Yeah, I honestly have no excuses. Reapings are a bit of a drag, if you ask me. I really need to just suck it up and write. Only four (if you count this one) to go.
And I nearly peed my pants just to watch that Darth Vader commercial, with the little kid. Had to watch it. No exceptions, no matter how bad I had to pee.
Melissa "Lissa" Arno, District 10
The little guy blinked at me, squealing on last time. I reached through the fence to give him one final pat of goodbye. He's a lovable little pig, but his time has come. I visited him, occassionally bringing a snack or two. Or three. Never any scraps from dinner, though. I barely eat myself. Mainly when Pa is in one of his moods. It's more likely for him to be like such, rather than actually happy and comforting.
But along with Reaping Day came early morning Slaughter Day. I'll miss the tyke.
The crunch of work boots made me lift my head and a shaggy, light-haired boy walked up. His skin, calloused and worn, looked like leather, deeply tanned. Hair grew from all over his body, a dude to hit puberty pretty early in his teen life. Light-brown, nearly blonde, hair had been tied back into a tight braid, down the length of his stocky, sort of chubby body.
He blinked, as if trying to process the words to speak. Till Yarrow, that's it. He's in the same grade as me. He has a sister who is the captain of the track team, and his younger brother I think is legally retarded, and has this younger sister who has perfect grades, and a brother who...
I can probably go on all day. It's quite safe to say that he has a big family. Almost all of them worked on the ranch here.
Till tilted his head, seeming to stare through me. "My brother enjoys the pig as well. He's a companion, although, I could never know why. A pig's mind is an interesting mind to try to crack through." I wasn't sure if I should feel comfortable and relaxed or tense and worried.
"Uh, yeah," I said, pulling myself to full height, turning my chin upwards. I bit on the inside of my lip. Truly, it would be nice for the pig to live another day. He's a cool little thing. Would it be awkward for me to ask?
Till stared blankly, almost expectantly.
Finally I sighed. "Could you-"
"My brother would be crushed to find that little creature gone," he said, an airy feeling to his words. "Another soul gone. But he could live another snow. Possibly not another Christmas, but snow.
I translated this roughly as The pig will be fine. I nodded and he turned away. "Thanks," I murmured.
A buzz seemed to vibrate in my brain. You're welcome, Lissa.
Till Yarrow, District 10
A blur of a girl's face flashed through my mind. A little kid's crying seemed to call form my own mouth and tears drifted down my face. The scene transitioned again, to a blue haze.
Can this mayor talk any slower? Yawn. This is so not worth two forty an hour. There better be a Victor comin' from here. From the view of stage, I saw a crowd of teens. Seriously, some of them should try some moisturizer. My soft hands rubbed together and I pulled out, rubbing together my actual hands. Strong hands and rough spots was a nessecity in this district.
The escort waddled over to the reaping bowl. A hand dipped in, slips falling through the gaps of her fingers.
"Melissa Arno." A familiar girl walked, shaking to the stage. She shook her head. My mind slipped easily into hers. I'm not even a mutant. A race of her heart beat coursed through me, cold fear sending clammy waves of cold sweat down my back.
Shaking my head, I pulled out from her mind. The ability came and went. I breathed out, awaiting the next name.
My mind swirrled. I pictured my own neatly printed name on a slip, the sound of it rumbling in my throat. "Till Yarrow."
My own self sighed, nodding in acceptence. Melissa shook beside me and I nodded towards her. I transferred over my thoughts. Everyone will die one day. Some just sooner than others. And some who choose to slip earlier than others. Her jaw clamped down, staring over the group. Her thoughts read loud and clear.
I'll do this. Make sure Eden can take care of Ava. Make Ma proud.
Lissa Arno
Not many people came to say goodbye to me. I stroked Ava's little brown ringlets. She was oblivious to it all. In her mind, Daddy takes a hand to me 'cause I deserve it. Eden patted her sickly thin hip. He'll have to work twice as hard. And he's only twelve. And what if he develops abilities...
After them, a small crowd entered and a smile formed on my face. Columbine ran into my arms, her blue eyes glittering with tears. Loni's bottom lip trembled and even Conall seemed a little shaken.
"So... don't die, okay?" Conall whispered. Columbine's hair pressed into my face, and I could smell the sweet scent of lavender. These guys were my family. I loved them like siblings. Loni slipped a necklace off her neck.
"Good luck in there, okay, kid?" Before I could reject it, she passed me her favorite locket. I flicked open the latch, tears sparking as I saw our smiling faces, not a care in the world. This was after Conall's birthday last month. My tears ran.
Till had to have twelve siblings plus his parents, various friends (he didn't seem to have many though, a quiet, strange fellow) and a brother-in-law. The Peacekeepers forced them to split into groups of three.
After a good twenty minutes or so, our escort stomped along, Peacekeepers bringing up the rear. Till walked along calmly, humming a soft tune under his breath, a few words mumbling out. His mind seemed to be a busy place.
From somewhere, a bird swooped by. I reached up, and the aviator landed comfortably on my finger like a branch. One of the men behind me, a shadow of a beard rimming his mouth, grunted.
"Make that thing go away," he stated. A simple order. I lifted my chin up. The little bird mirrored the action, but still didn't fly. Come on, bud.
The second man, much more impatient and younger, swatted a hand at my head. "Get the damned beast away before you go on the train, girly." The blow stung slightly. The little bird chirped angrily.
I blinked once, and it flew threw the air. The creature slashed with miniature, sharp talons, a streak of red lighting up across the young Peacekeeper's face. The man smacked uselessly, but missed, the bird instead fluttering up and pecking fiercely at his eye. Just as he sat up straighter, pain evident in his face, the animal flew away. I almost waved but managed to kept my arms to my side.
The young guy glared at me with a bloody eye. "Freak," he shouted. "I'll have your head by the time I'm done with you!" He stepped forward but was pulled away by his cohort. Till cocked his head, listening to something before shaking his head and wandering onto the train.
I swallowed hard, thinking about all of my District 10. My father, an abusive man, and my mother, who ran away from him, leaving me behind. When i was younger, the only friendships I could form were with animals. Now, I could see them skittering by, blinking with big sad eyes. A raccoon known as Troy wrapped a tail around his gray body. A moody freelance cat I've named Clar purred atop the train as we were shoved inside the car.
Till stopped humming as he sat down on the couch. Not much else of a choice, I sat along with him. Recaps came on soon after. Watching some of those kids, some disturbing, some actually humorous, others a little strange, it finally hit me. Till glanced side ways at me as I rattled in sobbing breaths. He remained expressionless, taking everything in with ease. His calm exposition relaxed my nerves, but just some.
I'm in the Mutant Games.
Three more, yay! *Crack, crack* Let's do this.