Chapter 1-Spark
"Just close your eyes. The sun is going down. You'll be alright. No one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound…" I croon to my five-year-old sister. Her muffled sobs are replaced by whimpers. Ive been cuddling her on the ground in my arms and her tears dampen my tattered shirt.
"Blaze, I promise you it was NOT real. It a dream." I whisper for her ears only.
"It was you and you got reaped and and and and…" Blaze starts sobbing again.
"shhhh…. It's okay. Why don't you come into bed with me? How does that sound?" I ask calmly.
"Okay…" she whispers.
I carry Blaze over to my old, beaten down bed and place her down carefully, her fragile head restig on the flat pillow. Carefully, I crawl in next to her and pull the blanket over us. She cocoons herself into me and I wrap my arms around her. Blaze and my warmth together keeps are teeth from chattering under the thin blanket. Her head turns up toward mine and innocent, blue eyes stare intently into my mine.
"Hey Ember," she murmurs softly.
"Yeah?" I ask gently.
"I wish Spark was here," She woefully says, barely audible.
"Oh honey, I know. I do too, every minute of every day, but you know what?" I say as the memory surfaces. Spark was our older sister. Ever since our parents were killed in a mining accident five year ago, she was our guardian. She protected us from everything and always made sure we had enough to eat and were happy. She worked hour after hour to make sure we had enough money. Our parent s were killed in a mining accident just three weeks after little Blaze was born, when I was 11 and 18. It was a cold winter day and the sun was peeking through the clouds. We were already poor and going to bed hungry when both of our parents worked and we still live in the Seam in District 12. Seven months later, Spark was reaped for the Hunger Games at the age of 18. She was really good at throwing knives, was very beautiful with many sponsers, and the smartest in her grade, but that doesn't guarantee anything. She made it to the final six. It was late afternoon and the sun was blaring down on her. The arena was a desert, it was hot and dry, but everyday she managed to receive a two liter bottle of water from her sponsors. She was just finishing the crackers from her backpack she had snatched from the cornucopia. She was very smart and slept in fox holes and covered them with tumbleweeds. After she had emerged from the fox hole, the District 7 tribute snuck up behind her with his axe and swung at her. I covered my eys and luckily Blaze was asleep. Just seconds later the cannon sounded for Spark and I burst into tears.
"What?" she replys sweetly, pulling me from my thoughts.
"She would be very proud of you." I reply confidently.
"You think so?" she asks with her eyes full of surprise.
"Absolutely!" I reply with a smile.
"I hope so," she says as she snuggles deeper into the blanket. Moments later she is fast asleep, her chest slowly rising and falling. Happy that she is finally asleep I snuggle in with her and try to fall asleep.