"Anastasia, you're next." The fifth grade teacher called. Anastasia brought her notebook to the front of the room. She looked around and took a deep breath.
"My story is a true story about District Three." she began. "I was born there before I was adopted by my parents here in Thirteen. My parents probably worked long days in the factory. Even so, they didn't have enough food to feed me. I would have to take out tesserae. This would make me more likely to go to the Hunger Games to die. My parents didn't want that for me." She paused. "They wanted me to come here to have a better life. One day when Panem is free, they might see me improving the factories or helping them grow flowers in their city." She paused. "One day, my biological parents might meet me and remember the little girl they gave away to have a better life. Then their story in District Three would have a happy ending." The class clapped as she took her seat. Her neighbor and fellow classmate, John Collins, gave her a small thumbs-up from the row behind her. She smiled shyly at him before focusing on her teacher.
"Well done, Anastasia." The teacher said smiling. Anastasia took a deep breath and smiled. She could enjoy listening to another's classmate's story about a girl in District 6 making an underground train that would travel stealthily underneath Panem to unite those in the rebellion. Anastasia was beginning to see that everyone in District Thirteen wasn't there merely to live but to one day bring down the current government of Panem. In addition to learning about the trades in each district, Anastasia and her classmates learned about how each district was quietly rebelling. She knew that in three years she would become Soldier Sultry and assist the rebellion in a more overt way.
After social studies, the teacher moved on to fractions. The teacher drew a circle on the board and divided it into thirds. "Now class, if I shade in two of these shapes – Yes?" She asked as a messenger wearing hospital scrubs opened the door.
"Hi, I'm looking for Anastasia Sultry." Anastasia jumped. The messenger smiled. "Your mother would like you to come and meet your baby sister." A cheer erupted from the fifth-grade class as they clapped for Anastasia. The birth of children in District Thirteen was a rarity after the pox epidemic.
"Congratulations, Anastasia." the teacher said smiling. "Take all the time you need, dear." Anastasia had to contain herself from bolting down the hallways to the hospital.
"Mom!" Anastasia gasped as a nurse pulled back the curtain to her mother's bed. Her mother was holding a small pink infant with the smallest trace of light brown hair.
"Here she is." Her mother said smiling. "Angela Sultry." She placed the infant in Anastasia's arms.
"Hey, little sis." Anastasia said smiling at the squirming infant. Angela opened her light green eyes and cooed before yawning and stretching her small limbs. "We have your crib in our compartment and you'll sleep under me, ok?" She watched in amazement as Angela grasped her finger. "Mom – she's beautiful."
"She's a squirmer." Mrs. Sultry said laughing. "Even more so than you were."
"You first saw me when I was a few days old." Anastasia said.
"I know. But you still were so tiny." Mrs. Sultry said smiling. Anastasia sang a song to Angela about a mole who lived safely underground and snuggled in his mother's arms, except she changed mother to sister as she sang. "You still remember that song, Stacia?"
"Yeah. You sang it to me during the bombing drills until I was eight." Anastasia said. Angela squawked before being passed to her mother. Mrs. Sultry got her settled and began feeding her.
"You told me to stop because the Collins boy was next to us." Mrs. Sultry chuckled. To her satisfaction, Anastasia blushed. "I'm sure he didn't hear, honey." John Collins was a fellow fifth-grader who lived two doors down from the Sultry family. They had recently taken to walking to the dining hall and to their classroom together.
The rest of the day was a blur for Anastasia. She went back to school concentrated enough to get her work done. Then she hurried back home to her compartment to help her father fold the baby clothes that would go in a small dresser next to Angela's crib. Angela and Mrs. Sultry would spend the night in the hospital before coming home the next day. Anastasia climbed up onto her new loft-bed and smiled. She was excited to be a big sister.