District 3
Timorah Atari was currently trying to open his door.
Well, it already did open and close just fine, but he wasn't trying to do it using normal methods. Timi was currently trying to open it by lifting his container of spare bolts on his nightstand which would release a rope connected to a bag of marbles onto the raised side of a small seesaw. The seesaw would then launch a ball up into the air that would hit some small wooden planks causing them to domino down the desk before tiling one off the desk and onto a marble track, bumping the marble into racing down the track and into a pressure sensitive button.
In theory, the button would then command the spring to fire and launch the heavier ball into the air and into a carefully balanced metal frame that perched on top his door. The frame (tied by a long rope to the door handle of course), would then fall onto the floor, pulling with enough pressure to yank the handle and open the door.
'But none of that can happen if this spring doesn't go off.' Timi concluded, his hands turning over the device in his hands. The machine had worked well up until the spring was supposed to launch the ball into the air, and that was one of the more annoying things about it. 'I should have used something simpler.' The male thought, his hand running through his blonde hair. Taking the spring back to his desk, he lightly tapped the button. The spring stayed still, but once he applied more pressure to it….BOING.
"So the springs for the button are still too stiff." He muttered, his body hunched over the old desk as he expertly took apart the device. Timi began toying with the three springs in his hands. He would have to find more springs for it then. 'Maybe just one more, this spring is noticeably stiffer than the others.' He noted, his brow furrowing. He would be sure to find one when he went out again.
He sat back in his chair, his brown eyes glancing towards his window beside his bed. It looked darker out, he estimated that it would be sunset in two hours. Not that he could always tell, given how his window overlooked it's neighboring building a few feet beside it, but he'd lived there long enough he was able to notice. 'Just a little longer then.' Timi turned back to his desk and pocketed the two springs he was keeping in his jacket's left pocket for reference. The stiff spring went in his right along with a few spare coins. Then he took the metal frame off from the door, setting it neatly on the wooden desk and coiling the rope beside it. He did not want his parents walking into his room and having a piece of metal hit them.
He checked the window again, pleased to find a figure waiting on the other side. His friend gave him a small wave as Timi crossed the room and slid open the window.
"That was too easy." Yakon commented. "What happened to the contraption that usually opens the window?" He asked and leaned closer to examine the window, as if it was the starting point of the entire wall being lifted up instead.
"That. It's supposed to open my door. It's more simple than the window opener but in my defense most of my supplies were disposed of." Timi nodded to the objects by the wall. His friend stepped aside so he could climb out from the window. He landed with a small thud.
"Fear not, I am here to save you from simplicity." His friend joked, flashing him a grin. "So where did you want to go first?"
"Behind the android factory. Don't worry, it's actually an excited item this time." He told his friend as they started down the alleyway.
"Wait really? What is it?" Yakon asked, trotting after him.
"A small spring."
...
The duo walked down the narrow streets, if they could be called that. Houses sat shoulder to shoulder with one an other, not one still bearing a porch or flower pot on the outside. 'We're overpopulated and they still won't let us expand our borders.' Timorah thought with a flash of anger. His eyes flickered over to Yakon. And this section was one of the nicer ones. Yakon's area had the houses piled on top of one and other and from what Timi saw, people had to climb over houses just to reach certain portions. And the factories were just getting larger and more frequent. Not to mention how the increase in supplies they've been ordering.
"Sooo, what do you think they want all the stuff for?" Yakon asked, as if sensing his thoughts.
Timi laughed. "I'm not sure I would call perfectly calibrated machinery 'stuff', but who knows? It's not like either of us will ever see it." He responded. "And we don't need to, they can keep their secrets." He added as a bit of an after thought. In fear of a rebellion breaking out, the Capital installed cameras pretty much everywhere. Not that they usually worked that well in this district. Too much technological interference.
"Yep, no use worrying about it. I'll just dream about it instead." Yakon agreed as they squeezed down a narrow passage way, their bodies brushing against the brick and smooth concrete walls respectively.
Their conversation soon shifted to other things, like when it would rain again, if any rarer items would go on sale at Rachets or if prices would double. They stayed away from the games though. Timorah wasn't sure if he could have a capital approved discussion about the games.
"I'm just saying that whenever Mr. Krank talks, he spits at me specially." Yakon said as he walked ahead. Their conversation drifting onto school, or more specifically the teachers at the school.
"You're imagining things. He didn't like me either and I never got spat on." Timorah told him back, shaking his head. They ducked through another alleyway.
"But that's because-" Yakon froze completely, and Timi nearly stumbled into him. 'What's wrong' He wondered, his eyes shooting up past his friend. A bolt of cruel laughter pierced his ears.
"Oh." He said numbly. That explained it.
In the street in front of them, Kyr and his friends were currently tossing around a hissing, yowling bag.
Timorah watched for a moment in a stunned silence, his hands curling into fists. "Yakon, hide behind the alley." He asked his friend in a low voice.
Yakons eyes flickered over to him, his lips almost forming a protest. Kyr was a bully, plain and simple. He and his two lackeys, Miral and Charty did what they did best and tormented anyone weaker than them. Such as Timorahs sweet friend Yakon.
"Please, they might catch you." Timi added. Slowly, his friend walked passed him.
"Good luck." He whispered miserably, knowing he couldn't talk Timi out of this.
With a shaky breath, Timi stepped out in the street and rushed towards the group, barreling right into Kyr.
They both slammed into the ground. Timi, who was not surprised to suddenly find himself pressed against the concrete with the wind knocked out of him, recovered faster. He clambered to his feet, his hands reaching to scoop up the fallen bag when a fist slammed his to face.
He yelped at the bright flash of pain and quickly jumped back, only to barely dodge the next blow sent by Miral. Retreating quickly, Timi soon found himself pressed against a building. 'Probably an abandoned home, there used to be a bunch of elderly couples living on this street.' He randomly thought, his heart some point Kyr had stood back up, and he rubbed his cheek angerly. "You still hit like a girl. You'd think all the times I've hit you might've let you learn something by now." He sneered, walking towards Timi. Timorahs eyes flashed towards the bag. He could escape easily enough, but he couldn't just leave that cat to suffer- "Grab him." Kyr instructed, and Timi soon felt the hard hands of Miral and Charty on either side of him.
"Idiot doesn't even pay attention enough to now when to run." Charty giggled, his nails sinking into Timorahs jacket.
"Yeah, I know." Kyr responded, cracking his knuckles as he approached. His eyes were flat and dark, reminding Timi of the sharks he'd seen in textbooks. "Perhaps we should teach him that today." He was in front of the trapped teenager now, and it was close enough for Timi to be able to see his muscles tense as he brought his arm back. Now that it would take someone special to know what was going to happen-
Wham. Kyrs fist connected with his stomach, sending a wave of blackness as he legs nearly slipped out from under him and he gasped for breath. He could faintly hear the laughing of the two boys holding him. Kyr flashed a shark grin before winding up his fist again.
"Hey Kyr-" Miral started, his voice soon drowned out by Kyrs next punch to the gut. Timorah gasped again, trying to block out the pain. He wouldn't- he couldn't black out now. Panting heavily, he forced himself to focus on the conversation around him.
"What was that for, I couldn't punch him as hard because of you." Kyr snapped at the one who spoke earlier. Apparently even his friends couldn't escape his wrath.
"Sorry." Miral said, sounding anything but. "I noticed the bag was gone. Ya know, the one with the cat." He added almost boredly, readjusting his grip. Timorahs gaze snuck past the main bully, and sure enough, the bag was gone. 'Yakon. 'He realized with a start.
"So." Kyr started, understanding what his friend was hinting at. His eyes looked down to Timi. "Who did you bring with you."
"No one." Timorah managed out, recovered enough to breath simi-normally. That didn't mean the pain went away however…
"Bull." Kyr this time elected to slap him across the face. Timorahs eyes watered and his face began to burn. His mother was not going to be happy about the bruise that was beginning to form.
"I'm alone okay!" Timi said louder, trying to hide his shaky voice. He swallowed dryly. "I-I'm alone." He repeated.
Kyr sighed and folded his arms. "Do I have to ask again?" He asked tilting his head. "I try to be nice you know. You just don't make it easy." The male added with a sneer.
'You call beating up people nice?' Timorah thought, biting back his words. He took a deep breath, steeling himself in preparation to escape from Mirals and Chartys hold and run away.
Kyr scowled, his dark eyes flashing. "I should get some thanks for the effort I give." He suddenly lunged, his callous hand yanking Timorahs hair. He stifled a yelp as he scalp throbbed in protest. Kyr's face was now inches away, and Timi could feel his hot, raging breath. "Thank me." He growled, his grip on the blondes head ensuring that the teenager couldn't turn his head away.
Timorah paused, gathering his courage. It was one thing to not interject when someone makes a passing comment, it was another to validate their twisted worldview. "No." He said quietly, looking straight into Kyrs eyes. "No." He repeated, louder this time.
What happened next did not surprise him in the slightest. Face contouring into pure rage, Kyr slammed his fist into his victims chest. Blackness covered his vision as Timorah fell to the ground, popped free from the other boys' clutches. Curling in on himself, he sucked in lungful after lungful of air. 'Got to stay conscious ' He thought, forcing his eyes to stay focused on the ground in front of him. He was vaguely aware of the three boys standing over him, their cruel voices laughing. He watched as Kyr brought his foot up, ready to stomp the boy under his soles. Timorah tried to move, but even he knew he couldn't move out of the way in time.
Smack. The shoe never came, instead Kyr stopped and spun around. Timi then noticed a rock on the ground. 'Oh, it must have hit him.' He thought. But rocks didn't hit people on their own. Someone must have thrown it. 'Yakon!' He pushed himself off the ground, only possible because the groups attention was diverted. Stumbling painfully to his feet, he saw Kyr and his friends surrounding Yakon. 'Oh no.' His stomach dropped, and he quickly grabbed the fallen rock.
"Well well well, it looks like he was lying after all." Kyr was saying, crackling his knuckles. "What do you say we fix this little guys face?" His friends laughed with him. Timorahs teeth gritted as he clutched the rock. It was about the size of a fist, so it could certainly do some damage. Sneaking up a few feet behind the main tormentor, he brought his arm back and let the rock fly in Kyrs back.
"Run!" He yelled to Yakon, pushing past Kyr as the male stumbled in surprise. Yakon quickly ran down the alley, Timi following after him. Neither of them dared to look back as they raced down the maze of streets and passageways.
Timorah Atari is owned by the user Draph. I will try to do a segment on each tribute before the reaping :)
Also an update for the rules! You can now submit more than one character, however they will most likely die in the blood bath. They can also be less detailed than a normal tribute submission. You can still reserve a spot for them.
Feel free to tell me your thoughts on this chapter.
Criticism is always welcome~
