Adam Ricci (D7)
Sometimes a life shines so brightly that others flock to it. Sometimes when such a life is snuffed out, it takes light away from others and casts them into darkness.
District Seven was not much of a district; it was neither overly abundant nor overly poor. It was average and easily forgotten about. It never had too much cause to cheer; not many tributes ever one the Hunger Games. Adam Ricci could count them on one hand with plenty of fingers to spare. But looking at all those gathered on the train station that cool and crisp morning, Adam Ricci knew the district was rich in one thing; love.
Damion and Seamus stood side by side next to him, proudly looking on ward; their fists clench so that they might not break down and cry. Adam was right there with them. His heart wanted to crumble away and give up on life. He was an old man that had buried a son and a daughter, a beloved wife, and countless friends. He had thought Luna would be the one burying him, but it was not to be.
He stood there waiting for the lifeless body of his wonderful granddaughter to arrive so that he could bury her next to her parents and grandmother. He waited with his heart pumping and beating as if it might just beat so much to burst or so slow that it might just stop.
Countless memories of Luna floated through his mind. In each and every single one of them, no matter the pain and turmoil that was swirling around her, no matter the sorrow, the disappointment, the pure cruelty of the world, Luna was always smiling that sweet smile of hers. That sweet, caring, thankful smile.
The train came to a halt before them and the bright, wooden caskets were quickly unloaded. The peacekeepers sat them gently down before the crowd and hurried off, letting the mourners do as they will. Adam Ricci stumbled proudly towards his Luna and cupped a hand to the casket. He felt the tears start to tremble down his face and he closed his old, worn eyes. Too much death, too much death.
Mourners came from all sides to the caskets, flocking to them, but still granting space to the loved ones whose hearts were breaking. To Ash, the boy that had left with Luna, a mother and her son stood with a girl that had a growing stomach, and an older brother with a wife and child. Both families nodded at each other with tears held in their eyes. They alone knew the suffering they were going through, the suffering none could ever forget.
"Mr. Ricci, we'd, well, we'd like to say something." Seamus said to the older man. "About Luna."
"And I want to say something about Ash." The young boy with glasses said at the other coffin.
Adam Ricci nodded. "Go ahead boys." He said with a hoarse voice.
"Thank you." Seamus whispered to him before turning with Damion to the crowd. "I know that not all of you personally knew Luna, but that doesn't take away from the hurt that we all feel, and it's the same with Ash. For those of you who only knew them by watching them in the Hunger Games, you saw how kind they both were, but that's only a half who they were. Luna was the most caring girl I ever knew, and will ever know. Despite all that has ever happened to her, Luna kept on smiling and taking care of those around her. She never asked for anything, not if it was for her. She cared more about the world than she did for herself. That's who she was. She wanted to see the world smile and that was all she ever wanted." Seamus let out a sobbing laugh. "When she was leaving, all she did was care about us. She was the one going to the Hunger Games and all she truly cared about was her grandfather and her friends."
"She wanted us to smile," Damion choked out through his tears, "all she wanted was to see us smiling. She didn't worry about herself, she worried about us, because that's who Luna was."
Okie Sornely (D7)
"Ash volunteered for me and my mom," Oakley "Okie" Sornely started, "and when he was leaving I told him how sorry I was for letting him volunteer. He told me not to, because I was needed here. I don't agree with him, because I know Ash and I know how great he was. He didn't have a great start in life, but he never let that stop him. Like Luna, who I didn't know, but who I got a chance to know from watching her in the Hunger Games, he didn't ask for himself or worry for himself, he worried for others. He worked hard for everything and everyone and," Okie started to choke on tears and sobs that rolled out of his mouth, leaving him grasping for air, "all he wanted was the best for everyone. No matter what, he didn't hate anyone for the hardships in his life. And he never stopped fighting."
The old man at the Luna's coffin straightened his back the best he could and walked to the center of the platform. "District Seven might be a lot of things, and be devoid of plenty, both one thing I know for sure is that District Seven has more heart than anyone and that we were blessed with two of the greatest souls to have walked on Panem. They cared more for others than they did for themselves. I only wish that they could have grown to my age and lived peacefully the rest of their days."
It was with the final words of an old man that all of District Seven joined in mutual tears over the loss of two brightly shining souls that took the light with them.
Juniper Laska (D7)-Months Later
"What are you going to name them?" Holly Sornely asked the girl gently.
Juniper smiled down at the two sleeping babes, a boy and girl, with soft brown hair and greenish hazel eyes. "I had thought of names, but I think I know two better ones now."
"Why didn't you ever tell him?"
"It wouldn't have done any good for him to worry about it while he was there. And besides, he didn't remember, honeytail will do that to you."
"But you loved him."
"Which is why I protected him. If he had come back, I would have told him straight away. But why tell a man he will be a father when he's going off to die? Do you think it would have made him happy to know he was never going to see his children being born?"
"He might have been happy to know you wouldn't be alone if he died."
Juniper laughed. "No, he would worry that it would be hard on me alone."
"It will be."
"Yes, but love is hard anyway, ask the girl in District Ten. I hear she's the same."
"So what will you name them?"
Juniper smiled. "I was thinking Ash and Luna, to give back the light to the world."
***Honeytail, random plant experiment by the capital that causes memory lost. Or so we shall say.