Hotshot: And here is the first chapter! I think I like this draft already, what you guys think? Anyways, enjoy and don't forget to review!
The Effect Games
Chapter 1
District 12, Planet Varenk
I opened my brown eyes slowly as I felt the bed shift beside me, a warm body pressed up against mine. My eyes met the darkened, wooden ceiling above me. I stared at it for a few moments, letting myself flush out the grogginess of waking up. The night before, I had trouble sleeping…but, that was every night.
Once I was awake enough, I looked to the side and saw Liara, sleeping by my side and cuddling up to me, her head on my shoulder and an arm around my waist. Her breaths were even, signaling that she was still in a deep sleep. Liara was an Asari that I had adopted as my little since when I first saw her wondering at the age of eleven and I was thirteen. She was an orphan like me, although I had never asked her how her parents died. It wasn't my place. Of course, I never told her how my own parents died either, when I was young, about ten.
I felt the foot of the bed moved, making me lift my head to look.
Varan, our recently acquired brown Varren who hard darker brown stripes going down his back, was up and stretching, letting out a loud yawn. Liara found him as a small pup not long after I adopted her, and I couldn't say no. He was full grown now but he was rather small for his species. Varan could protect her while I'm not around and I'm grateful for that.
I sighed, managing to get out of her hold and sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, the wooden floor cool under my bare feet. I ran my hand through my shoulder length auburn hair.
I reached over, grabbed the cover and tugged it more over Liara. Varan, noticing my movement moved over to me, nuzzling my arm to get me to pet him, which I did.
"Stay and take care of Liara." I whispered to him and stood before looking over my shoulder to watch as Varan took my place beside my sister and her blue arm automatically wrapped around him, bringing him close so she could snuggle.
I got dressed in a pair of old, baggy jeans, a white t-shirt, my boots and my old, black jacket that had two stripes, one red and one white, going down the sleeves with a N7 on the left breast. It had been my father's before he died and I had kept it ever since. I took a pen and a scrap of paper, scribbling down "going for a walk -Charlie" and setting it on the bedside table. "Going for a walk" was code for "Going to hunt" Since we are technically not allowed do leave the confines of the district and go beyond the fence. Within the fences was the only safe area on this planet.
The district was surrounded be a large forest that held all kinds of creatures such as acid spitting, cat-sized lizards. There is game within the trees though, like a large deer with two pairs of antlers and so on.
Once I made sure that I got everything, I walked out of the house and into a warm morning, the sky a dark blue as the sun still wasn't up quite yet. There was hardly anyone awake and moving although I don't blame anyone for sleeping in since today is Reaping Day. I made my way to the west side of the district, towards the fence. It was supposed to be coursing with electricity 24/7 but for the life of me, I never remembered it being on.
I slipped through a large gap at the bottom of the fence and walked to the treeline before pushing some leaves off a log, revealing an opening. I reached in and took out my throwing knives and pocketed them. Then, I was moving deeper into the forest, eyes scanning, trying to find any game. I tried to keep myself as quiet as I could at each step so I wouldn't startle any game off.
Not many go into the forest to hunt as it's illegal to do so… but that's only if they catch anyone who's hunting. I don't know many who are brave enough to come out into the forest with me- well, except for one. Kaiden. He had been my closest friend since I was twelve and he was like a brother to me.
I paused when I heard something up ahead and I picked up the pace, up a small hill before freezing. Grazing at the bottom of the other side of the hill was a deer with two sets of antlers adorning its head. It was on the smaller side, but it was mature. I carefully took out a knife, positioning myself at the ready, eyes narrowing.
Then, I let the knife fly and it sunken into the kill area of the deer and it went down like a stone without so much of a whimper.
"Nice throw." A familiar came to the left of me, making me look. Kaiden stood there in his usual outfit, arms crossed and in a relaxed stance. "Need any help?"
I smiled and nodded once I noticed a sack beside him before we walked down to the deer. We skinned and gutted the deer in record time, putting the cut-up meat in the sack with ease.
Once that was done, we made our way to a clearing ad sat on a hill that overlooked the rest of the forest and the mountains and sat down, Kaiden bringing out a fresh loaf of bread from…wherever he had it from. He ripped it in half, giving one to me. I took a bite out of it and chewed it, enjoying the freshness of my half. We at in peace and silence for a few minutes.
"…We could do it; you know." Kaiden spoke up quietly, making me look at him questionably.
"Run off, live in the woods." He clarified when he saw my look. "Just you and me."
"They'd catch us."
"Maybe not."
"We wouldn't make it five miles."
He simply shrugged and took another bite of his bread.
Leave the District and Liara? I could never do that. Liara is my reason to be here, to protect her.
How he said 'just you and me' when he clarified what he was talking about…I knew where that came from. I may see him as a brother but he sure as hell don't see me as a sister. He had deeper feelings for me, feelings that I can't return, and he knows it.
We finish eating the bread and got to our feet and went back into the district. I took the sack full of meat went to the Sim which was a black market of sorts. I traded a few slabs of meat for whatever we needed like a few blankets.
I started to pass a stall when something gold caught my eye. I stopped and picked up a golden colored pin. It was of a native bird called Mockingjay. It was in a circle; its wings were in mid-flap and had an arrow in its beak. Liara would love this. She always loved trying to observe the birds every chance she gets.
"Do you like the pin?" I heard an elderly voice ask. I looked over and saw an old woman behind the table where I had gotten the pin from.
"It's very beautiful, where did you get it?"
"My husband has had that for years before he died. He handed this to me and asks me to either keep it or to find someone who I think is worthy of it." She explained with a kind smile.
"I'm sorry to hear about your husband."
"It happened a few years ago dear, in an accident. I want you to have it. Free of charge."
"You sure? I have some slabs of meat I can trade."
"Dear, its fine, keep it." She insisted and, in the end, so I did.
I headed home and when I walked in, I could see a tub of warm water ready for me. District twelve was one of the poorest District- so poor that we didn't even have a proper shower.
I stripped and slipped into the tub, scrubbing myself and washing my hair, trying to mentally prepare myself for today.
Though, if I'm honest, I doubt I will be prepared for Reaping Day for as long as I live.
