Aska's POV

My hands gripped the rough bark before I dropped and swung forward, hitting the ground softly. Clouds of dust flew up, momentarily blocking my view and then clearing. I walked forward slowly, each step as silent as a ghost's. I reached the small shack and hopped through an open window.

"Aska?" I heard my older brother, Karl, call out.

"Yeah," I said, skipping around to find him on the sofa, looking nearly dead.

"You were out all night," he accused, his eyes narrowing at me in suspicion.

"Yeah, I was out walking."

"And you couldn't have told me or Ian?" he said while rising from the sofa.

"Well both of you where still at work…"

"You could've told someone…anyone!" he shouted.

Silence rang throughout the room at his outburst, and I sank down in defeat.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. He let out a deep sigh, rubbing one eye.

"Just pleas next time can you tell someone," he murmured. I nodded, looking at my feet, "Alright, well I have to go. But I will be back for you and your brother's Reaping." He kissed my forehead before picking up a bag and walking out.

I stared at the open door for a few seconds before turning around. I wouldn't talk to anyone else, I thought Karl should have known that. They would only judge me. I haven't spoken for so many years. I closed my eyes, falling down on the dusty sofa. My mind started to drift, my world closing behind me and a new one opening its eyes.

"ASKA!" I heard a loud scream shatter my ear drums. My breath came out short and rushed as I looked around, my world covered in fire.

I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out. My eyes closed tightly and everything went quiet. I opened my mouth for another attempted shout, but only air escaped as my panic elevated.

"ASKA!" the voice seemed to be right behind me, begging for my aid.

Adrenalin hit and my heart pounded ferociously as I tried to spot the source of the voice, but I only saw fire. I fell to my arms and knees and the smoke seemed to follow me as I waded around with my arms.

"ASKA!" the voice was right at my ear now, and soon I was hoisted upwards and being towed out of the flaming building.

I held out my hand as I saw Minna, Ivy, Johanna, Maj, Gustav, Johannaes, and my father watch me being carried to safety. Their eyes rolled back in their heads and they fell, one by one, each time an ear splitting crash pounding into my skull. I screamed this time, letting all my air from my body. I was placed on a stretcher as Iwas forced to watch them be left in the house, falling like dominoes. Each life flickering out. Each because of me.

I woke up slowly, opening my eyes and blinking until I recognized my surroundings as the familiar small room where I had fallen asleep. My breath came out calmly as I recalled the sound of each scream of that night. I wish I didn't have to relive it so often, but every night, it took place in my nightmares

.

My lips where cracked and dry as I slowly pushed myself off the sofa. I walked to the window I had entered from last night, casting my gaze out coldly, watching the hustling and bustling town.

I'm not sure how long I stood there, maybe only a few second, or maybe a few days, it wouldn't have mattered to me though. I saw a figure jog up to our house and soon push through the threshold while wiping his forehead.

"Hey," Ian nodded towards me. I returned the nod, the usual greeting. The only person I truly could talk to was Karl, and Ian was evidently aware of this as he let out a small sigh and took a swig of water from a bottle.

"Can you get cleaned up, Aska?" he asked, looking me up and down, "The Reaping is in less than an hour." I nodded before walking towards a small mirror. It seemed that I had a layer of dirt covering my face, my shirt was ripped, and my jeans covered in mud. Good enough.

"Where are you going?" Ian demanded as he saw me heading towards the door. I stood there for a second and looked him in the eye until he shook his head in frustration, "Well… just be at the Reaping!"

I came up to a small creek that was a ten minutes walk from our house and quickly splashed my face, rubbing off all the dirt that had collected and washing my ash-grey hair. I considered my surrounding quickly before taking off and washing the rest of my clothes. I skipped rocks as I waited for them to dry a bit before giving up and throwing on them on, the damp coldness seeping into my skin. I started to jog back. Only once a year I would be so clean and it always made my skin itch.

When I reached the house, I found it empty. Thinking everyone had already left, I turned the other direction and dashed. It only took five minutes to reach the Reaping, and only a few seconds to spot Karl and Ian talking amongst the crowd quietly. I bounded up to them and tapped Karl on the shoulder.

"Aska," Karl breathed with a small grin.

"You really do clean up well, Little Sis," Ian said affectionately, messes up my hair. My lips twitched, a small pit of happiness hitting my heart.

Rick's POV

I crouched down, feigning invisibility as I inched forward. In front of me stood Melissa, a well and unexpecting Melissa. I smirked and with one last breath, launched myself forward, grabbing hold of her as I sailed through the air. She let out a small screech as we crashed to the ground, my arms around her as we rolled through the dust twice.

"RICK!" she shouted, but I could feel laughter shaking her shoulders.

"Yes?" I grinned innocently. I kept her in my arms, burrowing my head into her flower-scented hair.

"How could you? You should not have done that!" she said breathlessly as the tension between us began to fill the air.

"Well," I whispered into her ear, "I apologize, but I just had to get a better look at you."

I felt a shiver run down her spine as she rolled over face me. She looked into my eyes for a few seconds, seeming to try to solve my puzzle.

"What?" I asked, pushing a few strands of her hair away from her eyes so that I could see them.

"Nothing."

I traced my thumb over her bottom lip before slowly leaning in. I made sure she wouldn't push me away like last time, and as my lips barely brushed hers, I opened my eyes in frustration.

"HEY! RICK!" I heard a booming voice yell. I let out a deep growl as I leapt up. There stood the almighty Harold, all seven feet of him.

"Hey," I choked out.

"What are you doing?" he demanded as he advanced towards me, towering above me. He shoved my back and I stumbled in shock.

"Harold, stop, it's my fault!" Melisa shouted.

"I'm sure it is," he growled, "Now get the hell out of my way."

He slapped her hard across the face, a loud smach sounding as she fell to the ground, clutching her face in her hands. Bile rose in my throat before I leapt forward, hitting him dead in the jaw.

"You filthy bastard," I spat, "Didn't your mommy ever teach you to never hit a girl?"

He roared like a beast, snatching me up by my shirt collar and punching me in the side of the head twice. I fell to the ground, but quickly scrambled back up. My fist flew towards him, but this time he caught it and bared his yellow teeth in a wicked smile, spitting out some tobacco from the side of his mouth. He then proceeded to twist my arm until I heard a loud snap and let out a sharp cry. He let me go then, and I stumbled to get away from him, tripping and falling to the ground while holding my aching arm.

I wailed as I watched him grab Melissa.

"Rick, no!" she shouted miserably.

"Melissa!" I called out for her, but it was too late. She was gone.

I clutched my arm closer to my chest as I walked towards my house. Pain shot up and down it with each bounce in my step. I used my head to push open the door, dashed to my bedroom, and opened all my drawers until I finally spotted a roll of bandage. I slowly wrapped my arm, and with my unprofessional touch, the pain only grew and I could barely withhold little whines and cries whenever I felt pressure.

I used an old shirt as a sling, and by the end, I was fortunately a little more comfortable, or however comfortable you can be with a broken arm.

I gritted my teeth as I walked the rest of the way to the town, more than a little irked that Harold had decided to pound the crap out of me on the day of my last Reaping.

"And the lady who will go into the arena is..." a voice spoke from a loud microphone. "Aska Galie!" I looked around until I found the small girl slowly walking toward the stage. She had ash hair and pale skin and she looked as though she had just seen a ghost. Her eyes where dead as two men walked behind her, holding on to both of her hands while fighting back tears. Was this another crazy going into the games? From the looks of her, she wouldn't last long. Once she took her place on stage, the next tribute was called.

"And the man who will fight for District Ten is…" it seemed everyone held their breath as the name was drawn, "Rick Mit!"

Crap. Just, crap. I took a large gulp before inching forward. People parted like I was diseased as I walked through the crowd. I heard sobs coming from not too far away and jerked my head to see Melissa's, my Melissa's, eyes filled with tears. Harold held her arm protectively as they both watched me, the injured man, advance towards my own death.

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