Stumbling In The Tree's
Chapter 1
Daydream
At first it is dark, then suddenly I see myself. Wait, no it's not me, it's Lavender. Running. Into oblivion and beyond. Wearing her hunting clothes. Her copper hair into a low ponytail, just the way she likes it. Lavender always had such beautiful hair. I envied her for it. There is a moment of pure, relaxing silence. Then the plain world changes into forest. Her into wearing a black jacket and tan pants. Holding and axe, Blood running down her face, Her hair flying in all directions. Then a familiar smell hits. The smell of cedar wood. A smell that fills our small log cabin up in the hills of district 7. She can't stop herself. She starts walking, then jogging, and finally full on running to where it is coming from. But they were expecting this, and they charge. The Careers. There is the twang of a bowstring, a quick whistling sound, then a tiny thud, a cannon. She was gone before she hit the ground. I scream, but no one can hear me. I am left alone. No one with me. Silence. Then a sound. A single name. My name. "Harmony…..Harmony….." As soon as the words finish coming, a strange bird takes up the name. Repeating it over and over. Others join in and copy the first. My parents named me Harmony because of this bird. This tune. Only mockingjay's are capable enough to make this wonderful sound. They can replicate words and full songs, and pitches as high as a baby's cry and as low as a man's mumble. It seems as though the world is still for a few moments as they sing. Then the song abruptly halts. One bird, a young one by the looks of it, gives a short, shrill call. None of the others repeat it. Next thing I see is a hovercraft materializing in the air. It's claw comes down and three metal claws grip Lavender's shoulder, stomach, and hip. The hydraulics start to pull her up and as she drops her axe it lands with a thud on the ground. I just then see the arrow that ended her life when she goes past me. Lodged in her right temple. Blood all over her face. When she goes a little higher I see her eyes. Her beautiful, amazing eyes. The blue is as blue as the oceans in district 4, You really can't even compare it to that because they're so perfect. There isn't even that glossy look that death brings. They are so perfect, death can't even make a dent in those eyes. Then the world starts to spin and fade out a bit. I know, we both know it is time. I pick up her axe, her beautifully carved shaft and amazingly perfect steel head. As I feel the blade I feel the letters LB carved into it. Lavender Breeze. Then I look up. I smile, because it's only polite. And then do a rare thing, I kiss the 3 center fingers of my right hand and point them out to Lavender. It is an old sign from district 12, it mean's you are saying goodbye to someone you love. But she deserves it. For all she's been through. I just stand there, waiting. Then something amazing happens. As her body enters the hovercraft, it's like her spirit is still on the ground. She looks at me and smiles. The arrow is no longer in her head, no more blood on her face, but still in her games clothes. She's as she was before she left, perfectly Lavender. "Why hello Harmony dear. So nice to see you again." I smile back and just as I'm about to jump into her arms I see a figure a little ways back partially hiding behind a tree. Of course we can tell who he is right away. Oliver, My twelve year old brother. Also dressed in his games clothes. Although now, he has a medium sized sword in his hand and a dagger in his belt. His body is back to normal again. He is smiling. He almost won his games too, but they sent mutts out to finish him and the other tribute off. Huge wolves tore his body to pieces with their razor sharp claws. He had no chance even with his sword at his side. But he lasted longer than any other 12 year old in Hunger Games history. As he starts to run over and jump into my arms, I see someone behind him. Now it's my turn to start running. I jump into his arms. The one's who held me so tightly when Lavender died. And the one who's hands covered my eyes so warmingly tight when Oliver was being torn to pieces. I look up and am staring into the deep violet eyes of my oldest brother Marley. I am surprised to see his head again. In his games he went against a pack of careers. They threw knife after knife at him but he kept fighting and shooting his bow. He beat them. But he was almost dead. Then a 13 year old came up to him with a sword and sliced Marley's head clean off. That same boy died by Marley's ally killing him. Karma got the best of him that day. And at least Marley's ally won. He puts me down and now I am staring in to the eyes of the other 3 Breeze children. All of us have different characteristics. Lavender and her copper hair and blue eyes, Oliver and his dirty blond hair and charcoal black eyes, and Marley, his chocolate brown hair, and his beautiful violet eyes. Then there's me, my stunning, flaming red hair with a mix of all three colors from their eyes in mine. We all have olive colored skin and strong arms from cutting wood and climbing tree's. Then the world starts to spin again. I get dizzy and fall to the ground holding my head in pain. Oliver is the first to help me up. He is crying and asking if I'm all right. I say I'm fine. Then it happens again. Only no pain this time, I just start shivering wildly. Marley comes next and putts his coat around me. This coat reflects body heat so I warm up fast. But the final one hurts the most. I suddenly get a massive headache and fall to the ground hard. All three of them crowd around me, asking if I'm all right. I as a question, directed to Lavender. "Can you sing to me?" I say. They all look at each other and nod. Marley sits down and brings me into his arms, Lavender kneels down near me, and Oliver starts to quickly make a wooden flute, carving it with his dagger. When it is finished, he reaches the dagger out to me. I feel along the blade and sure enough, the letters OB are carved into the edge. I grab the dagger and pull Oliver and it close, along with Lavender's axe. Marley see's this and takes off his sheath and set of blue, black, and purple arrows. The colors represent each of us, and our eye color. He slides it onto my shoulders. It feels a little heavy but it will do. Then he grabs his bright red bow. I feel like I am looking at it for the first time it is so beautiful. For the first time, I rub my hand across where you hold on and of course I find the initials MB. But under it I find the words: 'firehead'. I smile. Then ask: "Why is it bright red? Don't you want to camouflage it?" He just smiles. I smile back. I know what he's going to say. "Because it reminds me of you, silly firehead." I just laugh. Marley could do that. Make me laugh like I had a purpose in life. And only he can call me firehead. That's his nickname for me. That's what the older, meaner kids used to call me when I was smaller, so he started to call me that to get used to it. Now it's his official nickname for me. That was back when we were all alive. All of us. Not just me. I close my eyes and start to dream about it. I dream of all of us playing in the yard. Me and Lavender playing tag, Marley showing four year old Oliver how to make a plane out of spare wood pieces. Oliver was a wiz about building stuff out of wood. My thoughts were interrupted. "So how about that singing now? I want to play the flute again!" we all smile at each other and look at Oliver. He's grinning ear to ear at us holding his flute ready to go. "Might as well do it now." Lavender says with a smile, which quickly changes to a frown, "Harmony has to leave soon." We all nod in agreement. Oliver plays 4 clear notes on his flute and I automatically know what they are going to sing. Marley starts with a low humming to add in, which makes me neck rumble, and then Lavender starts the song.
"Deep in the meadow, under the willow.
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow.
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes.
And when again they open, the sun will rise.
Here it's safe, and here it's warm.
Here the daisies guard you from every harm.
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true," All of them join in this last line. "Here is the place where I love you."