Chapter 2:
Johanna walked up the hill to work. Tedious, but she was used to it. She ran up there sometimes. Nothing much.
"Hey Johanna-girl!" Mrs Payman was the worst. She screeched while she spoke. "Go and chop up fifty of those trees then into quarters."
"Yeah ma'am." Johanna knew more than she enough she couldn't argue. One talk back and your pay was reduced by so much. One month's hard work gone. Johanna couldn't risk that- she knew she couldn't. After all, she and her father were the only ones to work for a family of six. "What a life for a 15 year old. What a life." She thought.
"Hey Jo!"
She turned around to find Jackson.
"You got the same job as me!"
Johanna gripped tightly onto her axe. "Fifty trees into quarters. Whoever wins gets sit on the other's back!"She grinned. "Go on let's start!"
The trees fell one by one- quicker than usual.
Johanna smirked. "I won. You've been practising haven't you?"
"Yeah. Trying to beat you. Thought I would like last month. What happened?"
"Been working double shift. Trying to get things done so I can get home."
"Oh, so that's it. You know, if you went into the games, bet you won't be scared."
"Again Jackson, when did you learn how to joke?"
He laughed. "Race you back to your house. By the way we're taking the hill route."
Johanna groaned. "Bet I'll beat you."
"You wish."
Johanna stumbled onto the stairs to her house. "Damn. In the games, I bet you'll outrun every kid there. You've been training?" Johanna gritted her teeth. Damn her side really hurt. She looked at Jackson. He wasn't even panting.
"Nah. Chased by my father and his uh temper. Really does it."
Johanna laughed but crinkled up her face again. "Damn this. I will beat the crap out of you next time."
Jackson stared at her. "Temper woman, temper."