's getting dark outside and is delighted to see the food. I eat with her and let her go to bed as she looks too tired.
"Are you sure you don't need help with anything?" She asks with a yawn.
"No. I'm just going to get the monkeys to sleep and get some water. They had a water fight again. How is mister Sweedy doing?"
"Okay honey. He is doing better. I still can't believe he jumped into the swarm of jellyfish just to get his nets back."
"Yeah. I guess they wouldn't be able to afford new ones and making them takes too long for them to do without them."
"I guess…I'll get to bed then. Wake me up in the morning will you?" She says with a tired smile.
"Of course. Sleep well." I say as Sally shuffles away, getting the kids pyjamas ready.
"Allie! Rem! Get ready for bed." They come in and I gasp.
"Really guys? Again? Strip in front of the house and leave the clothes there. There is still some clean water in the last bucket so wash yourselves. Your pyjamas are ready. I'm getting some water and by the time I'm back, you are going to be in bed. Am I clear?" I say angrily as I see their muddy clothes.
"Yes Lily. We are sorry," says my sister, looking at her shoes seeing my angry face. I rarely get angry but I guess I was just tired.
They both start taking of their clothes outside as I get the buckets ready.
It's already dark, but strangely enough, I like it like this. It's quiet as families get ready for bed, with only a few people trudging through the streets.
It's not long before I get to the well, get the water and go back with four heavy buckets balancing them on the stick on my shoulders.
True to their word, they are in bed by the time I'm back and so I wash their clothes, clean up the mess they made, wash the dishes, wash myself and go to bed myself.